Intention and follow through... create regularly

One of my intentions for 2019 has been to sketch daily. I have not accomplished this everyday, but have sketched more days than not. Some days I've filled many pages in my sketchbook, more than making up for the missed days. So far, I have as many sketches as there have been days this year.

Since January 1st, I have created more drawings than I have in years, since college. Allowing myself to sketch or even doodle occasionally and releasing any expectation has freed up my ability to follow through, and made it very enjoyable.

The point of this intention was to find a way I could create something daily and to get back to the basics of my art. I have continued to paint, but not as often as I would like. I felt surely I could sketch each day, it takes less time, no clean up and I love to draw. I also hoped sketching would inspire new paintings...

So far sketching has inspired more sketching. I am enjoying the process and new ideas are flowing. I am going to continue to follow the inspiration wherever it leads and I am excited about just creating more.

How about you? What hobby or interest have you wanted to try, or get back to, but you have yet to begin? How can you start small and release the expectations that discourage effort (like self-judgement)? Take a small step or set aside a short amount of time each day (or weekly). What will work for you? It's okay to start really small if that is what it takes to begin.

Personally, I figured I could start by giving myself 10 mins a day to sketch. That is how I began, I don't put a time limit on it at this point, I just draw for as long as I want to.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Make an appointment with yourself and put it in your calendar or set a reminder. If you miss a day or two, get back to it and keep going.

2. Try to string a few days together, this increases your chances of successfully making it a habit.

3. Tell a friend, family member, pet, or if you feel so bold you can post it on your social media of choice. Telling even one person holds you more accountable, increasing your chances of follow-through, especially in the beginning.

4. Better yet, find a friend or family member that also has something they would like to create or work on and check-in with each other regularly.

5. Keep your expectations for what you can accomplish low, but be consistent. You can do more as you feel inspired. You are trying to set up the habit or ritual of creating first.

6. Don't give up! If you decide to change up what you are working on do that. There are no rules, just some helpful guidelines to support your intention of creating something that adds meaning, peace, creativity, balance, and enjoyment to your day.

March is just a couple of days away. A new month feels like an opportunity for a fresh start but you can begin anytime. The best time is when you feel inspired and don't wait a minute longer, you may talk yourself out of it.

Keeping on with it, I’ll continue to share from my sketchbook @SoulTrees Instagram. Checkout my stories there as well, I post sketches there the most. Now I have dived a bit deeper into this accountability thing, how about you, where can you begin?

If you'd like to share with me what your working toward, I'd love to hear from you. Comment below or connect with me on Instagram or Facebook, comment with your intention on any of my posts. ✏️📒

Thank you for being here!

Gratitude & Good vibes,

Allyson

#soultrees #intention #creating #sketchbook

A new journey awaits...

I am getting to the end of my stock of this beautiful deck. When the second edition of The Dreamer's Journey sells out, the deck will be retired. No more reprints or editions.

Creating this deck was a complete inner and external journey of self-discovery, spanning many years. It was rewarding, frustrating, exciting, and exhausting. I love this deck with my full heart, and my heart is in each card.

However, the time has come to release it and allow the space for the Dreamer to begin a new journey. A journey that will involve new creations and facilitating self-discovery for other Dreamer's using Soul Trees® decks and additional tools. I am feeling called to step into a new beginning.

2018 was an incredible year of personal challenges and unexpected gifts. It offered me the opportunity to wholeheartedly honor myself, trust, heal and take a leap of faith in a direction that seemed to come out of nowhere (but not really ;) . I am currently studying, practicing a new skill, and creating. I look forward to launching new offerings in 2019, so stay tuned!

So if you have felt called to own a copy of The Dreamer's Journey now is the time. She won't be around much longer. ORDER NOW

#thedreamersjourney #thedreamer #unexpectedgifts #trustyourjourney

Journaling for Self-Discovery

When working with any of the Soul Trees® card decks, you can dive deeper into self-discovery by writing down your impression of the card(s) you’ve selected. Simply begin with what the message may mean for you in the moment. A card may have a different message and meaning for you the next time you pull the same card, (which is why it can be fascinating to record your thoughts and intuitive hits.) You may pull the same card a week or two later or not for several months. Once you begin writing, further insight is likely to follow and flow as you are creating a space of openness and receptivity. This provides broader clarity, strengthens your intuition, and deepens your self-awareness.

Journaling is a great way to dive deeper into learning more about ourselves. In addition to journaling card insight, I love to journal messages that come during meditation, and dreams that feel significant. I recommend keeping a journal on your nightstand to write down nighttime (or nap time) dreams that catch your attention. You know the dreams that are extra vivid or magical? Further insight always comes when we write our dreams out. We get a broader perspective and hear meaningful clues in our description of details we process, outside of our mind just skimming the replay.

Try not to wait too long to write down the dreams that wake you and shake you up! Often we think we will remember a dream that is so good, and it slips away too fast. I love flipping through journals to rediscover cool dreams I had long forgotten, I silently congratulate myself for writing them down. Dreams are timeless. The message you reread months or years later can hold the same impact as the night you had it.

Personally, my favorite things to reread in my journals are my self-discoveries and creative ideas. The day to day stuff I never reread, but I relish the nuggets of wisdom that come through cards, dreams, and during meditation.✨

Checkout the Self-Discovery bundle $40