writing

Creative Coffee Break with an Artist and Writer

Posted by Barbara Techel

creative coffee break

Two years ago I was blessed with a new friendship in artist, Cassy Tully. It seems like we have known each other a lifetime. Perhaps we somehow did connect in a past life– at least this is the way we have begun to feel about each other.

She is also in my heart the daughter I never had. Though I never wanted children, if I’d have had them, I feel like she would have been the one I would have wished for. We are kindred spirits– that there is no doubt.

A few months ago we began what we call our Creative Coffee Break. We meet once a month to discuss projects we are working on and get input and advice on things we wish to do coming up.

Last week we met in her newly created artist space. She has always had a space in her home where she goes to paint. But most recently she added a cozy area within her painting studio that has a big overstuffed size chair, a table with magazines that feed her creativity, photos that capture favorite moments which have inspired her, and trinkets that remind her of what it means to her to be the artist that she is.

I’m a big believer that everyone needs their own space to just be, or to create, or to do whatever it is that feeds and refreshes their soul.  Awhile back when I posted a photo of my writing cottage saying this very same thing, I heard from one angry woman saying “It must be nice, but not everyone can afford  a writing cottage.”

While yes, she had a point, it made me sad that she missed the point. Besides the fact it is easy to judge as what we think is “must be nice.” My space came to me at a price of giving up something else. Though I don’t feel like it was a sacrifice.  The point is everyone deserves a space to call their very own. It does not need to be a whole separate space and can be as simple as a small corner in your home. And as in Cassy’s case, hers is in her basement.  This may not sound ideal to someone else, but another point is that she made it her own– surrounded by what feeds her soul, just like my space does. Meeting there this month truly fed my soul– but just being around Cassy inspires me to keep believing in myself as a writer and blogger.

Also feeding our souls helps us to go out and face the world- to stand tall in who we are. Don’t we all need that?  I don’t know about you, but I do. It’s why I’m so thankful for my friendship with Cassy– she inspires me on so many levels. It’s why I’m thankful for not only my creative space, but also to be within the space of someone else who is a creative spirit. I think there is nothing like it to shoot you over the moon of inspiration!

How a Life Coach Helped Change Me for the Better

Posted by Barbara Techel

Diane and Barb

I can’t even begin to imagine what my life would look like today if I hadn’t taken the leap and hired life coach, Diane Krause-Stetson.  It wasn’t an easy thing to do. I was scared. Scared to really dig down deep to find out what was working for me and what wasn’t. It is also a hard thing to do– asking for help. But seven years later I can absolutely say it was one of the best things I ever did for myself. And actually, something shifted in me the day I committed to work with Diane- something in me just knew I would come out better after the experience.

From that fateful day in April 2005 my life took a 180 turn. I hired Diane thinking she could help me with marketing weight loss products for a company that I was a part of. I committed to three months in figuring this out. Two months later I knew what it was I wanted to explore. I set out with a determination I never had before to do just that. Writing and writing about what I love most– dogs. I slowly walked away from the company I was involved with and each time I made another leap to let it completely go, I felt my soul come more alive. It was all I needed to know I was on the right path.

Diane cautioned me that there would be forks in the road and I’d have a choice to take that turn or not. But listening to my heart and following my intuition would be key. Now I’m not going to say that was, or is, easy. But as I get ready to launch my new book next month I feel certain, even with the few twists and turns I’ve had, this is right where I am meant to be.

Working with a life coach not only helped me to trust more in what my heart was calling me to do, but to not be afraid who I was really meant to be. If we can just get past thinking asking for help is a weakness, oh, how far we can go! Asking for help means you want better for yourself and your life.

I’ve had so many moments of reflection as I think about where my path will lead as I push my book out into the world. And as I look back seven years ago, I don’t recognize the person I was then– but I see her now and I like what I see. For that alone, I’m deeply grateful to have found Diane and trusted my gut that day and took the leap.

I dedicate this post to Diane for believing in me and helping me see that I was not a failure, but an explorer!

Meeting One of My Inspirations– A Memory I’ll Forever Treasure

Posted by Barbara Techel

cynthia and barb

 Meeting an inspiration of mine, writing coach and author Cynthia Morris

This morning I sit at my desk feeling so emotional.  Last night I met writing coach and author, Cynthia Morris. She is promoting her debut novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach and made an appearance in Milwaukee, WI at the Lyndon Sculpture Gardens.

It was in 2005 that I was introduced to Cynthia’s work. I was coaching with life coach, Diane Krause-Stetson at the time. I was 41 years old and trying to figure out what it was I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to do something more meaningful. I wanted to live with more joy. I wanted to find my authentic self and not be afraid to be that person.

Coaching was not easy. But it was worth every minute of the deep dive into my soul’s stirring. Trying to narrow down and focus on something that would bring me what I was seeking was challenging. I think as women, at least among my circle of friends, we tend to like to do so many things!  But as I went through the coaching process, dogs and animals kept surfacing, and my deep love for them. Then writing surfaced for many different reasons.

It was then, with the help and encouragement from my coach that I decided to pursue writing and write about what I love most– animals, with an emphasis on dogs. It was then that Diane loaned me a book from her extensive and beautiful library called, Create Your Writer’s Life by Cynthia Morris. I’ve followed Cynthia’s work enthusiastically since that day. I’ve read all her e-books, taken some of her on line classes, been a part of her Creative Book Salon, and also participated in the Creative Leap Club she offers– which by the way I credit as a part of my process in helping me leap forward in finishing my new book.

Her tenacity for living her dreams and following her heart speaks to me. So to finally meet her in person last night was an absolute joy. It’s why I sit at my computer this morning feeling so emotional. I feel filled with so much inspiration to continue on my own path– to keep following my heart.  And the other way I can describe it is when you decide to pursue what makes your heart sing, by default, you attract into your life those much like you. Being around someone like Cynthia and her amazing energy of choosing to live life as she chooses is something that once you taste and experience it, you never want to go back to anything else.