On a positive note though, via Kind over Matter, I came across this little gem from Tara Gentile, otherwise known as Scoutie Girl. It seemed apt, following on from my post on Thursday, for me to actually try and take action. So maybe this will help.
(Slightly late) Friday Find: Creating Action
On a positive note though, via Kind over Matter, I came across this little gem from Tara Gentile, otherwise known as Scoutie Girl. It seemed apt, following on from my post on Thursday, for me to actually try and take action. So maybe this will help.
Do the Messy
I've been thinking about my e-course addiciton, and more importantly why, despite the best intentions and high expectations, I rarely complete any of the courses in its entirety. Whilst chatting to one of my girlfriends recently, we realised we both share a similar relationship with our self-help books too, and decided the problem is we "don't like doing the messy."
We both love the rush of initially inspiration (seriously, nothing gets me more excited than reading the e-course introduction and the promise of all the potential I am going to uncover and reveal about myself...) but never quite finish the journey. I love the structure, the framework, the timetable to revelation. But don't want to do the work inbetween, the stuff I am meant to figure out on my own. It's too messy.
The Artist's Way is a classic example for me. A course in book form, and have I made it past week 4? Ever? Don't get me wrong, I've read the entire book, but have I completed it? So it is the same with e-courses. I've read all the PDFs, watched all the videos, but when it comes to actually doing a little work myself... it somehow trails off.
Is my fascination with e-courses about looking for the course that will complete me? When all along I should just be completing the course?
We both love the rush of initially inspiration (seriously, nothing gets me more excited than reading the e-course introduction and the promise of all the potential I am going to uncover and reveal about myself...) but never quite finish the journey. I love the structure, the framework, the timetable to revelation. But don't want to do the work inbetween, the stuff I am meant to figure out on my own. It's too messy.
The Artist's Way is a classic example for me. A course in book form, and have I made it past week 4? Ever? Don't get me wrong, I've read the entire book, but have I completed it? So it is the same with e-courses. I've read all the PDFs, watched all the videos, but when it comes to actually doing a little work myself... it somehow trails off.
Is my fascination with e-courses about looking for the course that will complete me? When all along I should just be completing the course?
You are your own muse
This week alone, I have become aware of 3 new e-courses being launched.
3 in one week! And those are just the ones I know of.
Hmm, Cam might need to take on a second job...
And just the name of this e-course had me swooning!
I literally had to sit on my hands this morning as I looked over Vivienne McMaster's debut into the World of E-courses. You Are Your Own Muse sounds positively delicious, and I immediately had a musical montage in my mind of skipping through the gold and orange autumn forest in my red boots (which I don't actually own yet), taking evocative self portraits, and then barely able to contain the flood of blog posts which would result from my journey of self discovery... sigh.
In all seriousness, the course genuinely sounds empowering. I love the concept of "putting yourself in the picture" and embracing who you are and where you are - both literally and figuratively. For me, it would be a timely experience to balance the excitement of potential and the fear of change that is happening both within me and around me...
Just not right now though. There is such a thing as over-subscribing. I should know!
Good job, I have a feeling the course will be a success and I will hopefully get the opportunity to do it in the future; but if anyone reading has signed up, please let me know how it goes so at least I can share some of it vicariously through you :)
* image by Vivienne McMaster
Eye Candy
Like many of the new generation of photographers, I am self taught.
I have a diary entry capturing the moment I realised photography was something I wanted to develop, and I likened the experience to suddenly realising you are in love with your best friend.
I don't know why, but as I typed that, this scene came into my head; and you can't think of Some Kind of Wonderful without remembering this scene... Oh the classics from my youth...
Anyway, once I had made the decision, the Internet was like a treasure trove to me, and I found so many amazing photographers, artists really, whose work I admired. Sheye Rosemeyer was one of my early discoveries, and to this day, her work still blows my mind.
She has such an distinctive style. Ethereal. Timeless.
I couldn't get enough.
So you can imagine my excitement when she announced her online workshops!
Look, the workshop site alone gives you a sampling of the attention to detail Sheye has.
Isn't it just divine?
I signed up for Evolve, and it was not a disappointment.
Unfortunately, at the time, photography and e-courses were still a very new concept to me, so I don't feel I took full advantage of the forum. Since then I have grown and evolved so much, both as a photographer and blogger, I think I would gain a completely different experienceif I had the opportunity to do it all over again.
Who knows, I may well sign up again the next time the workshop comes round!
* image by Sheye Rosemeyer
The Story Catcher
Today is Day One of Shimelle's True Sories class, and I am only part way through the introductory email, when I was reminded of Jen Lee's Take Me With You journal.
I adore Jen Lee's site. I love her podcasts and find her sweet voice so inspiring.
This story in particular really caught my imagination.
Do you believe in synchronicity?
I often heard that when you find the path you are meant to tread, mysterious doorways become open to you. This is how I feel right now.
Interestingly enough, I actually have most of the tools already at my disposal.
Unwittingly I had been gathering them along the way. Now I just need to learn how to use them.
Unfortunately Jen Lee's journal is currently sold out, but I am thankful I have a copy.
Some time ago Jen also ran a free online journal-a-long.
Now might be the time for me to do it.
* image by Jen Lee
Friday Find: World-Changing Writing Workshop (in a box)
Rewind 9 years, I fancied myself as a bit of an activist.
My interest in social justice was piqued, and as we were living in Central London at the time, Cam and I participated in various protests and direct action campaigns. I started studying International Development and environmental issues, and I felt passionate about making the World a better place. I believed in the power of change. In the the individual. In the collective.
Looking back now, I realise it wasn't just about politics. It was about personal empowerment.
It was about trusting my voice to be heard.
Changes creep in though. Family obligation precipitated a move back to the County, and before we knew it, subsistence living became a priority. We got older. Generally caught up in the machinations of everyday existence. We became tired. We are being responsible now. Being grown-ups.
I became quiet.
So when I first saw this workshop, despite the flicker of my earlier dreams, I quickly snuffed it out.
World changing writing was just a luxury I could not afford (both in time and money) to learn.
What did I really have to say, after all? So I reluctantly let it pass me by...
Apparently there's been some seismic energy shifts in the World of late. I know my personal World has been shifting quite dramatically recently, and I am reaching towards my mondo beyondo dreams more openly. So maybe it is no coincidence that this link re-appeared in my life.
A Friday Find indeed, Pace and Kyeli Smith are offering the World-Changing Writing Workshop on a pay what you can afford sale until Saturday, 23 October 2010. Sometimes when there's a blatant signpost from the Universe, you just got to follow it.
* image from World Changing Writing
* link to this fabulous offer was found via Goddess Leonie
Pretty paper and true stories
Before I was a blogger, probation worker, photographer; I was a scrapbooker.
I didn't know that was what I did, but for the first four years of our marriage, on our anniversary, I would present Cam with an album of the last year we shared together. It contained anything from photos, to emails, to ticket stubs, and those initial albums are amongst my most treasured possessions now. Seriously. You think you won't forget the good times, but as the days, months and years come inbetween those memories, they do get lost. Looking through them today, I am reminded how much we have actually accomplished and done as a couple, and that makes me happy - my only regret is that I didn't continue with it for the last 5 years!
Anyway, it was this creative journey which led me to discover the blogs which would later transform my World, and amongst the first (if not the first) was Shimelle Laine.
Although she now offers a range of online classes, back in the time, she was just launching her Journal Your Christmas class which also became my first online class experience. Again, I didn't complete the course (are you sensing a pattern here?) , but one of the great things about Shimelle's classes are: once you've registered, you stay registered! So each year the class rolls round, I start with the best intentions all over the again. Maybe 2010 is going to be my year :)
Now, I am not a traditional scrapbooker as such. I don't actually have the patience (or ability!) to embellish my pages and I've found, from past experience, trying to do so just frustrates me more than anything else! However I love the concept of preserving my memories. So, although Shimelle mixes it all up with pretty papers, it's ultimately her true stories which inspire me. Take a look at her blog and you will see it's literally overflowing with tips, free projects and even cupcake recipes. It just makes me want to grab a cuppa, roll up my sleeves and get creative!
The reason I am blogging about Shimelle today however, is she is just about to launch a new class.
I feel my e-course bone twitching, and I am trying to resist all my urges to sign up now. But it looks so good, and is right up my alley... and for only £10, despite the scary economic climate and recent spending review, I can afford it, right...?
image from shimelle
Goddess Circle
Now if you want an unbelievably good, value-for-money, e-course experience, Goddess Leonie of Goddess Guidebook currently has a very generous offer.
I took Leonie's first e-course sometime ago, and although I didn't complete the course (I have all the materials downloaded and ready to go again!) I came away from that experience with much more than I could have ever hope for - because it was on that course where I "met" the amazing LeonieWise who in turn organised a meet up which would later blossom into the BBC* This totally reaffirms the connection aspect of an e-course which I love, and I know has similarly transformed the lives of others too.
Anyway, I digress. So, back to darling Leonie who is as colourful as her artwork...
Have a look at her blog, and you will probably fall in love too with this gorgeous woman who positively overflows with enthusiasm. Truth be known, I'm not very comfortable with being called a Goddess, but I like what it represents. I like that her courses are about exploring our creativity, replenishing our bodies, and being comfortable with who we are. Seeing how comfortable Leonie is with herself inspires the same. I adore her energy and, even though I am a lot less gregarious and extrovert, she makes me smile. Now that has to be a good thing, right?
Within the Goddess Circle there are currently 3 e-courses (amongst other goodies) available, and although they are archived materials from the original run courses, there are new cycles of the courses starting within the Circle all the time; so for example, today begins a new cycle of the Radiant Goddess e-course which I'm hoping to join in on. Also, despite being a new mum, Leonie continues to share herself online and still takes the time to respond personally in most of the discussions taking place in the Goddess Circle.
I'll report back on how I get on with the Radiant Goddess e-course.
Day One is always full of good intentions, although I feel I may have hit a stumbling block already by having completed my weekly shop before consulting the 86 page recipe guide. Oops.
Tip #1 Check the menu and get necessary ingredients BEFORE the start of any course which involves modifying your eating habits!
* BBC = 7 wonders of the World Susannah, Emma, Leonie, Sas, Meg, Lisa and Jo
image from Goddess Guidebook
What is an e-course?
I forwarded my blog link to a friend last night and she came back with a very good question:
"I still don't really understand what an e-course is..."
So for the benefit of dear Emma, and anyone else who might not fully understand how an e-course works, here's a quick and basic summary ~
E-course is basically shorthand for electronic course. Much like e-mail stands for electronic mail.
As such the entire course is conducted online, often utilising various tools, from private blogs and discussion boards, to videos and audio files. Many courses are run in real time, so although you don't have to all be online at the same time, overall everyone is working within a designated time frame.
The great benefit of e-courses is the accessibilty. So long as you have access to an Internet connection, you can participate. And you will often be doing so alongside others from all over the World. It's quite the experience, and gives a whole new meaning to the World Wide Web :)
For me, the true Queen and pioneer of successful e-courses, is Susannah Conway who runs the hugely successful Unravelling e-courses. She actually gives a wonderful introduction to how her e-course works in a video here, and I often use her course and professionalism as a benchmark against which I consider other e-courses being offered. I'll be blogging more about my experience unravelling in the near future.
Other e-courses are packaged into self paced e-books or give you access to private classrooms which can be downloaded/accessed immediately and worked through in your own time; for example Big Picture Scrapbooking offer both real time workshops and self paced projects. I will be featuring a review of my previous Big Picture Scrapbooking classes soon too.
Obviously this is by no means a comprehensive guide to how e-courses work or what is available, but hopefully it gives you a general understanding. As I post about different e-courses in the future, I'll be sure to give consideration to how the course is delivered, so as to give a more complete picture of what can be expected.
"I still don't really understand what an e-course is..."
So for the benefit of dear Emma, and anyone else who might not fully understand how an e-course works, here's a quick and basic summary ~
E-course is basically shorthand for electronic course. Much like e-mail stands for electronic mail.
As such the entire course is conducted online, often utilising various tools, from private blogs and discussion boards, to videos and audio files. Many courses are run in real time, so although you don't have to all be online at the same time, overall everyone is working within a designated time frame.
The great benefit of e-courses is the accessibilty. So long as you have access to an Internet connection, you can participate. And you will often be doing so alongside others from all over the World. It's quite the experience, and gives a whole new meaning to the World Wide Web :)
For me, the true Queen and pioneer of successful e-courses, is Susannah Conway who runs the hugely successful Unravelling e-courses. She actually gives a wonderful introduction to how her e-course works in a video here, and I often use her course and professionalism as a benchmark against which I consider other e-courses being offered. I'll be blogging more about my experience unravelling in the near future.
Other e-courses are packaged into self paced e-books or give you access to private classrooms which can be downloaded/accessed immediately and worked through in your own time; for example Big Picture Scrapbooking offer both real time workshops and self paced projects. I will be featuring a review of my previous Big Picture Scrapbooking classes soon too.
Obviously this is by no means a comprehensive guide to how e-courses work or what is available, but hopefully it gives you a general understanding. As I post about different e-courses in the future, I'll be sure to give consideration to how the course is delivered, so as to give a more complete picture of what can be expected.
What's credible?
One of the new e-course offerings which really caught my eye recently (possibly due to the gorgeous photography accompanying it's marketing) is Kaye-Lee Pantony's Sublime course.
I found myself thinking about the (pre)adolescent girl I was, and whether I too was carefree and fearless.
(Kaye-Lee's premise being that as we enter puberty, we enter a "vortex" which often strips us of the vitality and essence that is uniquely us.) I liked that she made me think about that, and seemed to offer a different doorway to accessing my creative and authentic self.
I was intrigued.
I tried to find out more about Kaye-Lee, but it seems her blog was created about the same time as the conception of her e-course. It's funny, because although that should in no way invalidate the potency of her e-course, for me, it caused me to hesitate. It seems I have some expectation that I should be able to see the credentials a workshop leader brings. It's odd, cause I wouldn't demand to see my GPs medical degree, or my hairdressers qualifications, but I most certainly do expect to see my potential e-course leaders blood, sweat and tears, over at least one years worth of posting! Is this just me?
Nevertheless, there is enough about Kaye-Lee's e-course to keep me interested.
The Fall session has already started and they are still accepting latecomers.
I'm sitting this one out, but I'm keeping my eye on this course.
There could be some magic there.
* image from Kaye-Lee Pantony
Blogging My Way
I've just signed up for the decor8 newsletter so I get priority notification of the next Blogging Your Way e-course. It sounds perfect for what I need right now.
With topics including:
* A list of things that you may want to include on your blog
* Finding your niche & your voice
* Writing from the heart
* Creative post ideas
* Overcoming fear & writer's block
* Sourcing your content
* Photo copyright
* Community building
* How to build your readership
* Dealing with negativity
* Marketing
* Blog ads
* Social networking
* Tips for taking better blog photos
Why, oh why did I miss the last enrollement!
* image from decor8
Why?
Ever since taking my first e-course, I was hooked.
I love everything about them.
The inspiration. The connection. The creativity. The possibility.
All bundled up in 6 weeks online, or sometimes even more instaneously, in an immediately downloadable, self paced e-book.
I cannot get enough of them.
However it seems as if they are suddenly popping up everywhere, and I can barely keep up with all the new offerings!
Like a child in a candystore, I am overwhelmed with the choice there is now, so I started this blog to catergorise my new, or not so new, e-course discoveries.
I love everything about them.
The inspiration. The connection. The creativity. The possibility.
All bundled up in 6 weeks online, or sometimes even more instaneously, in an immediately downloadable, self paced e-book.
I cannot get enough of them.
However it seems as if they are suddenly popping up everywhere, and I can barely keep up with all the new offerings!
Like a child in a candystore, I am overwhelmed with the choice there is now, so I started this blog to catergorise my new, or not so new, e-course discoveries.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)