I was Bertha-sized. Listen in and then post what you love about your life. I’d love to hear and so would everybody else.
I’ve almost finished what feels like my first real painting (I’ll post a picture of it soon). Why real? I’ve been taking a painting class with Dion Zwirner for the last three weeks and the effort and learning has let loose something in my body. I worked all afternoon yesterday and then dreamed about painting as I slept. It’s also because I’m actually learning things like COLOR MIXING, BRUSH HOLDING, and CREATING TEXTURES and because I had an actual idea emerge while painting and I articulated it. That’s a first for sure — before I haven’t grasped how to have a visual idea. I don’t know how else to say it.
I suspect Dion thought I was rather hopeless– I asked a lot of basic questions and had no time to work on the painting between classes until yesterday– but today, she actually liked what I finished. However, she kept saying , "I was really worried." Not the best for building confidence yet on the other hand, you know when she says something positive, she means it. No false pats on the artist ego here.
Book stuff has been fun–radio shows and one book signing so far. I’m very happy with the book–it feels very whole and grounding and even classic (!) Alicia LaChance art makes an illuminating, mystical echo.
I focusing now on discovering fun and joyful ways to get the book it into every women’s hands that would benefit– it has to be fun– no clutching or desperation allowed. I found myself fantasizing about Oprah the last two days–how fun it would be to take three women through working with the life organizing process over a couple of months and see what shifts. I have to be careful, however, that I stay in the flow of doing good work and detaching form the results rather than being consumed by mbition and ego. Very slippery slope for me.
Do you get my emails when I write back to Typepad when you post or should I post my comments here??? I’d love to see more comments and discussion, and wonder if there is less than some other blogs because I’m writing my responses into the ether?
14 responses so far ↓
1 ruby girl Feb 8, 2007
i am eagerly waiting by my mailbox for your book to arrive (i have LOVED your other ones…)
i hope you come to dallas or austin some time soon….
2 BethQ Feb 9, 2007
I posted recently but did not receive a response from you.
As for Oprah, I volunteer to be one of the three women who tries out the book for the show! (I am planning to get the book anyway. In fact, I thought I had pre-ordered it but maybe, since it has not come, I didn’t?) I am going through some major shifts in my life. I am excited and energized and ALL OVER THE PLACE!
3 erinn Feb 9, 2007
Unless your replies to comments are personal to that person, I would love to read more of your replies on your blog.
I think it’s cool for you to fantasize about having your book on Oprah. It sounds like it comes more from the desire to help people than to become famous. Just an outsiders view.
e
4 Lauren Miranda Feb 9, 2007
Dear Jen, I love the book and what you wrote in it for me. So far I am just holding a different question every day, letting it roll around inside of me, watching what arises. “What would help my body feel listened to and loved?” “How have I been talking to myself lately?” I am thinking, too, about the best format for me for dialoging with these questions on paper… thanks for your many ideas on this.
I see your “Oprah vision” as just that – maybe a snapshot sent from your future self of what is actually up ahead – not an ego fantasy but simply what will be. It’s a perfect topic for Oprah and I’m sure her many viewers would benefit greatly from being introducted to The Life Organizer.
Enjoy, just continue letting yourself open petal by petal, let it all unfold…
Love,
Lauren Miranda
5 Daphne Feb 9, 2007
Just de-lurking here to say that I’d love to be more involved in this, and that I really enjoy your site and your books. I’ll start posting more often!!
Daphne Phillips
http://www.somewhere-i-have-never-travelled.blogspot.com
6 Daphne Feb 9, 2007
I just commented, not sure if you received it.
Anyway, again, I would love to be more involved, and will post more often! I have gotten a lot out of your books and would love to be part of the discussion.
Daphne
http://www.somewhere-i-have-never-travelled.blogspot.com
7 Kate Iredale Feb 9, 2007
Jen, I was having problems signing in with Typekey, but it seems I’ve finally sorted that out! I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time now and enjoy your openess. Your courage to push the limits and keep on going is always inspiring. Now that I’ve made it past the “typekey guardians”, I’ll be posting more often.
8 Carla Feb 9, 2007
Hiya Jen! My reason for not commenting is I’m too lazy to login to Typekey. Pathetic, I know! I’m excited to see your new painting and love that you’re learning new techniques to let loose what’s inside. I received The Life Organizer today (even posted a photo of your inscription http://zenamoon.typepad.com/weblog/2007/02/chasing_butterf.html — wheeee!) and am about to climb into bed to start reading it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
9 Tara Feb 9, 2007
I just listened to the Bertha Show and am really excited to read your new book. Not sure if you got my e-mail question about whether or not you ship to Canada? I’ll order it from Chapters if you don’t. Am hoping to get it as soon as possible, as I’m taking a few months off work to just be a mom and get my novel revisions done.
So off the cuff, here are some things I love about my life today…
I love going into the bedroom at the sound of my baby’s cry and seeing his little whimper switch to a wide toothless smile when he realizes I’ve come in to rescue him.
I love watching how excited my daughter gets when her dad pretends to munch up a whole serving of chocolate hippo burger, prepared especially for him in an old Raggedy Ann stove that used to be mine.
I love that I live in a town that is small enough so that my husband’s commute to work is a two minute drive and that it is big enough that we have two lakes and a great library with an excellent section just for kids.
I love that I have a real bed and no longer sleep on a futon…
I love that my husband does all of the grocery shopping and he just walked through the door with lots of new food!
10 Becky Bilyeu Feb 10, 2007
Happy Hello to you Jennifer,
Becky Bilyeu http://www.soulfulartisan.com
This is my first time commenting, but after reading your blog for so long, I feel like I have known you for years and that on some how we are connected. I want to tell you how much you have INSPIRED and MOTIVATED me to make some incredible changes in my life. Especially in the direction of following my creative passion! Namaste’!
I have been the proprietress of Touchstone Coffee House (www.touchstonecoffeehouse) for the past 8 years and early last fall I began exploring the possability of selling the business, so I could pay off some debt and start fresh and FOCUS ON MY ART and PHOTOGRAPHY…a lot of that desire came from reading your blogs…anyway, a couple months later a woman came in very interested in my business and videotaped everything and looked at the books, etc. I felt sure she was going to make an offer. Then I was informed in early December by my land lords, that they would not be renewing my lease come 4/30/07 and that this prospective buyer was actually their “business partner” and she would be opening a coffeehouse on her own in that location. (Since she is now their business partner SHE comes to my shop weekly to pick-up my rent, not my land lords!) I was shocked and devastated. My livihood and the COMMUNITY HAVEN I had built and nurtured would simply be gone….so that is my sad story and I have decided to make lemonaide out of lemons and I am just putting one foot in front of the other. I have no idea what I am doing but I am doing it. I have started my first blog and have had a lovley web site created http://www.soulfulartisan.com (thanks again for your inspiration)!
I would invite you to consider me to be one of your three women to work with to go to the Oprah show…If not I sure hope you and I can meet some day or start an on line dialogue sometime in our busy schedules.
*I am at a place in my life where your work with me would be critical in my transition and I think many people could benefit from my experience.
*Whether or not you work with me…I applaud you for taking your new book on the road to Oprah…she is a key to the masses my dear.
It is one of my goals before I die to meet her and be a guest on her show I just haven’t figured out how…this would be a lovely way to go!!! *I need to get your new book still, I wanted to get one of the personalized copies but had budget restraints at the timeyou were selling them. I am hoping to meet you when you are in Portland. If you have time, come by Touchstone for a cup of something warm before we close while you are in town. Check out my new web site and leave your comments there too or feel free to e-mail me. My future comments will not always be this long I promise! Bright blessings to you and yours and have a most succulant Valentine’s Day! Kudos on the paint class, can’t wait to see what you have created!
11 Bernadette Darnell Feb 10, 2007
hi Jen, I have posted before and had replies back from you which tickled me pink! I took your teleclass last week and loved it even though it was quite late for me, I got lots of notes and have found some of them invaluable this week.
Loving my life at the moment, am doing a Kaizen coaching course with Jill Badonsky which is fab fab fab, have my low moments of course, my doubtful moments and my splendidly imperfect moments wondering if anyone will really like my art/writing/coaching. When someone does I am on a high for days. I love the gentle questions you pose. In fact I set up a gorgeous womens group a couple of years ago and used lots from Sarks books and yours and it was a great success. I am just about to order your latest book now the shipping is sorted for the UK and if you should by chance take 3 women on Oprah, please choose me – there is so much of me to work with ~ in the biggest sense of the word! So thanks for your class last week and I love reading your blog. love and magical moments abound bernix
12 Jennifer Louden Feb 11, 2007
Dear All Of You,
I’m loving that I asked for more comments – how thrilling to read what you each are up to and what you love about your lives. Tara, I’m sorry about the loss of your lease – it reminds me of my first job out of college. I was so naive; my shitty boss was interviewing his next assistant without telling me. So here I was cheerfully leading them (all thin and blonde mind you!) into his office all day before I figured it out. I’d love to meet you in at my Portland book signing if you can get away.
Just for the record, Oprah is a vision at this point, not a reality. I wonder what I would do with three women for three months related to the book? Thoughts? You see I struggle TERRIBLY with finding succinct ways to talk about what I write / do and it truly does mean less exposure and sales. I’m too damn complicated and serious.
Carla, Lauren, do you like the new book? Will you use it?? Feedback on how to talk about the book to people?
YES TARA I will ship to Canada and everybody, I’m writing personal inscriptions for the next 3 weeks as I’m filling all the orders while Mom is in Florida seeing her best friend and my sister. I’m decorating some packages and having fun with tape!
Okay, off for my nap. Just finished a new podcast, it will be up tomorrow. Can Art Save the World??
13 kt Feb 12, 2007
I just ran into this blog and really liked it. To be frank, I have not read any of your books. I am not sure if we get them in India, but next time I am out to a major bookstore, I’ll be sure to check. I read some excerpts on your site http://www.jenniferlouden.com/writing.htm and really liked them. Keep up the good work.
14 Jane Carroll Feb 14, 2007
Jenn,
I’m loving my life because I had the opportunity of Bertha-Sizing you! You were a great guest and an inspiration to all of us every day! I also love my life because for the first time since my children were young, I have the flexibility to take off to Florida next week to spend time with my parents, my sister, my daughter and my 7 month old granddaughter. It is awesome to have a career that I love and that gives me this kind of flexibility!