interview: marisa haedike of creative thursday

Good MORNING! A big hello to Monday, yes? It's going to be a good week! And I have quite the treat for you to start it out-- an interview with Marisa of Creative Thursday. SO, dig in and enjoy, because Marisa's answers to my questions are thoughtful, honest, and inspiring, and it makes me want to meet her in person!

1. Tell us a bit about yourself. (What's your favorite color? What can't you live without? What do you do all day? What's your favorite way to relax? Share whatever random bits you'd like!)

A bit about myself. How much room do you have here at your blog? As you may or may not know my ongoing commentary in regards to myself is "brevity is not always my strongpoint" I can be shy, and even a good listener some of the time, but once you get me started...I have a lot to say. Clearly one of the reasons I started podcasting and am now teaching and experimenting with video blogging. I do actually like to "say" it instead of write it if I have a choice which is one reason if you ask me to do a written interview like this it can take me a very long time to respond {thank you for your patience Jess!} So other fun facts per your prompting ~ favorite color: right now {as it changes quite frequently} a yellow gold ~ what can't I live without? many, many things ~ clearly being stranded on a desert island would not be a good thing for me although I will say that I've been inspired to simplify my life these days and de-cluttering has been a huge part of that...maybe there is actually quite a lot I thought I couldn't live without that I actually can. You see what I mean about the brevity...! My first answer to that question would be Sean ~ the man I live with ~ just love him ~ and then of course any materials I can create with, those are a must have. What do I do all day? Honestly right now, I try to get my work done and create more space in my life so I can get back to creating and making things. My favorite way to relax? Creating, Surfing, Yoga and lately watching Mad Men seasons 1 & 2 back to back for hours at a time.

2. What is abundance to you?

Abundance is believing there is enough for everyone ~ that because someone else has the great fortune of having something you want, does not mean that you can't have it too. It is instead an example of what IS possible.


3. What are 5 things you are grateful for right now, in this moment?

1. Sean {obviously since I can't live without him}
2. A fan & the ice cold glass of green tea I'm having {we're having a heat wave right now as I write this to you}
3. My creative girlfriends or as I call them the "creative girls" who are THE BEST ~ that's all I'll say otherwise I'm likely to gush on too long
4. the fact that I get to live this life I dreamed of for so long
5. the awareness I've grown into that allows me to finally show up as the person I really want to be more and more each day.


4. What is your favorite part of your day?

Dusk. I'm a dusk girl what can I say. Just as the sun goes down and the clouds turn pink


5. What is one huge, crazy-seeming goal that you dream about accomplishing?

Right now I'm thinking I might like to have my own TV show called "Creative Thursday" ~ or even better make a documentary along the same ideas I have for the show ~ oh and have I mentioned only a million times before, I'd like to explore living in Europe part time too, but that is seeming easier and easier to accomplish.


6. Do you have any irrational fears/worries that you'd love to let go of?

Yes, while my awareness is growing as I mentioned above, there are always things I'd like to let go of. I keep hoping I reach this plateau of being "done" but it seems like the plateau just keeps growing as I do ~ imagine that? Sometimes I'm so grateful for this life, I worry that it might all "go away" one day. When you've struggled to get to where you are, which I don't recommend the "struggling" part by the way, it can really take some time to get comfortable in the idea that the life you've grown into is for real and that it might actually just keep getting better.


7. Do you have any tricks for turning a bad mood into a good mood?

Yes, I'm happy to say I'm getting better at this one too. While I still sometimes get in bad moods they seem to move on a lot faster than they used to. Also I am just having less and less tolerance for a bad mood. As soon as I feel like the bad mood has come on, I try right away to be an observer as to what's causing it exactly, and that in itself softens the mood. And then I can begin to see clearer how to move out of it, or just give into it. Usually I realize there's nothing "bad" happening in that moment and I'm just deciding to interpret things as bad. When I recognize that fact, it's a lot easier for me to move on. If there is actually something making me uncomfortable in that moment, I just try to to take action to change the circumstance if I can and if I can't I'll just ride it out and not judge myself or the moment too harshly. You know that old saying, but it's true, "this too shall pass" and keeping that in mind is also good ~ and if all else fails! Take a NAP.


8. What daily practices do you follow, if any, to stay focused on positivity and abundance in your life? (Journaling, meditating, drawing, visualization, reading, etc.)

I wish I could say that I was good at keeping up with a practice, especially a daily one. I'm working on it. Because while that seems to be the "trend of choice" in spiritual circles it does help. Taking time each day to breathe and notice all the good that is around you. I do go to yoga weekly and while that's also a bit of a "trend" ~ I'm happy to say that it's a trend that has stuck for me over the last 9 years and if I don't go, let's just say I can tell. I find lately it also really helps if I read from a book that inspires me, even if it's just a few sentences. It is the quickest way for me to get back to feeling myself.


9. Do you have a favorite quote or author that help you remember to live and think abundantly?

I never have a favorite quote ~ too hard to narrow down ~ but I do have a lot of favorite books that contain many wonderful quotes I try to keep in mind and I'll share some of those authors with you.

Esther & Jerry Hicks
Elaine St. James
Eckhart Tolle
Catherine Ponder


10. Can you share some books or blogs with us that you think Pecannoot readers might love?

Books related to the authors above:
Money and the Law of Attraction
Simplify your Life
A New Earth
Dynamic Laws of Prosperity

Blogs that remind me to live and think abundantly:
maya made
christine mason miller
soule mama

***
For more inspiration from Marisa, make sure to visit her website, the Creative Thursday blog, etsy shop, and flickr page. Oh, and you can follow her on twitter, too!

*Thank you so much, Marisa!*