Roots and Wings!!! Raices y Alas

Stepping Out and Rising Up

2013-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Stepping Out and Rising Up Latin@s

I have had the honor and privilege to get to know each and everyone of these up and rising Latinos who have become an integral part of my life. Some started as Social Media friends, some as business acquaintances, some as comadres y colegas, all have become an essential part of my journey. A celebration of my life. I hope you take the time to friend them and get to know their work, you will be inspired, motivated and moved by the enthusiasm they bring to life, living, and leaving a legacy.

Download the complete Gratitude Journal, and see what these Up and Rising Latin@s have to say about Gratitude y las transformaciones en tu vida.

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos Adelante

Zulmara

Aaron Sanchez

Aaron is an NBC Radio Personality who hosts LIVE with Aaron and Kelly" NBC News Radio KCAA 1050 AM and MiCasa Broadcasting, TV Show Host and Producer. He is also an Entertainment Reporter for NBC Radio KCAA 1050 AM, TV Show Host Producer.

Alain Romero

Alain is the founder of SOL-Professionals, Society of Latino Professionals, based in Los Angeles, California. SOL was inspired by the realization that our spirit is what keeps us going despite any challenge that life may offer. As we delve into the spirit, we realize that it is eternal and it lacks ethnic origin. SOL-Professionals is an inclusive organization. The purpose is to propel the success of Latino Professionals. Therefore the membership resembles, not a color of skin, but a collective spirit that is in line with our purpose.

Alexandra Jimenez

Alexandra is Travel Fashion Girl. She offers girls advice about how to pack travel clothing, beauty products, and travel gear that combines form, function, and fashion. Unparalleled packing lists, informative reviews, expert advice, and insightful interviews make Travel Fashion Girl a girl’s best pre-travel resource. It features on the road fashion and beauty advice from seasoned travelers and backpackers.

Alma E. Catalan

Alma is the creative director of Con Corazon Media. Con Corazon is a multi-media arts production company that serves the needs of the diverse latin@ storytelling and cultural communities in the United states and internationally. Con Corazón is committed to the arts and civic enrichment and has taken on a significant social goal of transforming the image and understanding of American Latin@s in our society and the world.

Ana Flores

Ana is a Latina mom, who with her best friends since college, co-foundes SpanglishBaby. They are extremely passionate about ensuring their children not only speak both of their languages, English and Español, but that they also grow up proud of both their cultures, Latino and American. Over three years ago they realized there's was a lack of information available for parents raising bilingual + bicultural children, so using their background in media, they launched SpanglishBaby.

Any Lydia Monoco

Ana is a PR & Social Media entrepreneur that specializes in ambition, goal attaining, and bringing together communities. She is the founder and CEO of both padma media and marketing, Inc. and the Latina Lifestyle Bloggers Collective.

Ana M. Poore

Anna is a founding partner at FILMLOOK Inc., an award winning post production company. Mr. Faber's electronic engineering expertise and intense interest in filmmaking coupled with Ms. Cordova's managerial experience made FILMLOOK Inc. a reality. Several television shows have used FILMLOOK, including SportsCentury (ESPN Classic), Making the Band (ABC), Secret Adventures of Jules Verne (SciFi), Undressed (MTV), and It'a a Miracle (PAX).

Ana Nogales

A native of Argentina, Dr. Nogales is one of the most well-known and respected Latinas in the United States. Through her private practice, media presence, books, and organizational leadership, she has dedicated herself to ensuring the mental health and success of women, Latinos, and anyone else who struggles with cultural and personal issues, victimization, and inequality.

Chef Kiki

Flantastic by Chef Kiki was created with the vision of sharing her family's recipe as a tribute to her father. Once Flantastic by Chef Kiki was started, it took on a life of its own. Chef Kiki started infusing different flavors and fresh ingredients that not only enhanced the recipe but made specialty desserts. Each gourmet Flan is prepared when it is ordered, using only the freshest ingredients making for a one-of-a-kind experience.

Connie Costa

A Life-Coach, Motivational Speaker, and Certified Integrated Energy Therapist, Connie was personally mentored and coached by legendary life-coach, inspirational speaker and best-selling author, Alan Cohen. Connie is a very passionate spiritual teacher and life-coach that loves sharing the knowledge she has acquired through her own spiritual journey and growth. She inspires others to live their life purpose.

Daniel Gutierrez

Daniel is an International Business Consultant, Motivational Speaker, Radio Personality and Author of Stepping Into Greatness: Success Is Up To You. Leveraging his experience, his infectious humor, and his deep belief that there is greatness in each of us, he has transformed businesses and individuals all over the world. His appeal breaks the boundaries of profession, culture, and age.

Deborah Deras

Deborah is a Brand Ambassador for the Hispanic Market, Inspirational Speaker, Author and Life Coach. She is known as a Productivity and Leadership expert facilitating webinars, corporate leadership trainings and keynote speaking engagements for Fortune 500 companies such as: JP Morgan, Kaiser, Macy’s, State Farm Insurance and the University of Phoenix. She served as a brand ambassador for Verizon Wireless campaign to outreach to Hispanic and Latino Entrepreneurs.

Dita Quiñones

Dita is a multi-media journalist (writer, photographer, and video-maker) who's worked in advertising, television; magazine and online publications. She studied film at the Art Center College of Design and broadcast journalism at UCLA. Dita specializes in entertainment, politrix, and health.

Gina Linn Espinoza

Gina is the founder of both UpLatino and Get Wise Latinas. She gathers coaches, consultants, speakers, trainers and artists to inspire personal development among Latinas. Get Wise Latinas seeks to engage women in educational events and workshops run by Latinas, for Latinas. Both UpLatino and Get Wise Latinas are as organizations that aim to strengthen the Latino presence within American culture.

Jes Sofia Valle

Jes is the founder and president of Turning Leaves Foundation (TLF). A foundation dedicated to giving children and their families the educational and emotional group support needed to cope with the demands that chronic illness imposes. TLF ensures that children and their families will gain knowledge and confidence, learn from mistakes and move away from the severe negative feelings commonly felt after being diagnosed and celebrate the positive outcomes and overall health in their process of coping.

Joanna Ilizaliturri Diaz

Joanna is a writer, playwright, project strategist coach and a leader within the healthcare industry. She holds bachelor’s degrees in business administration and business management. Her creative works have been featured in Ride to the East Side CASA 0101 theater productions and she was the co-producer of the 8 Ways to Say I Love My Life theatrical production. Her business career includes partnering with organizations to develop small to medium businesses and help them strategize their business plans. She has held officer roles within nonprofit organizations, including Toastmasters International.

Jorge Raziel Ortiz

Jorge is the founder and CEO of, Zealous Vision, an organization dedicated to help its clients achieve their maximum potential. Individuals and organizations are coached, educated and empowered to move confidently in the direction of their dreams or goals respectively. While individuals experience fulfillment, passion, and a sense of purpose; organizations build a powerful culture, strategically making changes to increase employee engagement and driving profits upward.

Julia Amante

Women's fiction author, Julia, lives in California in a home filled with bits and pieces of her Argentine heritage. Paintings of Argentine towns. A beautiful leather map with the outline of Argentina. Pictures and trinkets. However, the real details of her beautiful culture unfolded gradually as she grew up the daughter of Argentine immigrants. Today, a product of the American Dream, Julia writes emotionally rich stories about family love, and the passion of chasing and achieving life's goals.

Laura Filipowicz

Laura is the founder of Bag Lady Productions (BLP), LLC., one of the first influential networking circles geared towards connecting Women in Business, Brands, Mompreneurs and Influencers. BLP provides resources, events and connections for women entrepreneurs and brands. She is the creator of the BLP ConnectHER Conference & Influential Event and is the editor for BLP’s sister site HerReview.com.

Leticia C. Lara

Leti is the President and CEO of LARA Consulting Group, a group dedicated to solutions to wellness.

Liz Garcia

Liz is a life changing coach. As a Coach, she will guide you, challenge you, love you, celebrate you, help you grow, help you achieve what you are capable and deserving of, and help you reach that place of Happy as you live, love and lead. Get on this journey with me. It will change your life.

Maria Sanchez

Maria is the creator of Art by Latina Artists or ABLA as it has come to be known by the artist community. It is an online network of Latina artists. It originated as a "guest page" on her personal website Sandiafria.com back in 2004 with just one artist highlighted. One became two, two became four and it has since evolved into its own website. Over the years it has grown organically to become a network of nearly 500 Latina artists from all over the world, not just the United States..

Marian Lopez

Marian is the CEO and founder of Parenting on your Own, an online membership community designed to assist and support single parent families. Resources are tele-classes and interviews with experts, articles on a vast amount of topics on the blog and connections with organizations and businesses in various areas. The website is in the process of being completely revamped it will be amazing!

Marcela Bailey

Marcela is the Chief Information and Marketing Officer for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. The fund is the nation’s largest not-for-profit organization supporting Hispanic higher education. Founded in 1975, HSF provides American families with the financial and educational resources they need to achieve a college education and help America be more competitive.

Nora Lizbeth Delgado

Nora is a visionary intuitive Holistic Healer & Teacher, Inspirational Mentor & Speaker and a Cosmic Channel. She is the founder of Cosmic Healing, Energy Medicine, AbunDANCE Events, and Living from the Heart TV.

Oly Glauber

Founder and President of Financially Fit Foundation, Inc., Oly has created this organization out of her desire to educate people about managing their finances. It is based on the knowledge she acquired through college, in managing her own finances, reading financial material, talking to experts in the field, successfully managing her own business and from what she learned from an amazing and incredible woman on money management, her mother.

Pamela Pajuelo

Señorita Vino, founded by Pamela C. Pajuelo, offers wine education in a fun and casual format with the goal of reinforcing the fact that wine can be enjoyed by anyone, regardless of their level of knowledge or experience. Señorita Vino is dedicated to wine lovers of all stripes, palates, tastes and socioeconomic levels. In particular, she seeks to create a forum for Latinas who like wine, but may feel somewhat intimidated by the notion of selecting, tasting and talking about it.

Reyna Grande

Reyna Grande is an award-winning novelist and memoirist. Her first novel, Across a Hundred Mountains, (Atria, 2006), received a 2010 Latino Books Into Movies Award, a 2007 American Book Award, and the 2006 El Premio Aztlán Literary Award. Her second novel, Dancing with Butterflies (Washington Square Press, 2009) was critically acclaimed and was the recipient of a 2010 International Latino Book Awards. The Distance Between Us, Reyna's third book is about her life before and after illegally immigrating from Mexico to the United States.

Ruby Rose

Ruby is the founder of Hermosa Yoga. Yoga has had such a positive and powerful impact on her life, she had the need to give back. She has a mission to guide/offer yoga classes in communities where Yoga typically would not be practiced or afforded. She chooses to service these area’s, so that everyone has an equal opportunity to practice Yoga and enrich their lives as she have.

Sandra Kimberly Marie Eberhardt

Sandra is the founder and CEO of Healing Skeem Teletherapy an independent online therapy practice specializing in healing trauma and helping individuals get the life they want. Sandra’s mission is to provide a therapeutic relationship for healing. She also introduces her clients to The Healing SKEEM, which is the Sandra Kimberly Eberhardt Enrichment Method, developed through her doctoral research.

Susana Hernandez

Susan is the founder and co-owner of Latin Inspired Designs with her mom. They have authentically designed and culturally sensitive handmade Latin Inspired Nutcrackers in folklorico costumes, Mariachi costumes, Day of the Dead Style Nutcrackers, Frida and Virgen de Guadalupe. These most awesome and original Latino Style Nutcrackers can be displayed in your home all year long.

Zulmara Maria Teixeira de Lima

Zulmara is the founder and CEO of Roots and Wings, dedicated to helping Latin@s achieve their dreams by integrating their two cultures into a healthy whole. She focuses on integrating Latin@ Roots with the alas that are needed to soar. She is an inspirational writer, speaker, and workshop leader. She leads workshops on Achieving Balance, Journaling, Business, Storytelling, just o name a few. Her workshops are guided by spirit and follow a path for increasing love and success in your life as you embrace who you are, where you have been, and where you are going.

Gratitude Journal

2013-04-01T15:03:00.000-07:00

Gratitude Journal:

Transformando tu vida con la gracias

Gratitude is a great way to start transforming your life to
live the life you want, the life you dream of, the life you are interested in creating. Gratitude allows you to let the angels in, it allows you to relax and to focus on the important aspects in your life. When you bask yourself in regularly giving thanks for your health, family, friends, and abundance, you are truly in a good place for the transformations to begin and the angst that goes with life and living to be kept to a minimum. In reality, when we are in gratitude, all else in our lives appears to soften around the edges and we are living a life full of compassion, love, and appreciation for all that has been granted to us.

I have compiled a Gratitude Journal with quotes from leading Latin@ entrepreneurs in Southern California. I am proud and honored to call these Latin@s mis amigos, mis colegas, mi comadres, and my support group. Each and everyone of them has offered me something on this journey called life and I am grateful to have each and everyone of them como parte de mi familia as I am celebrating my life, my accomplishments, and my journey.

I hope you take the time to friend them, get to know them and what they offer and spread the word about these up and coming Latinos who are Rising Up to take their place in the world and to pave the way for others.

The Gratitude Journal is a free download and contains contact information for each of these wonderful Latinos who are giving back, paying it forward, and offering support to the Latino community.

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos Adelante,
Zulmara Maria

Reflections on Pampering your Muse

2012-03-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

Reflections on Pampering your Muse

Congas(c)

For me, the act of pampering your muse is the act of self love, self care, and self guidance. When we are pampering our muses, it means we are taking time to take care of ourselves and giving ourselves a much needed break. It may mean we have to slow down at work, say not to over-scheduling our children with one more play-date, or take time to go for a stroll with the family and let the dishes sit for a night.
It may mean curling up with a good book once a month, going to get a cup of coffee with a magazine once a week, or writing in a journal 10 minutes a day.

Saxxy Soul (c)

Caring for yourself will look different for each individual and during different times in your life, and we need to be aware of that. We know when our muse needs pampering when we are cranky, irritable, easily aggravated, and readily annoyed. We know we need “muse” time when we lack energy for life, when we are ready to throw in the towel, or spend hours in front of the TV and do not enjoy the shows we are watching. We know our muse needs pampering when life lacks joy, laughter, music, song, and dance. When the little things no longer bring a smile to our lips and hope to our hearts, it is time to pamper your muse and do whatever it takes to bring back that feeling that life is too short and we must live it gusto.

Poema Lirico (c)

Paulo Coelho said, “Life can be too short or too long, depending on how we are living it.” And he is so right. If we are feeling that life is too long, we need to get out and get an ice cream cone, blow bubbles with the grandkids, take a walk on beach, or visit an old friend. We need to do whatever lifts us up and brings us joy and makes us feel like life is for cherishing the little moments.
Here is to your muse, may she be happy, fulfilled, and ready to take on the challenges that life has to offer.
Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos adelante
Zulmara Maria

Breath in strong energy with sparks of light!!

Respiren la buena energía con chispas de luz..!

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Mia Ramon an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Pampering Foods

2012-03-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

Pampering Foods

Spiritual Healer (c)

What foods feeds your muse and help to keep you going?

For me, it is chocolate…chocolate and more chocolate…ice cream, truffles, See's Candy…if it is chocolate, my muse is happy…

I also love fruits and nuts --so nice to live in SoCal and have access to so many fruits for so much of the year…I love kiwi, watermelon, melons, strawberries, plums, peaches. Etx…I have never met a fruit I did not love…Also, love nuts…walnuts, cashews, almonds….are my favs...

Sophia I

Bread and cheese are my staples…to balance the sugar high…lol…I love a good bread and have made friends with almost all cheeses available…looovvveee pan con queso...

My sinful food is pizza…uuumm, uuuummm, good. Love pizza with chicken especially…BBQ, garlic, and grilled. I also love veggies on my pizza and a personal favorite from my pregnancy days --mushroom/olive pizza.

What is your favorite pampering food? What is your pick me up snack? What feeds your muse

Water…Can't Create without Quenching your Thirst

Water, water, water, water…I find that without water, I have no stamina to keep going. I keep a water bottle on my desk--always--and I drink ice tea, vitamin water, Slenderize, and Gatorade.

I stay away from Soda…but I will do diet coke when the mood strikes me and I stay away from juices…seem to heavy for most writing days.

Hermana Series (c)

Wine I reserve for those times when I am done with the creative process and ready to chilax with my family, my hubby, my FB friends and other special peeps…in my life.

What do you drink when you are writing…What is your special treat? Are you addicted to coffee…tea…wine??

Con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante…

Zulmara Maria

Más vale prevenir que tener que lamentar

Better safe than sorry

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Mia Ramon an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Music and the Muse

2012-03-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

Music and the Muse

Music Ecstasy(c)

Music is one of the ways I pamper my inner muse. It is so inspiring to me to listen to some of my favorite artists to set the mood, the tone, the pace of my creativity.

I like melodic music that quiets the mind, when I need to think, figure things out, and rein myself in. When I am in the zone of my inner diva, I love Brazilian Samba….to set a beat, a tone, a pace that is fast, fun, eventful , and filled with happiness. This is for brain storming and setting my vibration. Sometimes, my muse and I just need to get up and dance.

Some of my favs for just getting in the zone and staying in the zone include:

In Dis Life by IZ…mellow and non-distracting... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1bFr2SWP1I
Reyli for those soft, sadder love songs that bring back memories and put you in the mood of writing that sadder, deeper feeling… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUinZg5MC5U
Samba…especially by the Samba schools for those upbeat writing moments
Celine Dion…anything by Celine sets a tone and a mood that gets me in the zone.

In Dis Life by IZ these beautifully, melodic songs from Hawaii have a very mellow and non-distracting sound. Played mostly on a ukele and sung in a melodic tone, IZ sets a mood that is both reflective and contemplative. I now own 3 of his CD's, one for each trip to Hawaii. YES!!! he is a gem, just take a listen.

Music Heals the World (c)

Reyli is my favorite for those soft, sadder love songs that bring back memories and put you in a reflective of trying to figure out who you are and what you want out of life. He helps you know that life is for feeling, even when the feelings are deep and emotional. He sings in Spanish and Spanish love songs are especially moving to me and get to a place in my soul that is deep and profound.

When I want a female voice, I love Gloria Estefan's Spanish love songs. She sings with a profound, deep sense of love and longing that are perfect for setting the mood for love and heartache and heartbreak.

I also have Roberto Carlos on my playlist for when II need a connection to my Brazilian roots that are deep, powerful and filled with profound feelings of love.

SAMBA SOUNDS!!!

OK, SAMBA sounds are for when I need energy, zip, pizzazz, and a get up and go. Samba is in my soul, having heard it from birth and it moves my spirit, touches my heart, and keeps me going. I have more Samba sounds and more Brazilian songs on my playlists than anything else--I love the upbeat sounds of Samba and it gets into my soul. It moves my muse forward at a fast pace, and helps me to be in the zone and in the moment.

Base Fiddle Goddess

I love how the beat and rhythm just get into my inner essence and get me moving with purpose and abandon, be it writing, drawing, creating, or just being in the world. … I just let the Samba sounds take me wherever I am meant to go.

What music fills your spirit, makes you move, and helps you get into the ZONE of writing…What sounds take you away?

Con un pan y cafecito, seguimos adelante

Zulmara

Para que la cuña apriete, debe de ser del mismo palo.

In order to have a good fit, select the right person for the job

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Mia Ramon an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Interview Your Muse

2012-03-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Interview Your Muse

My Lips are Sealed

Sometimes when we are going through a rough time, personally, professionally, or creatively, it is nice to get in touch with our muse in order to get out of a funk. When the creative juices are not flowing, it is often a sign that the muse needs to pampered or tenemos que cuidar de nosotros mismos, we have to take care of ourselves. Getting you know your muse, also helps you to know what to do when you are ailing. What you need to do to care for yourself. Sometimes the common cold is the cure.

To know my muse is __________

My muse loves ________

What are THREE adjectives that best describe your muse?

1. ____________

2.____________

3.____________

You're walking down the street on a beautiful day; you're feeling good, looking good. What theme song is your muse playing in your mind?

What drives your muse? What feeds her passion?

What truly inspires you when you are one with your muse?

Word Association. What comes to mind when your muse sees the following words:

PERSONAL:

PROFESSIONAL:

CREATIVE:

WRITING:

INSPIRED PATH:

LEGACY:

DREAM:

Con un pan y cafecito,

seguimos adelante

Zulmara

Quien no se arriesga no pasa la mar.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Bate

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Maria Sanchez an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Is Your Tink in the Pink?

2012-03-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Is Your Tink in the Pink?

Comadres*

When we have one of those incredibly creative days where we are one with out muse, is it just an accident, or have we made it happen by serving and honoring our muse, that inner spirit that sustains our creativity? Can we actually create more of those days of feeling as one with our muse? Could it be that how do we deal with our Pixies, our muses and their idiosyncrasies, those irascible, petulant characters that live with us day and night, makes a difference?

Well, many of my creative friends have very imaginative and inspired ways to pay, honor, and serve their muses. My personal favorite is to indulge in a mocha hot fudge banana sundae from, of all places, Disneyland. UUUUMMMM, my muse, after a tough week of work or an especially fruitful day of writing and creating is very pleased when we indulge, even though we try not indulge too often.

Pretty in Pink

On a more regular basis, I renew and charge up and rev up my muse with a walk on the beach…preferably at water’s edge…what a peaceful way of getting in touch with nature and nurturing the inner spirit simultaneously. I also love spending time in my hot tub, especially after at the end of the day when the night is cool and the water is hot…no better way to rest, relax, rejuvenate, and replenish.
I have many friends, who go to the spa, take a day off to shop at the mall, get a facial, or go out to a nice dinner. It does not matter how we feed, honor and serve our muses, it just matters that we do it, because when we don’t take the time to replenish the well, the well runs dry and we are out of balance, out of sorts, and nothing feels right, nothing goes right, nothing seems to matter or have a purpose.

When you are not caring for your inner muse, your inner muse is not caring for you and you begin to feel it…you begin to know it. For those of us who live with a muse, our moods, our ways of viewing the world, our thought processes are an ever mixing intertwined, inter-tangled, inter-meshed web of constantly creating and constantly feeding the hand that sustains us.

My friends who do not have a muse do not know what I am talking about when I say my muse needs to take a walk, or she needs chocolate, or she needs to go out and play with the kids. They think it is silly stuff, but when Tinker Bell is your constant companion, you know how cranky she can get if you forget to take time to properly thank her for all of the wonderful hours of inspiration, stimulation, vibration, and encouragement she has given.

To better understand how you love, honor and respect your inner muse, reflect on the following:

When you are at your creative best, what are you doing? What are you eating? What exercise are you getting? What kind of time are you taking for yourself? What music is on your playlist? What sights, sounds, smells, and tastes are you gravitating towards?
When you are not at your creative best, or feeling out of balance, how are you spending your time? What are you eating? What time are you taking for yourself? What fun are you having in your life? How are you maintaining balance? What sights, sounds, smells, and tastes are missing?

Verde

Understanding how we serve, honor, and love our muse is the first step in living a life of harmony as creative sentient beings. We need to be able to recognize that our muse needs to honored and pampered in order for us to live in harmony with our creative selves.

Hope your Tink is in the Pink today…

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos Adelate

Zulmara

Hay que aprender a perder antes de saber jugar.

One must learn how to lose before learning how to play.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Maria Sanchez an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Honoring and Serving Your Muse

2012-03-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

Honoring and Serving Your Muse

reducir el estres le hace*

As creative, sentient beings, we owe much to our muse, that inner voice that inspires us to write, to paint, to draw and to create. That inner self that calls us to a blank sheet of paper, an empty canvas, a block of wood, or a piece of stone. That sense of identity that does not allow us to go one day without practicing our craft, which lets us know we are out of balance when we do not honor our craft on a daily regular basis. That inner spirit that lets us know if we are on the right track or not, or steers us into a totally different direction. It is this muse, this inner friend, internal companion that drives us to have to write, to sing, to draw, to paint, to create, even when we are not feeling well, even when we are not inspired.

Virgen up close*

Now, don’t get me wrong here, I am not romanticizing the muse. I don’t feel that muses are by any means inspiring us day and night to be the best we can be at our craft…instead, after talking to many creative sentient beings about their craft, their process for creating, and the pain of producing the just right product, I think our muses are the bane of our existence and well as the source of our inspiration and well being.

I tend to think of my muse as a little bit like Tinker Bell…she has a personality of her own, and can be simultaneously inspiring and stimulating, as well as, bratty, and stubborn, and a know-it-all, At times, my muse can even be, are you ready for this…downright argumentative, belligerent, and quarrelsome.

I have been known to have conversations with my muse along the lines of:

“I like this title.”

“No you don’t, you just think you like it, but in reality, you know you need a better one.”

“NO this one is just fine, stop bugging me.”

“Now you know it’s not right and you’ll eventually have to change it anyway, so just listen to me and change it now.”

“No, I like this title.”

“Fine, be stubborn, you know I’m right, that’s why you have that nagging feeling that something is not right.”

“What are you writing, Miguel would never say that.”

“Yes, he would, he just did, see…”

“Yeah, but that’s wrong…doesn’t sound like him.”

“Ok, miss smarty pants, what does sound like him?”

“I don’t know, he’s your character, you decide.”

“You are not being much help here.”

But, then there are days when I get nothing but Pixie dust from my Tinker Bell and I will write for hours, that seem like minutes and the writing flows effortlessly. Those are the days when I know my muse and I are communicating as one. It is the sort of day that just happens out of the blue…you wake up and you are best friends with your muse and you write 2,000, 3,000 or even 4,000 words and they are all pretty good and you are left feeling like the moon, the sun and the stars are all lined up to make you a success, that the universe is on your side, and that YES, you have chosen the right profession.

Lotus*

However rare those days for those of us who are creative sentient beings, we live for them, we live to recreate them, we are driven, as if in search of a fountain of eternal happiness or that “fix”, that pixie dust of magic that sustains us and keeps us going.

So I have to ask, are those great days just an accident, or do we make them happen by serving and honoring our muse? When our muse is pampered, are we rewarded?

Con un pan y cafecito

Seguimos adelante

Zulmara

Más hace una hormiga andando que un buey echado.

An ant on the move does more than a dozing bull.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Maria Sanchez an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Inspiring Your Muse

2012-03-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Preparing for St. Carmen*

Inspiring Your Muse

What inspires your muse to be the creative, sentient being that is by your side and is always ready to give you guidance and succor that you need? What makes a your muse go from mediocre to divine diva? Sometimes it helps to get clarity on what you see as a truly creative person to know and understand what it takes to inspire and know your inner muse?

To me, a truly creative person…

Enjoys the scenery on a detour
Finds treasure in the mundane
Loves the smell of a new box of crayons
Colors outside the lines
Runs with wild abandon
Finds wonder in everyday happenings
Loves a challenge
Has perseverance
Loves with passion
Breaks the rules
Makes the rules
At times, even follows the rules
Has a need to leave a creative legacy
Finds solace in soothing music

Grey Gardens

Has never met a piece of chocolate that was not loved!!!

How do you know when you are in the presence of a truly creative being?

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos adelante,

Zulmara

El que parte y comparte, se queda con la mejor parte.

He who divides and shares is left with the best share.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Erica Rodriguez an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Knowing Your Muse

2012-03-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

Bird Doodle*

Knowing Your Muse

Sometimes it helps to take a few minutes to get to know your muse. What makes her tic, what makes her happy, what makes her laugh out loud, what makes her sad??

Here are a series of prompts to help you get insight into who your muse is and what it takes for her to be pampered.

My Muse would say…

Sketch*

When I need time for myself...
If I could live anywhere…
I really miss...
I never expected...
An unusual day in my life…
For my birthday I'd like...
The worst gift I ever got...
I daydream most about...
I really wish....
Few people realize how much…
I wish I weren't so...
One of my best points is...
One of my most important goals is...
I dream that one day...
My proudest accomplishment…
I feel proud when…
I'm glad I'm alive when…
I forget to enjoy…
My divine self…
I love…

Con un pan y cafecito

Seguimos adelante

Zulmara

No dejes para mañana lo que puedas hacer hoy.

Don’t leave for tomorrow what you can do today.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Erica Rodriguez an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Jumpstarting Your Creativity

2012-03-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

Jumpstarting Your Creativity

Mural in Progress*

Pampering your muse…unleashing your inner diva…nurturing your creative soul…encouraging your artistic spirit…this is how we renew, rejuvenate, and jumpstart our creativity. It is how we take care of ourselves so that we can have the inner strength to do the work that calls us, to heed the call of the heart, to honor the voice within, to find our purpose, and do what we are here to do.

I jumpstart my creativity in many different ways. I take time to go on artist dates—dates that are just me, myself and I--browsing through a books store, going to a museum, going out to lunch, sitting at a coffee shop with my journal, or walking in nature.

Memories*

My muse also loves chilaxin with good chocolate and good wine…preferably together. I have to be careful so I don’t look like a beached whale, but I do indulge in good chocolate a few times a week. I have learned to limit myself and not to eat too much…my chocolate of choice are chocolate covered caramel macadamia clusters from Costco…they are to die for. I have 2 with a glass of wine in the evening when I sit down to read blogs, go on facbook, and just chilax with my online buddies—as I am renewing my spirit and rejuvenating my soul. It makes for a wonderfully creative and productive evening…and keeps me centered and what really matters and helps me put first things first.

What do you do to jumpstart your creativity and stay centered?

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos adelante,

Zulmara

No hay peor lucha que la que no se hace.

There’s no worse struggle than one that never begins.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by Erica Rodriguez an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Cherishing the Little Things

2012-03-09T06:00:00.000-08:00

Cherishing the Little Things

The Village*

I have found that a pampered muse is sooo wonderful and keeps me sane, happy, wonderfully creative, and wonderfully engaged…I like that…and I also know when I am not caring for my muse, I feel hungry all the time, agitated easily, and my blood pressure goes up…very interesting…very interesting indeed…

My muse is my guide and my inspiration. My muse has taught me to appreciate life and cherish the little things.

Cherishing…the little things

Falling in Love*

Wonderful children that make a mama proud
Living by the beach and being able to take beach walks daily
Having a job that pays enough for me to live comfortably
Owning a nice computer that allows me to pursue my creative endeavors
Having lots of artist friends who support and inspire me
Bike rides with my husband
The most gorgeous sunsets on the pacific coast
Two homes that provide shelter for others
Health to still be able to enjoy the little things in life
Traveling…at least twice a year to meet new people, get away from it all, and rejuvenate my inner spirit.

What are the little things that you cherish?

Con un pan y cafecito

Seguimos adelante,

Zulmara

Más vale paso que dure y no trote que canse.

Better a stride that will last than a trot that tires fast.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by AnaJuliaDariasFishman an artist on Art by Latina Artists

A Promise to My Muse

2012-03-07T06:00:00.000-08:00

In Vision Peace*

A Promise to My Muse

I promise to be so strong that nothing can disturb my commitment to the divine.
I promise to enjoy and nurture health, happiness, and prosperity.
I promise to recognize all of the special qualities I have within.
I promise to look at the sunny side of every thing I engage in and let my optimism work to make my dreams come true.
I promise to be enthusiastic about my small successes.
I promise to forget past mistakes and press on toward a greater future.
I promise to radiate warmth and self-love.
I promise to give time to self-improvement in my personal, professional, and creative growth.
I promise to be too wise for worry, too tolerant for anger, and too courageous for fear.
I promise to be HAPPY and recognize my deeper YESES!

What do you promise your inner muse?

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos adelante

Zulmara

Todo el rato que está enojado, pierde de estar contento.

All time spent angry is time lost being happy.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by AnaJuliaDariasFishman an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Nuturing Your Inner Muse

2012-03-05T06:00:00.000-08:00

Nurturing Your Inner Muse

The Force of Love*

Last month I wrote about journaling as a way of engaging in personal, creative, and professional growth. This month, my focus will be on pampering your muse to allow your creativity to flow to new heights. Our muses are rooted in who we are and what we hope to accomplish in our lives. Our muses soar when we care for them and give them wings to soar.

I am constantly nurturing my inner muse and pampering her to be the best creative me I can be. Nurturing our muse means we are taking time for ourselves and taking care for ourselves. It means living a life of balance and creating time to just care for an nurture who we are, so we can be present and open to the possibilities the divine has to offer us. Here are 10 ways I nurture my inner muse:

Aire y Tierra*

Eating authentic ethnic foods
Walking on the beach, in the woods, anywhere in nature
Drinking a fine wine with some wonderful chocolate
Dancing when no one is watching
Writing in my journal
Taking time to go see a good movie
Taking an elder to lunch
Listening to inspirational music, speeches, and talks
Expressing my feelings in writing, drawing, singing, dancing, exercising
Living a life true to myself

When my muse is especially silent, I know I need to get myself to the place where she will not be silent anymore. At those times, I have my list of wishes to help me get focused.

1. I wish I had the courage to live a life true to myself, true to my inner me.

2. I wish I didn't work so hard.

3. I wish I had the courage to say NO more often.

4. I wish I recognized my deeper YES.

5. I wish that my muse was in a better mood.

I am in constant gratitude to my muse for bringing me back on track and keeping me focused on me and focused on who I wish to be. She is my divine guidance that keeps me rooted and gives me wings.

How do you nurture your muse?

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos adelante,

Zulmara

Una onza de alegría vale más de oro.

An once of happiness is worth more than a pound of gold.

*Artowrk for this blog was graciously provided by AnaJuliaDariasFishman an artist on Art by Latina Artists

Finding Inspiration

2012-02-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Finding Inspiration

My final blog on the journaling journey is finding the inspiration to journal or to get on a journaling journey. It is no easy task to find the inspiration to get to the written page day in and day out, because it has to come from a deeper yes. I find I do my most journaling when I am in need of figuring out my life, when I am in pain, when I am trying to manifest something into my life, or trying to understand what is going on. I also take cues from my body. To me there is no cure for the common cold, because the common cold is often the cure for what ails us, for it hits us when we are not eating right, not sleeping well, and not exercising, that is when our immune system says, slow down…and if we do not listen, we are down for the count.

And, I rarely get sick, so when I do, I take time to reflect on what is going on and I ask myself, what is ailing me, where is my pressure coming from, what stress do I feel in my life, and I turn to the written page for slowing down, reflecting, and healing.

I also find the inspiration when things are gong well. When life is aligned and all is in order, I find I feel good about who I am and what I am doing and I welcome a few moments in the morning to jot down my gratitudes and get in touch with the inner me, the inner guidance that is directing my life in such a positive direction.

To me, finding the inspiration comes from within. If you are in transition, having a hard time, wanting a change but not sure how to deal with it, that drive from within is what will inspire you to get on a journaling journey. Once on the journey, if it is for you, you will stick with it. It is like meditation, everyone says it is good for us, but many who try it don’t see the value. With a journaling journey, you have to find what works for you…a gratitude journal once a week may be enough. A quotes journal for those inspiring quips and quotes to review when you are down, may be just what the doctor ordered. An affirmations page that you read every morning to yourself, but do not need to write are great, or a place to post some interesting notes on your phone during your morning or evening commute, maybe all you need.

I would say if you are reading this, it is because some how the topic resonated with you and showed up. It could be that you were looking for guidance on how to handle a difficult situation, how to take your business to the next level, how to find your purpose in life or how to better define your business. You can ask many questions and the blank page can provide various answers.

My final comment is that there is no failure in journaling. Even if you only finish half a journal, that maybe all your soul needed for you to heal and to feel good about whatever ailed you or all you needed for aspiration or inspiration. Pues, asi es la vida and whatever you do, feel good about the journaling journey you are on.

Con un pan y cafecito

Seguimos, adelante

Zulmara

Scrapping: A Special Kind of Journaling

2012-02-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

Scrapping: A Special Kind of Journaling

When I have had or have needed reflective time, I have turned to scrapping as a way of journaling. I say this because scrapping takes time, dedication, special tools, and more time. It is time intensive to scrap and I have done it only when I know I need to slow down and reflect on who I am, where I am going, how I am doing, and am I staying true to myself.

On Our Wedding Day 33 Years Ago

My scrapbooks are elaborate and themed. Themed within the area where I need to heal, need to learn, need to ask questions, need to resolve issues.

When I hit my 25th Wedding Anniversary, I scrapped and scrapped and scrapped and scrapped. It was in a tumultuous time in my marriage, we were renewing our vows, but I was uncertain if this was the relationship that I wanted to be in, I was unsure if I wanted to affirm this life I had been living for the past 25 years, so I went inside and I went to scrapping.

I scrapped our first 25 years together, I scrapped all the brides in the family, I scrapped 3 books on my childhood for each of my children, I scrapped our 2nd honeymoon…and I felt affirmed. It took a lot of time, effort and energy, but it was one of the most healing journeys I have been on and it shed so many lights for me for where I had been and where I was going.

I was truly at a crossroads in my life and I needed help in finding direction. We did renew our vows and low and behold, today we are celebrating our 33rd wedding anniversary and I feel as committed as ever to this life that I have affirmed over and over again, in many different ways.

So scrapping may take too much time, but what it allowed me to do was bask in the positive energy of the past, the energy captured in pictures of vacations, family gatherings, love, and the good times we spent loving and supporting one another.

To my wonderfully understanding husband of 33 years, thanks for the memories…

And, 25 years later!!!

Con un pan y cafecito

Seguimos adelante,

Zulmara

So young and so in love!!!

Writing Through Your Grief

2012-02-24T06:00:00.000-08:00

Writing through your grief

Grief, when it hits us, it can be all encompassing and overpowering. We are overwhelmed with the power of the emotions, the feelings, the devastation and the loss…and there is no way anyone can know or pretend to know how we feel. The feelings run deep and we do not always know how to handle them, but we do know we need to…somehow we need to find it in our selves to get up, get dressed, and put one foot in front of the other. And, it is not easy…as a writer, I have found that writing through my grief allowed me to reach a sense of peace, a sense of inner tranquility that was robbed from me the day my mom passed away and I was left as a motherless daughter. I was seeking out serenity and that is when I discovered the real power of journaling. For the first year, journaling was my connection to my mom and I needed that. I felt a connection that was so powerful, it allowed me to grieve and heal and be in the moment every day.

At this time in my life, I needed a journaling ritual…I would put on my mom’s favorite CD , light one of the many candles she had in her house, and write a letter to her everyday. In my letter, I recounted that dreaded phone call and discovering that she had passed away, I recounted how much I missed her presence in my life, and I told her all the things I wanted to tell her…and had or did not have a chance to…and I told her about my days…what I was doing, how her grandkids were doing, how much we all missed us and how she had affected all of our lives.

The experience was not easy. At times I would cry rivers and not be able to write, at other times, I would be so angry…I just had to get my anger out…at other times, I would feel a profound sadness at my loss…the emotions were real, they were deep, and they were hard, but I kept at it, because no matter what I wrote, afterwards, I always felt a sense of piece and the knot in the pit of my stomach would dissolve a little bit more…you know the one, where you wake up everyday and it hits you, “Something is not right in my world”…and then it hits you again, I am a motherless daughter…and then you feel it in the pit of your stomach…as you try to start your day..and pretend that everything is normal…even though it is not.

To me a grief journal is the most powerful journal we can write…it keeps us focused, it keeps us centered and it allows us to connect with a loved one in a way that is deep, profound, and leaves nothing unsaid.

My mom is now my constant companion. I no longer write everyday to her, but I think of her daily and miss her dearly…

Cuidate…mis amigas…

Zulmara

Dream Boards and Vision Boards

2012-02-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Dream Boards and Vision Boards

Many of us have heard about the importance of Vision Boards to help us focus, guide our intentionality, and help us grow in the direction that we see for ourselves. Vision boards also help us to bring clarity and voice to what is swirling around in our heads as we try to decide what we do next. When we are aligned and we do what we love and love what we do, we are constantly celebrating. Celebrating what is right with the world and celebrating what is right in our lives.

However, and there is always a “however”, it can be hard to find time to do a vision board and it can be even harder to have our vision boards grow and change with us as we grow and change. So I now use a very simple vision board with MicroSoft Word. It requires nothing special and nothing fancy, I don’t have to buy and download software and I can modify it and adjust it anytime I see fit.

I start with a table. I usually start with a 3x3 table giving me 9 different work areas. It is a nice tic-tac-toe board and keeps the concepts simple and easy to use. Some times I use landscape and other times I use portrait and then I add to each box. When I am done adding to each box, I either make the lines darker or I get rid of them altogether if I like the board to have a more integrated look.

Each box then becomes a place to put in my vision and images for intentionality. It can be for my family, my own personal growth, or my business. Or ,I may do a vision board of how I will pamper my muse or take care of myself. The possibilities are endless.

Here are the 9 categories i start with, but I also change them up as I see fit. Use the categories that resonate with you and that help you to visualize and intentionalize what you envision for your business.

Places I want to see business grow	Social media that I will hone into	My best and ideal customers
What products I will be selling to promote my business	Business logo or name	Where I will travel to promote my business
Quotes that inspire me	Books that inspire me	Web resources that resonate with me

These categories resonate with me and offer me a guide, but do not become rigid. Additionally, they offer me an opportunity to use words, clipart, pictures from my files, or quips and quotes...and I do not have to stick with the 9 boxes, it is just a quick and simple organizing tool.

So, start with a tic-tac-toe board and create your vision board for what you want to attract and manifest in your life. What is it that you want for you, tu vida, tu familia, y tus socias? Go ahead, visualize it.

Con un pan y cafecito,
Seguimos adelante,
Zulmara

Camaron que se duerme, se lo lleva la corriente.

Shrimp that sleep are taken by the current.

Created with Oprah Dream Board
http://www.oprah.com/spirit/O-Dream-Board-Envision-Your-Best-LifeTM

Using Apps

2012-02-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Using Apps

As we enter into a journaling journey, there are apps out there to help us. For those of you who are thinking, this is all fine and good, but I have no time to write in a journal, cut out pictures, find clipart, or do any of those things that successful journalers do, I just have no time. There may be an app that will do the trick and allow you to do the amount of reflective journaling you want to do without having to get up 20 minutes earlier and hope no one else in the house has the same idea.

The apps that I have enjoyed using are the social apps. My favorite is Awesome Note. Awesome Note allows me to have as many folders as I want that deal with the different aspects of journaling.

I currently have about 15 folders on Awesome Note for the various types of journaling experiences I want to document on the run, quickly and easily. One is for Artist’s dates. When I go on a date to pamper my muse and restore my creative energy, I take pictures on my phone and add a few words of wisdom. I have a folder for Quips and Quotes, when I hear a quote or see a quote that resonates with me, I pull out my 4S and turn on SIRI and have her take down my quote.

The other apps that I use are Storie, LifeNote, MyTymz, Penzu. If you have a smart phone, look at the social apps available and find one that resonates with you and one that helps you get on the journaling journey you want to be on. It can be very simple,take a picture and a caption…and you have a record of being in the right place at the right time. Or just take a picture and write an affirmation.

You will have so much fun, you will start looking for opportunities to write down those moments that make your day. You will have a place to write those quips and quotes that resonate with you, without having to think,”OK, where did I leave my journal last time I wrote in it?”

If you have an iPad or a tablet, you may find that you have more and more to say and to write, with the bigger keyboard screen, it will make your journaling experience that much richer. Y vas a disfrutar and you are going to enjoy your journaling journey.

So go ahead and get a few of those apps and start recording with pictures and quotes, these can become fodder for your journaling journey or they can be the place where you record all of the affirmations in your life.

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos adelante,

Zulmara

No por mucho madrugar, amanece mas temprano.

No matter how early you get up, dawn doesn’t come any earlier.

Discovering your Inner Diva

2012-02-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

Discovering your Inner Diva

Journaling to the best you, you can be…

As you journey through your life and you find your self facing adversity, wanting a change, being extremely happy, needing to decompress, or release stress, journaling, in its many formats, will help you to reach your goal, change what needs to be changed, or get through a particularly stressful time.

And you will find that the journaling takes many forms…you may not feel you write well enough to keep a grief journal, but cutting out pictures that remind you of your loved one or finding quotes you would have liked to share with them, can have the same healing effect. You may want out of a difficult situation at work, but feel you cannot articulate the life you want in a journal, so find the pictures that resonate with you and cut them out and put them in a journal…that will help you find the path to the change you desire. You may find that you are angry at the world…keep a simple gratitude journal and jot down 5 things that make you happy everyday.

The mind is a powerful, living, breathing organ and what we think we manifest, so therefore when you want a change, want a difference, want a new job, a soul mate, a good person in your life, you can visualize it into existence…just by believing in the power of your dreams and creating the visualizations in your life. You can do it with journaling or you can do it with quotes, pictures, songs, ideas, quips, scrapbooks, and blogs. The important thing is for you to realize that you have the power to create the life you wish to create and writing it down will make it happen for you…as long as you believe in the power of your dreams to be manifested in the life and the work that you do.

It has been a great pleasure to share this journaling experience with all of you and I want to sincerely thank each and everyone of you for your participation and responses to these posts.

Otra vez, mil gracias a todos mis amigos…for joining me on this terrific journey…

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos, ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

"Barriga llena corazon contento."

Full Stomach, Happy Heart.

The Writer's Journal/Notebook

2012-02-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

The Writer’s Journal/Notebook…

I am often asked what advice I would give to aspiring writers and my answer does not vary much…you have to read, read, and read some more and simultaneously you have to write, write, and never stop writing. Keeping a writer’s journal is essential to help you gather as many tidbits of information that will help you with your writing later on and will keep your writing fresh and interesting.

You have to write about everything, anything and then some. That is how you become a good writer…by writing…and when you are ready for the story, the book, the novel, the idea, then a writer’s notebook comes in handy…

The writer’s journal is where you jot down ideas, collect names, collect quotes, and other tidbits of information that may or may not make it into your stories, novels, poems, or shorts. This is where you mine the gold mine that is your life to help prepare you for what it is you want to write. This is where you start preparing the fertile ground for your creativity…and you never know what will make it in and what won’t. This is not where you filter your work or your words…anything is good, everything and anything goes. This is to have fun, with quips and quotes and anything notes.

The Writer’s Notebook, on the other hand, is much more specific. This is where you are laying the groundwork for your story…this is where you have scenes, characters, plot lines, and ideas. Science Fiction and Fantasy writers keep the most elaborate notebooks, since they are creating virtual worlds and they have to keep them straight. Some fantasy writers even create a language that is specific to their world and their characters may visit other worlds in order to be ready for what is coming next.

Many writers use different strategies for organizing their stories and keeping them straight but they all have some way of getting to know their characters and of understanding what the characters are all about. They have some way of detailing, fact checking, and ensuring that there is a logical fit for the reader, especially if there are multiple books in a series.

JK Rowling was a master at keeping detailed information straight and she even got some of her facts wrong, especially with dates and ages, as do many writers. So, as an aspiring writer you have to write…in all sorts of genres and you have to find a process of organizing the story that keeps it straight and keeps it real in your mind. For example, the most effective writers know more about their characters than their readers do, because in developing the back story, they had to know so much more than they shared with the reader…alas, our gay wizard…

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

"Preguntando se llega a Roma."

Asking will get you to Rome.

I am not a writer, what can I do??

2012-02-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

I am not a writer, what can I do??

We are almost at the end of our journey together and this one is for the skeptic, the non-writer, the person who has many journals started, but none of them finished. So what do you do? Follow your strengths and go with the flow. In the first place, don’t force yourself to write, keep a visual, pictorial journal that flows with pictures cut from magazines or drawings that you make, or comics that speak to you. Review these regularly and stay focused.

Get into scrapping your life and write captions or buy ready made captions to capture those special moments in your life with your family and friends.

Do a collage of your goals…find the picture of you at your perfect weight, your dream house, your favorite food, the place you want to vacation and put them in plan view as a constant reminder of what you want to accomplish in your life.

Get a sketchpad and markers and draw your gratitudes, goals, aspirations, and innovations. This will help you to capture the essence of who you are and who you want to become.

Go online and do a vision board, it is like playing with pictures and lets you focus and you do not need to write to follow your bliss, you just need to find the pictures and sounds that work for you.

Oprah has a great vision board that is free and simple to use. You can find it here:

http://www.oprah.com/spirit/O-Dream-Board-Envision-Your-Best-LifeTM

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

"Al que con el lobo se junta, a aullar se enseña."

He who runs with the wolves will learn how to howl.

Your Memoirs

2012-02-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

Why write your memoirs?

Me and my muse...from our great Build a Muse Day!!!

Memoirs are the story of our lives, sometimes embellished, sometimes not, that leaves a sense of history, who we were, what we accomplished, and how the many narratives that make up our lives fit together. Es la estoria de nuestras vidas.

Many famous people write their narratives because, we their adoring public, like to know who they are, what makes them tick, how they became who they ended up being. However, why would we write our narratives? Several reasons, one is that as writers, we are in the best position to preserve a family history, which gives our families a sense of self and a sense of belonging to something greater than ourselves. When we write our narratives, we are giving voice to our ancestors, who they were, what they endured, how they survived, and how we came to be who we are.

Additionally, we are giving the young ones in the family a sense of where they came from, the sacrifices made by those who had come before and the expectations that are a part of the proud stock from which they come.

We also write to honor, love, respect those who have been there for us, to let them know we care and we appreciate all that they have done for us in the process of being a part of our lives.

And, what do you choose to write about? Well, it depends, individual usually start with an incident that had an impact on them, getting married, birthing a child, graduating from high school, losing a loved one…and go from there. Our stories are powerful and as writers we owe it to our selves to write them down for our families to have a strong sense of who we are and what we have to offer.

So, just start writing about those things that have made a difference in your life. Creer es lograr.

(If you are truly interested in creating a work of art of your life, be on the lookout for my ecourse for a step by step guide.)

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos, ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

"El que es perico, donde quiera es verde."

You are who you are no matter where you are.

Finding Prompts: quotes songs poems pictures

2012-02-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Finding Prompts: quotes songs poems pictures

For those who feel a sense that writing a journal is something they would like to try, but are having trouble getting started, I would say, start with quotes-songs-poems that resonate with you…and just jot them down. Es una conexion.

Choose a poet or a singer that resonates with you, copy their poem in one of those…too pretty to write in journals, and respond to the poem. You can come up with a question as I have done for each of the poems in my Guided Journal, or you can just respond to how the poem makes you feel. There are many wonderful poets online who frequently share their poems on their blogs or other posts.

Songs lyrics are another inspiration. As you are listening to your playlist, jot down a sentence or two and make that your prompt for writing for the day. Music is inspirational and often speaks to us in many different ways and enters our soul through different channels, if you love music and are very auditory, this may be your path. La musica es una inspiracion.

Quotes are another source of great inspiration for writing. Get a quote book and pick a quote and write how it resonates with you, speaks to your, or makes you angry. You will be surprised at how this exercise allows you to get in touch with your inner you…and who you want to be and gets started on your journaling journey.

(Bumper stickers that make you chuckle or cringe are also great, just whip out your phone and speak in a note for later writing in your journal or snap a picture and include it in your journal.)

Pictures offer wonderful prompts. Dewitt Jones does a great job of writing his bliss when he celebrates what is right with the world with his pictures and his captions. Some of the captions he creates and other times, he uses quips and quotes. Photos that you take yourself or that others take are a great place to start a beautiful journal as you journal your bliss.

Magazine and Newspaper articles often contain interesting tidbits of information that make for great journal entries, copy down a headline and get creative…you can respond to it, think about what it is going to be about, or write the article based on the title using your own voice and interpretation.

Conversations…a great place to find interesting tidbits to write about. Turn a phrase into a random question, or jot down an idea and expand it later.

Prompts are all around us and when you start looking for quips and quotes and anything notes, you will find that you will stumble on more prompts than you can possibly use.

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos ADELANTE!!!

Zulmara

"En la casa de un herrero, asado de palo."

In a metal worker’s house, there is a wooden hoe.

Rituals, do they really work?

2012-02-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Rituals, do they really work?

With journaling, there are as many ways that it works as there are people who find they journal successfully. Some journalers have to start at the same time every day and they follow a routine…I get a cup of tea, go to my chair, turn on the iPod and write away… These individuals cannot even imagine being unprepared for a journaling session and they find that the ritual helps them get grounded, stay centered, is almost meditative.

Others, journal when the mood strikes them. They may not write everyday, but they write when they feel a need, are starting a new project, or need to get out of a funk. They write what is in their heart to feed the soul and nourish the spirit, but only when the muse strikes them. Others, find that they when they are inspired, it works for them to journal, so they seek out that inspiration…a favorite coffee shop, a favorite beverage, a favorite playlist, a favorite snack…sets the tone and the mood for the journaling to begin. Todo tranquillo.

So, do rituals work, yes, for some people they do, others find them too confining and too contrived. I find that I use a combination of both. La vida es dulce. As I read, I am harvesting my readings for great quotes, quips, and anything notes to jot down…when I am feeling overwhelmed, I stop, get a goal journal out…and write down my goals…to stop the swirling in my mind. When I am in a certain space, like shortly after my mom passed away, I set up a ritual and journal for healing…and take the time to get the cup of coffee, put on that special playlist, light the candles…and enjoy that inner tranquility that only comes when you take quality time for yourself.

Please share with us what type of journaler are you…do you have a special ritual you follow? Do you prefer the spur of the moment?

Con un pan y cafecito,

Seguimos, ADELANTE

Zulmara

"Arbol que crece torcido, nunca su rama endereza."

A crooked tree never grows a straight branch.