How long have you been doing what you do and how did you get to be a Creativity ‘Calms’ Inspirer? 

I became a Mom!

Before becoming a mom, I spent the majority of my life, especially during my mid-20s, extremely focused on my fears and worries, which led me to living my days filled with anxiety.  Some days, it was so bad that I had to run out of stores because I couldn't handle all the "stuff" in the store and my anxiety mind would skyrocket.  

And, creativity, ha! I always told myself and others that, "I AM NOT CREATIVE!" 

To better myself, I thought constantly filling my mind up with “head spinning” nutrition information on how to eat right and exercise was my answer to reducing my stress and living a better life, because I refused to take medication for it.  My anxiety did calm, but my stress was still winning the show. 

When I became an elementary school teacher, my stress skyrocketed even more, which led me to become a Certified Holistic Health Coach at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in New York City. I was super excited to help others eat more wholesome and nutritious foods to better themselves, but mainly, I was really excited to help them lessen their stress by adding in more self-care to their lives.

But, after having my daughter, I began to notice some internal shifts occurring.

One day, while grocery shopping with my daughter, I looked down at my cart that was filled with wholesome, organic foods.

I thought to myself, “I eat this food every day.  Every week.  Every month.  I'm even a hostess home to a local farmer and have a refrigerator filled with the best local meats I could ever get my hands on. I cook almost all my food from scratch.  You’d think I’d be bouncing off the walls with natural energy, but I’m not.  I’m tired. I'm exhausted. And I have no desire to do anything fun." 

I looked at my daughter, who was upbeat, happy and loving life and then it hit me, “I’m spending way too much of my life, in my head, concerned and focused on food.  Eat this. Not that.  I’m not in the present moment. I'm not loving life in a way that I should be.  I’m not filling my life up with what I truly love and I'm not focused on all the JOY that's currently in my life right now. It’s my thoughts.  NOT the food.  I don’t want to model this heavily, saturated, one-sided view of food to my daughter. I don’t want her to head to be filled with “spinning” thoughts on food like mine is and has been. I want her to grow up focusing only on what she loves, what she has passion for and what brings her joy!"

I became more aware that my thoughts were still out of control, even though I ate the healthiest foods on the planet and exercised as much as my “mommy” time would allow.

I was gaining weight, hating military life (not my military man, just all the military moves), fearing food that wasn’t organic, stuck in rut with what my passions are beyond motherhood and I was pushing my “me time” further and further down on my to-do list, which had me feeling nowhere near calm. 

At that very moment, I knew healthy living and feeling more calm was way more than saturating my mind with nutrients of food and drowning in sweat on the treadmill. 

But, I didn’t REALLY realize it until I honored my inner creative itch that had been calling out to me (for years) during my pregnancy with my daughter.

Before that moment in the grocery store, and a few months into my pregnancy, I rediscovered my love for photography and I immersed myself in it as much as I could.  At the same time, I was having doubts about focusing so much on food, in a "good" and "bad" way, but wasn’t sure what that meant for me.

I continued on with embracing my love for my camera, all while still viewing food in a heavily, one-sided, health related way, but my inner creative itch was still calling out for more.

It was craving something along the lines of coloring with my hands.  I had no idea WHY this inner need to color was calling out to me, but I listened and began to research online art journaling classes.

I thought, “Yes! I want to learn more about this.  This feels right.”  Even though I still thought, “I AM NOT CREATIVE!” 

But, after signing up, I felt it was way over my head because I never, ever thought I was creative “artist” material AND the materials were causing me to FEEL even more stress because I had NO idea what they were and I add no desire to add something else to “figure out” on my already, filled to the max, mama to-do list. 

Then by chance, I came across Whitney Freya and her Creatively Fit Programs. The second I heard her speak on left and right brain thinking, BIG aha’s exploded like fireworks right before my eyes.

I had been living my life “thinking” in very left-brain, dominated way.  Full of overwhelm, trying to “figure out” how to be an adult and a mom, stress, worry, anxiety, my inner voice was craving more right brain, be in the moment, calming thoughts and joyful activities.

For years, I had tried everything to calm my thoughts; yoga, mediation, Chinese balls, walks in nature, jogging, dancing.

My body loved it, but my left-brain chatter (worry, to-do list, eat this, not that) was still taking over.

And that’s when it hit me even more.

I thought, “Even though I’m a health coach and have loads of nutrition information behind me, I’m still trying to figure out HOW to eat right and exercise right with the all the conflicting nutrition information that comes out daily AND on top of that, I’m still trying to figure out how to keep up with life.  How to reconnect with my true passions. How to keep money flowing in for bills. How to stay grounded while being a military wife and moving every 3 to 4 years. How to be the best mom, wife, daughter, friend. How to get meals on the table day in and day out. How to thrive instead of survive adulthood, and most importantly, how to take better care of myself and add more “me” time into my overwhelming and stressful days. Because life is not going to get any slower...not for a very, long time."

And at that very moment, I made the commitment to immerse myself in absolutely everything that had to do with calming my mind with creativity and right brain activities, because I knew I needed and wanted to BE a more calm, happy and present mom to my kids, my husband and my life.  

I took Whitney’s courses and signed up to become one of her Creatively Fit Coaches so I could share all of this creative amazingness that was bringing me back my calm, happy, passionate and present self with others. I read every book and Internet article I could find on left and right brain thinking. I even went back through all my nutrition information that I’ve learned and realized how this IS the missing link that I’ve been searching all these years for.

And, most importantly, I became a daily doodler. Something I never, ever thought I’d do (because, ya know, I’m not creative, right!? And, I’m not a kindergartner anymore, right!? I’m an adult with lots of adult responsibilities, right!?).

But, lo and behold, I learned how to calm my thoughts with daily creativity that involved crayons, colored pencils, markers, paint and photos, in which I just played like a kid again, no rules, just fun, which resulted in me feeling more calm.  Being in the present moment. Connecting to everything I used to love before motherhood.  Finding my passions. Connecting with new passions.  Feeling kid-like JOY again. Viewing the world with more positive and loving thoughts than negative, complaining and judgmental ones.  Balancing out my heavily, saturated, one-sided thoughts of food. Connecting and staying connected to my own inner wisdom, instead of the overwhelming, external one’s (because you know, I am the expert of my life).  Making decisions based on how I feel, rather than how I think.  And, living more like the calm, happy and present mom that I want to BE. 

During all of these shifts, I even found ways to add in consistent daily “me” time; yoga, mediation, walks in nature, eating foods I love (no food is OFF limits anymore!), writing my daily gratitudes and joy, reading romance novels, journaling, live music, dancing, sitting still, doodling, painting, taking pictures, savoring my kids and husband (even if it's only for a few minutes), which has resulted in more energy, more passion, more fun and more relaxation in my life, all while taking care of myself, my two kiddos, my husband and our constant "moving” lifestyle.

But, most of all, not only was I staying even more connected to my LOVE for photography, but I was also falling in love with just how important it is to keep creativity alive and nourished in not only my life, but my kids lives as well and I was now believing, 100%, that "I AM CREATIVE!" 

I don’t have it all figured out and I'm not always calm and joyful.  In fact, every day I still have many moments that leave me feeling like a FRAZZLED mom.  Except now, after going through my creative journey, I view my life as a "work in progress,” because I'll never be free or healed from the stressors of life, I'm just able to handle those stressors more calmly than I ever have before.

And, because of that, I’ve made a commitment to dedicate the rest of my professional life to inspire busy moms (and their kids!) to easily use creativity to help them FEEL more calm, happy, joyful and present, no matter how busy the day is, so when their kids are all grown up, they’ll look back with NO regrets, because even through all the ups and downs parenting provides, they’ll know, in their hearts, that they took time to (creatively) slow down so they could SAVOR it all.  

Because, you can't savor (fully enjoy!) your kids, your family or your life, when your mind is running five miles ahead or behind the present moment. 

Now this, I know for sure! I'm SO thankful I went on this path when I did, because I now live my life anxiety free (I never needed meds!) and I'm way more focused on all the JOYS and LOVES and the HAPPY and BEAUTY that fills my life every single day, rather than all the stress, fear and worry (that are needed at times, but aren't meant to be focused on as much as I was).  

It brings tears to my eyes knowing how far I've come, all because I became a mom and creativity (right brain activities!) found me, which now, has me living my life in a way that I thought wasn't ever possible - a way that is filled with more ease, more calm, more joy, more fun and most of all, more slow, so I can BE present and SAVOR all the JOYous moments that light me up with love and with the people who matter most to my heart, which is...my husband and my kids! 

I'll always have a big heart full of gratitude for this.  Always! Because there's nothing more important than BEing present to fully enjoy those you love and all the love that surrounds you. Love is ALWAYS there, we just have to slow down to see it and feel it. 

What is a Creativity ‘Calms’ Inspirer? 

As a Certified Creatively Fit Coach, I learned the importance of balancing your left and right brain through easy and fun creative activities.  But, most of all, I learned that tapping into your right brain, EVERY DAY, with mindless, creative activities, that you did when you were a toddler or young child, IS the ultimate mind calmer and will help you live a more balanced, happy, calm, joyful and present life, even in a very fast paced, left-brain world. 

In a nutshell, I inspire others by sharing what I’ve done for myself on how to nourish myself with balanced thinking through creativity and self-care. Instead of providing you with way-over-your-head arts and crafts activities, I’ll be inspiring you to revive your inner, creative child (who LOVED!) to play with color with paint again, because yes, YOU are creative, everyone is!  I make it fun to nourish yourself by offering a creative spin to wellness.  

Because I’m going to “cheer” you on while you move toward a more creative lifestyle, I’ll also provide you with the highest level of support.  By doing this, I’ll help you make an easy, creative, plan geared only toward the changes you want in your life.  These changes will be unique and will not be “general” because everyone is unique.  The recommendations I’ll be providing will be based on your individual needs.  I’ll keep you accountable, while being gentle and positive.  

Have you ever thought that you’re just not creative, even though something creative is calling out to you, but you don’t know what it is, so you just gave up and went on with your life while leaving creativity to the “creative’s? I’ve definitely been there, for the majority of my life, thinking “I’m NOT creative!”, but I’ve figured out how to have success with a completely different approach that doesn’t include those, “I’m NOT creative” thoughts.  

My clients are able to make lifestyle changes that’ll last because we break creativity activities down into small, manageable activities. Each activity builds on one another to create a bigger picture of what we’re trying to achieve, which is living a more calm, joyful and present life.  If you get stuck or don’t follow-through on a recommendation, that’ OK! I’ll gently support you.  We’ll problem solve and work through your challenges and barriers together. 

Why will coloring and painting like a kid again ignite my joy? 

Because when you give your left-brain a break with a right brain, hands-on activity, such as doodling or doodle painting, any stuck or foggy feelings you have on what brings you joy, what you love and what you're passionate about, will start to lift and before you know it, you're feeling uplifted, rejuvenated and happy again.  You'll connect with your inner, kid-like joy, that truly never goes away. It's always there, just waiting for you to tap into it again.  

It's great to journal and answer questions that can have you tap into your joy, but when you set all writing materials down and you put down your phone or any material that you're reading on "how to" figure out something, and then you put a crayon or a paint brush on a blank sheet of paper, that's when the JOY magic happens. You start to focus on the present moment, the colors, the soothing way the crayon and brush move on the paper, and then your mind calms with trying "figure out" how to do things and then, before you know, you're remembering colors you used to love and you start connecting with ideas on what else you color or paint, which then, connects you even more to doing things you love when you're done and back out, living in the very, fast paced, left-brain world.  

Your intuitive, right brain, voice starts to come out and play more.  The voice that gets buried and hard to hear because the left-brain, the to-dos, the judgements, the keep us safe, voice gets all the attention.  And, yes, our left-brain voice needs to be here, but it needs to be balanced with our right brain voice, too.  The voice that, right now, in our society, is very, very deficient of.  

Ever watch a child, especially a toddler, just play with paint?  They're not trying to paint a picture to look exactly how a tree is supposed to look, they're just in the moment, trying out all different colors, painting on the white, with no fear, until the paint gets all mixed together and turns brown.  Ever see them go up to that white paper and say, "I can't do it?" Nope, because it's FUN and it brings them JOY, and that's exactly what will happen again for you.  Because, believe me, you were that toddler once, having no fear of playing with color and paint on a white, blank page, and you had no fear of sharing and showing your creation with others.

The more you creatively play, like you did as a kid, again, no rules, no certain outcomes, just for fun, the more you start to reconnect and connect to everything you love, everything you're passionate about and everything that brings you joy.  And, the more confident you become to share your creative talents with others. 

You'll find yourself taking more consistent action to keep your life filled with all things you love, because you'll start to connect with the FEELING that your JOY brings you, so you'll know that it's a must to keep that JOY alive and nourished in your life, because it's that JOY that's helping you BE the calm, happy and present mom you wanna BE.  

When mom is happy and full of joy, everyone is happy and full of joy, right!?  And, not to mention, when you do this for yourself, you'll now have the tools to help your kids stay connected to their creative joy well into their adult lives, too. 

Once the mind calms with mindless, creative fun, inner JOY sparks ignite like no other.  It's amazing and powerful stuff.  

Why do you doodle uplifting 'word' doodles? 

Because I'm a busy mom to two little kiddos, I don't have a lot of time to sit and doodle paint, even though I crave more time to do this, but, for now, in my season of motherhood, I've learned how to creatively calm my mind with just a few minutes here and there, through out the day.  

I've also learned what "minimal" materials I can use that won't have my kids run over to try and grab out of my hand so they can have a try at it, which, has helped greatly, in helping me to be able to sit down and creatively calm my mind for a few minutes or so while they're happily playing or having a snack. 

But, the real reason why I doodle uplifting 'word' doodles is because my mind can get stuck and stay stuck in negative thinking. And because of that, I've always been drawn to affirmations.  But, I always struggled with saying them over and over in my head. When I started to color and doodle paint like a kid again, and my left-brain "how to" thoughts started to calm, I started to get intuitive hits from within to doodle words, like affirmations, to calm my mind.  

My first word was the word calm, and I loved how it was helping me to FEEL more calm while I doodled it.  Then, after I was done, and I was back being a busy mom, I noticed that I was seeing, in my mind, the calm word I had doodled.  I'm very visual, and I knew this was the reason why this was happening.  So, during a crazy, meltdown, kiddo moment, I'd see a flash from within, the world calm that I doodled. 

From that point on, I was hooked.  I never said to myself, "I wanna doodle uplifting words!" when I first started creatively, calming my mind.  It came through to me one day, while I was coloring.  That's the power of putting the self-help books, phones, laptops, articles and all the left-brain "how to's" away and picking up crayons, markers, paint and paint brushes instead.  You never know what'll come through when you let your right brain come out and play. 

So for me, when my day gets crazy, it's oh so calming for me to grab my super sharpie marker and my notebook and sit down for a minute to doodle an uplifting word.  Tracing over the word over and over again is what brings me my ultimate mind calm, something, yet again, I connected with once I got my creative, kid calm on again.  

The more I sat to doodle uplifting words, the more I connected with how doodling one, two or three uplifting words stuck in my head more, instead of a long affirmation sentence or a long, positive quote. Because I noticed that I was saying these shorter words over and over more in my head, something that I had spent years trying to do.  It's amazing what intuitive hits that will nourish your soul come through when you start playing with color again, like you did when you were a kid. 

It may be the same as mine, but I guarantee, it'll be something that works beautifully, just for you (it's different for everyone!). You just have to calm your left brain with some right brain, creative fun, for your intuitive hits that'll calm you, and only you, to come through. Playing with color like a kid again is just the door opener.  

And, the coolest part for me, now, is that I never have to go searching for uplifting words anymore. Every day words just come to me. 

Mindless, creative fun...it keeps you uplifted and thinking higher thoughts, and that's the exact reason why I'm here, sharing it with you. It's too easy to stay in negative thinking, but when you get your creative calm on, you'll find yourself not staying in those negative thoughts for long, hence, the reason for my uplifting 'doodle' words. 

What's your philosophy when it comes to your kids getting their creative calm on? 

First, and for most, I let my kids guide me when it comes to playing with color.  I never tell them what we're going to do when it comes to having creative fun.  No steps to follow and no trying to figure out what we're going to create beforehand, unless, they come up to me and ask make something.  I let them come up with the ideas.  

When we sit down to get our creative calm on, I only take out white paper, paints and paintbrushes or white paper and crayons, markers or colored pencils (yep, that's it! I don't use a lot of supplies, because it doesn't take much to creatively calm your mind and ignite your joy). 

I never tell them, "Today, we're going to paint a tree that looks like this (insert an image from an art project or magazine). " Instead, I ask them, "what are we painting today?"  And then they'll tell me all kinds of things.  But, for the most part, I just let them do whatever they want on the paper (not my furniture!) and I sit by them while I paint over the white, over and over again.  I never paint anything that looks like something, unless they tell me to.  

When I do paint something,  I ALWAYS make sure it looks exactly how their's looks, at the current, creative, drawing stage their in. The reason being, is because, we all know, that when kids see someone else draw something, especially when that someone else is older than them, they start saying, "Can you draw it for me?" or "I can't do it."  I don't want my kids to lose connection with what what they can creatively draw and their inner creative selves.  

If I happen to forget, and I start painting something that they can't paint yet, they immediately start saying those words to me. So I make a point to always remember to let them guide me.  Because, when I do, just like when I doodle by myself, their inner, creative JOY sparks and talents being to blossom.  They start singing (especially my daughter), they're laughing, and they're coming up with SO many ideas of what to create.  They are never stuck and they are never fearful of the blank page or giving their creative work to me, my husband, their babysitter, grandparents, friends, teachers...anyone! 

And when they're done, they're SO much calmer and happier than before they started.  Especially after a long day at school or when they're having meltdowns.  Because they are learning so many rules and new things in life, they can get tired and fussy and stressed (just like we adults, after a long day on the job, right!?).  So when they get to just "play" with color...with no rules, just fun and what feels good to them, they calm the stress of the day and come back to their calm, joyful selves again (just like what it does for us adults, too! Interesting, huh! Ha!). 

Do you use coloring books? 

I actually don't buy a lot of coloring books for my kids or myself. Coloring books are great and a really great start for an adult who hasn't picked up a crayon in years, but when you play with color on a blank sheet of paper, that's when the real calming, joyful and creative sparks start to ignite and come through.  

You can definitely feel more calm when you color in someone else's creative work, but, in my opinion, you can't get all of the amazing benefits creativity provides. When you color in someone's else's work or you're copying someone else's creative talents, you just won't feel as calm and JOYful as you would if it was your own. 

And, I have to say, it's pretty amazing to watch the difference in my kids from when they color in coloring book to when they color on a blank sheet of paper.  They're filled with more JOY when they create on a blank page, then when they color in a picture from a coloring book.  It's literally like night and day and pretty awesome stuff.  

But, like I said, it's a great start, but it's more powerful, and more fun, to let your inner creative self come through beyond the coloring book, which is easier with a blank page and very minimal supplies.  And, that's what I'm here to help you with!  To ignite your creative calm and JOY beyond the coloring book. 

Why do you call yourself a savoring life photographer? 

Because I'm a busy mom, I can't spend all my hours sitting down to doodle and doodle paint.  Oh, I wish I could, but because I can't, I use another, AMAZING, creative tool, that I have SO, SO much passion for, to help calm my mind and ignite my joy...my camera. It's very easy for me to pick up my camera, be it my iPhone or DSLR, at all times throughout the day while being a busy mom. 

The more I picked up my camera, the more I learned how much I absolutely LOVE how it allowed me to slow down and savor the FEELING of moments that stop me in my tracks, have me smiling BIG and fill my entire self with happy tingles.  But, what I learned the most, is that my head can stay stuck in, “my kids meltdowns are the worst!!” even though it happened hours ago and, how "I should of had my ‘career’ life figured out after finishing college almost 20 years ago” to “I need to do the laundry, clean the floors, make dinner, start a blog post, post a picture to Instagram,” thoughts than in the present, JOYful, moment.   

So when I pick up my camera, because of something that’s making me stop and smile, I started to notice that all those past and future thoughts melted away and I was 100% focused on the moment.  When I have my camera in hand, I sit down, in the moment when my kids were happily playing together, watching and snapping, all while smiling and being filled with love, instead of just walking by that moment really fast, acknowledging it for a second, and then throwing laundry into the washer and moving on to my next to-do list task. 

Just like with doodling, my camera easily pulls me into the present, while helps me to NOT miss moments of my kids, my husband and my life that fill me with love and matter most to my heart. My camera helps me to fully enjoy life.  My camera is the tool that allows me to snap a moment and then it helps me to continue on BEing in that moment I love, way after I've put my camera down. It reminds me to BE present and stay present for as long as I can.  

But, here’s the kicker.  I came to find, that the more I doodled and got my inner, creative calm on, the more I learned that for me, when it comes to taking pictures, I’m deeply passionate about shooting from the heart.  I'm guided by something deep, within me.  When my mind starts trying to take over, I get frustrated and stressed. When this happens, I take it as an intuitive sign that I'm not using my inner skills and talents the way they're supposed to be used.   I'm not letting my heart guide me. 

I always, ALWAYS, take pictures based on the JOY that I'm FEELING in my gut from something I'm seeing first. Lighting, composition, manual settings come second. My inner love, joy and happy feelings for life comes through in my pictures.  
To me, there's nothing better using my camera to slow down and focus, 100%, on all the beauty that's happening, right now, in the present moment, instead of continuing to whiz right by them because I'm too busy analyzing all the 50 million to-do's in my head, well, maybe not 50 million, but some days it can sure feel like it. And, most of all, it helps me stay connected to all the JOY that is my life. 

That’s what getting your creative calm will do for you.  When you start to calm your mind through creativity, you’ll connect more and more to what ignites your JOY and fills your heart with love.  For me, it’s photography, for you, it may be the same, or something else.  But whatever it is, it’s there, waiting for you to tap into it again…and doodling (and photography!) is the tool to do just that! 

How are you different than a trained Creative Coach? 

A Creative Coach is trained to help people who have creative projects that are unfinished, being worked on but are being pushed behind because they’re working another job that doesn’t fulfill them to pay the bills, have huge creative projects and dreams that they want to share with the world but are full of doubt and fear to get them out there, or have achieved success in the creative world but are struggling with what to do next.  The creative information I provide doesn’t replace the advice from a Creative Coach.

If you consider yourself creative already and are working on projects and want to get them out into the world, I encourage you to connect with a Creative Coach.  But I have to tell ya, my work can definitely help people who already consider themselves creative and want to share it with the world confidently, but my work is also for those who have never thought they had any creative sparks in them and for some reason, are having a creative calling and don’t know what it is or how to even start.

The reason why my work can help creative’s and those who think they aren’t creative is that I use creativity as a mindless, slow down activity.  I use it as an activity that helps you take a break from the hectic pace of the world, the external messages that fill our heads every second of the day, and to finally connect within and melt away the worry, fear, doubt and stress of the day.

I’m a Creatively ‘Calms' Coach, meaning I’m going to help you calm those overly used left brain, overwhelming "to-do" list thoughts with adding in more right brain, creative activity to help balance your thinking and the way you do life.

Who are your clients exactly?

I work with people just like you! My clients are mostly busy women and moms who are really good at what they do; however, have never been taught exactly how to take exceptionally good care of themselves so they can take care of everyone else. They've tried many things in the past to help them calm their thoughts, feel more joyful and gain more energy, but have failed and became confused and exhausted, which has resulted in an overflow of negative thoughts.

Many of my clients work with me because they want to have more energy and less stress so they can spend quality time with their family. They want to be creative, feel and look healthy, be at more peace with themselves and not feel so run-down.  My clients struggle with feeling calm, slowing down, having creativity confidence, connecting to their joy and inner, most passion, energy levels, being present, finding guiltlessly "me" time and they simply want to be happy with the way they're living. They want a new approach to wellness without beating themselves up with self-defeating thoughts and feeling guilty and depleted.

What type of person do you work best with and what is expected?

My services and programs were created for people who are absolutely excited and motivated about learning how to use colorful, mindless-creativity to help them slow down, feel more calm and present, tap into their inner creative JOY juices again and create energizing nourishment for themselves from the inside and out so they can end what I call the “I’m-so-tired-that-I-just-want-to-scream” thoughts that replay over and over in their heads day after day.  The programs were created for you to slowly integrate new nourishing, creative habits that result in life-long lifestyle changes.  

My approach is not a quick-fix.  Think about when you’ve tried a quick-fix?  Did it work for the long-term? It may have worked, but how long did you have to keep doing it? If you took a break from it, did the self-doubt and judgmental thoughts start coming back? And, if it did, did it pile on fast, that you found yourself full of negative thinking and back on the “quick-fix” again, until really, you became a slave to it?  My approach is about making life-long changes.  You may experience some quickly, but others may take some time, and that’s perfectly normal.  And, honestly, you want the changes to take place slowly, because slow = long term results.

Being a highly motivated, creative calm and nourishment lifestyle go-getter myself, I’m known to work best with other highly motivated creative calm and nourishment lifestyle go-getters who are super-ready to get going and just want to know exactly what steps to take to enjoy using creativity to better themselves. I work best with clients who are ready to put forth energy toward taking care of themselves.  Many of my clients are moms to young children and busy professionals who don't have a lot of time, but that's OK.  I actually help them to learn how to “creatively" take care of themselves, even though they are lacking time, because I'm in their shoes and have done it (and still doing it) myself.  The most important thing is that you're committed to giving some time for yourself.

Consider what you'll do with me to be a “day at the spa” all why being creatively inspired.  You'll be fully supported while you get your creative calm on and start having more positive and confident creative thoughts, slowing down and savoring everything YOU love, having more energy that lasts throughout the day and  having more guilt-free "me" time to enjoy it all...no matter what the day brings.

Will I need to buy lots of expensive art supplies for your products and services?  

Not at all.  The best part about my programs is that you don't need to put much "thought" into the activities.  For all the mindless-creative activities, you can use kids crayons and paints, or, if you'd like, you can go to an arts and crafts store for your supplies.  The choice is yours.  There's no set rules. 

You'll need an art journal, crayons, colored pencils, acrylic paints (only primary colors), paintbrushes, a few canvas', a paper plate and a water container to get the full benefits of my program.  All of the supplies are outlined in your Welcome Packet with visuals and links.  You can even see all the materials I use on a daily basis here. 

Because, if you're like me, it's been quite some time since you've said hello to your inner-kindergartner, so all these supplies may be fuzzy to you, like they were to me.  Have no fear.  I'm here to support you and provide a safe place for you so that you'll be well on your way to incorporating de-stressing mindless-creative activity into your life.  

What results can I expect?

You can expect to:

* Make simple lifestyle changes.
* Add more creative activity in your life; things that you used to love as a kid will blossom more than ever.
* Easy and inexpensive ways to de-stress before, during or after a long and hectic day.
* Increase your JOYful energy throughout the day
* Your mind will be at ease because you won't be confused on how to take care of yourself
* Learn to listen to YOU instead of outside sources (you are the expert).
* Fearless around all creativity.
* More confident trips to the arts and craft store.
* Feel and look GREAT!
* Discover or reconnect with fitness routines that you will not only have fun doing, but you're passionate about.
* FEEL like a kid again.
* Focus on FUN ways to nourish and pamper yourself (no more feeling guilty about this one).
* Love yourself from the inside and out.
* Balanced thinking, which will result in a positive mindset and a positive life.
* Reduce worry and stress.
* Be more peaceful and relaxed.
* Quickly quiet your mind.
* Positive mind-set toward body, mind and life.
* Less guilt.
* Revive your inner, creative child.
* Less overwhelm.
* More energy to play with your kids.
* Positive results that will last, and your family will too! 
* Live slower
* Fully enjoying the present moment
* Savoring what matters most to your busy heart
* Handle the stress of parenthood with less frazzle and more ease
* See more of the JOY and LOVE that IS your life
* Live life with creative confidence and colorful FUN!
* And so much more..

How quickly can I expect results?

This obviously depends on your specific situation and the effort you put into the following the specific recommendations. That said, many clients start to experience changes after one or two sessions.  

Changes may include, among others, feeling calmer, more positive thoughts, reconnecting with inner, creative passions again, increased energy, inner peace, changes in weight, more JOY in their life, and more awareness of how they think about themselves and their life. 

What do I need to do to guarantee that i get the most of the program and reach my goals? 

To get the most of your program, your success depends on you.  This program is not a "quick-fix". But, it is a tool-kit that will last a lifetime.  In order for you to get the best results, you'll need to follow the activities given so you can find your inner calm way, show up for your sessions on time, give me honest feedback on how you're doing, what's working for you, what's not and what current needs you'd like addressed.

Where are you located? Do you only work with local clients?

My office is located in Slidell, Louisiana, but I work with my clients via phone and email.  My clients are located both locally and in other parts of the country and world.  I've found that working with clients by phone and email is extremely effective and I've developed incredible relationships with them.  What's really great about working on the phone is that my clients sessions start on time and end on time, or by email, any time in a 2 week period, but all in the comfort of their own home so they can really make their sessions a "me" time event.

Do you accept credit cards?

Yes! Actually, I only accept credit cards. You can either pay on a monthly basis or pay the whole program at once. It's totally up to you. Clients who choose to pay in full receive a bookkeeping discount.

I have a family and a busy life. Although I want to get my creative calm on, I don't have time to spare.  How much time do I need?

What's great about my program and services is that it's easy to add into your busy schedule.  If you can spare one hour per week (and even less!), then you'll be able to take small steps a week. This approach does take longer than if you you learn everything all at once.  And, that's what will bring long lasting results.  Each small change will result in large changes over time.  But, if you don't ever start, you'll never get there.  If you really want this for yourself, you'll find the time for it!

OK! I'm ready to do this for myself, but I have a couple of additional questions. Can I call you?

Good, sounds like you're ready to put YOU first. Yes, if you have a couple of questions, just e-mail me at renee@reneeyemma.com.  I'll be happy to walk you through the different options to see which one will be the very best for you.  I can't wait to see you succeed and am honored to be the one to help you.  Let's get going! Here's to creating a calm, joyful and present YOU!