Creative Mastery: Day 1 & 2

Okay, this is my process.  Connect and Envision.

The purpose of this next period, 31 days (just to use March as my guideline), is to create a laser-like focus on creative mastery. I’ve just finished a succesful 30 day Inner Trip II –  Trip II since I didn’t have the consistency factor down during Trip I. 

I’m continuing on because I’ve had such wonderful results from my Inner Trip that I want more. I’m taking the pieces that worked for me and amplifying them during this next round to see what happens.

Connect.  This means that I spend time each morning recognizing the power back of all things.  This means that I acknowledge the harmony and success of the Universe and the creative process.  This means that I spend time reflecting on the power that maintains Life.

Today, day 2, I wrote: “I recognize that I’m connected. I recognize that there is a powerful, huge, intelligent force that moves me, breathes me and infuses the Universe.  I recognize the unlimited, all powerful, intellient, OCG (original creative genius) of this Being.  Thank you for my life.  Thank you for my clarity.  Thank you for creating us so that we want to be with you.”  After each line, I got the tingles and shivers up my spine.  That’s the feeling I get when I give a head massage.  That’s the visceral feeling I get when I am on my right track.  It was a good sign.

Envision.  This is where I write my future as if it were now.  This is where I get to have fun.  This is where I remember and imagine my dreams. This is where I feel I’m creating my life.  I wrote: “I joyously create with my kids and husband a fantastic, wonderful, supportive family life; “I see myself light and free;” “I am happy;” “I love my job.”  On and on. About 2 pages.

So, from March 1 to March 31 I will Connect (appreciating Life) and Envision everyday.  From Inner Trip II, I’ve added meditating (just breathing basically) everyday and then at night, I spend more time envisioning (track 1) and reworking the things that may have taken me off my center (track 2).

That’s my focus.  31 days to creative mastery.  I’m so excited to see what will come of it all.  I’m having such a good time.  I love writing.  I love discovering the details of life that thrill me.  I love having my life be better and knowing that I helped to facilitate it.

Hope you’re writing and envisioning and trusting in the magical ability you have to transform your life as you see it.

–Love,

Laurie

Inner Trip II: Day 21-30

Success!  I actually wrote everyday for 30 days.  That’s a first for me.  I’ve always wanted to try out the 30 day thing and now, I can say I did it.  I did it.

The amazing insights started materializing for me on Day 25.  That day sticks in my mind.  Actually, that week sticks in my mind.  Ideas starting coming to me that I’ve been waiting for – for at least a good year.

What exactly?  Well, I’ve been working on getting a logo for SpaNomad that really means something to me and rings my bells.  I’ve paid to have a logo done, some thousands of dollars, yet it didn’t do it for me in the long run.

I now have THE logo.  I remember seeing a bumper sticker and seeing an image that clicked.  After that a sequence of events unfolded where a piece came here, a piece came there.  There are 3 miniscule tweaks that we’re putting on it (my graphic designer and I) and it will be done.  One whole year I’ve been working on this and after 25 days of writing, it comes.

How else has my life changed?  I’m writing two – three times a day now.  I can’t wait to write.  I spend hours every night writing.  My writing is life-enriching now.  I can’t imagine not writing now.  This is a big shift for me.  Really big. 

The backstory:  I was an A student in English in high school.  If you know writers, you may know John Barth?  Anyway, his wife Shelley was my English teacher in high school.  She praised my writing so highly that I wanted to believe her, but didn’t.  So, off to Yale I go and decide if I get an A on my first English paper, I could believe Mrs. Barth’s belief in me, if I get less than an A…..

I got a B+ on that paper.

I never took another English class again.

Weird the decisions we make when we’re teenagers.  That was over 20 years ago.  20 years of denying a true love.  Just got a remembrance of the Bridges of Madison County book. 

Anyway, it’s so nice to write again, just for myself,  because I love writing.  I love reading.  I am a voracious reader.  I love the printed word and how accessing someone’s thoughts can transform Life.

What I’m finding now is accessing my own thoughts can change my Life. I so recommend writing.  The 30 day process is amazing. 

Let’s see, what else has happened.  I’ve had revelations.  I’ve had amazing synchronicities.  I’ve realized what’s important to me.  I have daily rituals that I’ve been inspired to add to my life.  My new rituals: I’m meditating now every day, I’m writing in the morning about all the things that I’m happy about, and I’m writing in the evening.  This evening writing takes 2 tracts.  The first track is just going over in my head the direction I want my life to go – basic envisioning.  The second track involves reviewing stuff that bothered me or wasn’t as smooth as I wanted and finding a way to shift my thoughts.  I work at it until I feel a big sigh come out of me.  A lessening of tension.  A feeling of “everything’s okay.” 

Everything is okay.  Life is running smoothly.  I’ve shortened my commute by almost 2 hours now with the kids.  Both kids are now at the same school.  That was a big deal for me.

The timing is now right for me to upgrade my website.  I still need some clarity on that, but it’s in process.

I’ve hired an accountant to work with on a monthly basis.  That was another big deal.

I’m cooking dinner more often.

Oh, I cut all my hair off so that I’m now ready for the Indian barbers when I go back.  That was huge for me.  I can’t wait to go back to India – probably this fall – and get the REAL head massage, not the one where they get tangled in my afro centric hair.  Halleluiah. 

A powerful 30 days for me.  So, of course I’m not going to stop.  I’ve had insights into how to quantum leap into my dream life.  This next 30 days is about that.  So, I’m on day 2 (started March 1) of  this series. The focus will be on fine-tuning my envisioning ability.  I’ll call it: Creative Mastery.

Wish me luck.

–Love,

Laurie

Inner Trip II: Days 6-20

I actually have been writing everyday.  I’m pretty proud of myself that I’ve come this far.  I have 10 days left.  I think the website crashed during this time and I’m so thankful to Peter J. for fixing things for me, since websites aren’t my specialty, head massage is.

Things keep getting better and better.  I’ve had an almost completely full client load this week.  I’ve been able to play a lot and I’ve had some interesting challenges.  But, I’ve gotten the best of them, instead of the other way around.  I’ve even started writing two and sometimes three times a day.  It’s been pretty amazing with people calling me and stopping me in the women’s locker room asking for appointments.  I’m liking this new mode of writing and seeing what shows up.

I’m still very excited about this process.  The two biggest things I’ve noticed so far are (1) any little mood shift away from positive really really stands out so I have to be more on top of my creative process and (2) things are happening very fast and easily.

So, because I really enjoy#2 happening, I’m willing to keep working on #1. Hopefully, this third week will see some positive shifts in that department.  I am planning a lot more of my day/life.  I’m writing lots.  And, I am having a good time.  All things I’ve wanted to do more of and …am.

The internet is still on its way.  My modem is out of date.  Bought another one from Walmart, but it didn’t work for my situation.  Getting one delivered on Friday, possibly Monday depending…..

Lots of Love,

Laurie

Inner Trip II: Day 4 & Day 5

Wednesday, February 3 and Thursday, February 4, 2010

Well, I’m caught up with myself.  I wrote Wednesday and got up at 1 a.m. to write today.

I’m still thinking about being “catapulted” and then the phrase “meteoric rise” is really appealing.  I’ve been writing in particular about what floats my boat and all the fantastic things that having my boat floating will give me. 

I must say I’ve been having a blast writing.  I find that my thoughts are flowing much easier and faster at this stage of the game.  Last night in particular, my pen was speeding along and even though my time was up for writing I spent at least another hour daydreaming about my ideas. 

I love that daydreaming state.  I love when it effortlessly builds on itself. 

I feel like I’m really tapping into my OCG (original creative genius) now.  My ideas are getting quite outrageous which I really like.  Things and events that I wouldn’t have thought of entertaining now seem kind of normal.  I thought about ….well, if I told you now it wouldn’t be a surprise.

So, the big thing I’m noticing is the ease and speed and grandeur of my thoughts.

Today has been fun so far.  I’ve had calls for gift certificates. That’s always nice.  Also, at Annapurna restaurant this morning, I had two paying clients and one free demo.  One of the clients (someone I had previously given a head massage to) scheduled for me to come to her home to give both she and her husband head massages this Sunday.

Yesterday, a previous client scheduled for me to come to her hotel for 2 massages this Saturday.

I’ve got appointments later on today and I’ve got a regular SpaNomad client tomorrow.

I’m teaching my Champissage class on Monday.

Things are going really, really well.

I hung out with the kids yesterday at It’z — a family video/amusement/hang out place.  What a blast. I’m enjoying myself more and more and fantasizing about how enjoyable and happy and easy my life can be.

When my Annapurna client was convincing her friend to get a head massage from me her comment to him was, ‘Come on, open yourself to Bliss!” I thought that was great.  That, in fact, is what I am doing with myself every day.  For me, the bliss of massage is joining with the bliss of writing my dreams and seeing them come true. 

This inner trip of mine is paving the way for a miraculous outer trip.  I look forward to writing more and more.  I actually even look forward to writing more than the once a day/30 minute “quota”.  Wonderful things are happening so quickly and easily that I feel almost foolish to NOT write more.  I’ve found my crack (with no side effects). 

Today’s been a rush!

–Laurie

Inner Trip II: The Inner Journey

January 30, 2010 – February 2
Okay owing to the fact that I’m not in India with a cybercafe within walking distance, no kids, and no work life, I’ll just have to upload in chunks when I have it.

So, here’s a three-day chunk.

I’ve been writing. I am feeling a strong momentum building around me. I have had some intermittent mood swings (kid-related) but I’ve been in a really creative place.

I’ve been focusing on Bliss in particular since I created a one-day head massage class that I’m calling Head Bliss I. I’ve been writing about strong positive emotions: bliss, ecstasy, rapture. I’ve been contemplating being a conduit. I’ve written about radiance, lustre, and energy transference.

I have felt a tremendous rush of my OCG (original creative genius) and the creation of a whole dance routine for my head massage. I have an event coming up in May where it is my intention to debut my “new moves”. Should be fun.

I’ve had clients calling me about my classes outside of the state as well as my local classes. And, I wrote a really wonderful article for a seattle publication this morning. Personally, I think the article is great (of course). I’d put it here but I think that would be against some publishing rule. I’ll create a link for it though after they publish it.

So things are going swimmingly. I’m writing. I’m uploading. Life is good.

–Laurie

Inner Trip II

Okay, so that was pretty interesting.  As you know I’m in my dream house.  Dream house minus internet.  Soon to be rectified.  Anyway, I wrote, I wrote, I wrote some more but then I didn’t have time to get to an internet connection and upload as I was teaching and then seeing clients.

Blah, blah, blah really.  So, then 2 days went by without writing.  Horror!

Got to start again.

Inner Trip: Day 3 of 30

Results from Day 2

It’s Thursday.  I’m happy to say that I’ve consistently focused now for 3 days and I’m actually writing again on this blog.  Really good for me.

I had a client for an hour long head massage this morning at a local high-end hotel.  It was beautiful.  She had lit votives around the toasty fire.  I brought all my props and we had an immediate friendly connection.  A graphic designer, she had some back tension that I could feel melting away with each technique.  I’m starting to combine more and more the indian head massage I learned in Pushkar, India with the Champissage routine that I teach.  It was good!  I’m really feeling the distinct differences more and more between the various styles.

She loved the head massage and expressly mentioned she would tell the management to recommend my services. 

I’m so happy when my clients are happy!

I was inspired to go by the front desk myself.  I had been under the impression that another company had an exclusive contract there.  Come to find out… no.

So, I left my brochure and my front page Journal Santa Fe article and the Local Flavor magazine that I’m featured in for the general manager.  That felt productive.

Next I was off to Annapurna restaurant to do Indian Head Massages.  I had clients waiting for me AND,  I had introduced myself in passing to a woman and mentioned my head massages.  She replied, “I’m not interested in a head massage but I’m looking for a massage therapist for full body massages to come to my home on a regular basis.”

I’ll see her tomorrow for an hour session!  I’m thrilled.  That will probably be my most used word during this 30 days of transformation — thrilled. Each day has been fantastic.  I can feel the momentum brewing and stirring and picking up speed.

Things are going very, very well.

Oh, another student signed up for my one-day Indian Head Massage class. And a couple inquired about the one-day class.  Moving right along.

I’m… you guessed it…thrilled.

One other turn of events. My last client today was an angel in disguise.  She’s been to India and knows several techniques that I didn’t.  She showed me her style and I LOVED it.  We have agreed to collaborate and come up with a 2 hour workshop for women with this more yin style of head massage.  I already have the workshop name and it’ll blow your mind!  It’s going to be good.

Today has been a good, good, very good day.

Love,
Laurie.

Inner Trip: Day 2 of 30

Results from Day 1 and Day 2’s focus

So, I woke up after only a few hours sleep. It’s Wednesday. I have the kids.  And, there’s a boat load of snow on the ground.  Plus, it’s snowing still.

I’m still on a high from my writing yesterday.  I hang out with the kids in the morning and then my phone starts ringing.

A client wants regular massages at her home to work in conjunction with her physical therapist.  She’s not sure where she got my number.  We discuss weekly and bi-weekly massages to address her concerns.

I’m thrilled.

I get 4 students who call and are interested in attending my Indian Head Massage classes.

I love my job!  I’m pleased so far, day one of writing.  I can’t wait to write again!

7:53-8:24 I write.  I center on the topic of focusing upon good feeling subjects.

I write about how excited I am with my life, how clarity is coming to me in spades regarding all manner of subjects.  I wrote about how happy I am, how I feel like I’m thriving, how I’m actually looking forward to being suprised and delighted tomorrow…

I wrote about feeling free and my love of studying and my desire to have a BIG life. 

Most importantly I wrote about BLISS.  I love bliss, I love giving bliss, being bliss, feeling bliss.   Bliss is my OCG in action.  OCG being original creative genius.   Yes!

I also wrote about my excitement about having a private Champissage client tomorrow morning and my delight in giving head massages at Annapurna restaurant in the afternoon.

So it is!

Love,

Laurie

The Inner Trip: Day 1 of 30

January 19, 2010

Starting thought: “I’ve been catapulted out of my former life”

                                                                        — Viola Davis (actress)

I started jotting down thoughts after reading this one line in a magazine.  I could really relate to the word “catapult.”  I felt like my life had taken a dramatic change from all that I had previously known.

I had been writing my thoughts down more or less regularly.  One day in November I had been writing about my dream home.  I had one full page of description written and then I had moved on to other activities, quite forgetting that I had envisioned my home. 

My husband walks in several hours later and the first thing out of his mouth was, “WHAT have you been doing?”

“Daydreaming, like usual.  Why, what’s wrong?” I asked.”

“We’re moving into our dream home.  I bet you can’t guess what it looks like.” Jeff said.

“I bet you can tell you exactly what it looks like!” I shot back.  I couldn’t remember how exactly I knew but after a few seconds I remembered that I actually written down my thoughts.  The notebook was still near me.  I grabbed it and proceeded to read the description of the house to Jeff. 

That night, he takes me to the house, my description was right on.  Absolutely letter perfect.  The house is stupendous!  That was a big, big shift for me.

Then came my trip to India.  That was a dream come true.  Everything I needed to happen, everything I wanted to happen, happened.  Things I didn’t want to happen, happened.  And from it all, I got very very clear that I love to envision and that the things I dream about actually do come true.

So, here we are.  I’ve been catapulted into a new life and I’m wanting more “catapulsion”.

So, on Tuesday January 19 I started my 30 day transformation.  I wrote about change.  Not just any change, dramatic change.  I recollected all the times that I experienced with that as the theme.  I wrote about how thrilled I was being on the front page of the Albuquerque Journal on Saturday’s issue (January 16 of the Journal Santa Fe edition).  I wrote about how much I love Indian Head Massage, I came up with my Inner Trip idea and I wrote about connecting with other therapists, students, and clients. 

I wrote from 12:43 to 1:21.  It was such a good session I was up until 4 a.m. feeling the buzz. 

Read on to find out what happened on Wednesday!

Love,

Laurie

The Inner Trip: 30 Day Transformation

How the Inner Trip Came to Be

It’s January 21 – a month from my return to Santa Fe, New Mexico from India.  What a whirlwind time.  I learned so much about myself from that adventure that it’s taken me several weeks to put it all together.

I’ll start by saying that I wasn’t myself completely in India.  I now consider that 10 day trip as my “translation” experience.  I was constantly trying to translate the “appropriateness” of activities and events in terms of –well, this is India, right?  As if what works for me in my life somehow changes according to the geographic latitude.  Yet, that’s exactly what I found myself doing, a lot.  Situations, people and experiences that I would have never entertained here in the States suddenly became interesting and attractive because, well, this is INDIA, right?

Anyway, after figuring out my translation issue and also factoring in that I wanted to have an interesting blog, I realized that I started doing a lot of things that I don’t normally do and I stopped doing many of the things that make my life special.

So, enough of that.  I’m back to my full self and I’m ready to make this year quite exceptional.  I like to write my dreams and wishes down and I spend a significant amount of time “coaching” myself.  My life has fairly little drama and I must say: my husband is fantastic; my kids are great; and I love my job. 

So, with that being said, I’ve decided to go on another SpaNomad Adventure.  This time without leaving home.  I’m going to go on an Inner Trip in my own mind and see what happens. 2009 showed me phenomenal results so far with my methods.  I’m pretty eager to see what 2010 will do.

Here’s the plan.  For the next 30 days I will write for 30 minutes each day about the good things in life, things I consider to be good.  For 30 minutes each day I will train myself to see and evoke wonderful, positive, beautiful things.  I’ve always wanted to do a 30 day something.  This is it.

I’ve heard 21 days of anything can be life-changing.  Well, 30 minutes for 30 days.  That’s my plan.  Join me if you will.  I’ll update you on my progress (meaning results) and share with you my dominant focus for the day.

I’m actually on day 2 today (January 21) and so far, I’m thrilled with what’s happened.  Read on to find out my surprising results….\

Love,

Laurie