Why It Matters To Me - In My Art Journal

CLICK HERE to watch a video of me creating this art journal spread. 

Hey Beautiful Creative You!!

There have always been moments during my art journey when I have needed to pause and reflect on where I am, but I didn't actually do that. It took me a while to realize that I was spending so much time thinking about where I wanted to be that I didn't make time to stop and celebrate how far I had come. This created a constant feeling of pressure -- pressure to do more, be more, produce more. 

One of my clients shared a post in our private group recently that reminded me of this important lesson and it got me thinking about how this is true in all creative ventures, whether it's running a business or making handmade art journals. We all know where we want to go and we constantly work to get there. But my hope for each of us is that we will stop along the way and savor the moments that help us reflect on how far we've come. 

Today is a good day to STOP & CELEBRATE how far you've come. Working towards your dream doesn't mean you can't happy dance along the way.

This reminded me of why I do what I do as a mixed media book artist and an art journaler. I am fueled by my gift to help others empower themselves and that means reminding them to stop and celebrate -- even the small things need to be celebrated. 

And this is why I do what I do. It's why I make handmade journals and teach others to do the same. It's why I share my artistic and creative journey on YouTube and why I help women create businesses they love. These things bring me joy and remind me of how far I've come in my personal journey to become a better human (that includes being an artist and business mentor). I also love to document (I think I'm a closet archivist), so art and written journaling, keeping a bullet journal, blogging, Instagram, and YouTube are my ways of documenting my life -- and most importantly, my growth.  

I love being aware of my journey and documenting allows me to be aware of when I have major transformation in my life. I can pinpoint exact moments when something shifted for me by simply looking back through my journals or photos. 

For years I hid my quirks and awkwardness, but a life changing surgery provided a reality check and that cliché -- "life is short" -- became very real for me. 

Now, I wear my quirkiness like a badge of honor: 

• Yes! I'm an artist. 
• Yes! I'm an introvert. 
• Yes! I collect fountain pens. That means I'm a bit of a pen snob. 
• Yes! I make handmade journals and collect blank books. (I have more than 100 at any given time)
• Yes! I'm a bit of a computer geek (I used to write code for fun :-). 
• Yes! I use tarot and oracle cards as a way to go deeper on my journey within. 
• Yes! I look to astrology as an instructional manual for how to best navigate this world. 
• No! I did not birth a child, but I have mothered the children of others for more than 20 years. And I birth new ideas all the time. :-)
• Yes! When I cook I stand in tree pose -- I've done that since I was 12 (before I knew what Yoga meant). 
• Yes! I would rather skip than run. And I skip often -- you should try it. It's rather refreshing. 
• and the list could go on and on...

But here's what I learned -- showing up authentically actually allowed me to find other quirky, socially awkward and amazing people. Yes! There are lots of us out there who see the world differently, and when I create classes, programs, ebooks, blog posts, etc., I'm creating for those of us who don't fit neatly into one box or the other. That's why I do what I do. I create the world that I want to live in. A world where everyone has come alive and where we are all R.I.C.H.

Everyday is another chance for me to create, share, and document my journey in hopes that I can inspire or empower someone else to be Radically Intent on Cultivating Happiness (R.I.C.H.). 

So now I have three questions for you:

• What's your reason for creating, for documenting, for being in business? Why do you do what you do?
• What's that thing about you that makes you feel quirky? 
• When was the last time you stopped to celebrate how far you've come? 

I want to hear from you. Leave me a comment below and let's connect.