About

I have always had two loves: creating and coaching/training. I often thought I had to choose between the two if I wanted to be successful, but every time I abandoned one of my loves my heart longed for it to return. 

I’ve started keeping a journal 1995. I’ve been practicing journaling everyday since reading about Morning Pages in Julia Cameron’s best seller The Artist’s Way. I’ve learned a lot through journaling, even though I rarely look back at the thousands of words I have scrawled or typed from my heart to the page. Ive ranted…cried…laughed  and listened… I learned to hear how the voice of God spoke to me. I learned to ask questions that brought insight into my identity, my gifts, and the goodness of God.

A few years ago, as I finished one of my journaling sessions I asked my standard question of God,

“What would you like to say to me?”
The answer is sensed was “Draw.”
My response for weeks was, “Why?”
I tried to reason it out, I tried to shake it free from my thoughts. But day after day, week after week, this was the back and forth dialogue happening in my journal.

At the time I was studying behavior and procrastination in great depth, because many of my clients wanted desperately to get healthy, but kept putting off doing “the thing” that would bring the change they hoped for.

Through my studies I learned about bunch of neurons in the middle brain called the Amygdala. This part of the brain acted as an alarm to stop us from doing things we subconsciously sensed would lead to danger, overwhelm, pain, or discomfort.

“Huh? That’s interesting I thought. “

I knew I wanted to draw, but I never thought I was any good at it. I was like a lot of people who judge their art before building the skill to do it well. I hear all the time
“I used to draw.”
Or, “I can’t draw a straight line.”
…but I believe drawing is just another way to see with new eyes. I different perspective that gets us out of our critical brain, and helps us tap into the creative, playful hemisphere of our brain that holds valuable insight.

I learned if we are procrastinating something we really WANT to do, it’s VERY likely our Amygdala alarm has been triggered. BUT here’s the awesome thing… I learned how easy it was to get around the alarm. The secret is to do something so small (in the direction you want to go)  that it doesn’t trigger the alarm. 

I used this secret with my clients who were having trouble exercising (including my husband). I said, “Just do 1 pushup, but do it everyday.”
Here’s an important note. there’s no micro-habit police, if you feel like doing more you can, BUT make a commitment to just do 1. My husband and clients did this with great success. The hubby lost almost 70 pounds.

I decided to use this trick with drawing. I made a commitment to draw 1 line a day. I knew I could keep this promise, even if I was tired, traveling, or not feeling well.

I drew this line (insert photo) on May 30, 2019. I filled sketchbook after sketchbook, and my skill improved. I don’t believe I have any talent other than to commit to a daily line.

After about a year, I was longing to draw big. Like on a wall. So on a whim I decided to paint a wall in my office with chalkboard paint. (Insert Image) I started drawing big pictures with chalk.

After another year, I learned that I love using my hands in my work, and remembered how good working with clay felt. While drawing helped me learn to see, clay began to heal my soul.

I continue to learn countless lessons that are both liberating and enlightening through the practice of creating. I truly believe that everyone can and should create. In the words of Dorothy L. Sayers, “The characteristic common to God and man is apparently…the desire and ability to make things.”

When you stop and listen to what God is saying to you, what do you hear?

I invite you to listen to that voice and let the adventure begin. 

• If you sense you want to explore drawing, I’d love to see you in my mini course: It’s Only Chalk.

• If you’d like to give yourself a place to rant, cry, laugh, and listen, check out this mini course: How to start a Journaling Practice. You can download the free pdf 5 Things to Include in Your Journal right now by clicking here.

• If you’d like to explore what it’s like to make something 3-dimensional, I invite you to see my other course, It’s Only Clay. 

Just like God, you have a voice that speaks with more than just words, and the world needs it.