In telling a long and meandering story about my personal fashion sense, starting from the plaid and pleated Catholic school days up through recent wardrobe shifts, I get clear about how trying on clothes is a lot like trying on entire identities. We tend to label and limit ourselves to fit in or be understood, and that can be effective for awhile. Until it's not. Ultimately, I think it ends up holding us back from realizing our true power and potential. Trying new things on to see how they fit is how we learn more about ourselves and the world around us. Let's play with that, shall we?

So the challenge this week is to become aware of one or more of the stories you tell yourself. Just wake up to it. Notice what you say about yourself and then maybe how it influences your attitude or behavior. If you want to take it to the next level, try changing the story. See what else shifts.

Don't forget to like, share and subscribe:
https://anchor.fm/mymartialartsncrafts
patreon.com/mymartialartsncrafts

And follow on the socials:
instagram.com/mymartialartsncrafts
facebook.com/mymartialartsncrafts

This episode is a throwback to August 2019. I imported the audio from a video I did for my doula business (Heart Full Beginnings) when I was much more uncomfortable doing a lot of the stuff I do now without even thinking about it. Like a podcast.

The episode has a few references to activities and situations that may no longer be relevant based on how 2020 has changed us. However, the intention to make the most of your uncomfortable situation, circumstances or choices still applies. We can always choose to go back to the comfort zone. But how will that serve us or our community? The magic happens when we move through the fear and get comfortable with being uncomfortable over and over again. I guarantee you there will always be something new and uncomfortable to try.

Happy New Year!

Don't forget to like, share and subscribe:
https://anchor.fm/mymartialartsncrafts
patreon.com/mymartialartsncrafts

Have you ever given handmade gifts? And not just the ones that you bought from some maker at a craft show, either. Have you, yourself, made gifts to give to the people you love because the perfect gift just wasn't out there-- it had to come from your own two hands?

In this episode of the podcast, I discuss one of my most memorable Christmases, which was the one where we had very little financial wiggle room, but the impact of what I did choose to give was truly beautiful.

I believe that we all have the ability to express ourselves creatively. Maybe you don't consider yourself very creative. Maybe you have no desire to dabble in the arts or explore the crafting realms. But the gifts we come up with from our own impressions, inspiration and experiences when thinking of that special someone to whom we'd like to give are some of the most meaningful and memorable. And in the act of creating, trying something new, we not only connect on a deeper level to the item's intended recipient, we also connect with a deeper understanding of ourselves.

I mentioned this book in the episode, Art & Fear: Observations on the Perils (and Rewards) of Artmaking by Daid Bayles & Ted Orland. And here are a couple of the quotes that have resonated with me so far as I've been reading through it:

pg 5 "The function of the overwhelming majority of your artwork is simply to teach you how to make the small fraction of your work that soars."

pg. 15 "Imagination is in control when you begin making an object. The artwork's potential is never higher than in that magic moment when the first brushstroke is applied, the first chord struck. But as the piece grows, technique and craft take over, and imagination becomes a less useful tool. a piece grows by becoming more specific...The development of an imagined piece into an actual piece is a progression of decreasing possibilities..."

I hope you have a very Merry Christmas and holiday season full of peace, joy and hope.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." -Romans 15:13

In this week's episode, in the spirit of Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, I thought it would be fitting to discuss a little bit of my early explorations into the world of selling art. I'm a total white belt at it, or as my kids would say, "noob." I've been learning a lot since I got a little bit more serious about creating with openness to selling. Which is different than creating to sell. I will always create because of a deep need to create, but as I explore different opportunities to contribute financially to my family's well being, I'm taking a journey to a place where I always thought I would want to go since my very early days of wanting to be an artist when I grew up.

The one book mentioned in this episode is Start With Why by Simon Sinek. Even if you're not an entrepreneur or business owner, leader or CEO, there's a lot of value in what he has had to say. So for some more information, check out the book or his TED Talk.

This week's challenge is to put your creativity out there. Do something new. Put yourself out there in a new way. Show the process or put a piece up for sale. Or prepare something of your own to give as a gift -- This is the perfect opportunity. If you'd like to share in a super small (for now) Facebook Group, you can check out @mymartialartsncrafts page on Facebook to join the group and show me. I'd love to take a look.

In this episode, I talk a little bit about my core values, how I uncovered them, what they are and how they show up in my life. I discuss my current questions to myself about my deeper purpose, whether it aligns with a purpose that I claim as my own as a martial artist, martial arts mom, karate instructor, etc. I'm still working on that, so if you're also still in the discovery phases of your driving purpose and core values, you're not alone.

I mentioned the book Real Artists Don't Starve by Jeff Goins in the episode, and I highly recommend it. You can follow the link to pick up a copy.

Some Bible verses on purpose:
“Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
For I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
For to you I entrust my life.”
Psalm 143:8

“As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”
John 9:4

1 Corinthians 12 - I didn't quote this one in the episode, but pretty much the whole chapter is a good one for looking at how purpose and values show up while living life in community.

And last but not least, your challenge for the week:
Discover your Core Values using an exercise like the one I discussed. Take a large list of values (Like this one from Brene Brown), narrow it down to your top ten. Then look through those ten and decide which five are the most important. Then get down to three. Then see if you can pick just one that resonates the most. Think about what that looks like in your life. See how it changes your awareness of yourself and how you interact with the world around you. I hope you find something exciting!

Anyway, if you are finding some value in what I'm doing, please subscribe, share and support!
And to support this podcast and my other creative efforts, visit my Anchor page or become a patron at: patreon.com/mymartialartsncrafts.

Episodes may drop on a more bi-weekly schedule through the holidays (and a bathroom renovation we have going on next week), and my intention is to keep them as regular as possible.

Thanks again for joining me on this journey.

November sucks.
In this week's episode, I talk a little bit about why and how November hits me. How I've become more aware of my struggles regarding this time of the year, and how I can help myself get out of the funk from the darkness and drain of November this year and hopefully in future Novembers.

This week's challenge has to do with the last thing I want to do in November, gratitude. Because yes, sometimes the thing we want to do the least is the thing we NEED to do the most. So this is gratitude with a twist. How are you going to BE gratitude this week? How can you show, more than just say, what you are grateful for in your life. It's part awareness and part practice. If you appreciate someone or something, show it, say it, BECOME that appreciation so that it's obvious and recognizable. It might not look much different than your every day actions, but then again, it might.

Here is a helpful article about gratitude:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/gratitude

Thanks for tuning in again this week. I think I'm starting to get the hang of the whole podcasting thing. It's actually pretty freeing to practice this activity without the pressure of having built up a huge following just yet. But hey, if you are finding some value in what I'm doing, please subscribe, share and support!

Again, if you're interested in supporting this podcast and my other creative efforts, you can do that via my Anchor page or become a patron at: patreon.com/mymartialartsncrafts.

Thanks for listening, and I'm excited to talk again next week!