Dear Full of Life Women:

I'm off for a little R&R, including 7 days of art making! I've been blogging about this odd, wild, bizarre experience because I have not taken an art class -- visual art -- since high school! My college degree is in film so I took a photography, filmmaking, writing, and even animation during those years and then I left that (thankfully) behind fourteen years ago for my present work...  So to be actually attending classes to make something? My eyes are wide with wonder at what I am doing!

I have to say, what thrills me most is change is possible, miracles do happen, and mostly when we least expect them or where we least expect them.

Wonderingly Yours,

P.S. "Eavesdrop" as I have a very comfortable chat with the author of  Meditation Secrets for Women, Camille Maurine, about Female Energy and how to honor, cultivate and get comfortable with it.  It's yours for the taking!
http://ComfortQueen.com/audio/podcasts/podcast3.m3u

P.S.S. My Body + Soul column is changing to a Q&A and I want to use the format to serve you better. The theme that has emerged from your first round of questions (thank you!!!) is "When I truly take care of myself then..." my family gets resentful, I lose my drive to succeed, I..." What real life challenges are you having in the dance of self-care? AND IF YOU HAVE any other questions relating to making self-care a practical and real part of your life, send them to jennifer@comfortqueen.com and tell me what first name you'd like be known under. I'll tell you if I use your question. I'd love to have our community spread out into the glossy pages of Martha's realm -- it could be quite revolutionary.

If you haven't yet checked out our wonderful sponsors for March, Artella, please take a moment to do so!

Self-Care Minder
Creative, Connected Self Care

Most self care materials are related to how you manage your own needs when taking care of others, especially when other people are ill or incapacitated. This little newsletter article intends to flesh out the idea of self care in a couple of directions.  The first relates to how we creatively care for ourselves when we are feeling full, luscious, and charged with energy.  I love it when I wake up and for no apparent reason I feel on top of the world!  It inspires me to make a special morning beverage, do a long glorious stretch to the sky, or hug my daughter with extra energy.   I know that the more we fully engage in that positive energy charge, the longer it lasts and the more we spread it to others.

Secondly, research has shown that just watching a person do something nice for someone else increases the release of positive chemicals from the brain and our energy goes up. The opposite is also true where seeing negative things either causes our brains to go into neutral or causes stress-related responses.  So whether we are watching those around us or watching ourselves, we cannot help but be affected on multiple levels.  Our attitudes are incredibly important so the next time you take a few extra minutes of sleep, get your hair cut, or go running try to stay in the flow of positivity—watch yourself taking good care and let the positive juju flood you as if you were seeing someone else that you love being tended by a gentle, loving caregiver.  It makes it more likely that you will get the maximum benefits from your efforts and have more left over to share.  We have the power to author our own narrative about self care!

Comfort Wishes
Christina Baldwin tells a story in her new book Storycatcher (watch for my interview with Christina on an upcoming podcast) about the Babemba tribe in southern Africa. When a person does something wrong, something that injures the tribe, everyone gathers around the "offender" and one by one they tell the stories of everything he has done right in his life. They recite a truthful praise list. They "appreciate the person back into the better part of himself. The person is given a chance to remember who he is and why he is important to the life of the village," Christina writes. This is a life-giving story--truthful and shared for the sake of goodness and growth.

What life giving story will you tell yourself this week?
When is the last time you share a truthful praise list with someone who is hurting or someone you love?
What about with yourself? (There are some powerful praise lists on the Inner Organizer community boards).

Wishing you a circle of stories that remind you of the best part of yourself and your connection to your tribe.

Creativity Day Spa Give-Away! Must enter by TODAY, March 29!

If you look up "spa" in the special imaginary ComfortQueen dictionary it will show "self care" as a synonym!  Coincidence? I think not.

If your creative life needs a little R&R, some luscious pampering, and a day of splendid nurturing (and whose does not??), then our series of April Creativity Spas are just the ticket.

Please note that early bird registration for the first Spa, Swimming into the Creative Flow, ends on March 29th. After that, registration will increase by 20% to $130. So, if you're planning to attend the April Spa, register today, now, this moment to nail down your early-bird pricing.  Who wants to be a late-bird?!

Kick-off Jennifer's 2006 Self-Care USA Tour and enter our free raffle! You could win the Creativity Day Spa of your choice! Each Spa is an uplifting, playful mix of SoulCollage., expressive movement, creative journaling, and guided visualization from which you will emerge sparkling and glowing with renewed creative energy. The winner will choose from one of four uniquely themed Spas and receive the SoulCollage book by Seena Frost and Jennifer's Comfort Secrets for Busy Women!

Spa dates, times, themes and location can be found here: http://www.comfortqueen.com/dayspas.html

Entering to win is easy! Enter online by March 29th at: http://www.comfortqueen.com/dayspacontest.html

If you win the raffle, we'll refund all of your money. You have to be in it to win it!  Tell a friend! 

The winner will be announced via the Louden Mouth blog on March 30th!