Jamie Ridler Studios » Celebration

Making Dreams Come True: Desire to Inspire

Jamie Ridler — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 05:00:50 +0000

So much wonder and magic is available to you. Right now and always.

Whatever that seed is in your heart, the one that sometimes knocks on your rib cage and says, “Let me grow! Let me grow!” it’s possible.

I’m overwhelmed sitting here writing this today, sharing with you that I am one of the contributors to this amazing, amazing book, Desire to Inspire: Using Creative Passion to Transform the World by Christine Mason Miller. I feel so very blessed.

One of the first bloggers I fell in love with was Christine, aka Swirly Girl. When I invited her to take part in my first interview series, Your Creative Spark, I could barely believe she said yes! Now, I consider her a creative ally. Christine is a woman of heart and strength, a woman of creativity and adventure, a woman of integrity. She has a profound gift for being unflinchingly honest while remaining resolutely optimistic. I love that about her.

So, how did I feel when she invited me to be a part of this book?

Scared.

Thrilled, yes. And scared.

See, not too long ago I was invited to be a regular writer for a site I admired deeply. I was over-the-moon. It was a dream come true! And when I sent in my pieces, they were rejected. The tone was too soft, a bit too, well, I guess they might have thought “corny.” It wasn’t sassy and sharp, the way they delivered their inspiration. I had the option to rewrite or write new pieces. I really sat with it and considered whether this was important feedback, an opportunity to improve my writing, or simply not a good fit. Ultimately I said, “Well, the truth is that’s my voice. My voice is nothing if not earnest.” And we parted with mutual love and respect.

The thing is I also walked away with a wound. I walked away feeling tender and raw and, just like being disappointed in love, frightened of trying again. I didn’t realize how deep the impact was until Christine’s invitation. I was so excited and so honoured but I kept it close to my heart, not even mentioning it to my family, wondering if I’d end up cut, my contributions in the editor’s file 13.

But frightened as I was, I showed up. I protected my tender creative self as best I could and then, I gave it all I had. At first, I found it impossible to write but eventually, words that came from the truth of my earnest heart poured onto the page. And those words will appear in this book. My words found a home.

Resilience is one of the greatest gifts we can give to our creative work.

I’m sharing this with you because I want you to keep on keeping on. I want you to keep writing, keep singing, keep dancing, keep painting – even if you’ve had setbacks, even if you’ve suffered rejection, even if you feel small, even if you think no one will care, even if “anything you could possible think of” gets in your way. It’s important. It’s important to your heart, your soul, your healing, your health and your joy. And it’s important to who we are as a community, as a family, as a tribe, as a world. We are meant to express our true selves. It’s how we find our way home.

When I started my first blog, Starshyne Productions, my very first post had that winter blue photo of an ice candle on my doorstep. And now, here it is celebrating the launch of Christine’s book.

Anything can happen. Keep showing up.

Ignite Your Own Desire to Inspire…

Order the Book

Pre-order your copy on Amazon today ~ Desire to Inspire: Using Creative Passion to Transform the World

Share Your Story of Creative Resilience Below & Win an Inspiring Prize

Share your own story of creative resilience below and be entered for a Give Away of one of these three wall art pieces (your choice!) Deadline to enter is December 6. I’ll announce the winner on the December 13th episode of Creative Living with Jamie, when Christine Mason Miller will be my guest.

Writing Magic: Join Me for Morning Pages & Celebrating Creative Dream Journals!

Jamie Ridler — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 04:00:29 +0000

Morning Pages are a powerful creative living practice, a simple writing routine that can truly change your life. They are also the single most-mentioned practice by guests on Creative Living with Jamie. Last May, it was incredibly motivating and inspirational to create a regular check-in to support one another on the journey. With all the excitement and fullness of September, I thought this would be another wonderful time to revisit Morning Pages. Every day we’ll have the opportunity to check-in and say, “I did it!” on my Facebook page or on Twitter.

Here are the details!

What are Morning Pages?*

In Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, she introduces the idea of Morning Pages: 3 pages of long-hand free-form stream-of-consciousness writing that you write each morning to start your day.

Why do them?

Morning pages are a practice. They get thoughts, ideas, stuck points, garbage, treasures, energy, out of your head and onto the page. This is not about the product at all. You could (and I do) throw your pages out after you’ve written them. This is about getting the juices flowing and getting your energy going. (Julia does recommend some ways to harvest from your pages at a later date. Be sure to check out her book if that sounds of interest)
Morning pages also give you a daily opportunity to hear what you’re thinking. Being in touch with your heart, your mind, your soul is the very basis of all creative living. This is a practice to ground yourself in.
And the woo-woo reason: morning pages are magic. I don’t know how to explain it but every time I’ve started doing morning pages on a regular basis, my life has changed for the better. Every. Single. Time. Energy starts shifting when you start openly sharing with your self and the Universe what’s going on in that beautiful heart of yours, spilling the truth in all its raw power onto the page.

What do I write?

Whatever is in your head goes onto the page. No censorship. If all three pages ended up being “I don’t know what to write. I don’t know what to write…” that would be fine. Mine sometimes look like this, “I’m tired. I’ve been thinking about writing a piece about– oh, I have to remember to pick up Jinx’s meds. Now, what was I thinking?” That kind of thing. It doesn’t matter what you write, just write.

What do I need?

A pen. Paper. And about 30 minutes.
As for the paper, this where I always apply the “Will it move you forward?” test. What kind of paper or journal or notebook will get you to write? If you love pretty journals and it inspires you to wake up in the morning, crack it open and write, do that. If it’s going to take you two weeks to find just the right book, ditch that idea. What will get you started today? I use dollar store exercise books because for me, it’s important they be abundant and not precious. Trisha did something lovely and collaged the front of her Morning Pages Journal to make it special and inviting. I’ve used pages of 3-hole paper. I’ve used a newsprint pad. It just has to be something you’ll actually use.
It can be a lot of writing, I really recommend experimenting with a few pens to find one that allows you to move smoothly along the page with a minimum amount of grip. So many of us have all kinds of repetitive strain and fatigue in our hands, so be as gentle on yourself as you can be. Find your way to make it work.

Can I do it on the computer?

If that’s the absolute only way you’ll consider doing it, I won’t discourage you. (And if you do, here’s a helpful resource. Thank you, Samantha )But really, it does make a difference to do it by hand. There is something about the pace and the kinesthetic experience that has impact. Trust me. Besides, don’t we all spend more than enough time on the computer anyway?

Do I have to do it in the morning?

The gift of the morning is we can dive into the pages before we’ve been engulfed by the rest of our regular life. That is tremendously valuable. But again, applying that good old Jamie guideline, if morning’s mean you won’t do it – choose something else! It’s better to do it than to worry about following the rules. I used to always do them right before bed because the action of clearing my head on the page helped me fall asleep and feel at ease.

Does it have to be three pages?

It is important to have a structure and one that takes you a bit beyond what you might otherwise do.
Three pages seems to be just about the right amount of time to push you a little bit into new territory. If you just stop when you feel like stopping, you can be sure that you’ll miss the good stuff that’s just around the corner.
Three pages also seems to be enough to get you through your resistance. Once you know exactly how much you’ve committed to, you can make it a non-negotiable with your gremlin.
One alternative that has worked for me is to give myself a fixed amount of time. I’ve often given myself 30 minutes for my morning pages. That way I feel secure that I have dedicated time, I have enough time and I don’t have to rush.

How is this going to work?

Easy-peasy. This is just a regular morning check in on either my Facebook page or on Twitter. Each morning I’ll just put up a little note that says I’ve done my pages and you can share when you’ve done yours. We’ll be able to celebrate with one another along the way.
Join my Facebook page here.
Follow me on Twitter at @starshyne. The hashtag we’ll be using is #morningpages, so you’ll be able to search for #morningpages and see what everyone’s up to.

Joining In

Anyone is welcome to join. If you’d like to make it official and say, “Yes, I’m in!” add your name to the Mr. Linky below. That way we can also come visit and see who we’re playing with.
You can join in any time.
There’ s no pressure here. Just encouragement. Even if you just do one day but that’s more than you would have done before – woohoo!
Here’s a badge if you’d like to make it official on your site.

And announcing…

Every year I lead a few women through an intimate coaching program called Circe’s Circle: Your Creative Dream Team. Without fail, I am amazed by the creativity, brilliance and spirit of the women who step into the circle. I wanted to create a place where they can continue to shine, where their light would guide the way for other beautiful dreamers like you.

That was the seed for Creative Dream Journals – a blog to inspire and encourage dreamers like you! On Creative Dream Journals you will find inspiration for your wild heart, encouragement for your creative spirit and nourishment for your deep soul. Creative women just like you are there to share the creative dream journey – its questions, joys, challenges and celebrations – because we want you to know, beautiful dreamer, you’re not alone.

Come on by and subscribe to the Creative Dream Journals blog today!

Featuring Some Major Video Luv!

Jamie Ridler — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 05:00:18 +0000

A couple of weeks ago I invited people to participate in a contest by sending me a video answering the question, “What does Jamie Ridler Studios mean to you?” With every entry, my heart grew! Thank you to every video creator. You gave me such a deep gift. And let me hip-hip-hurray to those of you who made a video for the first time, who tried something new and stretched your abilities. I hope it opens up all sorts of creative possibilities! Let me also thank everyone who sent words of love, even though video wasn’t your thing. You are all amazing. I see your sparkle and am filled with love and wonder. I am so glad we connected!

These videos are so special and made with such love, I want to share them all with you. Every one of them has won the creator a scholarship to Sparkles. And I’ll announce the Super Prize Winner of the Complete Studio Package at the end!

jamie videoluv from Kimberly LeClair of Fitness for Mere Mortals.

from MaryAnn K

From Merry Thyme Ferry of Beautiful Life

From Paula – Buenos Aires of Happy Snappy

With Luv, For Jamie Ridler from Roxanne Galpin of Love is Louder.

Video Luv for Jamie Ridler Studios! from Jen Chantrill of Living Bliss.

“My name is Jen Chantrill and I live in Seattle, WA. I am so incredibly grateful for Jamie Ridler Studios and all its amazing offerings: the blog, the inspiration, the podcasts, the dreamboards, Wishcasting Wednesdays, etc. After stumbling upon Jamie Ridler Studios one night back in January during a web surfing session, I fell in love. I uncovered a dormant part of my being and tapped into passions again-writing, yoga, being outside, and laughing & dancing all because of Jamie Ridler!”

Here’s a link for a wonderful Kizoa slideshow: Jamie – Slideshow

“I have learnt so much, benefited so much by my journey with Jamie and all the new friends that I have gained. I have wished, dreamed, played, created, I believe in myself and more, changed and my self esteem is growing.” Lucy, Mixed Medium Musings

Submitted by Joy of Art

And the winner of the Complete Studio Package is…

Mary Ann, I’ll be in touch with all the details! Big hugs, Jamie.

Video Luv Contest!

Jamie Ridler — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 04:00:23 +0000

Opening Jamie Ridler Studios

I can’t believe it was two years ago that I was sipping champagne and celebrating the launch of the new website! (See the video here) Since then we’ve wished together, dreamed together, sparkled together and the community here at Jamie Ridler Studios has grown in size, love and enthusiasm! I’m so glad you’re here!

And if you’re glad I’m here, I’d love for you to create and share a short video about what Jamie Ridler Studios means to you.

Create a Video to Participate…

Create a video answering the question “What does Jamie Ridler Studios mean to you?” It can be a few words that come to mind or an experience you’ve had wishing or dancing or sparkling or working with me or listening to the podcast – any way that Jamie Ridler Studios has touched your life.

Post it on your blog, website or a hosting site like Vimeo or YouTube.

Send the link to videoluv@openthedoor.ca along with your name, your blog or website (if you have one) and you’re entered!

To receive a prize, your entry must be received by midnight EST on July 23rd

You Could Win The Complete Studio Package:

Sparkles e-course ($31)

Wishcasting Journal ($24)

Soul Reflections ($47)

Your Creative Spark ($47)

AND a Creative Breakthrough Session with me ($125)

And because I think you’re all winners…

Every single person who submits a video will get a scholarship to Sparkles!! (transferable to a friend)

By Participating…

You’re giving me permission to share the luv! You just might see your video featured here, there, everywhere at Jamie Ridler Studios!

I hope this is getting your creative juices jumping! I can’t wait to see what you create.

World Domination Begins!

Jamie Ridler — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 04:00:31 +0000

After days enjoying Portland, it was time for the World Domination Summit to begin. I’m sure I’m not the only one who suddenly felt a little nervous! As the time came closer, I felt a little shy, as I always do with big events, but I put on my shiny black boots and remembered just how many people I adore were going to be there and headed out with anticipation. Besides, I was lucky enough to be sharing this whole she-bang with my sis Shannon and we always have a good time together!

Brain Trusts & Masterminds

Before registration, some of my very favourite people held a meetup to share their experience with masterminding. Jennifer Louden, Michael Bungay Stanier, Mark Silver and Molly Gordon have all been my teachers (whether they know it or not). For years I have been nourished by their work and inspired by their spirits. What a joy to be in a room with them as they shared, with great generosity, insight and humour, how they came to be a brain trust, what their experience has been like and what they might encourage us to do. If you’ve been longing for a supportive, nurturing, challenging community, why not bring a few people together and discover how to support one another in unfurling all you are and all you have to give?

And so it begins…

Official World Domination Summit Photo

Next we headed down to the Portland Art Museum where registration and the opening night party would take place in the Sculpture Garden – how cool is that? My video shares some of the brilliant, radiant people I had the joy of connecting to – and there were so many more! It’s hard to keep getting pictures when there’s so much excitement all around! Everywhere you looked were friendly faces, beaming with joy at being there. It was clear from the beginning, this was going to be special.

One of the things that also showed up from the start was just how many people were feeling tender too. I wonder if I just know a lot of creative, introverted, highly sensitive people or whether something about The World Domination Summit attracts them. I certainly found that part of enjoying the experience was tending my spirit and energy with care, trusting that the time I had with the people was enough, that I didn’t need to grab hold of every last morsel of opportunity but rather I could sink into the energy and let myself just be present. (By the way, I’m going to be gathering for you some helpful tips for dealing with conferences and big experiences like this when you’re a super sensitive soul, especially for those of you who want to go next year)

Without question the highlights of the evening for me were all the love and hugs. It was such a treat for me to just walk up the street with my dear friend Jennifer Lee as of we actually lived in the same city. And what a delight to sip a glass of my neighbourhood buddy Tanya Geisler‘s wine while in an entirely new place! And being able to hug people I’ve known online for years, maybe even interviewed, like Rachelle Mee-Chapman, Andrea Scher, Kelly Rae Roberts and Jen Lemen! And some people just light up the place when they come over and say hi, like Michelle Ward, Julie Daley and Allan Bacon. To sit on the stairs and chat with Kate Swoboda and Rachel Cole and Shannon the Movie Moxie – I mean, really, what a good night! I even got to finally meet Mark Silver for a great big hug. And I met Tara Gentile and Bridget Pilloud and Leah Shapiro and Marjory Mejia and Tiffany Moore and Pace and… so many beautiful people!

And there was more – shared thoughts and insights, new connections, fresh takes, unexpected sunshine and lots and lots of smiles. Opening night of the World Domination Summit started us off beautifully.

Being a Visionary…

Official World Domination Summit photo of Chris Guillebeau

One of the things I’ll really take away from WDS is that this big, gorgeous, creatively inspiring, life-changing, dream-provoking event started as a seed of an idea in Chris Guillebeau’s head. Because Chris said, “Yes!” when this idea showed up, look how many people have been impacted…

Official World Domination Summit photograph

And that’s not everyone. Maybe right now you’re reliving the experience and remembering all that you discovered was possible. Maybe you didn’t get to go but your heart is calling you to participate next time. Maybe just hearing about the event is enough to get you dreaming and motivated. Wherever you are, here’s what I want you to know: when we say “Yes!” and share our gifts, the whole world is brighter. That’s the kind of world domination I can get behind.

You can sign up for next year’s pre-registration here. I’m not an affiliate or anything – I just want to make it easier for you if you’re feeling a call in your heart. I’m a coach; that’s my job ;)

Opening Up Your Creative Flow: Featured Clients Margie Kardash and Kath Stewart

planetshannon — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 05:00:24 +0000

When I launched the Sparkles e-course this year, my intention was that these little tidbits of creative joy would open up possibilities and start the creative juices flowing for everyone who stepped in and decided to sparkle. I was just delighted when I heard the experience of these two sparkling sisters and I just knew I had to share their story with you. Enjoy! Jamie

Featured Sparkles Clients Margie Kardash and Kath Stewart

Website: Souers du Jour

Tell us a bit about yourselves and what you’re creating in the world.

We are sisters, Margie Kardash and Kath Stewart. We live 600 km apart but for most of our lives we lived in each other’s pockets, spending hours together and at one point, even working in the same office. Seven years ago, Kath moved away and we had to find a new way to connect. Our blog started with a Sunday morning phone call and the usual lament of missing each other, being apart meant we were always saying, “I wish you were here!” “I wish I was there!” We had each purchased our cameras and the creation of our soeurs du jour blog (loosely translated to a sister a day!) was a place for us to share what we were learning with each other. It was fabulous, finally we could see what the other was doing, our photographs became the focus of our posts. We had created a virtual kitchen table where we could sit and share our stories and photos. We never expected that when we joined together in a virtual way that we were also joining an amazing community of women who would become a huge part of our creative lives. We dabble in crafts, decorating and art, we are both definitely photographers at heart but also love writing. We love to cook and entertain, we don’t blog about that much, maybe we should!

What inspired you to sign up for Sparkles?

An internet friend told me I should like your Facebook page, there were lots of fun things happening there. Margie and I had participated in the 12 steps for highly creative women book club with you and really enjoyed it. So we joined and shortly thereafter you announced Sparkles! We like to take e-courses at the same time because it is a way for us to connect and share an experience in a virtual way when we are so far apart. We email, talk on the phone, Skype and send photos of our work back and forth. We motivate each other, “Did you do your homework?” “No, I’m stuck!” “Try this!” It always works. Our one downfall is that life gets in the way and sometimes we don’t follow through with completion of the courses, so when you said Sparkles was only five minutes a day, we were in! Surely to goodness we could finish a course that only took five minutes a day!

What’s been the impact of going through the Sparkles e-course?

We both suffer from resistance and have trouble starting projects, we spend lots of time dreaming and talking but to actually haul out the paints, the camera, the canvas can be a bit of a challenge. Both of us created art pieces during the Sparkles e-course and loved how free we felt to just do something and not worry about perfection. Magically that five minutes a day opened us up a bit at a time and allowed the creative juices to flow.

What have you discovered?

We agreed (we were together last week on a mini-vacation at Kath’s house – yay!) that the most important thing is to choose to do something manageable, something that fits into your life. If you sign up for an eight week intense discovery course at the busiest time of the year chances are you are going to struggle. If you think you’re going to take this weekend and edit all 10,000 photos in your collection, you are likely setting up for disappointment. Sparkles taught us that a wee bit can be enough. (And sometimes it is hard to stop – we don’t want to give anything away but both of us found some of the assignments so much fun that we’ve incorporated them into our routines) Sparkles gave us a chance to try something new each day.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

We liked it so much, we’ve already given the e-course as a gift to a family member who we knew would love it as much as we did.

What would you like to celebrate?

Sisterhood of course! We are so lucky to have each other and all the other women we’ve met in our lives who buoy us up, make us laugh, share our tears and fill us with wonder at the strength and creativity that brims within us all, just waiting to spill out if we let it!

Thanks Jamie for letting us tell our story, you are an inspiration indeed!

Registration for Sparkles is always open. To find out more or to start your own sparkling journey, click here.

6th Annual Shyne Like a Star Virtual Dance Party!

Jamie Ridler — Sun, 01 May 2011 05:00:43 +0000

Dance is for everybody ~ and that means you too! So today, and every May 1st, please accept my invitation to the dance. It’s easy. Just take 15 minutes of your day, turn the music up and get your groove on.

Dance to greet your day.
Dance to greet your mailman.
Dance with the sun, the moon, the stars.
Dance with your honey, your self, your cat.
Dance on the subway, while waiting for the bus.
Dance while your tea is steeping.
Dance while your kids are sleeping.
Dance from the tips of your fingers to the soles of your feet.
Let your elbows dance. And your spine.
Dance hip and sexy.
Dance slow and smooth.
Pull out your tap shoes.
Pull out your tutu.
Dance in your own way.
Find your own groove.
There’s no way to get it wrong.
Just dance.

To make it easy-peasy, I’m sharing some songs to get you going and even a video I made last year to lead you in a dance! You can also join my Facebook page where I’ll be sharing great dance tunes throughout the day. Join in wherever you are and give yourself room to groove.

What songs are on your playlist?