makers gonna make {i heart makers}

downloadable print from Inspire Empire

When you're a maker, sometimes you need a little bit of encouragement to keep going. You need to be reminded that all the hours are worth it. That you can learn new things. That people really are going to love (and hopefully even buy) that thing that you're creating that is really an extension of your heart. And I love that makers realize that they can create things that become a pep talk for other makers. 

Here are a few of these "pep talks" that have caught my eye lately:

This print from Bubby and Bean just makes me happy. I want to put it right above my desk in my studio.

This maker life tee from Small Glow delights me. So sweet. Also love the long-sleeve version + this mug + this shopkeeper tee. Yep. Love this whole shop.

Love this reminder from Signs with Soul for those moments of doubt.

These pencils from Harvest Paper Co. make me smile. Pink! 

This journal is hand lettered by Sarah Cason Designs with one of my favorite quotes that reminds you to stop waiting for it all to align and just get started right where you are. 

This wall hanging would make me sing my own version of "Shake It Off" every time I see it. And the best part? There's also a listing for a pattern so you can make your own.

I turn to this Ira Glass quote again and again (print from Pink Milkshake Designs). It is a really good one to have on your wall.

And this notepad from The Hipster Housewife is perfect for your daily to-do list or, my favorite, your "what I did today" list.

Also love this mug and this necklace and this sweatshirt.

An invitation: Are you a maker? Share a little about you and your shop with a link to your site in the comments so I can visit. Would love to possibly feature you in a future post.

Note that some of these links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase through the link. All photos are copyright to the makers mentioned.

To check out other posts in this ongoing series where I celebrate makers and the good things they create and design, head over here.

the breath

One breath.

Right here.

Close your eyes.

Let your shoulders drop away from your ears.

The muscles of your face relax.

Then just notice your body.

Inhale.

Feel your chest expand, open.

Exhale.

Your body settles back into itself.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Notice.

*****

Here's what I know: Adding in moments where you breathe deeply, where you notice your body, where you let your mind just. stop. spinning. for a few seconds, these are the moments that help you come home to you. These are the moments that support you in making the decisions you need to make as you build that bridge between daily life and where you want to go.

Let your breath support you.

Let your wisdom out to play honey.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

PS For more little reminders and love notes like this one, sign up for my (almost) weekly newsletter (where I also share stories of my real, true adventures in self-care and how I'm building my own bridges in my life).

dance it out (because this is self-care)

One evening last year, Jon was getting Ellie ready for bed and I was cleaning the kitchen. Paul Simon's "Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes" came on and I couldn't resist. I stopped everything to dance all alone in our living room.

The "stuff" of the day began to drip off of me as I twirled, the room whirring by. I brought my arms up above my head as the beat and the words mingled around me. Singing at times and just letting myself move and be in the moment. Not worrying about all that awaits but just letting in space for joy and silliness and even sacredness.

Dancing it out is a practice I turn to often. When I'm in my studio alone, I turn up Dolly Parton or Mumford and Sons or Taylor Swift and just move. It grounds me in my body. It shakes out the cobwebs and the worries and the distractions. It creates space inside me. It brings me back to me.

I also use this practice when I'm frustrated, sad, overwhelmed, and unsure of what to do. The music and movement push me out of my whirling thoughts and give me a break to just be one with the spirit within and around me. I suppose it sometimes can even be a spiritual practice for me.

When it comes to this work of using self-care and creativity to help us build a bridge between daily life and where we want to go, we need practices that keep us connected to what matters to us, practices that bring us back to center and keep us moving forward.

And "dancing it out" really can be a beautiful daily self-care practice. Something you do to fill up the well inside you each day to help you continue to come home to yourself even as you experience all that a day can hold.

Using this practice

Today, I want you to just take a few moments to think about how you could bring music into your current self-care practice. Here are a few ideas:

• Create a "dance it out" playlist. These might be songs to dance it out to or songs that feel like an old friend. 
• Try dancing it out (or singing it out) before you spend time journaling or creating or even before doing something that is going to be a challenge. If you don't usually write or create with music on, put some on and see how it affects the way you put your pen to the page.
• Start your day with music if you don't already. Notice how it shifts your mood.
• Just start moving your body. Close your eyes. Let yourself just feel the music (and it's okay if that music is in your head).
• Turn on music and dance as you clean your kitchen.
• Invite someone to join you and dance it out together. This is exactly what my daughter and I are doing in the photo at the top of this post. She was frustrated for a moment while playing at the beach so I came up with the idea of pretending we could hear music and we just started dancing. 
• Put aside a specific time each day to dance, just like you might put aside time to read or go for a run. Set aside just a few minutes to dance to a couple of songs. Try this for two weeks, making note of how you feel before and after you dance each day.

What self-care are you using in your corner of the world? I'd love to know in the comments or use the hashtag #becausethisisselfcare on Instagram and I'll find you over there.

because coffee makes me happy {i heart makers}

This print from LetterSpeak says it all really, yes?

I'm having a bit of a love affair with coffee these days. About a year ago, we had to break up because we simply did not get along. Then I was able to switch over to cold brew, which I still love and drink most mornings. It's lower in acidity, which is a very good thing for my body. After my long break from regularly brewed hot coffee, we seem to be getting back together. Thank goodness. So I thought I'd do an I Heart Makers post that simply celebrates coffee.

I think "but first coffee" started out as a hashtag on Instagram. (This is something I need to Google.) Wherever it began, it makes me happy every time I see it. This t-shirt from MoodCatz delights me. I love the neckline and the bat sleeves. Also love this mug and this print.

Love the colors on this print from Benton Park Prints. I want to hang it in the coffee cart in my imaginery loft meets studio meets place where I hold workshops.

This ceramic pourover cone from Jennifer Creighton is gorgeous and comes in several colors.

I've probably mentioned a few times that this print of a quote from Johnny Cash by Hey There Design is one of my all-time favorite finds.

This Madagascar vanilla cold brew coffee syrup from Dave's Coffee sounds so good.

And this mug by small glow is on my wish list because I think my coffee would be very happy inside it. (It's also possible that this brilliant Dolly Parton meets coffee print is also on my wish list.)

An invitation: Are you a maker? Share a little about you and your shop with a link to your site in the comments so I can visit. Would love to possibly feature you in a future post.

Note that some of these links are affiliates, which means I receive a small commission if you purchase through the link. All photos are copyright to the makers mentioned.

To check out other posts in this ongoing series where I celebrate makers and the good things they make and design, head over here.

the five deep breaths practice

I often mention the practice of taking five deep breaths as one I turn to daily. A few people have asked me more about this practice and why I recommend it so much, so here's some more information all in one place to help you get started using this simple but deeply effective self-care practice that can truly help you throughout your day.

Why five deep breaths? Pausing to breathe deeply for a few moments becomes a way to remind my body that it does know peace and stillness. Those first three deep breaths create enough space for my body to relax. With the fourth, my mind realizes it can rest for a moment. And by the fifth, I am recentered and back into my body and heart. Sometimes, by that fifth breath, I can even though just enough peace to trust what I know inside my heart in that moment.  

This is the practice that saves me again and again. Noticing. Breathing. Letting go of the day. I use it as a grounding practice throughout the day; I also use it as first aid when I'm going through a difficult time or just having an upside down, challenging day (or moment). 

How to use this practice: 

Close your eyes. Bring your hand to your heart. 

With the first breath, relax your shoulders.

With the second, notice how your breath moves in your body.

With the third, try to let go of anything pulling on you.

With the fourth, feel the space you create inside you.

With the fifth breath, let your mind rest in this space.  

As you continue working with this practice, give yourself reminders to pause and take these five deep breaths throughout your day. You could set a timer on your phone or put up a few sticky notes. I have "five deep breath" stickers in my shop for this very reason. Think about what kind of reminders you need to begin to integrate this practice into your daily life.

For more practices like this one and stories about self-care, subscribe to my (almost) weekly newsletter.