The Value In Open-Ended Art Projects
I find the "open-ended artist interpretation method" (yes, I made that name up) very effective in helping children and adults be more confident in their artistic process. We are learning about Aphrodite this week in the after-school goddess class. We are using...
In Art As In Life: How Do YOU Approach a Blank Canvas?
When I am working with people in my art-based mindfulness programs, I learn A LOT about them simply by observing the way they approach a blank canvas or a blank page in their journals. In art, as in life, I can pinpoint the perfectionists, identify those who are prone...
Perfection is Overrated
I am far from perfect and it is important for you to know that. We can be far from perfect and still allow ourselves to do the thing because it’s fun, it brings us joy, or it brings meaning into our life.
A Note on Integrity, Artistic and Otherwise
A Note on Integrity: I am putting together the content for an upcoming women's series; a series that was inspired, in large part, by a blog post I recently read. I could have just made up another name for my course and unabashedly utilized this woman's idea, and...
Are You Fostering Fear and Co-Dependence With Your Kids?
Are you unknowingly and unintentionally holding your kids back? Are you encouraging fear, close-mindedness, co-dependence, and inadequacy? Are you fostering a clique-based mindset? If you have ever held your child back from new activities and experiences because you...
Always Just Try
I don’t know who the young artist was who painted these words and left them behind…but they are a powerful reminder to try something. To stay in a state of growth and wonder.
Gimme Some Space!
A couple weeks ago, I asked the people closest to me for some space. The world is a noisy place and, for me, space = clarity. Plus, even though you would never suspect it, I am 40% introvert and being away from everyone and everything from time to time is how I...
Being a Human Is Hard
I've been feeling some pretty big feelings lately. When I share that, it has a tendency to make a lot of people uncomfortable because my circle and the people I serve are used to my default settings, which are: ♦️Happy Jenn, ♦️Find the Silver Lining Jenn, ♦️I Will...
Your Child’s Shelf-Life As An Athlete Is Limited But Their Character Is Forever
I've observed a particular trend for over a decade now and it's time to share my thoughts on it. As most of you know, the majority of my programs are geared towards children in middle-elementary school through middle school, with some complementary programs for high...
This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things
What possesses a group of people to leave about 10 pounds of trash on the beach? I can't remember if I was taught to leave a place better than I found it or if I was instinctively born with that trait. I can't remember if I was taught to honor and appreciate the world...
Notes From the Garden
I lived in the city growing up, in a top floor apartment above my paternal grandparents. Our yard was 2/3 concrete, but my mother made the other 1/3 look like a lush, verdant paradise. She had a square garden alongside the driveway, couldn't have been more than 4'x4',...
Frustration and Feedback Loops
My youngest daughter is frustrated…I won’t harp on these things and I will let her feel her frustration and encourage her to look within for the solutions.