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.

Just over a year ago, I set myself the goal of becoming a more confident traveller and boy, did that start a great adventure! Since then I’ve been to the Kripalu Center in the Berkshires of Massachussets, to Portsmouth, to San Francisco, to Portland and to Halifax and the surrounding area. Every step along the way has invited a little more stretching and I’ve gained a little more experience and a lot more confidence. I’ve gathered amazing tips and strategies from so many of you, ranging from how to deal with my fear of flying to where to stay in Paris.

Yes, Paris!

After years of dreaming – and several appearances on my dreamboards and my vision cards – we are going to France. Justin and I are celebrating our 10-year wedding anniversary with this trip. And though we were married in February, we’ve decided to travel in the spring, heading first to Paris and then to Avignon to explore Provence and then down to Nice to experience the French Riviera!!

This is an amazing next step in my Become a More Confident Traveller adventure! It’s the first time I’ve managed multiple destinations and a different language too, so I’m right at my growing edge. In fact, the trip has already brought up some perfect little lessons for me. For example, booking hotels in France checked just about all of my least favourite stretch boxes. For one thing I’m pretty shy and get nervous about calling people on the phone (which is kinda hilarious since I’m a coach that works with people over the phone) and I’m really sensitive about flubbing things up in front of other people (perhaps you’ve heard my ‘learning to skate story’ on Creative Living with Jamie!) Well, I recently reached the point of having to put my credit card down to secure hotel reservations. Up until then, things had been handled cleanly, simply and oh, so easily through email. But I just didn’t feel secure sending all my credit card details that way. I knew I had to call.

But I just couldn’t do it. I completely froze. I even had a big conversation with Justin about how I’m sure our credit information would be just fine in an email. I’m sure people do that all the time. Justin even offered to call and the only thing he can say in French is “poulet rouge”! I was pretty sure “red chicken” wasn’t going to get us our room. Finally, we decided we’d risk email because at least that would get the job done.

As soon as the pressure was off, I found it a bit easier. I tried to figure out what would make it easier still. I wrote out a little script of what I would say in French. I used freetranslation.com whenever I was really stuck. And then I wrote out a little script out in English, so that if it turned out English was fine, I’d also be secure.

I picked up the phone. A friendly voice on the other end said, “Bonsoir” and the name of the hotel. I came back with.. “Bonsoir… um… oh, um… Est-ce que nous pouvons parlez en Anglais?” And the proprietor’s lovely voice, full of smiles, said, “Of course.” I breathed a great sigh, confirmed all of our dates and felt so very proud of myself. When Patrice emailed me our confirmation, I told him how excited we were and that I’ll be working on my French. He very sweetly replied that we could practice together.

At the next hotel, I used the same strategy, with a similar, friendly result. It was clear that making an effort, even a clumsy one, was appreciated. And stretching myself, even with just that one sentence, grew my confidence. In fact, when I had to make a bit of an awkward phone call the other day, the kind I would normally shy away from, I found myself thinking, “Well, at least we both speak English!” and dialing the phone.

In all areas of our life, whether we’re newbies or seasoned, we always have a growing edge. We’ll always have that place that makes us uncomfortable or that stirs up our fear, that place where we are painfully aware of our own incompetence, that place that calls us to step in and stretch.

I follow  a yoga podcast called Yogamazing. The other day Chaz, the instructor, said that no matter where we are on the yoga journey, all of us are in the same place when we’re at that growing edge. That made me feel so much better, to know that even if I can’t touch my toes and the yogini beside me has her nose to her knees, at our stretching edge we are the same. The journey is the same. How beautiful is that?

We started Day 2 with this inspiring video by Neil Pasricha, author of the Book of Awesome. I have shared it already but I wanted to start you off with the same powerful inspiration that began our day. As I pull together all the inspirations and excitement of day 2, I can tell you there was a whole lot of awesome going on!

What a treat to experience Jen Lemen and Andrea Scher of Mondo Beyondo, both of whom I met when making Your Creative Spark. These ladies rocked the house, guiding everyone through a process of connecting to their core values and then ritualizing the discovery by handing out Sharpies and having us write a key word on ourselves. They also received a rousing ovation when they announced they had handwritten 500 blessings, one for every attendee, and they were under our seats!

After listening to John T Unger share his disaster and recovery stories, there really is no excuse not stay positive and turn challenges into opportunities! John shared everything from how he’s had a gun pointed to his head to how his studio building collapsed – with him on the roof! Instead of assuming defeat, John shared how disasters can become huge momentum in our lives. Crisis points can become something amazing, if you work with the energy. 

I signed up for a breakout session with Pamela Slim about content mapping. In this working session, Pam showed us how to hone in on our subject matter and what our audience needs and then to strategically map a focused and balanced plan for content delivery. I’m using Pam’s model so if you have any thoughts or suggestions you’d like to share about the kind of content you’d like to see here at Jamie Ridler Studios, I’d love to hear it!

It was hilarious to see how almost ever single person I knew at #WDS signed up for Laura Roeder‘s “How To Not Do Everything Yourself.” I think I hang with a bunch of DIYers and, ahem, control freaks! (Is there a nicer way to say that?) Laura not only gave us some practical ways to get more help but also took a stand for it the importance of doing so – including to the people you involve. I’ve taken that to heart. I’ll be looking for a couple of interns to help with projects at Jamie Ridler Studios. (Is one of them you?)

When Jonathan Fields asked who in the audience wanted to create something, we all rose our hands. His response formed the core of his talk: “Bold consistent action in the face of uncertainty will be required.” To get comfortable with being uncomfortable, Jonathan suggested we be conscious of the environment we create within and that we develop powerful workflow practices as well as personal practices. I’m looking forward to his upcoming book on this topic!

Ever present throughout the weekend was the energy of Chris Guillebeau and the World Domination Summit team. With great love and respect Chris acknowledged the enthusiasm and commitment of the team, who were already coming up with great ideas and strategies for next year!

One of the most moving moments of the entire summit was when one of the team members asked the audience, “Who here sees Chris as a friend or a mentor in some way?” The whole room put up their hands. What an amazing experience Chris and his team created for us all. I’ll never forget it.

If you’re feeling called to attend next year, you can sign up for early registration info here. I will be there. I look forward to giving you a great big hug!

Note: All pictures but the last are courtesy of Armosa Studios.

When people ask me what the World Domination Summit is, I find it hard to explain. I certainly found “World Domination Summit” hard to explain to Customs! I think of the event as a tribal gathering, a meeting of inspired people who challenge the status quo in favour of finding and bringing their unique gifts to the world in their own way. So imagine everyone shining their own beautiful light. Yum!

Here are a few tidbits of what I loved and learned at #WDS. I hope they inspire you to shine.

Well, it took about two minutes for Pam Slim to make me cry. She introduced us to a Navajo greeting, “Ya’at’eeh,” which means, “Everything you are, everything that is a part of you, is good, is beautiful.” Talk about an embrace! Pam spoke about how we anchor our power by connecting to our roots, the things that ground us. One of the takeaway tasks I’ve set myself is getting clear on my roots, the things that bring me back to me. Do you know what yours are?

Zen Habits’ Leo Babauta shared his journey from a self-described “lazy, overweight, junk food addicted, overworked, chain-smoking, stressed out, in debt…” guy to the man he is today. In addition to sharing his own story with great insight and honesty, Leo offered practical strategies for actively changing habits. He also dropped a shocker of an idea: live without goals. Could you do it? Would you?

And the Firestarter herself, Danielle LaPorte. Talk about a woman who rocks the house. One of Danielle’s gifts is offering diamonds of (often provocative) insight in deliciously concise sentences, like when she told one questioner, “You have to love the hell you’re in before you can leave it.” Danielle’s deep authenticity is magnetic. Combine that with her mastery, her attention to her craft, and this woman is undeniable. One of the real pleasures of the event was for me to finally give her a big hug in person.

Over the years, I have learned a lot about heart and business from Mark Silver. At WDS he spoke to us about connection – to ourselves, to Source, to others – and he shared and modeled a practice for tuning in. I’ve also tucked into my pocket Mark’s lesson that we let go of judgment around our needs. Just as we don’t feel bad about our hungriness, there’s no reason to feel bad about our neediness. In fact, there is something sacred in it. Another highlight of the weekend for me was to hug Mark and really, truly feel received.

The spirited Jodi Ettenberg of Legal Nomads went from a lawyer to full-time traveler.  I continue to roll over, again and again, something she said. When Jodi told her grandfather about her commitment to traveling, he said, “I can’t even imagine what it would be like to choose based on what makes me happy.” He couldn’t even imagine it. Jodi’s response  was a deep acknowledgment of the luxury it is to have that choice and, it seemed to me, within that was a sense of responsibility to act upon it. If you have the luxury of having the choice, take it. Still processing this one.

What a joy to listen to Karen Walrond, photographer, author and yes, a guest on Creative Living with Jamie! Through sharing great stories, Karen helped us feel into our bones the Beauty of Different. And a wisdom she shared, that I hope you’ll take away with you today, was about comparison (a favourite topic on the podcast): when you compare yourself to someone else, you are comparing your insides to their outsides.

And more hugs! All of this and it was just Day 1. I’ll be back tomorrow with day two.

If you want to get your name on the early registration list for next year, do so here. I’ll be there! And I’ll be looking forward to hugging YOU!

Note: All pictures but the first and last are courtesy of Armosa Studios.

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 ;)

Setting the intention of becoming a more confident traveler is one of the best things I have ever done. Once I uttered the words, opportunities showed up! I assisted Jennifer Louden at a retreat at Kripalu, I attended Alicia Forest‘s Online Business Breakthrough workshop in Portsmouth and was able to stop and visit friends near Boston, I’ve been to San Francisco for my brother’s wedding and visited Nova Scotia to see my sister and now, I’ve just returned from the World Domination Summit in Portland!

There’s something about Portland. Over the years I’ve fallen for so many artists, coaches and businesses based in this city – not to mention Nia – that I had a feeling I would love it and I did! My sister Shannon, my husband Justin and I decided to explore the city before the summit. I hope the video  takes you along with us. We had a great time walking through Portland with camera in hand, discovering great restaurants and the joys of happy hour, exploring the best bookstore ever and enjoying art, art and more art!  I’ll share more of the conference itself in the days to come but for today, here are some of our memorable Portland experiences (and some context for the photos):

• The very first restaurant we tried in Portland was Mother’s - and if we ever go back that’s the very first place I’ll be headed! Chandeliers and elegance combined with great food and comfort = happy Jamie.
• We stayed at the Courtyard Marriott Portland City Center and everyone was incredibly helpful and friendly. Our room was spacious, comfy and quiet.
• Everyone talks about the the wonders of Powell’s book store and it doesn’t disappoint! We could have spent days in there! There are so many treasures! The depth of content and choice is extraordinary. You could get lost in the knitting section alone!
• The Museum of Contemporary Craft was small in scale but big on impact! In fact, Shannon came up with a brilliant idea that I’m looking forward to being a part of!
• We walked through the Pearl District and had an awesome time exploring small galleries and amazing stores. Cargo was literally a photo safari and hunt & Gather made me swoon!
• And speaking of swooning, one morning when we decided the little cafe we’d chosen wasn’t quite cozy enough, we ended up at Gracie’s. 1930′s glamour – I love you!
• That was on our way to the Rose Test Garden which looked like it was going to burst into blossom at any moment! It also took me right back to childhood travels when my mom would  insist that we go to whatever botanical garden was on hand. I had no idea I was absorbing a love of gardens as I turned every corner into a stage and danced!
• And oh, the Japanese Garden! If you ever get a chance to go, I recommend you walk up, if you’re able, instead of taking the shuttle. Stepping through the archway into the tall, tall trees and experiencing the quiet majesty of this natural amphitheatre is very much worth it.

All of this and the summit hadn’t even started yet! I’ll share more about what happened there soon!

Over at the ever-inspiring Wish Studio, there’s some creative fun getting ready to happen: the wishBig ecamp is coming this March! There will be awesome classes by creative teachers like Andrea Schroeder, Goddess Leonie, Kate Swoboda, Darrah Parker and yours truly! I know many of you have asked me about creating vision cards, so I decided to create a workshop just for you. Here’s what I’ll be teaching…

Intuitive Vision Cards: Personal Touchstones on the Journey to Your wishBig Dreams

In the flurry of our day-to-day lives, full of deadlines and must-dos, it’s easy to forget the power and magic of our dreams. Vision cards are focus tools that inspire and connect you to the things that matter most. Deeply personal, wildly intuitive and intensely evocative, vision cards are touchstones of our heart’s desires. These visual reminders slip past gremlins, outwit our intellect and speak directly to our soul. In this workshop, we will use the simple tools of journaling and collage to create three vision cards that will light your way. During our time together, you will…

• Experience a guided visualization that will ground you in your truest self.
• Identify three theme areas essential to your heart and soul.
• Use intention and intuition to gather images that call your spirit.
• Create three personal vision cards steeped in magic, meaning and motivation.
• Connect to a process you can use again and again on your creative life journey.

This class is for all dreamers and dreams of all sizes. You do not have to have a clear vision to participate. You simply have to know there are dreams in your heart, waiting to be seen. No art experience is required. Know that simply by creating your vision cards you are honouring your dreams. You are letting your Self and the Universe know, “this is important.” And that, in itself, is magic.

Find out more & register here.

Here are the vision cards I created for this year…