Thoughts from the Bench

Mindful Searcher

This week I met 2 new people that are dealing with hard things and searching for peace or a new path. I know this issue well and have been a ‘searcher’ for most of my life. You can tell by my huge book collection!

I have recommended many books over time but ‘The Artist Way’, by Julia Cameron was my common standard for many years. Now her book ‘Its never too Late to Begin Again’ is a new favorite because it focuses on helping you to find your way later in life.

I usually read books but lately there is so much online. I read online at Medium.com, Elephant Journal, Postanly Weekly and MindBodyGreen and many newsletters in addition. Such as Srinivas Rao, James Clear, Benjamin Hardy.

Yesterday I read about Todd Hermans new book, ‘The Alter Ego Effect: The Power of Secret Identities to Transform Your Life’ and reserved a copy that will come out in February. He has helped many athletes and business people for years and has used this concept in his coaching. The idea is that we can use an alter ego to help us do hard things.

An example Todd used, was a football student not taking the shot he needed to and passing it off to another player. After working with Todd he created a persona that he used to step up his game.

I am introverted and found it hard to speak in front of a group of high school students (It was much worse when I was in high school) until I put on the art teacher hat and stepped into the teacher role. I was relating as a teacher that had 45 min to teach the curriculum. It did not feel like it was about me.

What is the new your new super power? What super power can help you be the next version of you self?

So I related to Todd’s concept for his book. Maybe you do too?

New Year / Updated

As with so many people with goals, I have given up on one already … I have postponed trying to make my Etsy show up here, and it is still January. : (

I will try again later. I decided that there are some things that should be done first. Make more listings for http://www.Etsy.com/shop/MindfulGlass. Fix the listings with better SEO, better pictures, the list is long……

I have been learning from Amy Eaton, Snap Sell Succeed, and have switched from FotoFuz.com for a white background to Light Room. Now to learn the steps again. I used to teach kids how to use the darkroom and take pictures with a SLR. So much is different now. DSLR ( D means Digital! ), and the adjusting is on the computer. I have had issues like ‘Where Was the picture and where did it Go? I taught the kids to never shoot ‘bullseye’ and have your subject in the rule of thirds. Now bullseye is right for a product and you shouldn’t have part of the product out of the frame.

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Glass tools to help you mindfully mind yourself and your environment .

My FaceBook Group/ M i ndful Minders ‘Mindfully Mind Yourself and the Environment’. Join me in the group to connect with others on the meditation – environmental journey. What things can you think of to do that would help the environment, small things that will add up

Which reminds me of the book I am reading ‘Atomic Habits” by James Clear. Small changes or small improvements will compound over time.

As with so many people with goals, I have given up on one already …I have postponed trying to make my Etsy show up here, and it is still January. : (

I have been learning from Amy Eaton, Snap Sell Succeed, and have switched from FotoFuz.com for a white background to Light Room. Now to learn the steps again. I used to teach kids how to use the darkroom and take pictures with a SLR. So much is different now. DSLR (D means Digital!), and the adjusting is on the computer. (Where Was the picture and where did it Go?) I taught the kids to never shoot ‘bullseye’ and have your subject in the rule of thirds. Now bullseye is right for a product and you shouldn’t have part of the product out of the frame.

Meditation /Keep Trying

Where would you place a meditation reminder?

It takes time to remember to meditate and then to sit still for more then 4 minutes! I am working up to eight minutes.

From the beginning of this goal I would try to meditate in the morning or before bed…and sometimes I forgot. Since I was logging in my journal I knew that I was missing days. It is so hard to start new intentions.

I have been wearing a Mindful Glass talisman/token around my neck and chanced to touch it this morning. I was sooo frustrated with the computer and passwords and thought that ‘my new goal’ would be to meditate when I was overwhelmed or frustrated.

Maybe that’s an OH Duh! to you, but for me it was a Big awareness! After 5 min of meditation, I was able to start again with a more clear head.

In the past during meditation, I was continually wondering if I could stop yet. My goal so far is to use an app so that I can pick the number of minutes. I tried setting the timer but it was a shock to hear it. So I guess I could try a quieter timer!

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Which Color Pallette Makes You Think of Your Favorite Calm Place?

For me, I am recharged by water, in any form really. Kayaking on the river, time at the beach or even the bath! My second favorite is green for a walk in the woods or spending time in the garden. What is your favorite place? Or what color would remind you to take time to be calm?

Maybe you need a reminder for an intention.

Mindful Glass specializes in handmade glass pieces that can be used to set intentions and practice mindfulness throughout the day. They are made by melting soda-lime glass on a metal rod over an open flame. The molten glass flows and can be shaped by hand movements and tools. Each piece of Mindful Glass is unique.

Different color palettes can be selected for different intentions. Like prayer beads, talismans, and other mindfulness tools, Mindful Glass can be held to focus on the present moment, remember a loved one, transition to healthy habits, or support an environmentally responsible practice.

The goal is to support personal growth and wellbeing and help create a better world. Mindful Glass donates to Beads of Courage, a nonprofit that serves children living with serious illness.

Forced Mindfulness Training

Life Challenges

In the past I thought my main life challenges were always about relationships and being a public school art teacher. This past year I retired, planned a house, built it, substitute taught high school art for six weeks, then moved a 100 miles south from where I raised my kids. It felt right but it was a bit much for one year.

My revised big shift was smashing my radius, a bone in my left wrist. After three weeks I then had surgery because it was not in proper position. What a mind shift to not be able to even touch the fingers on that hand to steady anything at all. My art was always two hands, things like metals, clay, sewing, gardening, knitting and of course glass.

The surgery extends the recovery time and I have been thinking of this time as mindfulness training. I have been reading about meditation and trying to meditate. My daughter says that is what it is about, trying. So I do that.

Lampworking

My medium is melting glass, known as lampworking. A two handed activity with a propane and oxygen torch. I also design and wire the beads. Previously I did art shows and had a lampwork teaching studio and gallery.

Now I am working on making meditation tokens or reminders to keep your mindful intentions front of mind. The larger lentil shaped glass can be held as you contemplate and the smaller ones could be clipped to a bag or a water bottle as reminders of your intention.

Starting Over

Since the move I am taking classes from Renae Christine to learn about marketing for a product based online business. There are many YouTube videos by Art By Starla Moore and many others. Now that I am on hold with melting glass, I am learning about blogs.

Blogs

So now, I am taking classes from Meylssa Griffin and Alysson Stanfield and trying to figure out a blog to go with my concept of Mindful Glass. I want to make Art Glass that inspires us to meditate and makes us think of our world. There is so much to learn. I feel like I am working on another masters!

Facebook Group

My Mindful Minders Group on FB hopes to create a conversation about how we can mindfully mind ourself and our enviornment.

I want to know how you mindfully care for yourself or the planet. My latest goals are to make time for calm, eventually meditate and for the planet use less plastic. I have had a home worm farm for the last few years. It is about small things… I hope we can share all the small things we do.

Join us on FB at Mindful Minders Group. I would love to hear your ideas.

Good Market

Social enterprise is good for the people and the planet

My daughter Amanda Kiessel is a co-founder of Good Market in Sri Lanka. First it was a curated market, then also a store, now also web platform.

The Good Market platform is growing fast and I am encouraging people to check it out. I am looking forward to being able to find businesses where ever I go that have the Good Market values. They have gown global as you can see from the url below.

Welcome to the 39 social enterprises and responsible business that joined the Good Market vendor community in June 2018! This month’s roundup includes initiatives in Pakistan, India, and Nepal, recycling centers, changemaker education services, plantable seed paper, dengue mosquito traps, and much more. Visit the blog for more details on this month’s vendors. See all 642 Good Market vendors at www.goodmarket.global.