Britt Bravo and I joined Tranquilista Kimberly Wilson and her beau Tim Mooney for dinner at Cafe Gratitude in Berkeley. Kimberly was in town doing her west coast book tour for her fabulous new book Tranquilista: Mastering the Art of Enlightened Work and Mindful Play. We gabbed, we laughed a ton, and we brainstormed about our creative women entrepreneur event, all while enjoying a delicious raw meal.

Here’s the darling couple. Tim is such a great guy. It was fun to learn more about all the cool stuff that he’s up to, too.

You can check out Kimberly’s TV segment about financial finesse on The View From the Bay below.

A few days ago we wrapped up our third five-day Expressive Arts Teacher Training retreat with Chris Zydel. Each retreat gets richer and richer as we, the participants, take on more and more of the leading. I’m looking forward to the last retreat in May, where we’ll be running the show.

I had been working on the painting above for most of the second retreat and a few weekly classes. It had grown so organically and haphazardly that the pages were falling apart, the masking tape was sticking to itself, and it was always a royal pain in the ass to pin up and take down. When I got ready to put it up on the first day of the retreat, I decided to take more care in reassembling it. I laid the whole wild beast on the floor face down and carefully began taping the once unwieldy pages together. This simple act became a moving meditation of integration and once I was done with taping, I knew the painting was complete, without even lifting a brush!

I grabbed a sheet of paper to begin my next intuitive painting. It started out with some streaks of turquoise, which then became a mane, which then became a huge “My Little Pony-esque” horse (ultimately a unicorn) blowing bubble gum while taking a big dump. Oh my inner muse has quite the imagination! The weird thing was, I could even smell the sweet scent of Bubble Yum bubble gum and cotton candy as I painted those pink bubbles and clouds. (Oh and yes, I could actually smell the horse shit, too!).

After a bit of hesitation (a.k.a., my inner critic going off about how dare I do yet another huge painting!), I allowed the rest of the pony/horse to emerge and then a few other figures came into the picture.

I really love how anything goes in the intuitive painting process. We’re merely taking orders from our inner muse! When I asked her, “What’s next?” and she responded, “A bucket of fish,” I got silver and green paint and went to work, even though I thought her request was completely random. In the end, I had fun painting those fish and giving them glittery green scales.

As I do these larger paintings, I’m constantly finding myself challenged by the constraints of the physical space. I get frustrated about how I seem to make things harder for myself or I take on things that are too ambitious.  The light fixture on the wall was in the way (for my last painting it was the wall speakers). But then I got inspired to have these large hands reaching out from behind the open pages, and that was quite thrilling. It reminds me how, in life, I always seem to make things work even when they feel daunting or overwhelming, and I usually will end up having fun overcoming the challenge.

Here’s a close-up of my whimsical silly kissing fish. The pink one has a Cindy Crawford mole, a crown and a purse.

I had a blast allowing the pony/horse to transform into a unicorn when I taped a sheet of paper to the ceiling and began painting a magical horn overhead while pretending I was Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel. Each painting and painting experience is always different. This one was my first large painting with a prominent, central image. While the paintings don’t necessarily have to have any particular meaning, I do feel like there is something in there about me standing more confidently in my own bigness. Rather than dancing around the issue, it was like, “Hello, here I AM!” I led a session on being big and taking up space toward the end of the retreat, and it was inspiring to see my fellow trainees step more boldly into their own bigness in the painting sessions that followed.

And here’s a lovely group shot of me and my fellow Wild Heart trainees and our wonderful leader, Chris. Linda Kennedy of Artzilla Create is right next to me, and next to her are Gloria Umbach and Priscilla Burbank. Danielle Saunders of Full Steam Arts and Nadine Hamil of Artful Dreamers Studio are flanking Chris. And the lovely Karen Fried took our photo (Karen’s next to me in the photo below).

And here we are celebrating Gloria’s birthday with delicious cheesecake and lots of laughs. I love how Chris is wearing her party hat all goofy. We topped off the night with some dancing and of course more laughs!

I’m ever so slowly emerging from my writer-hermit-mode. At least to catch my breath before the home stretch next month. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It sure helps that the cherry blossoms are blooming, daffodils have sprung up, and cala lilies are unfurling. My winter hibernation is making way for the bright aliveness of spring.

Last week I printed out the draft of my manuscript. It was pretty amazing to just see the stack of pages! And it’s been really cool to see the Right-Brain Business Plan e-Course participants engaging with the materials and exercises. They’re doing such awesome work planning and playing!

The book continues to take shape. I’ve started receiving pictures and packages of awesome creative Right-Brain Business Plans to feature (by the way if you have one you’d like me to consider, please let me know!). And this week I met with my dear friend and fabulous designer Kate Prentiss to start brainstorming about the cool illustrations. (As we enjoyed yummy treats at Bittersweet she scribbled the adorable note above in honor of our Year of the Tiger – which is already off to a great start!).

While I never want to run a marathon, I definitely feel like this writing journey demands a similar type of focus, commitment, and endurance. After I pass one milestone, there’s another around the corner… I’ll just continue putting one foot in front of the other…

Isn’t it funny how the gremlins get louder the closer we move toward our big dreams? For weeks and weeks, I’ve been diligently plugging away at my manuscript, but now that I’m preparing to have colleagues review it and give feedback, the Inner Critic kicked into overdrive.

Productivity came to a halt. I dug my heels in. I started to stall on sending out certain e-mail requests, I avoided reading sections of my manuscript (let’s not even talk about looking at the whole thing in its entirety!), and I kept myself in the dark about what the timing of my next steps needed to be. These are a few of my gremlin’s many sneaky tactics to keeping things status quo.

Recognizing the gremlin’s grip, I began taking little steps forward. I drafted up the e-mails that I needed to send out. I printed out documents that I had not been wanting to deal with. I got more Post-it Notes and mapped out the dates of key milestones leading up to my deadline. I swear, it’s these tiniest of actions that get my mind off of the gremlin talk and on to the bigger vision. There is still plenty more to do and I’m still noticing resistance. But, I know if I keep making these micromovements I’ll maintain momentum. And it sure helps having awesome, supportive people in my life and an amazing book coach to keep me focused on the positive. So take that, gremlins!!

How does your Inner Critic try to sabotage your progress? What are the ways you keep your gremlins at bay?

I’m excited about the fabulous creative entrepreneurs who will be joining me in the Right-Brain Business Plan e-Course that starts next week. I hope that you’re one of them! Check out my video above and sign-up here. The early-bird special ends soon. Finally get that business plan done and have fun doing it!

My 2010 theme of grounded growth has been a valuable touchstone. Whenever I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed or stressed out, I reconnect with my intention. Here are some simple ways that I’ve practiced grounded growth the past few weeks:

• Practiced yoga at home. While I love going to intense vinyasa classes and working up a sweat, sometimes it’s more beneficial to do my own practice at home where I can follow my own breath. My body needed to slow down and I listened.
• Took my pup for a long walk on the one day when it didn’t rain. We both enjoyed the crisp, fresh air and hint of sunshine.
• Journaled in the morning.
• Carved out focused time for my writing. My new favorite secret weapon is the cool tool Concentrate for the Mac which allows you to eliminate distractions on your computer like social media, websites, and applications. I’ve logged more than 12 hours of writing since getting it a few weeks ago. Funny thing is I discovered it on Twitter when I was supposed to be writing!
• After a long couple days of intense work, I took a night off and watched a DVD with my hubby.
• Took a yoga class today and loved that my teacher started us off with some deep breathing in reclining butterfly. He had us extend our exhale to help us ground and expand our inhale to help us spread out. A great physical practice of my grounded growth theme!

How are you practicing your theme for the year? What little things can you do to embody your intention?

I hope you’ve had a wonderful start to the new year. I haven’t posted in awhile as I’ve been heads down with writing my manuscript and preparing for my upcoming Right-Brain Business Plan e-Course that I can’t wait to share soon. Despite moving into 2010 full-steam ahead, it’s still important to pause and set my intentions for the new year. Goddess Leonie’s 2010 Goddess Planner has been a fun way for me to dip into some creative visioning. If you haven’t checked out this fab resource yet, I highly recommend it (and I’m not saying it just cuz I get a commission!). It’s a colorful, jam-packed, inspirational, and uber-affordable guide that is well worth treating yourself to.

During a yoga class at the beginning of the month, my teacher invited us to set an intention for the new year. I already knew that I wanted growth to be a focal point in 2010 and a foundation for the new decade. But given the overwhelm and stress I had been feeling, I knew it couldn’t be about super-accelerated expansion. I sat on my yoga mat, closed my eyes, and breathed. As I reflected on Sean’s inquiry, the phrase “grounded growth” emerged clearly. It’s the perfect theme for what I want to create this year. I want to grow bigger in my business and in my personal life. And I want to do so in a way that is rooted, calming, and mindful.

Leonie’s medicine bag exercise encourages us to identify ways that we can take care of our goddess-self. I enjoyed jotting down all the comforts, support, and self-care activities I can lean into to make sure there is lots of grounding in my growth.

As the medicine bag reminds me, support and encouragement from friends is vital to my grounded growth. I love that my friend Britt Bravo sent me a thoughtful handmade gift the other week – a sparkly magnet with an inspiring message. And to top it off, the book club ladies snail mailed an envelope full of fortunes from a recent book club gathering that I missed. Leaning into friends, asking for help, and actively seeking support (like hiring a VA – yay!) have been immensely helpful as I find myself in venturing into new territory.

What’s your intention or theme for the new year? And what’s in your “medicine bag” to support you on your journey?

I guess you could say I’m a bit of a self-help geek considering my idea of a good time for ringing in the new year consists of paper, glue, and reflection instead of bubbly, confetti, or noise makers. I enjoyed finishing my year-in-review exploding box to commemorate 2009 and reflecting on my end-of-year inquiries as a follow-up to listing what I’m celebrating from the year.

What are you most proud of?

• Setting the intention that I would land a book deal and sticking through the process even when it was challenging and disheartening.
• Showing up fully right from the get-go at my Expressive Arts Teacher Training (especially in light of it being at the same location where I had a difficult time a few years before).
• Trusting my creative flow.

What was your biggest learning?

• Having fabulous, inspiring, and supportive creative cohorts is essential. Collaborating with the right people makes all the difference.
• Valuable growth comes from failure. It’s part of the process.

How did you stretch yourself?

• I hit the road a lot this year – attending the book expo, leading workshops, giving talks, and visiting friends.
• Last year I got tons of great experience doing work through other groups and organizations, but this year I stretched myself by focusing on and growing my own body of work.

Who did you lean on for support?

• I’m so very grateful for all the wonderful support I have from my husband. He provides me with lots of encouragement and he helps me in so many ways.
• I don’t know where I’d be without my amazing book coach, Jan King. She helps me through every step of this publishing journey.
• My mentor and intuitive painting teacher, the wise and generous Chris Zydel.
• The Nurture Huddle.
• My friends, family, and my fellow creative entrepreneurs.

How will you celebrate who you’ve become?

• Doing my reflection exercises has been a meaningful way for me to celebrate. I’m also looking forward to doing more work in Leonie’s gorgeous 2010 Goddess Planner.
• Tomorrow I’m going to go to a New Years Day yoga class. I know it will be a great way to kick off the new year.
• Keep honoring my self-care Fridays and scheduling a massage for January.
• Oh, and I just might buy myself a new pair of designer jeans!

I hope you take some time to reflect on your year. I loved seeing my fellow wishstudio columnist Shona Cole share her year-end celebration. Way to go!

Happy New Year! Wishing you a wonderful 2010!

At the end of the year, I like to spend some time reflecting on what I learned and accomplished. First, I start making a list of all the things big and small that I’m celebrating. Then, I journal about what my big learnings were. I also enjoy doing something artsy and visual to commemorate the year, like the exploding box I made for 2008. For other creative ideas, check out my latest Musepreneur column on the wishstudio.

What I’m celebrating from 2009:

Career/Calling

• Enjoyed working with more new clients and continuing to support my long-term clients. I’ve been blown away by the courageous and inspiring work they’ve all been up to this year.
• Went to Book Expo America in May with a book proposal and sell sheets in hand.
• Wrote and sent out book proposal for Right-Brain Business Plan in June.
• Signed book contract for Right-Brain Business Plan with New World Library in December. Woohoooo!!
• Set up affiliate program for Right-Brain Business Plan e-Book.
• Gave design facelifts to this blog, my Unfolding Your Life Vision kit site, and my Right-Brain Business Plan site.
• Led the Inner Muse group coaching teleclass.
• Held Right-Brain Business Plan teleclass and workshop.
• Collaborated with Leah on our Creative Play workshop in Boston.
• Led a Dream Box workshop in DC.
• Gave talks at the Creativity in Business conference in DC, at Sacramento Ladies Who Launch, and Oakland eWomen Network
• Half-way through a year-long Expressive Arts Teacher Training program with Chris Zydel.
• Co-led monthly calls with Kathy Loh on the Creative Artists community on the Co-Active Network.
• Began brainstorming with Britt Bravo, Lisa Sonora Beam, and Kimberly Wilson for a Creative Women Entrepreneur event next year.
• Did various interviews, guest posts, and podcasts.

Personal Growth

• Participated regularly in bi-weekly Nurture Huddle calls (thanks so much for all your invaluable support and wonderful friendship this year, ladies!).
• Attended a writer’s retreat.
• Took SARK’s Juicy Pens Thirsty Paper workshop.
• Went regularly to Intuitive Painting classes and painted BIG!
• Participated in Art Every Day month for the third year.
• Did a birth chart astrology reading with Chris Zydel.
• Did morning journaling and read lots and lots of books.

Wealth & Abundance

• Created a new illustrated worksheet, Your Life in Bloom.
• Continued to make more passive income selling products.
• Worked with a bookkeeper to help with monthly reconciliations and Quickbooks stuff.
• Bought an original art piece from Leah at Blue Tree Art Gallery.

Health & Wellbeing

• Went to Kimberly Wilson’s Hip Tranquil Chick yoga retreat in NY.
• Attended yoga classes regularly and took a circus yoga class.
• Attended step, body conditioning, and Zumba classes regularly.
• Tried out Shimmy Pop for the first time!
• Did food craving sessions with Kara Sorenson and gave myself permission to spend a little more on healthy food.
• Finally learned how to use a neti pot without gagging or crying.
• Treated myself to getting a massage every once in a while.
• Honored my self-care Fridays.

Relationships

• Spent quality time with Brian.
• Hung out with family and friends.
• Discovered a piece of family history thanks to a stranger.
• Eighth year of book club fun.
• Took a trip to Mexico with Brian.
• Befriended by the sweet, generous, and wonderful Amy.

Physical Environment

• Had housecleaner come regularly.
• Organized my Unfolding Your Life Vision kit inventory in the garage and Brian cleared out a lot of the clutter in the garage, too. Yay!
• Organized my craft area.
• Got cracks in our stucco fixed so we won’t have any more leaks in the living room when it rains.
• Finally put a new latch on our kitchen closet to keep Emmett out of the trash (well, actually Brian did this when I was at my wits end cleaning trash from the floor, thanks honey!). Also created a new system for our recycling because when Emmett couldn’t get into the trash can, he went for the recycling bin!

Fun & Recreation

• Visited with friends in NY, Boston, and D.C. and had friends visit with me.
• Met some new cool people online and in person.
• Took a roadtrip with Leah, Melba, and Mindy to check out the Squam Art Fair.
• Completed my year-long creative project, Kiss the Paper, with Kate and Molly.
• Participated in Wreck This Journal and did my first vlogs.
• Discovered new favorite art supplies.
• Cuddled with my dog.

What are you celebrating from 2009? What acknowledgment will you give yourself?

Here’s to a rockin’ 2010! I’ve still got some year-in-review reflection to wrap up and then when I’m done, I’m excited to dive into Goddess Leonie’s delicious and dreamy 2010 Goddess Planner. These gorgeous and colorful pages are making me super excited about setting my intentions for the new year.

The fabulous wishstudio hostess, Mindy Tsonas, has dreamed up a yummy event full of art, connection, and inspiration. The first ever wish*full virtual art retreat takes place April 30th-May 2nd. Join like-minded souls from around the world for a refreshing, creative weekend, all from the comfort of your own home!

Online workshops will be led by fourteen artists/teachers including: Kimberly Wilson, Christine Mason Miller, Leah Piken Kolidas, Susannah Conway, Hope Wallace, and me. Course descriptions are now up and early registration is open. Would love to see you there!