Category Archives: transformation

art, art journaling, creativity, ecourse, inspirational, transformation, unstuck

What fires you up?

“What fires you up?” I asked a friend of mine, and she said she didn’t know. I have encountered that many times on my path and I find it sad.

firesyouupAre we as people so programmed, so CONVINCED there is no other way than to stay in the fold where education or happenstance landed us in life. We have to think about 401Ks, retirement funds, insurance, and basically manage our lives to a point where there is no memory of what we would like to do instead of working 9-5. Don’t take me wrong; many people like their jobs, so there is nothing wrong with that. We have to do something to be productive in life. However, there is a lot of drugs and alcohol to deafen the pain inside that comes from living a “canned” life. We are not here to be victims!

I used to do psychic readings and saw that problem A LOT, the pain of conforming to society. I would point it out, but I also knew that the person would never DARE to step out of the box. To me, that is utterly sad. All of the reasons I described above, the need for control and security in life override any soul urges. Those soul cries are squashed down and ignored to the detriment of our health and happiness.

One way to get deeper in touch with your soul is through art. Anyone who has liked to dabble with crayons or paints as a child is closer to accepting that fact, but anyone who has never tried making art is also capable of creating art that brings up the needs of the soul. It’s is a therapy as well as a joy!

candlesArt can free you to look objectively at what lies underneath, gain a greater understanding, and inspire you to start  follow those urges inside that truly make a difference in life. I KNOW that art is a great bridge between the humdrum and soul destroying to an awakened state of understanding. If you follow that path, you have the chance to liberate yourself and truly live from your own inner wisdom, create the life that you really want to live.

Even if you’re clueless as to what that would be like, it’s time to start somewhere, to explore the possibilities of who your are and what your unique gifts to the world are.

I have created a mixed media art journaling course, Art Journaling Journey, that helps to open up your creative side, and hopefully inspire you to continue to express through art. At the least you will have some answers of what is going on and where to head next.

My claim is: everyone is an artist.

You might not be called to work as an artist, but art is still a wonderful tool with which to excavate your soul needs.

If you want to know more, please click on the link. I have an early bird price going until February 23, and the course starts on March 1 and goes for four weeks. Art Journaling Journey.

May you find your true path!

xoxo

Maria

art, creativity, life, motivational, self help, transformation

You are your own worst enemy.

6 Comments

 

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I know I’m my own worst enemy… It baffles me that I can’t seem to  get where I want to get with my life. Not that my life is bad in any way, but I’ve been working on making art my main career, something that truly comes from my heart.  I know I can help people to find an added dimension to their lives with art. Non-artists might poo-poo the idea, but once you start playing with art supplies a whole new world opens up, guaranteed, whether you ever considered yourself art talented or not.  Children don’t question their ability to create, not for one second.  Not until they are told by others that they have to focus on serious things to get good jobs.  Art is something we dabble in when the mood strikes. It’s a frivolous thing…. not!

I grew up with the concept you can’t make money from art, and you have to get a decent job to make your way in this world.  True, in some ways, but you sell your soul along the way, unless you’re doing something you love.  Most people hate what they do, and I don’t want to fall into that trap again.

I have decided (something I have to re-decide every day) is to fully follow my heart.  My heart has held steady over the years even if I have meandered from this to that over two continents, mostly hating my jobs–except my writing career, but that’s another story.

This decision is not a New Year’s resolution; it’s a decision that sits in my bones now.  It’s kind of a life or death situation… my choice.

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When I got really firm about pursuing this goal all the way, all hell broke lose financially.  Out of the blue I lost one income, and then I had to have a big rotting tree removed from the yard. It ain’t cheap! Then my computer croaked, my main artery to uploading my art tutorials and such.  Learning Windows 10 now…  Anyway, those expenses pulled up the old patterns like clockwork.  To pay for this, you have to get a job right away. I’m a responsible person, but fearful thinking sucks.

BUT, if I stand my ground and make this goal a “MUST” the universe will yield and my pattern will break. Believe me, I have been working on breaking that pattern for years.  Fear is a wondrous, useless thing, and it’s bone deep too, but I have a streak of stubbornness.

Through this somewhat painful journey (at times) I have felt totally alone.  However, that has helped shift my focus to wholly rely on my inner self and not seek (or gotten)  support from others. It’s a lonely path, but wasn’t the Hero’s journey a lonely one as well?

To accomplish something worthwhile it’s sometimes necessary to strip away all the fluff and the distractions, all the excuses, and all the opinions of others (who aren’t REALLY there.) They can’t be. Everyone lives in their own bubble.

I’ve been creating some art tutorials and art e-courses and I love every minute of it!  Full commitment is the only thing that will gain any kind of solid result. It might not be monetary, but it will certainly be fulfilling.  So, even if January kicked my butt, I brushed the dust off and by gum, I will never give up living my life doing what I love!

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What do you love doing the most? Leave a comment if you feel so inspired.

xo

Maria

P.S. I have a four week e-course going right now. We’re in week 1 so far. It’s called Art As Oracle and it combines art making and doing an intuitive reading for yourself via the art.  Art As Oracle. $49

art, art journaling, creativity, gratitude, inspirational, motivational, self help, transformation

What are you grateful for?

 

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What are you grateful for this coming Thanksgiving holiday and every day?

If you’re not feeling grateful for your life, you can shift your mindset easily by making a CHOICE to be mindful and look around for things to be grateful for.

Either you bitch and moan about the every day grind or you find something to be grateful for. There is always the possibility to step out of the box that you hate.  All that is needed is a decision to do so, grow some balls, and claim a new destiny that is laced with happiness and gratitude.

I have a huge list of things that I’m grateful for. Art is pretty high up on the list since it’s my deepest passion. Lately I’ve been thankful that I can let loose and create like a child again.  Judgment is a heavy yoke to carry, so why carry it?  Young children don’t judge art.

Every moment is new, truly.

Every day is another chance to make things better for yourself and others. When you’re happy and doing well, you walk around inspiring others just by being. That is pretty awesome.

Make a list of all the things you’re grateful for today and include three passions you have but never make any time for.  Which one has the highest charge? Take a step even if it’s tiny toward manifesting that passion. Small steps create big goals. What makes your heart sing?

There is no time to waste on nonsense that other people told us to do. How do you want your life to shape up from now on?

I’m going deeper into my art. I can’t really set a creative goal since I never know in what direction the art will lead me, but I do have a practical goal: do some art activity every day!  Funny how good that makes me feel…

Feel good today. Gratitude will automatically make you feel good. 🙂  A first step, right?

Thank you all who read this blog. I’m truly grateful for you, and many blessings this holiday season coming up at warp speed.

thanksI made an art video that was supposed to be “raw” unplanned art and it turned out to be doodle mania.  Link HERE.

018This is a picture of the doodle mania art journal spread.

xo

Maria

P.S. I have some other tutorials you can check out and try HERE.

asskickery, creativity, ecourse, inspirational, life, motivational, purpose, self help, transformation

Hard work is good when it’s the right kind of work.

 

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Many of us grew up with the belief that hard work is good, but no one ever mentioned that it should be the right kind of work.  It’s more like “keep your nose to the grindstone” and don’t question the situation.

All I ever did growing up was questioning my situation. When I was about nineteen I decided I wanted to be an artist. The hard work factor had not kicked in yet, so I gave up too soon when I failed to get into a prestigious art school. Also, people were always saying that you can’t make any money as an artist.

My dilemma was that I did not see a single career on the list of possible careers that I liked. It was horrible. The only one I could possibly get excited about was art therapist, but my math was weak in highschool so I could not get accepted into the education I needed.

I spent my twenties working all kinds of jobs, and that was sort of fun in that I learned a lot.  There were some things I hated and have always hated:

Getting up to an alarm clock

The 9-5 grind

The soul killing monotony of my days and no end in sight.

Next to no vacation, and then not enough money to do anything exciting.

Bosses who were jerks.

It was the Gulag of life, a life-long sentence, and I hated every day of that.  I did learn to work hard though, and be dependable. I met some nice people along the way.

In my youth I just upped and left when I’d had enough of the grind. I did some fun things like bicycling across the country and hitchhiking around Europe with NO money. Those are nice memories, but my parents called me irresponsible. I think I was more desperate to find some meaning.

I found meaning in spiritual awakening, but that will be another post.

My passion finally ignited when I realized I could be a writer and make money at it. I was thirty years old.  I started writing fiction and didn’t end until my writing career crashed while I was rehabilitating a knee injury many years later. It wasn’t fun.  Over the years I developed an ironclad discipline. (By the way, there is nothing like writing to hone your discipline.) My writing career has crashed three times, and I had to pick up other major skills along the way.

I also returned big time to my art passion. It has run like a red thread through my entire life. That is where I should have focused my energy all along.

The point of this post? Find what really excites you in life and work hard at it. Use your discipline to keep pushing through when things aren’t going right, and there will be many days like that, most of the days in fact.  Never give up. Keep working at it when there is no sign of success in sight. Don’t listen to others, listen to your heart. Your passion is a sign from the universe that you’re on the right path.

There are many many examples in history of people who worked themselves to the bone to launch wacky inventions into the world. One of the most famous is probably the flying machine. The Wright brothers must have been some kind of good crazy!

Why not you?  What is your good crazy? You have it in you, and only you can launch it into the world.

Then “nose to the grindstone” finally has a meaning that makes sense!

xo

Maria

P.S. I have some crazy cool ecourses you can check out HERE.

asskickery, fear, inspirational, life, motivational, process, self help, transformation

How to stand in your power.

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This post is about how to take charge of your life and stand in your power. I was talking to a lady and realized the paradigm of having someone “save you” is still alive and well in 2015.

Some women still expect a knight in shining armor to ride in on a white horse and save them. Though that would be cool, especially if he’s handsome and buff, but he is not the answer to your problems. He has his own problems to deal with, so why the need to put the pressure on someone else to support YOU?

How to stand in your power:

  1. Know that you are capable, no matter what the situation. You start where you are. If you’re penniless you find a job, and excuses be gone, excuses like “I don’t have the education,” “I haven’t worked in a long time,” “I have no skills.” Those are poisonous excuses. I think it was Carnegie who started his career selling newspapers on a street corner.  Where there is a will there is a way.
  2. If you are desperate find ANY job to tide you over for a time. Where you meet people there is a chance to meet new connections that can offer you more.  In other words, make sure to mingle.
  3. Decide to take charge of your life. That’s the point where you realize no knight is going to save you and you’re ok with that.
  4. Ditch the fear. Haven’t we all done things that scared us? All it takes is a determination to succeed, and the above decision to take charge of your life. Hold that decision as a sacred vow.
  5. You are capable of a lot more than you think.  Remember the friend who landed a job above their current skills? You say it’s luck? I say it’s “balls.” They believed in themselves, ditched the fear, and applied.
  6. Decide to think highly of yourself!  Yes, it’s a choice. You are worthy and confident and capable. Let that be your new mantra.
  7. Learn something new. Learning new things is a real confidence builder and it might spark new business ideas.
  8. Trust your intuition.  Intuition is a great tool to hone in your life. Don’t second guess yourself. Trust your gut!
  9. What is the best you could be? What seems impossible to achieve? Go for THAT goal. It’s a huge challenge, but challenges move us forward in life, and accomplishing a big goal is a superior confidence builder.
  10. If you have no idea what you want start where you are right now.  What step(s) can you take right now to improve your life?  Ask yourself that question every day and do the steps. Such steps include self-care, healthy choices, biz opportunities or steps to expand a current biz or job. Confidence speaks louder than words. Build your confidence one step at a time.

Write a new blueprint for you life and know that it is the best thing ever to stand in your power and accomplish your dreams, one step at a time.

Living from the inside out gives you instant confidence and gives you the authority to choose what is best for you. Don’t listen to the naysayers. They are coming from the perspective of their own fears.

Remember, you are your own best authority, but you are also your greatest naysayer. Positive action is the way to silence the inner naysayer. Excuses be gone!

xo

Maria

P.S. If you want to check out my available ecourses, click HERE.

fear, inspirational, life, motivational, process, success, transformation

What do you fear?

What do you fear? I was thinking about that this morning as I had my tea in the backyard. Then I saw that my friend Tobi Camilli had written a blog post about How To Be Fearless today. (Link at the end of this post.)  Let’s kick fear to the curb!

I don’t live a life filled with fear, but it’s exactly what holds me back from creating a life that is truly great! As I had my tea I was watching a dove picking at my lawn, not showing much fear of me. I remembered a time when one of the feral cats caught a dove and the screams of fear the bird emitted. Animals (as far as I know) live in the now. I doubt they have a concept of life and death, but they feel fear at the moment of death, or at being caught.

We are born into this world as predator or victim. It is a world based on eat or be eaten, the jungle law prevails. That is the natural law of things. Animal and human alike don’t want to die. That is a built-in fear that can’t be avoided.

However, humans have taken fear to staggering heights. Through history we have tales of horrifying torture, greed, betrayal, you name it.  No wonder we don’t trust each other since history inspires nothing but mistrust of our leaders and people in general.

That fear is known and normal, but what about the fear that stops us from accomplishing our goals and desires? It’s like two strains of fear that have been downloaded through the ages: one for survival and the other to make us small and helpless.

Humans rule the world and the animal kingdom with a heavy hand, all due to fear. The strongest and the wealthiest is the one in power, but truly, that is just a huge buffer against the threat of being poor and helpless.

True greatness comes from the inner unfolding of the soul / spirit.  Mahatma Gandhi is a good example of that. As we know he didn’t have many worldly riches, and he ordained peaceful solutions to all conflicts. A truly masterful leader who created massive change through peace.  I don’t know if he walked around with fear of assassins, but I doubt it.

Bravery comes from within. It’s not the product of an outside situation. To grow true bravery we have to become intimate with our soul and its needs. It does not want small and fearful. It wants us to step up and unfold into true greatness. We are all seeds of the gods.  Your greatness is different from mine, and it’s there for the taking. We all compliment each other.

Fact of the matter is: that kind of fear is a flimsy excuse. It’s like smoke and mirrors, not really real. We are bamboozled by the specter of fear and we swear to its veracity.

But, if you have challenged fear in the past you know about the flimsy excuse and it gets easier and easier to act in the face of it.

The real challenge is to release the old patterns that our parents’ (and history) imprinted in us from day one. My parents’  message was, play it small and safe. But I have rebelled against that over and over so now is the time to eradicate such imprinting for good! I’ve been using EFT, Emotional Freedom Technique, with great success in the past, and it keeps on working. If you want to kick your fearful small self out for good, check out some YouTube videos on how to do EFT and get started.

Take charge of your life now and do the things you really want to do. You’ll be happier for it.

Tobi, as I mentioned above, has some other suggestions to releasing fear. Check out her blog HERE.

xo

Maria

P.S. If you are looking for some free or paid e-courses that I offer, please go HERE.