Hello new year – hello transformation and new visions!

Let it be no secret! I love doing this:

Creating vision maps

Walking with visions

finding images for Vision maps

….Yes, I love it when we honor our sincere wish to make life count, and when we use creativity as a tool to make that happen.

That is why I, in the beginning of every  year, work with my visions in words and pictures. That is why I create Vision boards. And that´s why I love teaching Workshops using that and other creative tools.

This year, however, it seemed like an uphill process. At least at first; no inspiration, no joy. No feelings of anticipation when trying to catch my visions for 2015.

That´s when a group of ladies asked me to make a workshop and help them create their vision boards for 2015. “Oh no”, I thought, “I haven´t even created my own yet, and I honestly feel a bit stuck”. But that is the trick with these or any process. They DO work, but only if we DO them! And I had been stalling in “no action land”, which is exactly what so easily happens when what we need the most is to simply begin. And keep going with small steps. We humans can help each other so much, and sometimes asking someone for help might be the very thing that will help that person too. Good to remember!

IMG_4042

So, inspired by the request I gave it a go with my own visions. It helped. I found out several things that I had not seen, that explained the resistance I felt. I saw that I needed to give myself permission to search for new ways – with business and with other areas of life – to really ask again from scratch what route it I wanted to take, and to be willing to make some changes. To say more boldly NO to things that no longer fits, even if it looks like it will generate an immediate income. To insist on working from a core of joy and service, rather than pushing myself into areas that clearly steals my energy. To dare not meeting expectations, my own and others. To dare listen, every day, to my intuition, which has proven over and over again to be a most trustworthy tool.

Slowly but steadily the fog lifted, and I began feeling that childish anticipation again. If I can, I know you can too! You can read more about creating a vision board RIGHT HERE.

Or, if you live nearby (Sjælland, Danmark), you can join my New years Vision workshop on saturday the 24th of january. A FULL day of diving into you own visions, using some wonderful creative tools like writing, movement and “Vision Boarding”. Sounds good, right? So, if you live in Denmark, this might be for you, I would love to meet you there:

Nytårs clearing 2015invi

Till soon, love from Lise.

May the road rise up to meet you! Blessed 2013…

Sunshower

(“Sunshower”, original available)

“May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

And rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.”

(Old Irish blessing)

I love the simplicity and sincerity in the blessing above. Here, as I am gently getting aquainted with this brand new year 2013, these words that I originally know from a song keep sounding in my mind.

And also this:

“Remember, we are in this life-business together”

I know I am seeking to find a certain balance in 2013. To grow into a maturity where, whilst creating and pursuing and even going crazy wild with my own dreams, I all the time hold in my heart that I am part of a big tribe called Humans. We all are in this together. Interconnected in ways we may not even begin to comprehend the full scope of.

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(Above: my 2013 calendar)

I know that every single one of us have our own dreams. However deep they may be buried, they are there. I know they are. I know you have dreams too. I am sure of it. Even if we don´t feel or hear them right now, they are still there, waiting for us to pay attention. And I also have come to know that those dreams are compasses, they point us in powerful directions in life. They whisper how to pursue what we came here to accomplish. And when we listen, they speak with a growing confidence, adding so much joy and a sense of meaning to any life. My life, your life. Revealing the dreams we did not even know was there. All it takes to begin is listening.

May 2013 be a year where many, many people listen carefully, helping those dreams get a chance to be born into life!

May the road rise up to meet you…..

love and best wishes for your 2013!

Lise.

The beginning, the inspiration and the song – Storyline part 2.

The beginning, the inspiration and the song – Storyline part 2.

(Connected)

Here comes the second part of the story about following my passion and beginning to paint again after more than 15 years. You´ll find Part 1 here if you missed it. Part 2 is actually the beginning. Like I promised, this one has a video in the end with a song I wrote one inspired evening.

Do you have your cup of tea or coffee ready?

EARLY PASSIONS

Long, long ago I loved to paint and draw. The passion stayed with me as I grew up and later I thought that was what I wanted to do for life, paint.

LIFE TAKING OVER

So off I went to art school. Then I took up dancing to get more body in my paintings and got swept away with the love for stage-expression. So I went to theatre school. Later I got busy teaching and many other things, all good, and involving a steady income. I had two wonderful children with my dear husband, spending much time on family business. All the time thinking that of course I would paint again, some day.

Often friends or family who knew me as an aspiring painter, asked me if I had made any new paintings lately. That was so strange, because when I answered, I wanted to say “yes”, – I almost felt as if I had just been painting. Only I hadn´t.

(From Creative quickie book: “Imagine that you woke up one day and discovered something much greater than you ever expected growing out of your pot!”)

Now I can see that all those years I avoided taking responsibility for my deep passion: creating. I mean this in no regretting way, truly not. I don´t believe we are here to get everything right straight away. I simply believe we are here to do our best and learn whilst we do. And I learned so much. Many things that are utterly useful for me in what I do today. But true passions have a way of not leaving us alone. They are our own voice whispering persistently, and they will keep on whispering (even shouting) until we listen. Sometimes a lifetime. We may not be open, but the passions are there, ready to play the moment we are still enough to feel who we are.

TAKING RESPONSIBILITY AND ACTING ON IT

One day I stumbled upon a book about finding your passion and creating your life and income from that. I was totally on fire about this and systematically did the self-study during almost a year. Through that book I learned that we may have many passions in our life and that it is no shame to pick and follow one, then another, and then a completely different one. I had always thought that I had to get it just right, and did not dare to fully go for my passion since I was not sure if  I knew which passion would be the right one to go for.  I was also afraid I would make a fool of myself because of lack of true talent.

(Life unfolding)

TALENT, PASSION and WORK

Oh, talent! Talent is wonderful. It is the gift we arrive with, ready to use as we choose. We all have them. But we need more than talent. I have a talent for being creative in many different ways. But god knows I wasn´t born with a big talent for taking charge of my dreams. It took me so long to realise that I had to deliberately work for that, if I wanted my own direction in life. Working with the book helped me choose one dream, for now, and try out what may happen when I dedicated time and effort to follow that. After finishing the book (only available in danish, but I believe there are many books on the subject in english), I attended a workshop with the author. Truly inspiring! And enough for me to get started on my first dream: to teach workshops about creativity.

During the coming year I created workshops designed to spark off a daily inspiration and a clearer vision of what you want in your life, using bits from all the artforms I knew and loved: Dancing and movement, writing, vocal exercices, creating images and working with life visions.

After each workshop I taught I was happy. And proud that I had given my dreams wings in the real world. And then, when I was done celebrating that, I started to hear a whisper that had been waiting patiently underneath this whole time:

“I want to paint. Please allow me to get dirty with paint and real canvas. Are you going to be too tired or busy for that forever? Isn´t that what you teach in your workshops: How to create time and space to do a bit of what you truly love, each day? So please listen to me, I REALLY WANT TO PAINT!”

(A creative quickie: “When you wish to help a plant grow, It won´t help to pull in it. Instead you need to discover how to nourish it´s own power to grow.”)

I felt ashamed. I had found my passion and followed it. I knew a lot about how to nurture creativity and do more of what you love doing. I was even teaching it, and still, the thing I kept dreaming about seemed almost impossible to do. I had been thinking about it, longing to paint on real canvas for so long that I was terrified I would let myself down if I dared to paint again. What if i was no good, or even worse: what if I would find the painting process donwright boring?

I needed a shift, a helping hand, something that could bypass the fear-effect that came from dreaming about, but not doing the painting.

(Dreamtree)

INSPIRATION JUMPS

One evening in october 2010 as I was sitting at my computer, I finally listened to the advice from a very caring lady who told me to visit Kelly Rae´s blog. She said that I absolutely had to check it out.

That was my first visit to Kelly Rae´s wonderful universe. That night, I just sat there at the computer, watching one painting after onother. I remember becoming very, very still inside. Such simplicity and freedom in the usage of colors, forms, words, images. The free mix of it all. Wauw! Here was the spark of inspiration I needed. I was transported into something similar to meditation, I must have sat there for hours, soaking in the goodness. And the following evening too. The paintings worked like healing, and up and out came a song, want to hear it?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COhct1ZK-X0&w=560&h=315]

(You can find the lyrics to this song here)

Seing Kelly Rae´s paintings helped me find back the freedom to paint from goodness. And to keep it really simple and close to my heart. A big thanks to her for inspiration, courage and belief! I know she helped so many creative souls listen to their passions, following their dreams. Whilst stayting true to her own.

(Heart, spread your wings of joy)

To end off this celebration I want to thank to all of you who gave your support this last year. You told me to keep going. You spoke kind words. You bought paintings when I started selling. You gave me a practical helping hand. You listened to me and was bearing with me during lots of words about my process.  You commented faithfully and cheered me on here on my new blog. I believe all creative souls need some cheering and confirmation. In the end, all humans do. This year, your support meant so much. Thank you!


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