As we head into the holidays, bombarded by commercials and jammed shopping aisles, the idea of gratitude and thanks is often thrown in as an after thought. It's another angle to sell during "the season." It vanishes by January when we are then overwhelmed with ads for getting in shape, as we drag around a big bag of shame from eating one too many holiday cookies and not militantly going to the gym. Lame. What frustrates me most as we descend into the depths of holiday madness is … [Read more...]
Rituals Make You a Better Person
November 1, 2010 By Leave a Comment
As the cold weather creeps into Colorado, the smell of damp leaves and chill in the air gives me a feeling of going back to school. It happens every year, without fail. Since I have stopped taking the yellow school bus and ditched the boring math classes, I still find the need to settle into a routine to carry me through the chillier months. It helps me get grounded, focused and feel directed, just like going back to school used to be in the fall. With no teachers to set the ground rules … [Read more...]
Where is the Color in Your Life?
October 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Where is the Color in Your Life? When people wake up in the morning, often their first thoughts are about tasks or worrying about "what-ifs." How am I going to get through the day today? Is the commute going to suck? Are the kids going to get to school on time? Is my boss going to hassle me again? Am I going to find work today?… among several other arbitrary thoughts. These are universal thoughts most people experience as part of living and belonging to a family and community; its part of … [Read more...]
Expanding Creative Boundaries by Channeling my Inner Hippie
July 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Tie Dye: An art form usually associated with unwashed hair, joints and general hippie-dom is much more than a throw back, its a great lesson in creative flow and inspiration. Yes, I was a tie dye virgin. I often admired the colorful, bleeding shapes on T-shrits and tanks, but never actually attempted this mystical, infamous 60s art form. So, when a girlfriend hosted her annual blowout tie dye fest to color her own clothes and make some gifts, I was all in. Watch Out Jerry Garcia I collected … [Read more...]
What Gets you Out of Bed in the Morning?
June 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Is it the duties of life, your pet’s butt in your face, screaming kids or your passions — the things you love more than anything else in the world? Your passion could be for watching murder mystery shows, speaking Klingon or simply sitting and meditating with a cup of tea. Whatever it is, that fire, that PASSION is what sustains you throughout life, so are you living yours? No one even needs to know about it (or them), but this deep, raw part of you needs to be nourished … [Read more...]
Release the Old to Inspire Creativity
June 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
As we move along in our hurried lives we collect. We collect ideas, habits, people and thought patterns. Then the realization hits us; we are bogged down feeling heavy, stuck or even trapped. The sudden desire to change something in our lives, anything, comes bubbling up in ways we never expected. We search for any way to find just a little breathing room, and that where the tough part comes in… figuring out what to release to regain flexibility and creative inspiration. Its easy to keep … [Read more...]
Creative Kickstand: Time to Rev Up or Take a Break?
May 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
People often think creativity as an act of doing, when really it starts as a act of being. Being in the moment, being aware, being open to and delving into feelings; that is where you dive into the creative meat, the real deal. Seeds of inspiration come from observing so many things; yourself, your surroundings, your past, but they don’t always show up when you want them to. So, when you come to a creative pause what is best? To try and push through the barrier with the … [Read more...]
The Fort Collins Taste Blends Community, Creative Food for a Good Cause
May 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
"The Taste", hosted at the Fort Collins Hilton last week was about more than fancy food samples; it was about bringing together caring members of the community to raise money for the Food Bank of Larimer County and Neighbor to Neighbor. Over 30 local, non-chain restaurants from Fort Collins, Wellington, Windsor and Loveland participated and prepared food for an expected crowd of over 700 potential tasters. Some offered special menu items just for the event prepared in the on-site kitchen, … [Read more...]