Category Archives: self love

Gifts for the Irish

When an author, artist or musician sets out to create, it is usually a personal expression of something they hope to viscerally touch the masses. Because the end product is a personal expression, one can’t expect it to be understood by everyone, but hopefully, the impact intended will move many in one way or another.

I have friends who are artists and they pour themselves through their media, making themselves vulnerable to the expectations and judgments of the masses. Some like, some love, some don’t get it. That’s ok. It’s expected.

Recently, I went to Ireland and at the last minute, I threw some of my books, Gifts of the Crysnix, into my suitcase. I hoped that of all people, the Irish would “get” the story. Centered around a small seaside town, the story could be set anywhere in the world, and that is what I intended. I wanted it to be personal to many but to the Irish, I wanted it to be viscerally owned.

On our travels around the Ring of Kerry, we went by the beautiful town of Kells and its small cove. I turned to my husband and said it could be Galvin Cove! He smiled and nodded. With its cluster of houses overlooking the sea and the amazing Blasket Islands in the distance, this was the kind of place I envisioned as the setting for the book.

Emboldened by this, I took a few books under my arm and went looking for small bookshops to see if they would be interested in selling  Gifts of the Crysnix. To my happy amazement, I was well received.

In Dingle, there is a small bookshop called An Cafe Liteartha, which was my first success. It is an ancient (by our standards) shop where you can buy a book in the front and have a small meal in the cafe at the back and crack your new purchase. The place is tiny, homey and bursting with charm. The manager was so excited about my book, she immediately wrapped it in cellophane and displayed it in the front window! How fun for me to see it there as I walked on.

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The adorable gift and bookstore, Sweet Pea just drew me in! On a quaint corner in Dingle, it offers beautiful treats for the home and person. Jewellery, candles, books and gifts are displayed in the little shop that just brims with personality. I was so honoured to have my book welcomed there!

 

 

In Dublin, two gorgeous bookshops are now home to my book. True to the historical beauty of the storefronts in the Emerald Isle, Books Upstairs and Jewels and Gems can be found in age-old architecture. Books Upstairs is nestled in the heart of Dublin and has seen hundreds of years of history played out on its front street.

Jewels and Gems is a sparkly store offering jewellery, gifts, books and wait for it – chandeliers! My book’s front cover looked pretty nice in there.

There is a very special place called Moy House. It is a boutique hotel near Lahinch that boasts an amazing history, a view to die for, hospitality, service and food to make you think you have died and gone to heaven! Along with the many, many touches of old world charm, there is a library. I couldn’t help wanting to donate a book to it.

I am so happy that I have shared my story with a bit of Ireland. What a gift! It is a story of endurance, faith, honour, courage and being true to yourself to bring about your best life. Very much like the history of Ireland and all that the Irish people have endured.

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It may not appeal to some, but I think it is enjoyed by those who like a bit of charm and magic to help us on our way. I wrote it from the heart. After all, I am Irish. The town of Galvin Cove is named after my family name, Galvin. It is a fictitious place but hopefully will feel like home to all who read the book.

Cheers and Slainte (good health) to all. xoxo

P.S. Christmas is coming! How about purchasing Gifts of the Crysnix for the young dreamer in your life? Check it out HERE and HERE.

The Making of an Angel

Procrastinate No More! My head was full of doubt when I woke up and said to myself, this is the day! I have been putting off painting the last few illustrations for my new book, the bedtime story, Mother Nature’s Kiss. I don’t know what gets into us to create doubt and fear, but it is insidious.

The most daunting illustration was to be of an angel flying with a comet to accompany:

Out in the galaxy, angels abound,

Flying with the comets with all the stars around!

Zooming by, they smile and shine down their love

And sprinkle twinkle stardust from Heaven above.

I don’t know why, but I just couldn’t find it within me to begin…

But I did.

First, I like to search for visuals on the internet to help me find an inspiration. I didn’t find what I was looking for so I started sketching and after a couple of duds, I came up with this.

Now, I had to commit! I started sketching on the final paper and tried to trust myself. I put in my earpods, fired up spotify and went to work!

Just for fun, I’ll show you a progression.

I looked around for a cool image of a comet and finally came up with this:

Here she is! I think I’ll call her Stella.

Stella has taught me to trust myself. Maybe it’s a bit of twinkle stardust that helped me today. I hope you felt some too. xox

Connie and Lily’s Book Club

My book, Gifts of the Crysnix, is for people with big imaginations and big hearts. It is for people who feel compelled to root for a fallen champion and feel compassion for a lost soul. One who is in search for greater ideals and who is always willing to learn more about themself and be a better person can identify with the life-lessons that are gently persuaded from the pages.

When I wrote the book I targeted the message to young people at the brink of adulthood. I thought that reading a book with new heroes who are just trying to figure out the labyrinth of life would appeal to them. Although I have appreciated positive kudos from all ages, I had the immense pleasure of meeting six young ladies who I really wrote the book for. I was the guest author at a mother/daughter book club and got to meet my target audience up close and personal.

 

I have to admit, I was a little nervous because it was the first time I would have honest feedback from several people at once. You just never know how something like that will turn out! The girls were very organized with their questions and critiques. Exploring the origins of my inspiration and the depths of my research, we had a lively and spirited discussion. I was so impressed by the maturity of these 11-year-old girls and the intelligence of their questions and comments. All in all, the book passed with flying colours and I didn’t have to slink out of the room with my tail between my legs.

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My young target audience is a group of people with literally the weight of the world on their shoulders. They are our leaders of tomorrow and they have a lot on their plates. I appreciate the steep learning curve they are on. The primary reason why I wrote the book is to remind the reader to fight the fear that holds them back, to advocate their moral compass and to realize that by just being your true self is enough to gain respect. I dreamed up the Crysnix to personify our inner voice. We all have to listen to it because somehow it knows the future and is always right.

If I can share a little wisdom to our future leaders, it is to trust our instincts, believe in ourselves and dig deep to create and live our best lives. These are heavy lessons and I used a beautiful world of fantasy and imagery to get the point across.

 

Thank you to Connie and Lily for an evening I will never forget. Thank you to all the girls and moms who were there that night. I absolutely loved the interaction! It was a real thrill for me to sign the books to the girls after they read it with them exclaiming to each other in the background about how much they loved it!

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What a treat for an author. For all those countless hours I spent conjuring up the story alone in front of my computer with only my imagination and hope for company, this night was a wish come true.

To see a video of me reading the Prologue set to the beautiful music of Thomas Newman, please click here

 

A Creative Writing Challenge!

I’m taking time off writing to write about writing … Yeah, that’s been my focus these days!

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Working til past midnight these past few days, I have had the house to myself (as my husband is away) and I have lived on oatmeal and blueberries and crackers and hummus. I finally got out of the house this morning and treated myself to sushi for lunch. California crunch rolls! Awesome!!

I am having a ball working on a power point presentation for my upcoming gig at the every WOMAN Conference in Whistler in a couple of weeks. Click here to see more. Here is some info on my workshop from the conference website:

Chart Your Best Life! {Navigating new territory to reach your full potential} | Lisa Shore | Author, The Gift of Crysnix | Calgary + Phoenix

Using themes from my book, Gifts of the Crysnix, we will explore how quantum physics can make wishes come true. Through the powers of letting go and positive intention, we will break new ground in the search for creating our best lives. Adventure awaits as we travel to a place where true manifestation begins. Oh, and did I mention space travel? That too.

I  have been researching fun stuff like the effects of quantum physics on the power of intent, how the brain works and scientific backup of electromagnetic impulses and positivity.

It will be a great way to take the messages from my book and share them with women who are looking to change their lives for the better! The whole 3-day conference is super-charged with hikes, skiing, water sports, biking, and inside workouts of every kind imaginable, as well as wonderful dinners and spa options.

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Here is a picture I found in “Resonance”, a fabulous book I read to hone my presentation skills. It sums up the gist of my presentation. Powerful words from an exceptional lady.

 

 

 

 

 

And here are some screen shots from my presentation.

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My points are emphasized through the ancient musings of Marcus Aurelius, the profound wisdom of the Eastern concept of Ikigai and beautiful imagery from the web to bring my message home.

 

 

 

 

 

I include excerpts from The Harvard Business Review and cite the experiments of Drs. Joe Dispenza and Masaru Emoto to demonstrate the power of our mind.

One such experiment involves targeting thoughts to two different containers of rice in water. In Tokyo, 2,000 people directed loving thoughts and hateful thoughts to the two different containers that were in California!

The rice with loving intention sent to it was white and fluffy while the sad, hated rice became black and rotten. This experiment has been recreated on YouTube several times and the same result happens.

I decided to put the trial to the test myself so here are my rice containers. They’ll hopefully be showing some results by the time I get to Whistler!

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I’ll have to get back to you on whether this worked or not!

Check out the every WOMAN conference details. everywoman.ca You may want to attend! If I don’t see you there I’ll be sure to let you know how the conference went. 🙂

Bye for now – I have to get back to work!

 

 

 

Reviews with a personal touch.

I knew that when I finally published my book, Gifts of the Crysnix, I would be “putting myself out there”, leaving myself open to criticism (both good and bad) and becoming vulnerable to sharing my life with the masses. Being a very private person, I think that is the reason it took me so long to pull the trigger, so to speak.

I took so many years, in fact, I began to ask myself if I would live to regret not publishing it at all? My answer was, YES, and so I steeled myself as I went about answering the promotional questions my publicist put to me with honesty, candor, and the silent hope that I was doing the right thing. Although it went against my core of being happy to stay under the radar, I realised that I would never be able to reach my potential readers and share my message if I didn’t just suck it up and go for it.

What I wasn’t prepared for was the tremendous, positive response and support I have received from friends, strangers and (wow?!) the reviewers. Below are a couple of reviews I have received recently.

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I am so touched that someone took the time to snap a couple of pictures of my book in their home – on a table and in the hands of a reader who is my target audience. My heart swelled to see that picture! My book … there in the hands of a young woman comfortably settling in for a good read …

Thank you so much to the gals at GROOVINMOMS for the time and effort they put into the review.

Here it is:

GROOVINMOMS review

 

The second review reveals some personal points from my past that are tender issues. After I lost both of my parents, I grew into womanhood feeling that no one had my back. I had to figure out life on my own. The life lessons I learned are some of the ones I wrote the book around. They are the reason why I wrote it. If I can help a young person figure out life a little by reading Gifts of the Crysnix, then I will have had their back. It means everything to me.

Many thanks to the people at Mystic Living Today, an e-zine about our mystic life. They wrote a very sensitive article about my book and me.

Have a look:

The Gift of Life Lessons

4 Ways to Help You Love Yourself

February is the month where we take a special day to acknowledge those who we love. It’s fun to think up something special to do and find just the right card. We are happy to spend the time doing this for others but what about ourselves?

When I was a young single mom, people would often tell me that I had to take care of myself first or I wouldn’t be any good for my kids if I was sick or burned out. I never found the time to heed the advice, always making excuses to myself about not having the money for a massage or the time to just sit and read. Thankfully, I never got sick but I was perpetually on the brink of total burnout. One day a friend called to ask how I was doing. My answer was truthful yet ended with a comical punchline:images-5

“The kids are doing great, dinner is ready and the lunches are made for the morning, the laundry is done, floors are washed, but the dog ran away again and the plants are dead. Oh, and I’m fine.”

That was my order of priority.

As the years passed and my kids grew, the flurry calmed down a bit and I began to cultivate time to nurture myself in small ways. I hadn’t begun to love myself yet but I figured out ways to treat myself in ways that didn’t cost anything but the results were invaluable.

Below are some thoughts on ways to develop kindness to yourself. We start small but end up transformed into a person with undeniable self-worth.

Nurture your body.

It doesn’t take much to concentrate on buying healthier food. A healthy
diet is the first obvious way to say to your body that it deserves to be healthy. A clean diet just makes you feel better. Have some fun with it and find some great recipes that you look forward to eating. images

Enjoy your morning bathing with a special soap that you absolutely love, or a special body cream. When you smell the beautiful fragrance, your senses are telling your body that you think it is worth it.

Get outside! Going for a run, bike ride or walk gets your endorphins revved and makes you happier. A little sweat flushes out toxins and makes your skin glow. It’s a great feeling to love how your body feels after a workout.

Practice gratitude. It is simply magical how it creates depth and clarity in your life. It also allows you to slow down and be more calm. It is a win/win when your appreciation for something gives back by making you feel so good.

Here is a list of 50 ways you can nurture yourself. http://www.gateways-to-inner-peace.com/self-nurturing.html

Carve out calm time.

It took me years to realize how important this is. My New Year’s Resolution last year was to take more baths. I think I had five. Hmmm… Allowing ourselves to just sit with a cup of tea or hang out in a hammock and just shut down the mind is so foreigimages-1n yet so rejuvenizing! Put on some music and relax.

Clearing the mind is very healthy. That’s why yoga is so fabulous. Imagine running a marathon constantly. Your muscles would be strained beyond belief. The brain is an organ and must be allowed to experience calmness.

An uncluttered mind performs better. You will be amazed at your ability to remember more things and be more organized in your life. Stress will fall away when you feel back in control and you will become more positive.

Can calmness become a habit? Read about 7 tips here. http://zenhabits.net/calm/ 

Be positive.

If you know a lot of positive people, you may think it is easy being happy all the time. It isn’t. It is a conscious decision to be positive or not and sometimes you have to work at it. Feeling happy is the physical result of millions of chemical reactions in the body and it isimages-2
powered by positive energy. Try smiling at a stranger as you pass or saying, “Good morning” to someone as you jog by. The positive energy created is palpable as they smile and respond.

As I mentioned previously, exercise raises the endorphins in our body that are our happy hormones. If you are feeling low, simple exercise of any kind can make your spirits lift. I guarantee it works every time.

Another way to feel positive is to become more organized. When you have your life in order you unclutter your mind and can look ahead and make exciting plans for the future. It is a favour you can do for yourself that gives you immense satisfaction.

Here are 14 ways to cultivate positivity in your life. http://www.lifehack.org/284661/14-ways-positive-people-separate-themselves-from-negative-energy

Organize your life.

Being productive is probably one of the most important gifts you can give yourself. If you can accomplish more by getting up earlier or end your day knowing you are caught up, you can’t help feeling great about yourself. The reduced stress will probably add years to your life!images-3

Making a list and checking off the completed tasks is one of the most satisfying things you can do. When you become more organized and productive, you can’t help feeling proud of yourself which fosters self-esteem. Out of that comes self-respect and that, in turn, makes others respect you.

Your dreams and accomplishments are realized from planning the steps to achieve results. You can’t help believing in yourself when you have earned success. Confidence comes from planning, hard work and then giving yourself a pat on the back.

This is a great read about being confident. http://www.lifehack.org/324420/8-mistakes-that-amazingly-confident-people-never-make

Having written all this, I have to be honest and admit that I still don’t love myself. I’m not sure what it really means to do so. I did a meditation years ago where I imagined myself as a child in her most vulnerable state. I was to reach out to that child and tell her I would always have her back. I love that small, innocent version of myself. images-4

As I careen through life I must listen to my inner voice telling me to slow down and enjoy the ride. I am trying to be more organized and I really love my soap in the shower. Hopefully, I will make the time for more baths this year. I am excited about my productivity and success and even have more self-esteem. Maybe if I heed my own advice I will learn to love myself.

For now, I like myself a lot and that’s a start.

 

 

Dream Big! 5 Reasons to Set Lofty Goals

Do not lose hold of your dreams or aspirations.

images-1For if you do, you may still exist but you have ceased to live.
—Henry David Thoreau

From: Gifts of the Crysnix

 

“Dream Big!” I love to write those words when I am signing one of my books. Whether it is to a young teen or a grandmother, I love to challenge my readers to get outside of their comfort zone and dare to create an even better life for themselves.

Most of us are familiar with the S.M.A.R.T. method of goal setting. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym used to remind us that goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound.

Big goals are scary to many of us. They cut right to the “A” in the S.M.A.R.T. scheme, that is, we may think that we can’t attain them. We look at a big goal, and then we look back at ourselves, and where we are right now, and we think “what is the point of setting a goal like that, I can never attain it.”  The reality is that in many cases we don’t know what we are actually capable of achieving until we try.  We don’t know our limits until we actually test them.

As a result, massive, crazy, wild goals can make our life more enjoyable and fulfilling. Here is why:

  1. If We Allow Ourselves A Moment To Dream, We Get Really Excited

When we stop and think about what life would be like if we actually achieved the big goal, we get excited. The goal itself creates a gravitational pull that negates the need for willpower. The excitement of the possibility pushes us to take action. When we live every single day “under the influence” of a big dream, with a vision in our minds of the actuality of that dream, we are so busy moving towards the goal that we don’t have time to feel sorry for ourselves. Regardless of whether we actually achieve the big goal, our life becomes significantly enriched by this new mode of living. Over time, we transform into a new person, one who never feels sorry for themselves, or spends time in “what could have been” because we are so busy (and fulfilled) chasing what we believe is possible.

 

  1. They Cause Us To Make Long Term Improvements

Big goals cause us to expand our vision (to make room for the goal).  When we expand our vision we confront the reality that there are “structural changes” that must take place in our business or our life (depending on the nature of the goal) in order for the goal to come to fruition. That is, our current infrastructure or systems (in either our business or our life) are not equipped to support the big goal. Once we realize this we start making changes that will have significant positive long term benefits. We “strengthen the foundation” of our business or our life. This creates a ripple effect that spills over into other areas of our life in a positive way.

  1. They Make Us Much More Resilient In The Short Term

When we look big, we know that every second counts. We have to give the very best that we have, every single day. We know that we can’t waste a moment in self-pity or meaningless time wasting activities. As a result, we start accounting for the “present moment” much more than we would when we are setting goals that don’t cause us to stretch. In our world of technology, distraction is a great danger. In order to achieve big goals we must be absolutely resilient and relentless in the short term.

  1. They Cause Us To “Get Real” With Ourselves And Confront Our Deficiencies

Big goals cause us to confront reality. If we start with the belief (or even the hope) that a big goal is actually attainable, we must then ask the next question: How could it happen? This question brings to light our relationship with reality.  We have to be honest with ourselves, and address either our poor habits and behaviors (if it is a personal goal) or our poor systems and processes (or lack thereof) if it is a business goal. It is so easy to blame others, never take personal responsibility, and make excuses. It is a courageous (and effective) person however who is willing to accept personal responsibility and take a deep look inward to address deficiencies rather than looking outside. When we set big goals we are forced to look inward first and make changes there.

  1. They Cause Us To Develop Powerful Habits

In all of this what is happening is really a change of behavior.  This ultimately is the greatest benefit of setting big goals.  If we are really going after them (with all our heart) then we are forced to change our behavior.  We become much more positive people (point 1). We set up systems and processes that are valuable for the future (point 2), but we live completely in the present and make the most of our time (point 3).  Finally we become “real” with ourselves and look to change internally before we point the blame at others (point 4).  When we maintain all of these behaviors for a sustained period of time, what we are actually doing is something incredible – we are instituting powerful life changing habits.

At this point it doesn’t even matter whether we achieve the big goal or not.  We have achieved arguably a greater victory of having significantly improved ourselves.  This is the ultimate ancillary benefit of setting big goals.  They help us to build, and improve ourselves, dramatically, and it is done through a sustainable change.  It is done through the power of habit.

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Only I hold the key to my destiny. The power of my will shall shape my future.

I am the force that can clear any obstacles before me.

My choice. My responsibility.

From: Gifts of the Crysnix

VickiOart Sip ‘n’ Shop

Heading to my friend, Vicki O’Connor’s for Sip ‘n’ Shop, the “art happening” on Thursday, here in Fountain Hills AZ.

Check out her amazingly beautiful collage art paintings and accessories at  VickiO art .
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I’m bringing my book, Gifts of the Crysnix  ,

 

 

 

 

and Charis Lyons will have her Blue Shark Diva jewelry creations there!

If you are in Fountain Hills this Thursday, December 17th, 4-7pm stop by!

For more details http://vickioart.com/vickio-art-events/

Have a wonderful day❣

How Odin Saved the WORLD

 

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This is a happy story about my grandson who may not save the world one day (or maybe he will…) but, when he was born, he pushed my heart into that place of expanded love that only a grandparent can know. He saved my world by filling it with love beyond.

It is the story of passing on goodness. How appropriate that I can pass it on for free?

http://www.blurb.com/ebooks/555842-how-odin-saved-the-world

Throughout my publishing journey, there have been many lessons. One of them being that it is very hard to determine a reasonable price for your book once you have gone through all the hoops of actually doing the work and getting it published. I never promoted this book because I couldn’t expect someone to buy it through Blurb or Amazon at the ridiculous price they posted for it.

So, please don’t buy it! Just have a fun look on your tablet, computer or smartphone – and pass the goodness on! 🙂