The Digital Gem for January is a tool for developing your personal power through relaxation and rejuvenation.

Unlike most digital resources, there’s absolutely nothing to learn, and no charge whatsoever. All you need is a computer and a six minutes to enjoy this free guided meditation by Sally Canning, who is a catalyst for personal growth.

This is an easy way to snag a few minutes to your self and indulge in some self care. Perfect for beating the winter blues. Ideal for strengthening your personal power and confidence! Give it a go and let me know what you think?!

Extreme Self Care

A guide to owning your personal power. A lovely grounding few minutes of relaxation and recharging time to yourself.

My diary 2012

The year is new, fresh, almost untouched, like the crisp, white snow that didn’t fall this year. So far. I’ve been inaugurating my diary for 2012. The feeling of leather, paper, pen, ink. Birthdays. Holidays. Thoughts. Dreams. Travel plans? Not quite yet. And even though I have some ideas for what I’d like to do in 2012, I’m enjoying watching the new year unfold, listening to my possibilities, my dreams and ideas. 

Although the light’s returning, it’s still dark and drab. Grey days. Not quite the right time for New Year’s resolutions, is it? Perhaps it isn’t surprising that most people have forgotten about the mango smoothies come the end of January, and put their jogging shoes in the wardrobe by the end of February (who can jog on ice anyway?).

I’ve been digging into my inner landscape with the Winter Shift, to connect deeply with my inner life. Intuition. And the funny thing is that I’ve been doing a lot of typical resolution things, but with ease… naturally… not planned… not forced. Not thinking of these changes as resolutions. And I’m a New Year’s resolution rebel! Interesting to observe.

How is your New Year unfolding so far?  Are you a New Year’s resolution rebel too, or do you find the commitment works well for you? 

Winter Goal Kit

The Winter Goal Kit is beginning to fall into place. It’s a practical and soulful goal kit that takes its cue from the potent dormancy of winter. The time of year when we naturally turn inwards to our imagination, rejuvenation, creativity, dreams and reflections. There is activity beneath the surface. There is work going on, but inside. Outwardly, we need to rest, just like the soil has to rest to bring new seeds into germination in the spring. During the long, dark, peaceful winter nights we reach clarity and get in touch with our intuitive side. We find our true selves, our real dreams, and when the season turns to outer activity, we’ll be guided by our inner selves. It’s during the dark season of winter, that we find illuminating light.

iPhone photography: Autumn on Kungsholmen

You wouldn’t think it’s November. Not by the look of it. In Sweden we’ve had the longest, warmest autumn in 130 years. So I thought “perhaps it’s no wonder that I don’t get that winter feeling, that I find it hard to grasp that it’s soon Christmas? “

But eventually it dawned on me that the holidays aren’t far off, and like everyone else I’ve got a lot of work to finish before the holidays set in, personal preparations as well as the Winter Shift Goal Kit to finish up and release. What I need to be doing now is tuning out of obligations (since I have so many already), not turning them up to full volume! I feel out of sync because I wasn’t mentally prepared. I need the Winter Shift Goal Kit myself! And I started dreading the Live Website Make Over!

Then I got let off the hook. I found out that a new version of Headway (the tool I’m using) will be released soon, so why learn it once and then learn it again? Much better to wait until after it’s been updated! So now you know why I’ve refreshed my focus, shifted my goals, and why I’m putting the Live Website Make Over on hold.

iPhone photography: Melting snow

A vague promise of spring to come. Windy. A cheeky twinkle on the ice covered lake. Snow sliding off rooftops.

Here are three links to celebrate the 100 anniversary of  International Women’s Day.

• Top 100 women. They have led countries, broken through glass ceilings and been in space.
• Book recommendation: Spitfire Women of World War II by Giles Whittell. Extremely inspiring and empowering story of unsung heroines!
• Bond supports gender equality. Starring Daniel Craig and Dame Judi Dench.

iPhone photography: Heather covered in snow

I was going to write about how spring had been in the air, and how remarkable the quality of light is this time of year, when a blizzard transformed the landscape into a cotton wool dreamscape.

Then history was made. Egyptian Dictator Mubarak resigned. The bravery of the Egyptian people transformed Egypt, with a velvet revolution. Bringing a bright light into our world. I cried for joy, watching images of the Egyptians celebrating. People dancing in the streets in Egypt… So moved, so happy…

Today is a day to celebrate a new dawn for Egypt and for human rights.

iPhone photography: Park and star reflection

iPhone photography: tulips and book

I won’t be going to Paris in April, I didn’t get the artist’s grant I’d applied for, but it looks like my work will be published in a new book about Swedish Illustration. And yes, I’ll apply for the Paris grant again!

Just now I’m inspired by

• The quality of light, it’s remarkable, it lifts my spirits and it’s awfully difficult to capture on film!
• life drawing
• The Golden Eagle I saw outside my windows one morning, just after I’d finished my yoga. (also hard to capture with a camera)
• tulips and books by the historical novelist Lindsey Davis
• people skating on the lake
• Nerd Valentine. Valentine’s Day gift ideas for the nerd in your life. ♥
• astounding winter sunsets (again tricky to capture on film)

Valentine's Day mini cards

Here’s a batch of free mini cards or gift tags for Valentine’s Day.

Time to celebrate love! Send a Valentine to your sweetheart or to a friend or make Valentine’s day a special day for yourself. Tickets for two? A night out? A romantic gift? How about treating your friend to lunch out? A visit to a museum? A scenic drive? A cup of tea, a movie or dinner with someone you love?

I’m sharing the mini cards or gift tags with you in a printable PDF-file for you to print out, cut up and enjoy! I’ve also included the design as a set of small digital cards, just the right size to pop in an e-mail. I hope you have fun using and sharing these Valentine designs!

Save these Valentine’s mini cards/gift tags to your computer.