Week One is Here!!

As I write this...the sun is brightly shining throughout my office. One of my favorite songs from childhood is playing and I am feeling so good.

Times like these can be fleeting though, can't they? I mean one minute we feel like we can conquer the world [ourselves, even} and the next we sink so low we can't see anything but mud.

Our good, happy, warm, fuzzy, feel good thoughts can leave at a moment's notice. Why do you suppose that is? Is there a way we can create a life where we have more of those warm fuzzy kinds of feelings than not?  I think there is. In fact I know there is and by the end of our 6 week journey you will know,  too. Are you ready to get started?! Me, too!! Let's go!

Welcome, Girls!! First off let me just say...I hope you don't mind me calling you Girls. It's just the way I roll. Ever since becoming a member of Brave Girl's Club I can't be anything but a girl. Lady just seems too proper and doesn't fit me...so throughout class you will be Girls and I hope that's ok:)


This class has been years in the making. It all started with Sarah Ban Breathnach's "Simple Abundance"  and Cheryl Richardson's "Life Makeover". In my early 20's I watched the Oprah Winfrey Show religiously and these two women made several appearances on her show. I have all their books and will be sharing some of their ideas that have made a difference in my life. Other women that have influenced me for the good are Gail McMeekin, Kathleen Adams and several others.

Most recently the biggest influences on my heart and my art have been Brave Girl Melody Ross and Possibilitarian Kelly Rae Roberts. Both of these girls are living the life they always imagined simply because they listened to their heart.

 Everyone has been 
made for some particular work,
 and the desire for that 
work has been put 
in every heart.
-- Mevlana Rumi 

Last January I took Melody Ross's Soul Restoration class. For the first ever I was introduced to the healing power of art. It was amazing to think that something so simple as putting paint and glue and paper together would heal my heart. But it did.

And it still is by art journaling, painting canvas's and sharing my heart for all to see.

 It's been a life changing journey. One that I am so grateful for.

You see this little cutie?

My Brave Art-2012

Does she look scared or sad or stuck in her life?

Absolutely not.

She looks wildly happy and free.

I want to feel the way she does.
Don't you?


Girls, what if this is as good as it gets? What if our situation doesn't change. Maybe we're sick or suffer from chronic pain or have a huge financial burden or we're stuck in a job that just doesn't satisfy us?

Are we supposed to just curl up in a ball, hide in a corner and feel sorry for ourselves?


Pain is inevitable. 
 Suffering is optional. 
 ~M. Kathleen Casey


 The next 6 weeks will be filled with ideas and words and quotes and art to brighten our day. To refresh our attitude. We will learn ways to fill up our souls by listening to our heart whispers.

We will get our hands messy with paint and glue and ink as we fill our art journals with new songs to sing and new adventures to take.

When we put our emotions and thoughts and words with art...that's when the magic happens! That's when we finally begin to see....

Listening to your heart
 is not simple.
 Finding out who you are
 is not simple.
 It takes a lot of hard work 
and courage to get
 to know who you are
 and what you want.
 Sue Bender

I am so grateful you are taking this journey with me. I promise you I will give you everything in my heart. I know we can do this. We can create the life we have always dreamed of. We can experience more peaceful times. More love and beauty in our days. We can fill our lives with passion and inspiration.

Today, we are taking the steps to create the path we wish to be on and even if you are already on that path couldn't you use a little reinforcement? 



Today's Lesson:

*Take out your notebook, a pen and get still. Maybe go outside or sit in your bed...wherever you are most comfortable. Write these questions in your journals, answer them and then read them. Are you surprised at what you wrote?

1. What do you want more of in your life? List everything that comes to mind. Be quick about this...no need to sit and ponder. What our heart wants is usually just waiting to spill out of us:)

 Here are a few of mine...

     *I want more peaceful moments
      *I want to have more pain free days than pain full days
       *I want to have more courage and try new things without worrying that I may fail
       * I want to have more time for creating and playing

2. Write down 3 statements that are TRUE about you right now.

      *I am trying my very best to eat clean, healthy foods most days
       * I tend to hide from the world when my life gets hard
       * I am overwhelmed with our job situation but am trying to find ways to manage my stress


3. What do you believe about yourself?

      *I believe I am a good person
       * I believe I am a good writer and communicator
       *I believe I am strong when I need to be

Remember to write down everything that comes to mind.

Now just sit with these thoughts for the rest of the day. Think about what you wrote down. Are you surprised by anything? Was it hard for you to do this exercise? Do you even know what you believe about yourself or are you basing it off what you think others believe about you? There is a difference you know;)

Throughout this week we will be focusing on Believing. 
Believing that we can do anything.
Believing that we are worth everything.

Tuesday I will post this week's project along with a few prompts for your art journal.

Again...I am so very grateful for each one of you!
The next 6 weeks will be one of self discovery through writing, art journaling and creating.

And girls...just a reminder...you DO NOT need to sign up for our FB group. That is optional. I will be posting all the prompts, posts here. The FB group is a place we can chat, lift each other up and share artwork, etc.

Thank you for being here!