Cultivate Your Garden

I have been an artist for many years and require some form of creativity everyday. I find creativity through my journaling, jewelry creations, writing and organization among other forms. My creativity was something that I never thought I had because it has evolved as I have tried many different things to find what I truly love and find passion in.

Ever since I was young, I have always loved to write and got really good grades in creative writing classes, but when someone told me I had poor grammer and run-on sentences, I gave it up because I felt like I had failed. I had taken art classes also but never felt I could measure up to all the other students who made beautiful paper mache thingys. What I have found out, is that what I needed to do was to keep trying different things that would inspire me and that is what I have found in creating beautiful jewelry.

As a Creative Empowerment Coach, I wanted to give some tools to others who feel they don't have a creative bone in their body. YOU DO, it's just a matter of finding what you love to do and never get discouraged or give up before you begin. What I find amazing is that, we each have our strengths and finding yours is about allowing yourself to be compassionate and patience as you explore this gift.

What I would like to do is give you some ideas each week that you would be willing to explore and see if it would open up new doors of possibilities for you. The first exerecise is going to be a journaling exercise for which the title of this article is written.

Cultivate Your Garden

This exercise is a tool to help you become more aware of how your thoughts hold you back. I have started to visualize my positive thoughts as beautiful flowers in the garden or my mind. Each and everytime I have a powerful, empowering and postive thought, this is helping my garden grow to the beauty it is meant to be. There is so much self-love and approval in all moments.

There are moments when a negative thought will start to creep in and that is the time you become aware of that negative thought and weed it out. Nobody likes those nasty weeds that grow in the garden and the same goes for our thoughts. When you can become aware the instant that negative thought enters your mind, you have the ability to replace it with a positive thought right away so that you can remain empowered and keep that self-loved watered properly so that it thrives into a beautiful blossom.

• What are the beautiful flowers growing in your garden and how do you nurture them?
• What do you currently practice to keep them beautiful and loved?
• What do you practice to week those negative thoughts?
• How have those practices helped you to stay empowered?
• Feel free to email me with your stories at wjndesigns@yahoo.com. and with your approval, I would love to use your stories in future publications.

In love and light,

Wendee

Forgiveness-A Step Towards Self-Love

Forgiveness can be one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself as well as others. It can be a hard task that you might be thinking you'd rather not deal with or acknowledge but when you can truly forgive yourself, the gift is tremendous.

To forgive yourself is to open your heart and allow yourself the time and space to give yourself unconditional love and approval. How often during your day are you in a negative conversation of self-doubt? When in your life do you tell yourself, you will be happy when you've reached a certain goal, lost the weight, gotten on an exercise program, and you will take that vacation once you've gotten that promotion or recognition from the job or do you simply give up before you start?

Forgiveness is allowing you to shed those negative thoughts and behaviors where you can make room for more bliss, joy and happiness. It's not about beating yourself up in moments when something goes wrong, but about giving yourself the unconditional love and approval you always deserve no matter what the outside circumstance is.

How often do you;

Deny your needs?
Blame others or yourself?
Resent someone or yourself?
Felt betrayed?
Felt rejected?
Have you ever said "why me?"?
Have you ever suffered from an illness?
Are you still waiting to hear someone you love say, "I'm sorry"?
When do you feel self-pity or self-doubt?
Do you ever feel afraid, lonely, enraged or worthless?

If you can say "yes" to any of the statements above, it's time to forgive. Forgiveness is a process that can be a piece of cake for some or an extremely fearful idea. There is a process for forgiveness that I will briefly explain which I hope helps clarify this act. The first stage of forgiveness is denial. Stage two is anger and stage three is acceptance. Forgiveness allows you to accept what is but giving you the courage to let go of the pain and negative forces that keep you from being true and loving towards yourself.

When you are forgiving yourself or others, you are willing to see yourself as human and to embrace that moment as you see yourself and others as a gift in the world. Forgiveness doesn't mean you approve of the person's behaviors or actions but an opportunity to set yourself fre of a negative connection you have with that person or yourself. It will give you more opportunity to move forward and beyond the past that keeps you stuck and safe. Forgiveness is only for you. It's a beautiful and generous gift you are giving to yourself.

I like to write letters to the person I am forgiving. I don't send the letters. I just keep them in my journals. I give myself a lot of space where it is quite and undisturbed. I light candles and sometimes put on some soft music to help me relax. I just start to write and I just let it come out as natually as it will. I don't hold anything back and I let it all out. If the tears start to flow, let them. This is a way that you are releasing those emotions that you have bottled so tightly inside of yourself. I usually start my letters like this, "I (your name), am willing to forgive (name of person, or thing). I have thing because I don't limit my forgiveness to just people, I have forgiven illness or something that keeps me stuck.

When you decide to forgive, remember to be kind and gentle to yourself during the process. This can bring up feelings that had been buried deep within your soul. Remember that forgiveness is a gift you are giving yourself. I also like to have a support friend on hand if needed. Be willing to ask for the type of support you need. You can let the friend know what you are doing and ask them to be a witness or just available for a phone call afterwards. Maybe you want to make it into a ceremony where they can take part in or just a shoulder to cry on. It's up to your how you go about your forgiveness.

I am also a trained Professional Creative Empowerment Coach you can call for private coaching if you are faced with challenges and need support. I offer different coaching book groups several times during the year based on popular self-help to help focus on a particular topic. You can find more information on my website at, www.coachingyouforward.com. I offer a free 1/2 hour coaching session if you want to explore the idea and see how coaching can also be a gift you give yourself.

In Joy and Forgiveness
Wendee Neilson
Coaching You Forward
Discover, Embrace, Empower and Create...YOU!