December's Winter Solstice marked the longest night of the year. The ending before the beginning. The darkness before the widening light. All around us, Nature shares the wisdom of emptiness, dormancy and surrender. Trees empty their branches of leaves. They channel their strength inward, and they let go. To be empty is to be open. To be empty is to be full of possibility. Waiting for birth. Harvest has finished, whether you mark this week as the birth of Jesus or the historic celebration … [Read more...] about Empty
Inspiration
Gratitude: Every body is a miracle.
https://vimeo.com/473247168 Our bodies love us, unconditionally. How do I know this? At this moment, the body is working to heal itself. That's how my one-minute video of gratitude, Body, begins. Every culture has its standard of (impossible) perfection, a physical measure from which we all deviate with varying levels of self-criticism or even distress. And yet, the body is a gift, at any size or any age, whether skin is smooth or wrinkled. Even a blemish is simply the body seeking … [Read more...] about Gratitude: Every body is a miracle.
Vimeo or YouTube? Why I Chose Vimeo
The decision to launch my video channel on Vimeo was simple for me. Both Vimeo and YouTube have some unique advantages, I'd explained to a client whose needs are slightly different than my own. Based on your business or personal goals, your best choice might also be different than mine, and there are many options to consider. (You can even use Vimeo's video maker to create a video that you share directly to your social properties, including your YouTube channel. I build my videos using Animoto, … [Read more...] about Vimeo or YouTube? Why I Chose Vimeo
Creative Experiment: Vimeo
https://vimeo.com/462772666 Creativity is (almost) never truly blocked. My brain hasn't stopped working just because I've stopped posting. Words are still flowing. If fresh ideas aren't showing up when and where I need them, I can flinch or I can give my creativity a new playground. Guess what works best? Experiments can't fail, because they always teach us something. Kids experiment; kids try. Adults want to be instant experts, and that tendency can cage us. How can you liberate your … [Read more...] about Creative Experiment: Vimeo
Exodus: Atlanta to Birmingham
Nothing cured me of living in Atlanta like actually living inside the city. That's my answer to any surprise that I would leave Georgia for my original hometown of Birmingham. (Atlanta friends, I miss you. Atlanta traffic? I do not.) Six years ago, during a difficult divorce, I visited three favorite Southern cities: Atlanta, Nashville and Birmingham, the city I'd left behind when I moved to Illinois in 2000. This bird needed to find a true nest. Listening to deep, wild instinct – every … [Read more...] about Exodus: Atlanta to Birmingham
Use Your Wings (a novel path to personal truth)
Self-discovery and the craft of writing: These are journeys we can take for a lifetime. Learning to write fiction also teaches me about myself. Even if publishing a novel isn't a dream of yours, try creating a few characters and penning a few pages. Authors tell aspiring writers to "write what you know." And you will, whether you realize it or not. Park whatever you write. When you return to that draft weeks or months later, you might be surprised by the meaning woven into the narrative, … [Read more...] about Use Your Wings (a novel path to personal truth)