April 17, 2012

how do you do spring cleaning?


Right now I am in the thick of cleaning out cupboards, closets, and looking at what’s been pushed to the back of those shelves. I am weeding out clothes I haven’t worn in more than a year, and asking myself, do I really need all those sets of sheets or can I donate them somewhere? I am looking at the windowsills and the table top surfaces seeing the things that are of sentimental value — things I won’t get rid of — and differentiating them from the things that are clutter and can be passed along, tossed, or donated.

Spring cleaning isn’t limited to physical stuff.

This is also the season for taking stock of how I am treating myself and making some re-adjustments. Am I eating as healthily as I could? Am I talking to myself in a good way or in a mean way? Am I remembering to do all the things that I know will keep me focused and as balanced as it’s possible to be in this human body on this planet? There are usually quite a few ways I can find to clean up my body and my soul.

Sometimes I hang on to things for so long, that I don’t see them anymore.

Does that happen to you, too?

Things that have been sitting on my desk forever, that I pick up and dust off when I’m doing a cleaning, but never really look at and wonder, what the heck am I holding on to that for. And ways I’ve been dealing with things, or thoughts that I have about what I “should” be doing, that are old, outdated, and no longer serving me.

I don’t think I’m a hoarder, but I do like my stuff, and this is the season to look at all that stuff and decide: stay? or go? serving me? or holding me back?

Do you do an annual spring cleaning of your home, your studio, your office?

Do you do a metaphorical spring cleaning where you are taking care of the clutter in your own mind and body?

I’m not quite reliable enough to say I do it once a year, but ‘every now and then’ I give a different aspect of my life a spring clean. I’m definitely not a minimalist. I think there is real value in recording and archiving our lives through books, objects, and photographs (I’m not a memoirist by accident) and I take great pleasure in beautiful things, but I do enjoy clearing out anything that has started to feel more like a burden than a pleasure.

Marianne Elliott is an author, human rights advocate, and yogini whose life is an experiment in cultivating courage, compassion, and clarity.

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I’m not a big spring cleaner in my house or studio, but I do find spring a great time for change and moving forward with plans. The lighter days and warmer (hopefully) weather give me so much more energy to do things. I always find January – March a dark period and come April it’s like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders and I can suddenly move forward with things I have been working on. I do find, though, spring fever can get the better of me and I run around half starting things, but not finishing them, so I usually have deadlines set for myself to keep me on track.

Claire Brewster is an artist who makes intricate and detailed paper cuts.

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I am more of a when-the-mood-strikes me kind of organizer. I probably give my studio a deep cleaning 2-3 times a year.

{A literal and metaphorical spring cleaning} are definitely connected. Most of the time the mood to de-clutter, unload, clean, and purge comes during periods when I am wanting to simplify. Some part of my life feels like it is getting too complicated, and a great way to channel the ensuing confusion or frustration is to get my studio in order.
Christine Mason Miller is a writer, artist, and explorer.

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As the calendar was changing from 2011 to 2012, I took a 30-day digital sabbatical. The experience of getting offline for 30 days was such a valuable one that I’ve now put a few offline weeks into my calendar, during the year (so if you can’t take a long offline break, start with one day, or a weekend). It’s a great opportunity to notice where I’m living life on default, and the experience never fails to reconnect me with myself if I’m feeling disconnected, or spark some new idea — these breaks create a lot of beautiful space. One of the biggest things that I learned from my 30-day break is that a lot of the things that I thought I wanted when I was busy were not the same as what I knew I wanted once I got some quiet. Since we’re all on the journey of connecting to our personal truth, I can recommend a digital break of some length as an essential practice that nourishes that, whether it’s part of a spring break or otherwise!
Kate Swoboda is a life coach, speaker, and writer.

Please share with us how you do your spring cleaning. What are the things you purge, and what are the things you keep?

Filed Under: creating action, creative thinkers, Dialogue Tagged With: , , , , , , , 8 Comments
April 6, 2012

cultivate your story

This is a guest post by Victoria Prozan McGlinn.

The warm breezes of spring are here to herald in new seasons of growth and possibility. Ahhh. As the brown remnants of winter become obscured by the fresh greens and pinks and yellows and whites, take time to consider how we can mirror this rebirth in our own lives.

We all have a story. We actually have many stories. The story of who we are. The story of what we do and what we want. The story of how we got to this moment in our lives. The story of what limits us. Humans communicate through storytelling. The well spun tale is one of the most powerful tools we people carry. It’s how we grow, learn, and explore. It’s crucial to our world.

What happens when those stories, our stories, hold us back instead of propel us forward? What happens when we get stuck in our story? The assumption we make is that these scripts are 100% correct each and every time we recite them, without fail.

Wait, what? They’re not? Sometimes, not.

I got stuck in my story of being a Designer and Maker.

Those capital letters on the titles were my trap. Let me explain.

As a lifelong crafter, raised by parents who also were makers, I decided to pursue making as my life’s ambition. To strengthen my skills, I completed a graphic design degree. I worked hard to earn that degree and after years of investing my time, energy, and money, I launched my business. I was officially a Designer! I screen printed my original designs on paper goods and textiles, mostly the latter. Tea towels, pillows, table runners, note cards and prints. I love making. I love designing. This was the path to the life I had always wanted. Or so I told myself.

As time passed, I could feel something wasn’t quite right. I enjoyed most aspects of what I was doing, but nothing ever felt in sync. I assumed it was because I wasn’t pushing myself enough. I just needed to get over the next hurdle (there is away a next hurdle) and then all would flow in harmony. No matter how I pushed or pulled or manipulated myself, that nagging feeling never waned. I’m a confident and capable designer, I was receiving lots of encouraging feedback, but there was always the wonder of what was missing. It just wasn’t adding up.

I began to unravel my ball of yarn. Many of the pieces and parts were right. Design? Love it, check. Making? Love it, check. Business? Love it, check. Motivation? Um, I’m not sure, I’ll have to get back to you on that.

I began to admit to myself my motivations were out of whack with my authentic self.

I was trying to be a Designer and a Maker (there’s those pesky capital letters again) when what I really wanted was to be a designer and maker.

What’s the difference? The means vs. the ends. My ego wanted my designs be my thing, but only if I got lots of external praise and appreciation. My inner vision wanted helping people to grow to be my thing, with no strings attached. My ambition to be a cool kid designer was not my authentic self. My internal “should” following this path was messing with my program, big time. I was more focused on what I was creating than why I was creating it.

When I was able to see that being a Designer was just a story I told myself over and over, I began to rewrite my story. My focus shifted from my business supporting my design and making to design and making supporting my business.

I pulled in more parts of me. I could see that my years of client relations experience was a valuable strength that I had discounted through yet another story I convinced myself to believe. All of me would be required to make my goals. I now use the entirety of my skills and talents in the pursuit of an even bigger passion of mine. To demonstrate that interconnectedness and empathy in our business and personal lives will create a kinder, more just world.

I dropped my tunnel vision by realizing my design skills and creative talents are the engine that will drive my authentic voice to where I am needed.

So I have a new story. One rooted in soul searching and authentic offerings.

Whatever story you write, read, and believe for yourself, challenge it to be sure it’s true.

And if you find your stories aren’t supporting you in the everyday and in the big picture, craft new ones.

Spring is a time for change. Use the energy of the season to weed out the discord and pain, then plant new seeds of hope, ambition, and kindness.

Plant with love.

- – -

victoria prozan mcglinnVictoria Prozan McGlinn knows imagination is your superpower. Through it, creativity and empathy are born. She works with businesses to elevate empathy as tool of unlimited change. Find more about her mission here. Say hi on Twitter or Facebook and then unleash your imagination!

Filed Under: guest posts, Plot Notes Tagged With: , , , , , , , 2 Comments
October 3, 2011

change happens and to everything there is a season

Changes by Gwyn Michael

Autumn on the east coast. There is change in the air, on the ground, all around. Personally I love this time of year. I love the first days of wearing a sweater, and the colors, and the crisp smell in the air. I love apples and pumpkin lattes, and hot cider. I love the New Year vibe minus the alcohol and resolutions, but I am not here to extol the virtues of autumn, really.

Last week I talked about brain tigers, aka fear of uncertainty, and the crazy things our brains create around it.

There is a flip side to uncertainty, though. With uncertainty comes possibility.

I have been angsting a lot this past week as my responsibilities are suddenly tenfold. Committee meetings, essays to write, print orders to fill, and vendors to organize. Outside there is no denying the change in season. The house plants must come in, and rooms need to be rearranged to make room. A little more each year. On it goes, and I get tense, but then I stop, take a step back, breathe, and take stock of it all. I created this life and I love it.

It has been a difficult 18 months since I totally quit working at a “job.” Most of the time I did not know what I was doing, or what would work. All I knew was I had some prints that seemed popular, and I was determined to find a way to earn a living through art. I knew that the internet was a way.

I was a latecomer to social media and blogs. I had no clue that because of a book I came upon accidentally in May of 2009, that I would join Facebook and twitter just to get to know its author, Patti Digh. I didn’t know this would lead to my reading blogs and making friends and building relationships around the world.

I had no idea that I would stumble upon Scoutie Girl shortly after Tara took it over, and that because she is a fellow Pennsylvanian I would decide to follow her. I didn’t know that Tara, a woman more than 20 years my junior, would become a mentor to me. I didn’t know any of this and I was scared plenty of the time. However, it was here at Scoutie Girl and blogs like it that I learned how it all works, and slowly, awkwardly made my way. I didn’t know that I would end up writing here and love it.

I didn’t know that it would lead to my finally embracing my own blog, writing three times a week, and loving it. I didn’t know that I had ideas, and stories to tell that would actually matter to people.

Like I said, it was a difficult 18 months and it is far from smooth sailing even now, but I feel I have crossed a threshold, and I know I will continue to grow and succeed from here.

I could have quit when I put up my first awful store and sold nothing, but I tried again. I could have quit when all my new camera equipment was stolen last year, but I decided I could make do. I wanted to quit earlier this year when there were crazy things happening with the weather, in the world, and I felt helpless to do anything about it, but I persevered.

Not knowing is indeed scary, but possibility is alive in those times, and change will happen whether or not we take a chance.

Now it is autumn and nature is getting ready for winter’s rest, but me, I’m just getting to the spring of my work here. The growth will be abundant, and the season long.

Filed Under: Conversation Starters Tagged With: , , , , , , , 18 Comments
April 19, 2010

weekly welcome :: how does your garden grow?

6 april. 9:30 am
6 april. 9:30 am by ethanollie via the indie fixx gardening flickr group

happy monday – and welcome back to scoutie girl! this week, in collaboration with crafting an mba, we’re going to explore the different aspects of growth: personal, business, creative, literal, figurative… you name it!

i’m going to be back in just a little bit with something i’ve been thinking about lately: growing from single woman to wife to mother and how that growth has shaped me as a woman.

but first, i’d like to know:

how does your garden grow?

i’m planning on getting some seeds and those magical little seed starter pots that expand when you put water on them (i’m sorry, people, i’m lazy!) either today or tomorrow. i’m definitely not looking to do anything extensive because we’ll be moving in a month or two. but i though a nice little pot o’ herbs would be a lovely way to start showing lola how plants work. and probably how plants die.

cause i have that kind of thumb.

so – share you gardening advice, posts, links, and pics in the comments below! talk to you soon!

p.s. have you written your door kicking story yet? when did you decide to kick ass? don’t forget to post your link here.

Filed Under: garden, monday morning welcome Tagged With: , , , 11 Comments
April 12, 2010

wicker furniture makeover :: before & after

wicker furniture makeover - before

we live on a very friendly block. sometimes, a bit too friendly for my husband & my wallflower ways.

last summer, the neighbors across the street donated their wicker patio furniture to us. i could tell at one point it had been a very nice set of white wicker pieces but time had not been kind… the paint was all chipped & cracked and lots of pieces were broken and jutting out.

it was ripe for a crazy makeover

.

wicker furniture makeover - during

for whatever reason (insert any number of stupid excuses here), i never got to it and it sat outside all. winter. long. oops! needless to say, it got worse. so, i hauled by butt to home depot this weekend and purchased 4 cans of bright aqua spray paint.

and then i sprayed my little heart out.

i love them.

now i know this is no great revelation of home decor but it was pretty exciting for me who is generally cooped up behind a glowing laptop screen. i love how bright & unexpected they are on my porch and, at about $15 worth of paint, i won’t be sad when i have to throw them out in another year or so.

wicker furniture makeover - after

one final thought: i’m addicted. and not in a government psa on sniffing fumes kind of way, i think spray paint might be my new best friend. antique dealers in the southeastern pennsylvania area should be warned, i will be coming by soon and i will be purchasing anything that will look awesome with a crazy coat of paint on them. of course, when this all goes down, you – dear readers – will be the first to know!

Filed Under: home decor Tagged With: , , , , , 11 Comments