With all that we hear about algorithms, whether it's with social media, email, investing, or any other sector of the market place, timing seems to be everything. There always seems to be something that needs to be kept a close eye on in order for us to gain traction, make progress or make us feel like we're getting somewhere, otherwise, we can just feel like a hamster on a wheel, going around in circles. This often occurs because we're not centered, grounded or aligned with Who We Are, but instead, we're focused on everything else around us, which can be confusing, disorienting and downright frustrating, especially when we feel like we've missed the mark somewhere and haven't cracked the proverbial nut. It's time to get out of the "rat race" of expectation, obligation and frustration and come back to ourselves. Paying attention to our own creative rhythms, to our intuitive nudges, to those signals and signs that tell us to slow down or even STOP when necessary. That's why it's so important to get QUIET so we can hear what our inner wisdom is telling us instead of just listening to the Noise that never stops. When we choose to Deliberately Tune In to that Inner Guidance, our GPS of the soul, we will see and feel a very different picture, one that is calm, orderly, creative, fun, restful, relaxing, healing and just Right. Journaling is one of my favorite ways to Tune In and really find clarity on what needs to be let go of so I can Make Space for more of what brings me JOY and what Energizes me. That's how I create my own Personal Algorithm rather than allowing outside influences to dictate how I spend my time and energy. As I do this, I begin to see more clearly what direction to take so that I don't become overwhelmed and depleted. (Click on either image below to get The ART of Journaling Toolbox and The ART of Journaling Prompt PLAY Book and find out more of what you'll receive. Take your journaling practice to the next level and never be bored again!) Recently I did some investigating in my journal (in connection with a card pull I did for clarity on abundance--see this link to find out more about my card decks) and followed up with two specific lists I wrote, one for what brings me JOY and one for what Energizes me. I have shared this list below to give you an idea of what really matters to me. Perhaps you'll want to journal your own lists. (One of my power tools in my Toolbox!) My List of What Brings Me JOY Bird flight! Mockingbirds singing Sunflowers QUIET Connecting with another who focuses on JOY Connecting with another who also keeps a journal Hearing affirming words from my spouse Delicious food I cook for myself Vibrant Color Jewelry that enhances my attire An Empowering and/or amusing message I relate to Design ideas that light me up Having Creative Conversation when we get to the Heart of it Positive feedback on my offerings Song Writing and playing my tambourine In the above video I share my JOY with wearing white and some thoughts about intuitively dressing. Wardrobe JOY is another to add to my list! My List of What Energizes Me Creative Conversation Journaling Conversation Resonating Engagement with folks on Social Media Watching Bird Flight doodling which is also relaxing Laughing with my spouse When someone shares my content Listening to inspiring music that empowers When I gain traction from action Looking at art that inspires me So, there you have it. These lists Inform where my energy should go and in what form they should take. I must take this list deeply to heart and really listen to what it tells me. I must be honest with myself about what needs to be changed in order to make Space for what is on these lists.
That means letting go of my own expectations and perhaps, the expectations of others. Sometimes when we say no to something, someone ends up disappointed. But self-care is of primary importance and should not be relegated below what could appear to be an obligation. Instead, I take action to create the proper shift in my energy, my mindset, my emotions, and in my soul and spirit, to align more fully with Who I Am in all of my life dimensions. And that includes asking myself what I have been neglecting so I can tend to what matters most. Make your own list today and see what it is telling you. Listen carefully. And then take action to make whatever change is necessary to align with your own personal algorithm. And let go of the one that is no longer serving you, even if you created it for yourself. I give you permission to make these changes without guilt. I know how hard it can be to say no when you've been saying less for too long. Release yourself and be personally empowered. And May JOY Align with Your Creative Heart. Copyright 2019 Dawn Herring
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I'm excited to share with you another episode (11) of Refresh Daily Podcast titled, Heart and Home, with special guest, Annie Morgan Preece, Artist, Vocalist, and creative in the home, with a special emphasis on the heart when it comes to creative expression. Annie shares her full artistic and musical history, as well as her cooking dynamic, journaling and mothering. I trust whether you choose to listen (on the left) or watch (on the right), that you will come away inspired to Find Your Creative Voice as Artist of Your Life. Annie was funny, informative and shares from her heart in a way that is sure to touch yours. EnJOY. Annie Morgan Preece is an oil painter. She grew up watching Bob Ross rather than cartoons on Saturday mornings and spent a lot of time drawing as a kid. She took art classes in school and played with various mediums. As she grew older she became more involved in music and eventually set art aside completely at the beginning of high school to focus on singing. After pursuing music and family through college and her twenties, she finally rediscovered art in her early thirties, giving oil paints a try for the first time, and fell in love with their buttery richness. Annie spends her time caring for her children, making a home, and creating art. She believes art influences the family dynamic in unique ways and creates art that helps families feel connected to each other and their home. She resides in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and four children. You can find her on Instragram at @AnnieMorganPreece You can find Dawn on Instagram at @RefreshwithDawnHerring If you're looking for some inspiration and fun ways to write your next journal entry, just click on either image above and get The Art of Journaling Toolbox and The Art of Journaling Prompt PLAY Book, filled with 7 Power Tools to keep your journaling fun, fresh and fabulous, along with 31 prompts, questions and image suggests so you can PLAY! If you'd like to read previous blog posts:
What's Worth Celebrating Your Journaling "Why" (1st part of a series, The Art of Journaling)
Hello friends, creatives, journal keepers, artists and small business owners!
I'm excited to share with you a book review for Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee. I originally found this title visually on Pinterest (follow me at Refresh with Dawn Herring); and I'm sure if you've known me for any length of time, that you would know that anything with JOY in the title is sure to get my attention! So I knew I had to get my hands on a copy, and I'm so glad I did. Ingrid is detailed, comprehensive and fun in her study on JOY as she dives deep into what initiates JOY from our Surroundings and WHY that happens. Through many interviews with architects, artists, designers and others who incorporate deliberate JOY into what they do, she showcases the initiators of JOY. Examples are color, shape, dynamic, energy, inspiration and a myriad of approaches to what can bring us JOY and Why. I love how she categorizes her 10 topical chapters (energy, abundance, freedom, harmony, play, surprise, transcendence, magic, celebration, renewal) and her comprehensive approach to sharing what each one represents, both seamlessly and with great detail. I enjoyed my reading of Joyful; it gave me new appreciation for my surroundings and even some ideas that I can incorporate into my space. I really loved her focus on abundance, giving examples of confetti, a ton of balloons, bubbles, and repeating wall paper as examples of what can bring us JOY visually and why it has such an impact on us. Yes, there is a science to it all! Somehow, this title, Joyful, really affirmed what I have already discovered and experienced as a JOY focused creative, and it just made me smile knowing that I've got this whole JOY thing right! We can have more JOY in our lives by deliberately choosing what is in our surroundings, how we decorate, how we dress, and how we connect with others in community. Love this quote from the book: "At the Heart of Celebration is a kind of mathematical paradox: the more we share joy, the more it grows." Ingrid does such a splendid job on this title, Joyful, that I wholly recommend it. Plus she offers several resources to help you figure how best to approach your choices in creating more JOY in your life every day. Thank you so much, Ingrid, for writing this book; it was a true blessing to read it and I'm delighted to share it with my readers. P.S. I've included Ingrid's TED Talk below, Where JOY Hides and How to Find it.
As an avid journal keeper, I know it can be helpful to have more than one approach to journaling to keep it relevant, revealing and renewing, as well as a prompt or question to keep things fun, fresh and fabulous. You can now receive all this journal keeping support with The ART of Journaling Tool Box, filled with 7 Power Tools for your journaling as well as The ART of Journaling Prompt PLAY Book, filled with 31 prompts, questions and image suggestions to PLAY with in your journaling practice. Whether you're just getting started or looking for some fresh starting points, the resources are simply Perfect for Powerful Playing that leads to personal empowerment. Just click on either image and get started! And let me know which ones are working for YOU right now.
Journaling Prompt: Look at your surroundings and do an analysis in your journal about what you like the most about areas in your home and what you would like to change to make it more JOYful and aligned with Who You Are as Artist of Your Life. Art Journal Prompt: Have fun with some JOYful images that encapsulate how you want to feel with more JOY in your life. Doodle Prompt: Using JOY or JOYful as a starting point, draw circles, confetti and/or bubbles to highlight and accentuate JOY visually. You can read previous book reviews: Creative Revolution by Flora Bowley The Creative License by Danny Gregory I Just Like to Make Things by Lilla Rogers Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Watercolor from the Heart by Barbara Nechis Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin Copyright 2019 Review by Dawn Herring Copyright 2019 Art by Dawn Herring For those of you who prefer to listen to my Joy Filled Content, I have created Refresh Daily Podcast. This is audio with visuals for those who like to watch as well. For this Episode Two, the topic is Present JOY, both for the holiday season and every day. I originally recorded to main audio from a video greeting I included in my Christmas Edition of The JOY Finder, my newsletter, but I wanted to make it available to all for your creative and joy-filled benefit. EnJOY!
You're welcome to subscribe to my YouTube Channel for future Episodes of Refresh Daily Podcast. You're welcome to subscribe to The JOY Finder. You're welcome to view 7 Steps to Creative Clarity to see if it might be the perfect Holiday Gift for YOU or someone you love. You're welcome to view Dawn's Life Directives and Affirmations Coloring Pages with Prompts and see if it might be the perfect Holiday Gift for YOU or someone you love. I can't believe it's that time again: My year in review with 2017! Where did this year go?? I have no idea. Time stands still for no one, as my Mom used to say. Now I clearly see why she said that. And then some. Of course when you have responsibilities and others to care for and connect with plus staying busy with creating and finding joy, time sure does fly by! And this year has been eventful, and I have lots to share. So I Shall. Ready? Where shall I begin? Usually, Journaling comes to mind first. So I'll start there. I am an avid written journal keeper and have been for many a year (30? I'm not sure; I think I lost count, as well as with how many filled journals I have. *wink*) This year I continued my daily written journal entries. Up until September, I was doing a.m. and p.m. entries. Once the new school year started up and I had an earlier wake up time, I found myself forgetting to write in my journal since my a.m. responsibilities side tracked me. I was shocked I had let it slip! So I took a closer look at my practice, and after engaging with a live journaling event hosted by another avid journal keeper, I determined to ONLY JOURNAL in the a.m. if I really want to, like if I have something I want to say. One thing I learned in taking a closer look at my a.m. journaling practice was my redundancy (which I spoke about during our JournalChat Live in November). I found myself repeating things from the night before that weren't necessary. Why do this? I asked myself. So I gave myself permission to let go of the a.m. entry unless I felt drawn to write. And so far, I've only indulged once or twice in the a.m. and most times, it's been on the weekend, when I'm relaxed and not in a hurry. Lesson: let go of what is extraneous or what isn't working. No need to feel obligated! (This is HUGE for me as a journal keeper.) I do continue to create evening doodles every day to honor my day's experience and still find it engaging, fun, and relaxing, giving myself space to play with design, color and texture with my watercolor markers and artist pens. You can view many of my doodles on my Instagram account and here. Also, I created my own designed Planner Pages to change things up with my journaling practice, but I found that printing them out, hole punching them and using them became more of a chore rather than a JOY. OY. So, I continue to write in my blank journals as always and plan to get more. My goal is to always have a quality white blank paper to create my doodles on; that's one of my reasons for loyalty to the empty sketchbook as my primary journaling tool for entries. As for JournalChat Live for all things journaling of which I host on Social Media, I decided to change things up and go LIVE ON VIDEO in our JournalChat Live Facebook Group which went from Public to Private this year! Yes! We had a delightful time in November as we talked about How to Keep Things Fresh with our Journaling Practice; I also provided special prompts for us to play with during our time together, which made it even more special and fun! I plan to host JournalChat Live in this group in the coming year of 2018! Do join us if you haven't already! Speaking of going LIVE on social media, Next up I will share with you something New I started on Facebook called JOYFest, where we gather together to share our JOYS with one another, thus making the World a Better Place. We had our Christmas Edition on 12/7 and had a blast sharing our Greatest JOYS of 2017! You can catch the replay here. Our next JOYFest will take place in our new Private JOYFest Facebook Group! I decided it would be fun and organized to hold and host LIVE VIDEO events in private Group Settings to create a comfortable and affirming place to share our JOYS together! I so look forward to having YOU join us to share Your Joys in 2018! To backtrack just a bit, I wanted to share with you the new focus I created with my website and message here at Refresh with Dawn Herring. I realized that most of the engagement I experience that refreshes me brings me JOY as I get refreshed. So...in January, I went live with a completely new website with JOY as my focus, and I have had so much fun since! So now my brand reads, Refresh with Dawn Herring: Where Finding JOY Takes Center Stage! I do hope you enjoy perusing all the JOY focused content and navigation as I share my JOY with you. And you can create your Own Path to JOY, which is my greatest aim for you! Which leads me right into some new offerings here at Refresh with Dawn Herring...ready? First up, Dawn's Life Directives and Affirmations Coloring Pages with Prompts! YAY! Since I am an avid doodler and have so much fun creating doodles and coloring them in, I thought it would be fun to Create Doodles for YOU to color in! Using the tenants that I hold to and look to live by, such as Appreciate Your Self for Who You Are, Recognize Your Value and other self care initiating directives, I created Coloring Pages, with a word from me about each tenant and prompts for your journaling, art journaling and doodle practices...and if you don't already practice, this is a perfect place to start! :) And if you're looking for even more prompts with a self care focus, plus some video and audio from me along the way, then my new course, 7 Steps to Creative Clarity, is perfect for you! If you ever feel blocked, bored or uninspired or maybe you don't know where to start in building a thriving, fun Creative Practice, this is why I created this course, so you can find the JOY of creating! So this year of 2017 has been an important year for me as Creative Visionary and Guide for those who need some encouragement and feel they could use a little bit of permission to create! And for those who like to LISTEN and be inspired, I launched my Refresh Daily with Dawn Herring Podcast! Yay! So far I've created one episode that you can listen to or watch, whatever your preference, both here on my website and on YouTube. I plan to create more episodes next year (including some interviews with others who share about their creative practice!) My purpose in creating a podcast is for those who are looking for tips and inspiration toward building an authentic Creative Practice that brings them great JOY. Also, this year, I launched my new newsletter called The JOY Finder! I share tips and inspiring stories about how I am Finding More JOY so you can too, plus I keep you up to date on what's happening here at Refresh with Dawn Herring, including when I'll be hosting Live Events you don't want to miss. You can subscribe here and receive a gift from me, 10 Steps into JOY! To conclude this 2017 Year in Review, I thought I would share a bit of what I've been doing in my art studio. I did take some time off this past summer, breaking the creative mold I had been in with painting with watercolor every day for three years. Once I got back into studio space, I decided to try some new things (with more new stuff planned for 2018...). I did my first fashion gouache and pen rendering of a gorgeous faux fur jacket which you can view here. Plus I did some drawings in a sketchbook of some of my jewelry. (There is one post on my Instagram in the early part of 2017 you can view.) I plan to indulge a bit more in this type of art since I enJOY it so much. I continue to paint with watercolor, working on watercolor paper at this time. Plus playing with designers gouache as well. So there you have it! It's been a busy and exciting year for me at Refresh with Dawn Herring, and of course, it would not have been the same without YOU, my dear readers and friends. Thanks so much for joining me during my Live events and sharing your journaling and creative lives with me. It brings me true JOY in sharing with you. I wish you the greatest and most JOY-Filled New Year of 2018; and I look forward to having Fun and Engaging with YOU in all of our creative energy together in community, thus making the World a Better Place! May Joy Find YOU in the Most Unexpected Places! Copyright 2017 Dawn Herring Copyright 2017 Dawn Herring for Art Header In this video I host what I am now calling my JOYFest on Facebook Live, where we can share our JOY together in community and creative conversation. I share some news here at Refresh with Dawn Herring as well as what is currently giving me JOY. I share samples of my new Dawn's Life Directives and Affirmations Coloring Pages with Prompts, as well as a peek into a new painting I'm working on with watercolor, gouache and collage. Plus more.
You are welcome to leave a comment below about what is bringing YOU JOY. I'd love to hear from you, dear creative person. Subscribe to the JOY Finder here. Listen to my Podcast, Refresh Daily, on SoundCloud here. Purchase Dawn's Life Directives and Affirmations Coloring Pages with Prompts here. I've been having some fun coming up with acronyms for the months of the year. I find them to be insightful into what really matters to me. Today I'm excited to share with you my new Acronym for September here at Refresh Daily.
Staying Ever Present To Every Moment Brings Each Rest The more often we take moments to be really Present, the more rest we will create for ourselves (instead of worry and fear playing games with our thoughts!), and perhaps, activate more daily JOY in our lives. Journaling Prompt: What does the word Rest mean to you right now? What does it look like? What are three things you can do to implement being more present and restful in your days. Art Journaling Prompt: Create a spread that really shows REST both with color, image, text or whatever feels the most restful to you. Be very aware of the moments as you create this spread, honoring where you need rest in your body, mind, heart, soul. Doodle Prompt: Create a doodle with the word Rest or Present and incorporate what they mean to you in the way you draw your letters. Copyright 2017 Dawn Herring Here at Refresh with Dawn Herring my goal is to give you as many ideas to initiate more JOY in your daily life, whether it's your personal or professional journey. In this video I share an encouraging word about Celebrating Your Wins in your personal or work life.
Journaling Prompt: Record the last time you celebrated a win, whether personally or professionally. Has it been a while? If so, celebrate your last task fulfilled, no matter how small. How did you feel when you were finished? Relieved? Satisfied? Didn't pay attention? (Next time, do so, and feel more JOY.) Art Journaling Prompt: Create a spread to celebrate your latest win. Perhaps choose one that seems insignificant or small and make a Really Big Deal out of it. Doodle Prompt: Describe your latest win using your favorite font styles in your doodle practice. Really give it glory! Don't be shy. Bold colors galore! If you'd like to also check out my new podcast, Refresh Daily, follow this link. This first episode is titled, Observation is a Key to JOY. If you'd like to sign up for The JOY Finder, my email communication, you're welcome to follow this link, where you can read my offerings and watch my welcome message! Come be a JOY Finder today! I am so excited to share with you my new Podcast, Refresh Daily with Dawn Herring, and the first episode is titled, Observation is a Key to JOY. I'm sharing it in full video mode on my YouTube Channel so you can see the slideshow I created for it. Of course, it's not completely perfect, but I'm very excited to share with you what I've created so you can share in my JOY! I trust you will get inspired by listening. I've included an introduction, a jingle I wrote and sang, the topic content with prompts, and my concluding invitation.
If you'd like to read the text in addition to listening to the podcast episode, you can check it out here. If you're interested in signing up for The JOY Finder, check that out here. And you're welcome to leave a comment below letting me know how you liked it. :) Thanks so much for being a part of Refresh with Dawn Herring: Where Finding JOY Takes Center Stage. As we start a new month, the month of August, I have a new acronym to share with you to help initiate more JOY in your life.
Always Understand Gratitude Underlies Simple Trust I share with you in the video what this essentially means to me: Knowing that the Universe has our back, when we start with gratitude, we can open ourselves to greater trust in what the days will hold. Journaling Prompt: How can you make gratitude a regular underlying vibe and mindset in your daily life? What does self trust and trust in the Universe look and feel like to you? Art Journal Prompt: Use your art journal spread as a gratitude initiator through image, color and make making to express your deepest thanks for what you have right now. Doodle Prompt: Use Trust as your doodle prompt and see what marks you can make that feel good to you right now. Copyright 2017 Dawn Herring |
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Dawn HerringDawn engages in many roles: As Writer/Blogger and Artist/Creative and Founder of Refresh with Dawn Herring: Where Art and JOY Align, She enjoys sharing from her vast experience as award-winning, life-long artist and leader in the field of written journaling, offering encouragement and proven tips to other journal keepers. Dawn's focus is on written journal keeping, artistic expression and finding your Creative Voice, and positive change that leads personal empowerment, encouraging you to leave your authentic and positive mark in the world. Dawn is a Commercial artist, hand letterer/illustrator and writer/blogger and enjoys sharing insights, humor, and encouragement as she shares from her life experiences as a woman, wife, mother of two grown daughters and as a Grandparent to a special needs grandson. She enjoys keeping a journal and reading spiritual texts to help keep the light on. May JOY Align with Your Creative Heart. Archives
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