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Motivational Moments By Author Tricia Andreassen Thursday, February 23 2023
Five Creative Activities to Improve Your Wellbeing You've probably heard that being creative can enhance your mental health at some point in your life. And since this is the case, now is the time to find a creative outlet in order to enhance your life. You can improve your wellbeing by using the top 5 creative outlets listed below. 1. Dancing In spite of the fact that many people enjoy dancing as children, as they get older, they frequently abandon this form of expression. However, dancing is actually one of the best forms of creative expression because it not only relieves stress and is enjoyable, but it also strengthens bones, muscles, and the heart. Dance doesn't have to be challenging either; you can simply turn on the music at home and dance alone, or sign up for a ballroom dancing class to pick up some slick moves that you can flaunt.
2. Cooking Even if you start with a recipe (as most people do), you'll eventually learn what you can add or take away from a recipe to make it perfect for you and your family. Did you know that cooking is a creative outlet? This is because you can experiment with different spices and ingredients to make a new and tasty meal. Making your own food will also enable you to cut costs and improve the quality of your diet. You can always ask around for a friend who will teach you how to cook if you don't know where to start, or you can sign up for a class at your neighborhood community center. 3. Gardening Spending time in nature helps to reduce stress, and working on yard or garden projects can also help boost your self-esteem and give you a sense of accomplishment. If cooking isn't your thing, don't worry because gardening is another creative outlet that improves your wellbeing and anyone can engage in it. If you don't have a garden or a yard at home, find out if there are any greenhouses or community gardens nearby where you can rent a plot and start a garden for yourself. 4. Painting Of course, painting is a creative outlet, but you probably weren't aware that in addition to keeping your mind sharp, painting can also help to lower blood pressure and lift your spirits. You can enroll in a variety of painting classes if you want to learn the trade's tricks and tips while also making some new friends. So don't worry if you're not very good. Or you can simply use paint and a brush to create something you define as abstract. 5. Writing And last but not least, writing is a crucial creative outlet that can enhance your life in numerous ways. This is due to the fact that writing can aid in both problem-solving and emotional processing. Therefore, at the end of the day, instead of watching TV, pick up a notebook and write about it. Join a local authors or poetry writing group to learn more about this creative outlet. You can also write short stories and poems. If you think you need some pointers or would like to write a book. Whether you choose to express your creativity through cooking, gardening, or another activity on this list, you will adore the way it transforms your life. You'll feel more at ease, self-assured, and joyful in addition to an improvement in your mental health. This means you should find a creative outlet immediately if you don't already have one in your life. Monday, February 13 2023
How to love the most influencing person in your life by Creativity, Spiritual and Leadership Coach, Writer and Artist, Tricia Andreassen
As he and I sat together waiting for our flight, we got to talking about our life’s purpose and what we want for ourselves and he said something very cool. He said, “You know what makes us is our spirit.” Our bodies are just like a car driving us around. It’s not really what we are…..it’s just the vehicle people see. That got me thinking. Wow he is right. We judge ourselves constantly saying that we are flawed. Maybe is something physical like our weight or a disability that we have. We focus on the 5% of what is not really important (because it is what we are obsessed with) instead of the 95% of us which makes up our spirit, our soul. Why do we do this? Because we are engineered to assess what we can see instead of what we can’t. We do this because it’s a way to ignore or distract from what the real issues are. I have personally struggled with weight most of my adult life. At a time when I lost the weight I became focused on how I was looking; that looking a certain way was what was important. But what I realized is that what I was feeling in my spirit that was affecting me and in turn causing my weight gains. When we ignore the 95% of what makes us as human beings the effects are going to be released in some way. In physics there is the law of cause and effect. So, this could equate to something internally within yourself could be causing the physical issue. We might not be able to put a finger on what is the underlying reason however the first step to your internal understanding can create the end result to the mission of loving yourself. His conversation with me unlocked the flow of strategies that have helped me along the way and what I still use as a roadmap to get me back on course when I have fallen off the path. The pathway to loving ourselves is accepting us for our weaknesses and strengths. Love the quirkiness you may have in the way you look at life. Believe that “if it is to be, it’s up to me”, understanding that no matter what you must be the catalyst for moving yourself forward. What can you do as an individual to work through the process and treat yourself with unconditional love? Here are the strategies to help you with the journey of self-1discovery and falling in love with yourself; Mind – Body – and Spirit
Step 1: Write a love letter to yourself When you write a letter to yourself you are allowing the self-talk out of your brain and releasing it outward to the universe. Focus this letter on looking back and those things that might have at the time appeared to be the smallest of accomplishments. It’s those little things that we disregard as unimportant be the smallest milestones are the ones that make up the tapestry of your life. These milestones are the chapters in the book of your life. Now, you may find this challenging yet here is how I would approach it? Do you remember when you had a crush on someone or you were totally infatuated with someone and you sat down and wrote them a letter about how much you meant to them and how wonderful they were? This is how you want to approach this exercise. Pretend you are writing to someone that you have known for years and they have possibly lost faith in themselves and you want to inspire them. Share with them all the things that you remember about how they overcame struggles and how they moved through these times in their lives. Remind them about what they learned, how they helped others, what they have given to you. Of course the person you are writing to will be YOU. If you treat yourself like you are another person in this exercise you will be amazed of what may come into the forefront. Let me just share with you why I love you so much and what you give to me in my life. I guess I will start with that you are always there for me. There are days when I have been tired and have wanted to give up but you have stayed by my side, encouraged me and sing me uplifting songs. I think you for your acts of love and all of your positive encouragements. I am so very proud of you too! No matter what you keep reaching for the stars – always striving to be the best. In addition you are a great mom and wife. You give such great support to so many and I love you so much for that......" Note: Print this letter out and make 4 copies. Select someone you know to mail them for you 4 times over the course of the year so that it gets delivered to you by mail. Just when you might need it, it will come to you. Imagine looking at your life and the love of yourself through a child’s eyes; unconditional, with no reservation and with no judgement…. Thursday, February 09 2023
5 Ways to Unlock and Build Your Creativity by Creative, Spiritual and Leadership Coach Tricia Andreassen
So, I challenge you to look at yourself different and OWN that there is this creative soul in you. It wants to express itself if you only allow it. When you do, your life and ideas will come to life. If you are a business owner it will open up the world of possibilities in ways you never thought of to grow and expand; or even enjoy more. If you are a parent it will create stronger bonds to communicate with your children or grandchildren so that you mentor them with love unmatched. Here are 5 ways to unlock the creative treasure that lies within you. 3. Honor the process – As you release being attached to this perfect outcome you think you may need to have; it is then where the true beauty emerges. You see, often times we get programmed to look at the completion of the goal; the visual part of it. However, it is not what the eye sees that makes your creative side recognizable. It is enjoying the process of the actions you are taking in the moment. Let’s say you are planning a client appreciation event. You sit down with your team and you start brainstorming ideas on what they may like at this event for a free give away. Guess what? You my friend are practicing creativity! Or think about the football tailgate you are planning for next Sunday. You begin to plan the theme, the food that will be offered and the music that you will play to get people in the mood. Perhaps you want to polish up your brand and your website and you start thinking of what you may want to do. Guess what?! You are putting your creative juices to work. When you recognize that all areas of your life and business can be creative in some way you will start being aware that you are indeed creative. All you have to do it look through a different lens, recognize it as the creative process and honor what comes out of you from it. 4. Celebrate your victories – As you begin opening your mind to owning your unique creative side, celebrate that all creativity comes from within and it may come in different packages. Perhaps everyone is excited that the tailgate was the most hilarious and entertaining of the season. Perhaps it is the quietly shy employee in the group that comes up with the best idea of the week to offer a rewards program for your clients. It might even be the vision board that your team has created together embracing the words, mission statement and emotions that represents the experience you all want your customers to have. When you celebrate what has been created with no agenda or outcome to it the celebration becomes easier. When it comes easier it allows the part of you that was buried with the daily grind to rise up from beneath the surface and serve you in ways you never knew. 5. Allow yourself to dream – Really, it’s ok! Often it happens that as we get older, with more responsibilities in life and work we stop dreaming of the dreams we used to have. You know the ones. It’s the ones that were out there for people to see when you were younger and the world was in front of you. Back then people would say, “What do you want to do when you grow up?” It was acceptable to dream and think about what you loved naturally. And then, along the way, tasks list starting piling up; making a living become the top priority. Living what other people expected from you became a dominant role in your activities. And….somewhere….you stopped dreaming. You stopped wondering what it would be like to achieve that incredible thing that you once thought of often. Telling yourself you are too old to consider that option; telling yourself that no one makes money at that. These are limiting beliefs that you have trained yourself to believe and that my friend is exactly what they are; limiting. I know how difficult it can be to start dreaming again and this is why you must put into practice creativity. It is in the creative process that your subconscious will feel SAFE to express itself and talk to the spirit inside of you wanting to be heard. So, take a little step today to the creative world waiting for you. If you need help, ask for it. It is when a creativity coach that has business and life skills training can be worth a weight of that diamond that is ready for you to claim. Monday, February 06 2023
Do you need Change? by Tricia Andreassen.... Sometimes it is difficult to look at the present moment. We get caught up in the hurts of the past. We get caught up in the dreams of the future. Yet, the future is not certain and the past can not be changed. What can be changed? The way we are in this moment right now and the decisions we make right now. This is your time, right now at this moment to enjoy what is in front of you and know that all greatness is inside you...right now. Wednesday, February 01 2023
 Growth - When You Can Not See It - Unstoppable Warrior, Tricia Andreassen Have you ever watched the cycle of a rose bush growing at the beginning of spring and its transformation through the days of summer? We often get caught up in admiring the bloom once it is visible to our eye yet what is truly amazing is all the process involved for that bud to evolve into the beautiful bloom that is admired. Yet, to get those blooms the branches had to be pruned. Cut back which gave the perception that nothing was growing; nothing was creating and at work. Many times our lives are like this. We feel like we are working so hard toward something and yet we can’t see or even feel the transformation at work. In the midst of that cold hard winter season, change is happening. Cells are forming. Creation is at work. We may not see it but history has shown us the story that if we just wait, just wait the bloom will be seen. It may take time for something to grow and something to create the end result. It takes patience. Love. Understanding. It takes even pruning to cut the dead things away that do not serve us. As you go through the process of the rose, know that beautiful moments are upon you. Just as the rose captures our eye when it blooms you will find that your growth will result in beauty too. |
