Day 15 - It's Friday which is fun day! Which means I will be vegging out on some trashy tv once this blog post is complete. You too? Oh come on. What?! You are reading this blog?! No, No, No. Go turn on the tube and watch some "Keeping Up With the Hooligans" or something. Spacing out is so important to being creative.

Well, if you want to do something tonight that is less mind numbing and more mind enriching, try to make someone laugh tonight. It's hard. Those lovely ladies Tina Fey and Amy Poehler man they have got it down but what about the rest of us? Let's see if we can squeak a little giggle out of someone today. Tell a joke, be ironic or sing a song from the Back Street Boys. Report back. What did you do to get the last laugh?

Day 14 - We haven't talked about food yet. Who doesn't love food? Have you ever eaten something that sends a "I can't stop licking the plate clean" blissful message to your brain? Food can be of-the-moment (thank you chewy sweetarts) or life altering (thank you Shake Shack.) It's colorful, textural and everywhere we go. In short, food is creative and it changes us. 

Today pick something to eat. It can be something you have been curious about, something that scares you or something that makes you smile. Take five (5) minutes to slowly chew the selected treat. Take a photo and pick three (3) words that describe the magic. Yum!

Day 13 - The movies! We love movies. They take us on new adventures. They show the future and the past. They show us who we are, who we don't want to be, and who we can be. Most importantly, they are one huge ball of lots of people being very creative. Oh and let's not forget about the buttery, salty popcorn. Oh man.1 x-large bucket please!  

However, who has made their own movie? I hear crickets. Today's project, we will make our own movie. 

You will need a smart phone, a prop and an app (Stop Motion for Iphone or PicPac for Android.) Set aside about 10 min to make your own movie. Don't overthink it. Just do something fun. Report back. What was it like to make a movie?

Day 12 - When we think of creating we usually don't think of being kind. However, creating doesn't exists without kindness. This includes being kind to ourselves. Have you ever created something only to turn mad at yourself?  

Yep, been there. I once made a lovely birthday cake for a friend. The cake took me hours to make. It had beautiful fluffy cream cheese frosting with an interior of moist carrot cake and it was 100% homemade/crafted with care. When the last swirl of frosting was complete, I realized the frosting was oozing off the cake. The frosting soon was everywhere. The cake became ugly. It wasn't a wonderful moment and started an inner dialogue that no one should repeat.  

So today's project, is to try kindness. Do one (1) kind action for yourself today and one (1) kind action for someone else.  Give yourself a thumbs up today. Open the door for the mom with the giant stroller. Give up your seat for a senior on the bus. Say thank you to someone for something. Create kindness. Report back. Did trying kindness create change in you?

Day 11 - Yesterday we tackled our fear of drawing. Today we touch upon our fear of changing our personal style. As I writing this post, I am wearing a grey, ratty but warm sweatshirt from the year 2001. On front of said gnarly top, is a small fury woodland creature featured front and center. Can you hear my phone ringing? Ah. Yes, it's Vogue calling. They are reminding me that creating can extend to creating personal style for ones self. In other words, maybe brushing up the old wardrobe can be a great place to create and change.

Today, take 10 min to browse a store online and pick out something new to wear. You don't need to buy the new snazzy blouse or tight hot yoga pants but just think about creating a refreshed you. Collect photos and tuck them away for when you are ready burn your grey woodland creature sweatshirt.  

1 Madewell, 2 Zara, 3 Baublebar, 4 Baublebar, 5 Warby Parker

Day 10 - Today, we are going to draw something.  Did I just here you groan and say "I can't draw!?" I have a secret for you. Most artists say, "I can't draw."  This isn't an exaggeration. Why do professional and aspiring artists have the same feeling about drawing?  Perhaps, the perception is drawing is something you just do without practice. You pop out of the womb and "Hello Michelangelo." However, drawing is hard! Just like anything else, you have to know how to crawl before you can run.

Today, is an exercise in crawling: observation. You will grab a piece of fruit or a vegetable of choice, your LBNB (or paper) and a pen. Take one only (1 minute) to observe the produce. Is it smooth or rough? What shapes make up the fruit? Does it have a pattern? What colors make up the veg?

Now take 1 minute to draw it. Please, no more than a minute. Now repeat:

I can't draw, yet.

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Day 9 - Sometimes we just feel uninspired. What do we do when we don't feel like creating? Hand over the responsibility to someone else of course! Today, give a loved one the job of creating. Ask them to take a photo, make a sketch or write 5 word sentence. My young daughter took on the big job of taking photos today. It was surprising to see how much joy she created and how she enjoyed the responsibility of creating. What happens today when you let someone else in your life create? 

Day 8 - Sometimes we need creative inspiration to help us along and a good quote never hurt anyone! Today, take 5 min and search for a quote that changes you. You don't need to write it down or recite it. Just think about the words. Why does this quote strike a cord in you? For me the quote below, reminds me that we can't strive for something beyond us unless we edit our actions. To edit our actions is to have purpose in every moment and to have purpose in every moment is to live life fully.

Post-it® notes are a delightful way to end the day. You can put words or pictures in writing and then display them as gentle greetings. Tonight before bed, grab a two (2) Post-it® notes and draw a picture or write a word on each. Do something that will make you giggle in the morning. Display them in a location such as the bathroom mirror. You have just created a great way to start the day and end the night.

Day 6 - Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think. Think....

Oh, do I ever over think things! How about you? Sometimes we just need to seize the moment and stop thinking. Today, grab your LBNB (Little Black Note Book) and write down 1 word that makes you sizzle. It should be a word that makes your heart skip a beat. An interesting word like "zamboni" would work but don't overthink it. Ponder for 1 minute and then write it down. 

Day 5 - Every creative idea needs a little black book to jot down ideas and keep thoughts together. Go out today and find your LBNB. It doesn't need to be a black book or little. However, when you hold it should make you happy. A personal favorite is Moleskine® notebook but if a dollar bin option brings you joy, use it. 

Day 4 - Today take a short walk. 1 block or less. Find something that interests you. Take out your smart phone and snap a photo. It was raining here in California. Looking down, the way the light caught the leaves on my rainboots was interesting and beautiful. What inspired you today on your walk?

Day 3 - Today you will take your project from yesterday, and post it on social media. I am going to start an Instagram account and post mine for the world to see. If you don't feel comfortable with social media. Then, put the word change up on your refrigerator, by your computer or up in a window. Make it visible for the world to see. You are creating a message.

Day 2 - Here is where our projects begin. Today you will write or type the word "Change" on a piece of paper. Don't over think the project. The word "Change" can be written on receipt with your favorite pen. You can print the letters on and 8" x 10" printer paper. You can just use a crayon on lined paper. You should use whatever materials tickle your fancy. The only rule is this project should only take you about 10 seconds but if you want to spend a few minutes on it. Go for it! Here is mine:

Day 1 - You need change. Your landscape has become boring and routine. In other words, you are stuck and the only way to get out of being suck is to change.

Here is what I have to say to about change. Oh, forget change. Change is the worst. When you hear the word change do you get a funny feeling in your stomach? Perhaps, an uncomfortable shortness of breath? Do you find yourself running in the opposite direction of the word? You find every excuse not to change. "That seems hard." "It is going to take too long." "I'm too tall." "I will do it later." "It's just too early." "It's too late.""I'm too tired." "What about the cat?" "People will laugh at me." "I don't have the right education." or my personal favorite "I'm not good enough."

The problem is, there are so many things I want to do with my life that I need to change to create a meaningful life. How about you? Ever felt stuck in a job, routine or something as simple as a hairstyle? It's frustrating but the thought of change, well we have covered change and it isn't fun.

So, what do we do? Well, perhaps if we think of change as creating, it will be less anxiety provoking. Perhaps it will even be fun because who doesn't like to create? And maybe a new landscape will be become more apparent?

For the next 365 days, let's create and hopefully change together. Each day there will be a post with an project to help us along this journey. Projects will take anywhere from 10 seconds to 1o min to complete. All doable in your crazy busy, tec-fueled lifestyle.

Now it's time to go. Stomp your foot. Make it loud. You start because no one is going to start for you. And for goodness sakes, if you are going to start, begin now. Don't wait for someone to tell you to start. It will never happen. Let's Create & Change now.