Slowing Down to the Speed of Life, Carlson and Bailey's insightful book

I am honored to have received permission from Joseph Bailey to post this excerpt.

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Slowing Down to the Speed of Life
©Richard Carlson & Joseph Bailey http://joebaileyandassociates.com/index.html

The first of seven techniques for getting into the present moment while parenting.

1) Become More Oriented to the Present Moment

One of the primary keys to effective, joyful parenting is the same as the key to slowing down to the speed of life: Learn to live more of your life in this moment. So much of the time we are reviewing some aspect of our experience that is over and done with – this morning’s quarrels between siblings, last semester’s poor report card, last night’s disrespectful comments. Or we are rehearsing an unknown or feared future – what if my child doesn’t get into college? What will happen if the kids can’t get along on our vacation? What if Sara can’t meet any new friends? All of these concerns (and thousands of others like them), past and future, are just thoughts…

Consider this, imagine your life as a timeline:

You were born _________ right now _________ the moment you die.

Consider everything that has ever happened to you in your life as it exists right now – pleasant experiences, embarrassing moments, passion, sadness, grief, success, failure. At this moment in your life, looking back, what realm is everything in? Is it actual reality or merely thoughts in your mind? If you guessed that it’s in the realm of thought, you are right. If you fainted in a public speaking class, it’s no longer real, it’s only a memory. If you were a high school cheerleader thirty years ago, it’s now only a thought. Anything and everything that has ever happened in your life exists now only in memory.

Now consider the future. Everything that will ever happen to you in the future is, in this moment, only a thought. It hasn’t happened yet. You can’t touch it; you can only anticipate it, think about it. You may become rich and famous or broke and homeless, but whatever may happen, at this moment it’s all thought.


That leaves you with this moment and this moment alone! This present moment is the only “real” moment that exists in real time – right now. But remember, this moment too is constantly changing and it too is experienced through thought. The moment vanishes and is replaced by the next one and so forth.

This exercise helps to emphasize how precious this moment really is by reminding you that all other moments are only an illusion. This moment is the only real one there is. Appreciate each new moment instead of focusing on moments that are over or yet to be, and you will operate at the speed of life.

©Richard Carlson & Joseph Bailey http://joebaileyandassociates.com/index.html

Here are the details of this inspiring book:

Slowing Down to the Speed of Life
How to Create a more Peaceful Simpler Life From the Inside Out

©Richard Carlson and Joseph Bailey
Harper Collins Publishers

"Carlson and Bailey help us recognize rushed thought processes and access healthy, relaxed feelings, and, using the popular "psychology of mind" approach, they teach us to gain new-found abilities to stay focused on the task at hand and enhance our creativity and achievement. Illustrated with useful exercises, charts, and diagrams, as well as inspiring personal reflections, Slowing Down to the Speed of Life shows us there is plenty of time to build meaningful relationships, master seemingly hectic schedules, and maintain a healthy calm in the midst of the life's storm. "

Buy the Book at Amazon

I have just completed a painting, titled Here & Now, and I adore it. I also (yay!) have a ton of footage of the painting process. So, in the next couple days, I will be posting the painting to my website and the video to my Youtube Channel my Youtube Channel

Have a wonderful weekend!

Don't forget to comment on yesterday's blogpost to be in the running to win free cards.

Love & Sincerely, Katie

above image: Spending Time, 30x24" acrylic painting on cradled panel

Sneak Peek at 2 10x10s - Feeling Adequate

As a mother and business owner, I find the demands can be overwhelming and often wonder just how much I am “supposed” to accomplish in one day – in order to make myself feel that I’ve done enough.

Frequently, as the evening closes, no matter how long the day has been I feel inadequacy peeking in – should’ve done this, can’t believe I didn’t finish that…

The night before last, as I was painting I had a thought – if I write down all that I did each day before ending the night, that will probably help me to feel adequate. So I did. And as I composed my big long list of that day’s accomplishments, I did feel better and almost didn’t need my aromatherapy to fall asleep that night :)

Just for kicks, and because I know a large percentage of my readers are mothers in nearly the same place as me, I thought I’d record my list:

Played Bouncy Balls (that was fun!)
Organized the coupon drawer
Vacuumed all of downstairs twice
Took down the Christmas Tree (hence all of the vacuuming!)
Baked a loaf of bread
Organized the pantry and cleaned the shelves
Played pirate festival with the boys
Finished packing client gifts
Finished writing Holiday Cards
Cleaned the fridge
Gave the boys a relaxing, unhurried bath
Edited some websites, quickly
Played jacks with the boys
Prepared and cleaned-up-after three meals and bedtime snack
Packed Etsy orders
Went on a skateboarding walk with the boys
Folded two loads of laundry
Played Puppy BINGO
Read four bedtime stories
Tucked in two exhausted loves
Cleaned two bathrooms
1 hour marketing on the computer after the kids were asleep
1 hour painting after the boys were asleep
Started two new paintings
Worked on 4 paintings
Edited all Etsy print listings (organized into sections)
And more that I am forgetting, I’m sure


Does this look familiar to you? Haven’t you always wanted to write down all that you did in one day (and be tempted to show it to your husband?) ha ha!

I am now reading a book titled “Slowing Down to the Speed of Life” by Richard Carlsen and Joseph Bailey – it’s helping me to realize that getting more done will not make us feel more satisfied… I’ll let you know more as I get further into it. It is a good read so far, and a great deal at 50 cents from the Library bookstore!

I’m working on two new 10x10s – the one on the right will be finished then released tomorrow morning – the tree one I love and will come later when it’s finished.

Have a wonderful evening!
Love & Sincerely, Katie

I Can See Clearly Now - brand new painting released today

I Can See Clearly Now

completed August 20, 2009
24x30"
acrylic on canvas
$580

When I check on my boys at night – it’s all so clear to me...

Seeing them sleeping, peaceful, warm – without a worry in the world. Simple, simple being human – the way they should be. I realize the important things in life, then.

During the day, this clarity becomes cloudy as I tangle with attitudes, ask and ask again, frustrate and become frustrated and work, work, work – as a mother must do.

However, no one stated it would be easy – so as I maneuver my way through, truly, the hardest job in the world (if you are trying to do it right) I take comfort in those moments when I stop everything and grab the closest boy into a hug, a dance, a cuddle or a wrestle. I assure myself that I am doing my best to stay clear and still have something that is my own – my painting.

Glimpses come throughout the day when I can truly see what I am meant to be doing: parenting and painting – I urge them to come more often, but then again, there is always night time.

See more here

Thank you for allowing me to share this new painting with you.

Happy Mother's Day Weekend!

"I think my life began with waking up and loving my mother's face."

George Eliot

"Mother's arms are made of tenderness, and sweet sleep blesses the child who lies therein." Victor Hugo

Sending warm, relaxing, divine, blessed thoughts to all of the mothers I know and have connected with through painting.

Love & Sincerely, Katie

Above painting: Edge Of The Bed

My Kalama Owl and Harvard

First off, I am far from a collector of *things*. The shopping-gene missed me and I am often passionately against clutter and things sitting around, unless they have a true purpose.

On Saturday, my family and I cruised through our hometown antique shops, enjoying Kalama. I came across this little owl and for some reason she visually jumped out at me. I realized she was broken and sold “as is” but that didn’t bother me and she brought back memories of the illustrations I used to create before my children came along.

In the early hours of Sunday, I woke to tend to one of my boys and then found myself thinking about that owl and having an urge for her to hang in my studio – she became more than just a *thing* to me then and I was excited for the Antique store to open today so that I could go purchase her :)



She represents my past illustrations, but also motherhood, and I will always remember Kalama when I look at her, even if/when we no longer live here. She will also make me think of the owner of the Antique store whom I think is just so kind. She now has a purpose, and as soon as I can wrestle her away from my little boy who also loves her, she will hang in my studio.

So, I found an artistic connection here, which made me want to share :)

My illustration of Harvard the Owl is from 2002.

Have a great day! Sincerely, Katie