Journal
Hear With Your Ears, Listen With Your Heart
by Shelly Stokes, Founder and Creative Mentor
A year ago, I had just returned from a 3-day retreat with Rachael Jayne Groover, author of Powerful and Feminine. It was a wonderful event, and another step on my path to figuring out what I am here to BE in this world.
While I was at the event, I had a chance to film a short video. I decided to go for it, even though I had no idea what I was going to say.
What came out, with amazing clarity, was a very strong message about creative self-care. What I did not understand until later, was that this was a message from the Universe to me, not just me talking to others. I hope this message is as valuable to you as it has been to me.
Honor Your Creative Nature
Over the past year, I have learned to make time in my day to create, to experiment, and to work on my own art. And the better I take care of my creative self, the more energy I have to support the people around me, including you.
I have also learned to listen with my heart as I try to understand what I am really here to BE. One of my greatest desires has been to return to teaching, but I could not see past the travel that comes with the traditional teaching circuit. I could not see past my own thinking about what it means to teach.
But my desire to teach pushed me to look for another way to reach out to you, a way that does not include getting on a plane or climbing behind the wheel of my car. My desire to teach has pushed me to stick my toe into the ocean of Online Learning, to see if this just might work.
I decided to test the waters with the 30 Days of Design Magic program. I told you it was my first time out, that I have so much to learn. And you have overwhelmed me with your positive response. I am thrilled, I am scared, and I could not be more excited if I tried.
Yes, I am scared along with being thrilled. There are a lot of moving parts with any online program, especially for a newbie. I am sure there will be bumps along the way. But I will get through them, WE WILL get through them together.
Whether you join the class or not, I want you to know how much I appreciate your support. I am honored that you invited me into your creative life, and that you are, collectively, supporting my dream to teach again. You’re the best!
Will we ONLY be able to see yours and everyone else’s designs from the 30-day challenge IF WE’RE SIGNED UP? I work 80 hours a week and unfortunately have very little time for my own personal creativity. I would like to see everyone’s designs but don’t know if I have to be signed up into the class to be able to just see the designs or not everyone has created. Very interested to see yours and their creative side and what they created and came up with. Please let me know. Thank you for your time.
Yes, Elise. You must be signed up to have full access to what the group is posting. I will be sharing a summary of my own designs in the newsletter and/or blog, but you need to join the group to see everything going on. I hope you will join us!
Thank you, Shelly. You are SO right… and I shared your video on my FaceBook page for my friends affirm and exercise their creative side, too.
Thanks, Gina. I’m glad you enjoyed the message. I hope it is as good for you as it has been for me.
Shelly,
So happy to see you sharing your gifts and you look like a rock star in purple!
I feel like I need to share what I struggle with as I try to find my space in this. I know I am creative. I struggle with the talent aspect. I have average talent. It is difficult for me to get past that as I stumble along on my journey.
I do read and enjoy your newsletters. Thanks for doing them.
Ah, Laurie. First, thank you for your kind words. I am so much happier than I was a year ago. I feel like I have found the real “me.” As for creativity and talent, I ask you to consider this. Creativity and creative thinking is not a talent. It is a way of being and doing. There is a YouTube video by John Cleese that does a marvelous job of explaining this. Google John Cleese on Creativity. It’s about 35 minutes long, but worth every minute! Big hugs, Shelly