Wow! How wonderful to survive not only the end of another year but also the end of a decade! Well done YOU! Well done ME! I feel this is such an important time to reflect with open, gentle and grateful eyes so we can begin 2020 with good vibrations, hope and an open loving heart. In this space we can visualize and create clearly and greatly for our journey forwards in the most magnificent way.

For more on this process, go to:

WHY do we celebrate our milestones?

• Think of an athlete or a tennis player…they either win the race/match or don’t, win the race/championship or they don’t
• In biz/work or personal life the milestone is not so clear-cut as if you won the race or you didn’t
• Usually our milestones happen over a period of time and there may not be a clear-cut finish date
• However, that is us winning our race, achieving our goal, aim or dream

This could be:

• Finishing writing a new program
• Walking an extra 10km every week
• Drinking celery juice every day for 3 weeks
• Suddenly finding you are no longer triggered by a family member
• Meditating for more than 5 mins

It can be frustrating, challenging and time consuming. E.g. For Usain Bolt to win a 10 sec 100 metre running race, he’s put in 100’s of hours of training. It’s a great metaphor for us aiming to achieve our dreams…a disproportionate amount of time is spent in challenge, doing the 100 hours of training before we are able to walk that extra 10km’s or not get triggered by a family member; till we get to that SWEET SPOT

So just as Usain Bolt may celebrate making a new record in the 100 metres, so too it is SO IMPORTANT for us all to celebrate our milestones

I INVITE YOU TO TAKE THE TIME TO STOP, PAUSE & REFLECT on your MOST IMPACTFUL MILESTONES

Close your eyes…breathe…and ask:

“What is the milestone that has made the biggest difference in my life:

• 1 from this last year
• 1 from this last decade

They may be small or big…choose intuitively. You can always add more later. They do not have to be physical; they can be emotional, energetic, or spiritual, e.g. “I finally forgave my best friend from primary school for making fun of me.”

 Write them down. Be curious:

1. What do they feel like? Sit quietly for a moment
2. Now put some more ENERGY into them and CELEBRATE THEM! DANCE, SING, EXPRESS IN A DRAWING! Whatever feels right for you
3. Expand their energy & continue their momentum towards the end of this decade & into a new one
4. SHARE THEM. Don’t be shy. You may just INSPIRE SOMEONE TO CELEBRATE A SIMILAR MILESTONE <3

WHY IS CELEBRATING OUR MILESTONES AS WE REACH THEM SO IMPORTANT?

= Because it is THE MAGIC & JOY of that moment that will provide the energy & momentum to keep growing & moving forwards

= LAW OF ATTRACTION – success builds success, good feelings about our achievements build more good feeling and so we expand our success or good feeling

= We are able to accept more of our AMAZINGNESS, our UNIQUENESS and our COURAGE. In doing so this propels us towards more SELF-LOVE.

GO FOR IT! YOU DESERVE IT!

If you would like guidance in this, please go to ‘Contact Us’ tab. Helen will be happy to guide you.

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Very often, we experience difficulties in revitalizing those colours with just words. This is the power of Art Therapy: its ability to help you tap into and explore your experiences using all your senses; not just your words. Slashes of deep red splashed across soft hues of violet and pink, may to an ‘artists eye’ be incongruent to what they perceive as pleasing, however in Art Therapy, this is valued as pure unadulterated expression! Expression that has been discovered and released from deep within and is uniquely emotive to the expressor. Perhaps it is physical or emotional pain, stress or fear. It may be frustration of feeling stuck in a relationship or job that no longer serves you or parts of self that may have been forgotten. It could be a desire to increase confidence, personal development and to truly understand and connect to your true essence. It is intuitively what the expressor needs to be release or expand in that moment in time. There are no expectations or judgements in this space. The meaning of the colours, shapes and textures unleashed are ‘truly’ known only to the creator.

As an Art Therapist, I hold a safe and inspiring space for the creator to witness what lies within outside of themselves in the art, sound or movement; to guide you on an explorative journey of discovery that is uniquely yours. I work with you to make the unknown known and make sense of your insights gained, stimulating new perspectives and transforming old patterns of behaviour and ways of being that no longer serve. From these new perspectives, we are energized and able to connect to a deeper understanding and acceptance of self and celebrate the richness that lies within with more clarity, confidence and self-love.

From this place our true colours are ignited helping us to discover our place in the world. Is it your time to do things differently?

Article for Holistic Bliss Magazine, July 2019: A Different Way To Re-Discover Your True Colours

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Both personally and professionally I am aware that when these curve balls hit, it is usually our wounds that are triggered and from this wounded place we deviate away from what feels good. We lose perspective, alignment and our unique sense of self. Believe me, I know!! I am just emerging from a journey with a bright and shiny ball that rocketed uneasily into my world and knocked me off balance. It triggered my wounds and was acutely uncomfortable. Yet this uncomfortable adventure also showed me more clearly my gifts. YAY!! It is the coolest thing to witness how our wounds can be transformed into our gifts, and it is these gifts that will inspire and support us towards a path that ‘feels’ good and flows in a more joyous and magnificent way.

Where in your kaleidoscope of life are you right now? How does it feel? Do you have a clear perspective of the adventure you dream to live? Do you know what your gifts are to support you to stay on track and make it MAGNIFICENT?

If you are looking for support in navigating an adventurous life that is ease-FULL, I invite you to come on a transformational creative safari with me this Saturday, 2-5pm! Prepare your journey into 2020 in a different and most magnificent way. Gain new perspectives, alignment and a stronger more authentic connection to your unique sense of self. Feel light, happier, freer. It’s YOUR TIME NOW!

~ Rachel Agyemang ~ “I had a totally unexpected and amazing life opening moment at Create to Change Art Therapy Course led by a truly gifted teacher Helen Bradshaw from Growth through Art. WOW, what came through blew my mind! The energy it’s generated in me is life shifting.

I highly recommend this workshop to any person who acknowledges they have blocks in their life & are passionate about clearing them out to open up to the new! I had sooo much fun! I felt incredibly inspired & what a magical unique way to shift blocks in life!”

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However, many of us have made agreements with ourselves that hinder our full expression and with that our self-love. When we don’t love ourselves, how can we fully express our love for others? Often as children we make these agreements, because someone has said something and we have agreed it is true. When I was a child my family laughed at my voice. I agreed that I wasn’t a good singer and I chose to mouth the words to songs, or they would come out as a whisper. I let go of my joy of singing and with that a part of my unique self that is intricately woven into the art of loving myself unconditionally. It was through exploring myself using creative expression verbally, physically and spiritually, that helped me let go of what anyone thought and connect back to loving myself enough to sing with gusto wherever I was.

In fact, emotional expression is our strength, our own self-healing mechanism; our only means of personal freedom, self-love, and the ultimate tool of creativity. It enables us to feel more deeply, connect more intuitively, be seen, heard and valued. In art therapy, the art, sound or movement is an inspiring way for you to explore loving the person you are. And a safe place for you to express, make sense of and free yourself from your inner most pain. We might draw out unwanted agreements onto paper or let expectations dissolve into the flow of paint. The wonderful thing about art mediums is that they can tolerate all emotions and what is expressed and created holds profound answers and much relief for the creator to free themselves emotionally, physically and spiritually. The creator’s true essence begins to shine through and a deeper understanding and connection to self.

Article for Holistic Bliss Magazine, Oct 2019: Creative expression and letting go of the fear of Judgement

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Creativity is a powerful way to begin to explore wellbeing in your life, to see a different way of ‘being’ and ‘doing’ even when you have very little. Connecting to our creative self, means the ability to perceive the world in new ways, to find hidden patterns, to make connections between seemingly unrelated experiences, solve problems and to generate solutions. It means taking risks, ignoring doubt and facing fears…our self-doubt and fears being one of the biggest causes of dis-ease in our mind, body and soul. Many of us believe we are not creative but we do it every day i.e. cooking, decorating, gardening and our clothing. The greatest misconception is that creativity is related to how well we can paint or draw.

As an Art Therapist, I am on a mission to dispel this myth and help people surrender to and connect more to their creative self; to let go of expectation and judgement and striving for the perfect end result which is often swathed in stress.

In Art therapy we surrender to the creative process, our unique expression of mark-making, symbolism and metaphor and what can blossom from this. The art holds a rich multi-sensory and multi-dimensional place to free our mind to make sense of, heal and let go of the pain of past experiences without the use of words. It is also a place to melt into the softness of your heart, a place where you can safely ‘see’ what lies within, a wellspring, the ‘knowing’ of what is right for you to re-discover a natural state of wellbeing. Creative explorations reveal new perspectives, and from these new perspectives, possibilities arise to transform old patterns of behaviour that no longer serve us. Exciting doors are opened that we didn’t even know were there, inspiring personal growth and healthier choices that align with our truth, values and authentic personal expression. 

As clients explore their artwork, I am so privileged to witness their surprise, “I can feel some life coming back. The truth I see (in the artwork) sets me free.”

I feel so different; lighter and more balanced. I see me.”

“I came here feeling contained, confused, controlled, scared to feeling flowy, free…I have stopped holding on so tightly and have less anxiety in my chest.”

From my own personal journey, I believe self-acceptance and self-love are the source of wellbeing, which is why so many people who live with so little have the ability to create a meaningful and happy life. Thank you to my African roots. Thank for inspiring my passion for creatively guiding women on their journey towards more self-acceptance and self-love.  

Article for Holistic Bliss Magazine, Sept 2019: What if Creativity was more than just Paintings & Drawings?

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Anyone can be creative!

The greatest misconception is that creativity is related to how well we can paint or draw. For many thousands of years, we have utilised our creativity resulting in invention, progress and is evident today on cave walls as a form of primitive storytelling. When we surrender to our creative self, we free our mind, opening exciting doors we didn’t even know were there, and inspire a more authentic and joyful life.   

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What is ‘wrong’ anyway? Right and wrong are merely a perception usually derived from self-talk as well as expectations and judgements we place on ourselves or take on from others. Most of the ‘wrong’ or false beliefs we live by set us up for suffering…I know. In the past I have put myself through so much pain with false beliefs. The sad part is, those beliefs are usually untrue or what I have been worrying about never actually happens. Imagine how poisonous this can be to our mind, body and soul?

I have spent many years of creative self-development learning techniques and strategies to strengthen my personal values and beliefs so I can build a solid and resilient foundation to stand more courageously in my fully expressed self. A place where I can explore living a creative life without worrying about the ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’; rather focusing on ‘being’ perfectly imperfect and embracing the freedom and joy that comes from this!

The post You are never wrong appeared first on Growth through Art.