October Oasis

Do you have an oasis? The word itself refers to a "green or fertile place in an arid area".

Your "oasis" is the place where you go to renew. It waters your soul and revives your spirit. This is why it is so important for you to identify where your oasis is.

This month has been serving as an oasis for me in all things. The year has been a journey without the usual nourishment I receive from events, and so I continue to create and honor space and time to replenish and "water" my soul.

From designing new opportunities to connect with clients and members, to embracing my curiosity, my October Oasis is where I am happily taking a break from the arid conditions of the year.

With that, let's catch up on what I've been up to this week...

Quote

“I think, at a child's birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity.” Eleanor Roosevelt

Reading           

True confession:  I will read just about anything that has creativity and business in the title.  This article, How Embracing Your Inner Artist can Relieve Stress And Make You Better At Business, (click here to read) by Bianca Barat caught my attention because it was on the ForbesWomen site.  “As working women, we all balance career and personal life and if last year taught us anything, it was the importance of self-care and it’s direct correlation to work performance,” says creativity expert and abstract expressionist artist Jessica Hughes.

So, we all know that creativity helps us manage stress, but are you also aware that stress kills creativity?  And to stay on top of our game we need to be as creative as possible.  Creativity --think creative thinking and problem solving-- is what sets your business apart from other businesses.  And there is a direct correlation (scientifically proven through hundreds of studies) that taking time for creative pursuits has beneficial impact on stress and health. 

I made a commitment to intentionally pursue more creative outlets this year and I hired an art coach.  Our weekly meetings give me an opportunity to write, to draw, to paint, to sew, to hammer and drill and to create.  It is completely different from what I do in my professional life, and it has impacted my professional life in very powerful ways! 

Two things to try according to the article: 

(1) combining music, words and paint.  Music can transport you, writing puts you in control of thoughts, and the knowledge that you will be painting over your words will give you more freedom when you journal. 

(2) Bilateral doodling  which is a powerful tool for healing. It engages both the left side of the brain and the right and allows brain activity to cross hemispheres. This calms the nervous system while challenging the mind to stay fully present and engaged.

Following        

Bianca Barratt’s article above caused me to do some digging and I found some more really interesting articles by her. From her byline: I write about women in business and issues surrounding women at work. Click here to check out her website. 

Connecting      

I’ve been connecting all week with our members and asking them to share stories of how they have negotiated contracts.  I’m starting a new blog called Negotiation Knowhow where I’ll be sharing tips and tools and really great stories that will inform and inspire you in your own negotiations.  I’ll be posting the blog on LinkedIn.  Click here to connect with me.

Celebrating      

I’m celebrating being curious.  I saw the quote in the photo on FaceBook and immediately thought YES, that’s me!  And I think this is actually a really good thing.  Squirrels are in fact pretty intelligent:  they are planners (think preparing for winter months when there is no food), they are good at finding things, they are quick and agile.  I’m not comparing myself to a squirrel, but… I see them as really curious creatures.  They see something and go after it with gusto.  They have a bad reputation for their curiosity but then again, when you think about it, isn’t curiosity a really good thing?  It helps you pivot.  It helps you innovate.  It helps you stay on top of trends.  It helps you be a good listener.  It helps you be open and receptive.  And curiosity can actually help you focus. So, the next time someone talks to you about shinny object syndrome, take it as a compliment and know that there are lots of us out there who are doing really well because of it! 

So where is your "oasis"?

Where is the space you will honor your creativity and curiosity?

Remember the key is always to be intentional. And your oasis can be with a person or doing an activity. The key is to identify it and then practice the art of going there for replenishment.

If you would like to chat further, I invite you to Click here to grab a 30-minute complimentary discovery chat with me.

Wishing you peace and daily joy.