Creative Play Workshop: Creating Time for Yourself
July 22nd, 2009
a timely message
I've been enjoying writing these posts on the theme of self for the Creative Every Day Challenge this month because they help to remind me about how to take good care of myself, how to celebrate, how to move past self-doubts, and how to meet myself where I'm at with my art. Taking excellent care of yourself isn't something that comes naturally to many of us, but it's a key part of living a creative life.
For many of us, things that we consider frivolous or unnecessary come last, so while we make time to do errands and clean and meet other obligations, we're less likely to schedule in time for pampering, art-making, rest, or play.
I believe that we are more present in our lives, more alive, and more available to those we love when we nurture ourselves and our creativity.
Sometimes that nurturing comes in the form of creating time just for you. If you find that despite your intention to make the time to play, you're just not getting to it, it might be time to make a creative date, the kind you schedule in on your calendar. You may need to ask a loved one or babysitter or pet sitter to help you out. Do that. It's ok to ask for some help making your creative date happen. I often use signing up for a class as a sure-fire way to show up for myself. (Something about paying for something guarantees that I'll show up!)
If you're in the Boston-area and looking to schedule in some creative time for yourself, then I'd like to invite you to join Jennifer Lee and I for a live workshop: Creative Play: An Afternoon of Intuitive Art and Creating from the Heart, happening Saturday, September 19th, from 1-3 pm. Get all the details and sign up here.
Jenn and I are so thrilled to be sharing this class with you! We'll be getting playful, creating collage art from our intuition, and learning tools to infuse our daily lives with creativity. And there will be giggling, lots of of it.
We've got an early bird price of just $40 through August 31st, but space is limited, so do grab your spot if this creative playdate calls to you!
11 Responses
I would love to play with you & Jen (I’ve been going through her Right Brain Biz Plan for what feels like years!), but Boston is further from NYC then I’d like it to be
I’ll tweet the word around, though!
I’ve recently decided to make self-care a priority, too – y’think there’s something in the water? I’ve tried to do this before, but something always got in the way (namely, uh, me, but we can pretend there were lots of other excuses for it). So, I realized that, in order to REALLY implement this, I’d have to treat it as if it’s a client session. Because nothing is more sacred to me than a client session – that is something I’d NEVER miss. If everyone takes what’s sacred for them and equates that to self-care, we might start actually recharging our barriers & become even more creative!
Oh, & if any of your readers want to read my post about Me Time, it’s right here: http://is.gd/1HNx6
Keep up the amazing work, Leah!
Posted by: Michelle | When I Grow Up Coach | Jul 22, 2009 at 1:06 pm |
Oh Leah, I got so excited when I was reading your description of your Creative Play Workshop with Jen ! I live in Southern NH and it would be so easy for me to join you in Newton…except that that is the weekend of the Squam Art Workshops that I am so very, very lucky to be going to from the 16th-20th. I would so loved to have joined you for some yummy creative play ! I hope that you will give us folks around the Boston area another chance on another date. It would such a pleasure to meet you in person too !
Great idea, brilliant Ladies, and good luck with the whole sweet process !
Posted by: Kim Mailhot | Jul 22, 2009 at 3:49 pm |
Leah,
I would so love to come and take your workshop, but you are about 3 states too far away.
How about doing something in Ann Arbor?
Love your drawings,
xoxo
Vicki
Posted by: Vicki | Jul 22, 2009 at 8:23 pm |
I so appreciate what you wrote in this entry about meeting ourselves exactly where we are – for the last few days I haven’t thought, “ok, I am going to be creative every day with the focus on SELF just like I am supposed to!” (Have I mentioned my ‘do-bee’ character as in “Do be a Doo Bee, Don’t be a Don’t Bee”? Holdover from childhood… but truly, I have had some phenomenal insights from the intuitive path I have followed, lasering deeply into myself and into my anchor arts of writing and photography. Did a collage the other day that knocked my socks off, not because it was artistically fantastic, but the message so clearly that I had no idea would pop up when I was gathering my goodies. Love, love, love this theme! Thank you so much!
Posted by: Julie Jordan Scott | Jul 23, 2009 at 3:21 am |
This is a great idea!
I love the name Creative Play and the icon is just perfect.
The Newton Art center website looks so cool too.
Posted by: melba | Jul 23, 2009 at 9:10 am |
Hi Leah,
I’m catching up on your posts. I’ve been busy with Ikebana flower arranging and my new online workshop. Self care is so vital for each of us especially for those who desire living a creative life. If we don’t take care of ourselves our engines conk out. I’ve been following the Extreme Self Care book for about 4 months now.
How cool that Jenn and you are offering a play date – and so close to me! Yoo-hoo.
{soul hugs}
Kathryn
Posted by: Kathryn – Collage Diva | Jul 23, 2009 at 9:23 am |
What a wonderful idea. I know that it will be great fun and an inspirational learning experience. In Texas, we are just trying to fight off the heat these days. Have fun everyone!
Posted by: Glenda-TwoCoolTexans | Jul 23, 2009 at 1:57 pm |
What a wonderful post Leah. I love this line
“I believe that we are more present in our lives, more alive, and more available to those we love when we nurture ourselves and our creativity.” I so agree with that. Wish I lived nearby so I could come and play….
Kate
Posted by: Kate | Jul 24, 2009 at 4:28 pm |
Ah-ha! I do this! I was guilty of telling people to do it, and I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching.
It is a good message Leah. We all need to snatch that little bit of time for ourselves.
I did a page on my site about my thumbnail drawings, can I put the link here to show you? I’ve had tremendous response from my readers and subscribers. They loved the idea.
Kerry.
Posted by: Kerry | Jul 26, 2009 at 9:59 pm |
It’s here:
http://www.allaboutdrawings.com/thumbnail-drawings.html
I link to this blog at the bottom of the page, so I hope so of my clan join in.
Kerry
Posted by: Kerry | Jul 31, 2009 at 11:31 pm |
Hi Leah!
Best of luck with the move into your first home. I just wanted to say how much I enjoy visiting Creative Every Day….and I only just wish that I had the wisdom that you have when I was your age…sigh. Keep inspiring us!
Posted by: Eileen Honey | Aug 2, 2009 at 7:24 am |