“But if you have nothing at all to create, then perhaps you create yourself.” – Carl Jung

“I did not come to yoga to stretch. I came to live.” – Maya Breuer

“I change myself, I change the world.” – Gloria Anzaldua

“Our intention creates our reality.” – Wayne Dyer

“I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art.” – Madonna

“We need to remember that we are all created creative.” – Maya Angelou

“The world needs dreamers and the world needs doers. But above all, the world needs dreamers who do.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach

As a self-employed person who works from home, I have the privilege of making my work space look however I want it to look. But even when I worked in an office – whether it was an actual office, with a door and everything (what a treat!) or a drab grey cube in cubicle nation – I always had the best dressed office on the block, the kind of place where my colleagues wanted to hang out.  One time, for a brief while, I had an office that actually was a converted supply closet! But I made it look great. I just found that having a welcoming, personalized, yet still professional space made my creative juices flow and made me feel good about being at work. Some of the personal touches I’ve added to my work space over the years include:

• Small desk lamp with a red shade – casts a slightly pink glow that offsets the awful overhead lights
• Art posters – the Philips Collection used to sell really cheap posters from their long-past exhibitions
• Japanese tea pot w/ four matching cups and wood place mat – got it on sale at Urban Outfitters. Lots of folks stopped by for tea!
• Castoff area rug from an old apartment that I wasn’t using anymore – made those industrial grey carpets look livelier!
• A couple of important personal photographs – too many photos looks junky and unprofessional, but a couple of photos in nice (possibly matching) frames looks great and personalized
• One of those miniature “zen gardens” that they sell at book stores, with the rake and the sand
• A bright blue ottoman – $10 on sale at Bed Bath and Beyond!
• Colorful paper flowers, which I made myself – those bright blue, green, purple, and polka dotted petals never die
• Inspirational books – like quote books, or books w/ questions in them. Right now I’m looking at a book called “Ever Wonder.” Good for a creativity break!

I also love those colorful, pretty file folders that they are selling these days at office supply stores, color coordinated paper clips and binder clips, and all sorts of other fun and funky office supplies.

Maybe this week you could bring one creative thing into your office. If you can’t figure out what to bring, you can also check out “cubicle decoration” tips online – type it into your search engine, and you’ll find thousands of sources of inspiration!

photo: (cc) WorkSpace

For the last few weeks, I’ve felt that I’ve had no time–for yoga, for my hobby of drawing, for reading, for sleeping–lots of things one should not feel the need to note in a daily planner. So, I scheduled a day off today, determined to use it to get my life back on track–a tall order, I suppose, but one I plan on doing every so often.

I’d had three drawings in my head for the last three weeks that I finally finished late Tuesday night. I wouldn’t have noticed the time if it weren’t for my body’s growing complaints. Most of my creations are completed after midnight, when my hand refuses to continue holding markers. This, I realize, is the key to my new life plan.

Some of my friends tell me that they wished they were creative. They have no hobbies, they say, but I don’t believe them. Some are creative cooks or gardeners. Some are great writers and musicians. The other day at work in a strategic planning exercise, we were asked to create and test paper planes. Everyone perked up at the sight of construction paper, glue, and scissors.

Creative endeavors may unleash or reveal your true passion, and can lead to a world of opportunities. Think of this week’s LunaFest, a fantastic event showcasing films that were once a gleam in an artist’s mind. These filmmakers accomplished their projects through a determination, dedication, and spirit that’s in all of us. Schedule time to nurture your creativity and see what happens.

While my life transformation will likely not be completed today, a trip to the art supply store may be in order.