So for me, living a Free Spirit Life is about being authentic, staying true to your values and inner dreams, and being willing to stumble and fumble along the way.  It’s about making mistakes, getting messy, letting go of perfect, trying new things and believing that you are the creator of your own life.  I’m living a Free Spirit Life now because I fall down a lot, but I am willing to get back up because I know I’m happier when I face my fears and keep learning and growing along the way.

Your upcoming course, Inside Out, uses art journaling to help people connect with themselves and their intuition. Can you share an example of a breakthrough that came out of this process?

I started journaling at an early age, and continued the practice through college.  After college I learned about “morning pages.”  It’s a practice taught in Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way,” and it’s where you write 3 pages in your journal every day.  I did this writing practice as a morning ritual for weeks, and learned so much about myself through the process.

I started to see the patterns going on in my life.  Things that I had wanted to do years ago, I was still writing about and complaining that I never had gotten to them.  And it really made me see that I was stuck in the patterns of my own mind, fear, self-doubt and worry.

My journaling practice changed the course of my life and I started gaining the confidence to break free from my hesitations follow those creative yearnings and dreams that I kept secret in my journal for so many years, and actually start living them.

I find there is such power in putting thoughts down on paper.  It brings you one step closer to making those dreams real.  Our thoughts often times define our lives.  We believe those negative things we tell ourselves, we get too scared to share our truth, and we get caught up in those limiting beliefs. Journaling, and specifically art journaling, gives color, breath and life to our deep, authentic, intuitive thoughts.  The ones that whisper to us, and try to guide us in life.  

So often, though, we get distracted, or stressed or just plain exhausted and we start to lose touch with those inner dreams.  Art journaling gives those thoughts a place to go.  And when you make space in your life for your heart to speak, that’s when the true AWAKENING begins.

One exercise we do in Inside Out is to make a list of 25 things that you’ve always wanted to do or try or learn.  I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard from beautiful women from all over the world where this simple exercise has changed their lives.  Many of them end up checking things off the list, way beyond their course experience, and they share how empowering this has been for them.

From one mother over-coming postpartum depression, to another who discovered she’d always wanted to be a suicide hotline intervention specialist – these self-discoveries have allowed so many to share their amazing gifts with the world, and helped make it a better place (while experiencing more peace and JOY in their own lives).

What is your favorite simple family dinner recipe for days when you are busy or need to take a little extra time for your self?

We are kind of obsessed with kale in my family.  It makes me laugh hearing my 5-year-old request kale for dinner.  I didn’t even know what kale was until after college!

Here’s my favorite recipe any time of the year:

Kale & White Bean Soup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 T olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
bunch of fresh basil
large bunch of kale
2 cans of white beans
1 15 oz can of chopped tomatoes
8 – 10 cups of broth (I use water and vegetable boullion)
dash or two of red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste
parmesan cheese (optional)

Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for 2 minutes or until flavorful.  Add the red pepper flakes.  Then add the tomatoes, beans, broth and bring to a gentle boil.

Reduce heat to simmer.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add your bunch of kale and basil, and let wilt, stirring into soup.  Top with parmesan cheese. YUM!  Very nourishing and also tastes great as leftovers.

Inside Out introduces a lot of mindfulness and yoga techniques along with the creative prompts, can you tell us how these elements work so well together?

I always wished I was more creative.  I had a secret dream to be an artist.  But I thought artists were born with this amazing talent – talent that I surely didn’t have.

I kept searching, though.  Trying new things throughout my life – painting, drawing, photography, music, film…  Then, gratefully, yoga found me along my path.  And through the practice of stillness, getting quiet, and letting go, I started to see how the mindfulness that comes with yoga helped me tap into my creativity.  

When I limit distractions in my life and stop striving to be like or keep up with everyone else, that’s when I felt more at peace.  I would lay in savasana (relaxation pose) and actually start to remember how much JOY I get from writing or playing with paint.  I started to follow the messages that told me to paint, or to start an e-course or whatever it was.  Yoga, stillness, and meditation helped quiet my negative mind chatter so that I could express myself creatively.

Being mindful, practicing yoga, taking walks in nature, enjoying a quiet hot bath, writing in a journal, creative prompts, playing with paint, chopping vegetables – these are just a few of many ways that help us let go of the fast paced world and return inside.  And it’s inside – in this place of stillness – where our spirits are set free!

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You can click on the image above to learn more, and Shannon is generously offering a spot for Inside Out, to one lucky Skill It reader! To enter for your chance to win, leave a comment on this post telling us what you would do with a “free spirit”