I don’t know who you surround yourself with but I hope they are your cheerleaders.
I hope you have a network that you can turn to that shares, gives, lavishes.
Lavishes.
Pretty cool word if you ask me.
A word to me that means abundance and overflowing.
People email me daily thanking me for what I share in my courses and for giving so much information away.
Let me tell you a secret…..it was never mine.
I get beautiful emails thanking me for being so generous with my knowledge, contacts, sources of supplies.
Let me tell you another secret…..I learned to be generous from the best.
When you start out creating, decorating your home, homeschooling your kids, a business or a new adventure you usually have no idea what you are doing.
You don’t need someone to walk you step by step but you need help.
You quickly see who keeps everything close to the chest and who gives it away.
I have had cheerleaders.
I have had friends that I surround myself with that have lavished me with support, knowledge and advice.
They gave it away.
When I needed direction and help…..they gave it away.
They were wise enough to know that by giving it away they are multiplying blessings back to themselves.
You might wonder how is that so?
I give away because it was given to me.
Maybe not the same information but the idea behind it.
When you share generously you don’t carry any anxiety about people stealing your ideas.
You have the freedom to move on and create THE NEXT THING.
You have the energy to dream, plan and create.
Did you hear that?
Freedom.
Want to know another secret….most techniques, ideas, knowledge you can find through google or You Tube anyways.
Sorry to burst your bubble.
I want to tell you about two of my biggest cheerleaders.
They know it.
I want you to know it.
Melody Ross and Christy Tomlinson have been two of the most supportive and lavishing people in my creative life.
Both of these women have helped me grow my business because of their giving of knowledge, advice, support, encouragement and voice.
I could go on for pages about how they have been my cheerleaders.
In ways that I am sure they know and more ways than they don’t…..they showed me early on that there is room for all of us.
What really triggered this post was an act by Christy last week.
Christy had written a blog post about her new e-course that started last Tuesday.
Guess what?
She also wrote about my new art e-course that had started the day before.
She also wrote about a few other people whose work she admires and gave links to their courses, retreats etc.
She gave it away.
She lavished others in the midst of writing about her own business.
She didn’t worry that highlighting others would take away from her work.
There is room for all of us and she made that clear.
Melody does the same thing.
Whenever she can highlight a person, a program, a product…she does.
When she can help someone else shine…she does.
I have a lot of women like this in my life.
Do you?
If you don’t I begged you to keep looking.
They are out there.
I promise.
I have a whole network of women that are like this.
What can you give away to bless others?
What have you been holding too close to the chest because of fear?
Do you know…really know that there is room for all of us?
Are you worried that people will copy you.
They probably will.
Want to hear another secret?
No one can copy you. Not really.
They can try but they will get bored and move on OR you get bored and move on.
You are supposed to keep moving forward anyways.
At the point I see some things copied I am already so tired of it myself that it is just the encouragement I needed to dig deeper.
The best part is that my generosity really started because people were generous with Melody and Christy (or not generous and they learned from it).
See how that works!
Pretty powerful.
When you give it away it will trickle down to more people than you will ever know.
Thank you Mel and Christy for being so generous with your support.
Thank you for scootching over and making room for me:-)
I want to scootch over myself today and share some people and products that I hope you will check out.
First off I wanted to tell you that Christy has a brand new art e-course called “Behind The Art”.
Christy has created a whole course about going deeper in understanding how she creates her girls.
All of Christy’s videos have a ton of information shared and this is her largest art course ever.
***
I don’t get to go to many retreats but as soon as read about this new retreat by the incredible Danielle Daniels I was swooning.
The location, the food, the art….every bit is delicious!
***
I am in love with THIS print by Mindy Lacefield.
I met Mindy at a recent retreat we both were teaching at.
When she posted the original on Facebook I told her it was my favorite she had done and she admitted that it may be hers too:-)
***
I am a lover of using Nevr Dull and magazine pages in my mixed media projects but I loved this recent video (recent to me) video of Katie Kendrick creating patterns with Nevr Dull.
SOOO cool!
***
My friend Courtney Khail is an extraordinary watercolors artist! Everything that she makes is stunning and so unique.
***
I have been greatly inspired by THIS girl over the years.
Someday I will actually watch an entire e-course that I purchase from her but in the meantime I will continue to be inspired by the beauty she creates.
***
I don’t know anyone that creates like THIS girl! Her work makes me stop in my tracks.
Whether she is working in plaster or metalsmithing she astonishes me with her well of creativity!
HERE is her new e-course!
***
Karianne of Thistlewood Farm created an incredible clock using a a bicycle wheel!!!
I am in love!
Kelly is going to make this for Ben’s room.
***
I am going to an amazing retreat in Mexico this fall and they just opened up another session!
If you didn’t get into the first session HERE is more information.
***
This friend is crazy amazing at DIY.
Her house and how she makes it a home is beautiful and her blog is FILLED with DIY projects.
She lives in New York now but she used to live in my neighborhood:-)
***
I would love to see YOU write a “There is room for all of us” post.
I would love to see who YOU would highlight.
What YOU can give away?
How can YOU show your network that there is room for all of us.
{if you write a post please let me know and I will share it}
Let’s all practice scootching over and making room:-)
Love this! I believe what you give to the world you get back! I didn’t have those women in my life so I got rid of the negative and now have the most amazing women that have come into my life! Thank you for reminding me that this gift I have needs to be shared with others and not to be fearful of putting myself and art and ideas out there because maybe it could help others. Also to help each other because there really is room for us all!
Jeanne, I am blessed to know first hand of your generosity. Your post is true and wonderful. I am often disappointed that women don’t champion one another as often as we should – especially in the creative businesses we operate in. It is refreshing to read your post and to know more ‘lavish champions’ are out there!
xo~Jill
What fantastic advice! I want to paint a huge sign that says, “There is room for all of us.” -Jeanne Oliver and hang it in my studio. I am inspired to pray for my own cheerleaders and for ways to bless others. I firmly believe God will answer both of those prayers…probably time and time again. Thanks for your words and your generosity. Blessings to you!
-Rachel
I love this post! Your words like generous, lavish, give away, room for everyone, etc remind me of a deep well with a limitless supply. It is so refreshing to be around people with this kind of heart and mindset.
Thank you for your words of encouragement….beautiful!
This post filled my heart today!!!
What a fantastic post and message Jeanne!! I wish I had friends like you in my life, cheerleaders and supporters! I do have my hubby though, he is my biggest fan!
Thank you for always being so generous and for sharing your amazing gifts, you are truly such a lovely person!!
Hope you have a great week!
Sincerely,
Melinda
Love this! Imagine if we shared and cheered in every aspect of our lives? A good reminder. Thanks!
Such good stuff here, Jeanne. I have had similar help writing-wise and made the decision to help where I could when I could because there is NO way I could’ve ever written anything without mentors and a supportive network. i LOVE to share my favorite books though lately I haven’t had any time to read any! ack! (Must slow down!) But there is so much truth here. I love that you’ve found and embraced this… and thank you for pushing me too! 🙂 Your “just do it and figure it out as you go” advice TOTALLY changed the way I look at things. THANK YOU!!!
Thank you for this post- so true! i am in desperate search of a bunch of gals to literally surround myself with. I am super lucky to have some great online pals= all spread to far and wide. I think Melody is such an amazing soul- I won one of her workshops and loved. I haven’t been posting much lately- but this is such a good one, I’m going to write one too!
Incredible advice. So true. Inspiration begets inspiration. Thank you for the wonderful mention….I will pay it forward. 🙂
blessings,
karianne
I love this post and I have found what you say to be true in so many aspects of my life. What a beautiful way to pay it forward!
I love this post!!!
I love this and will do a post. My own course is in launch now and I know quite a few people hesitate to share about it because they have their own courses happening in may. I am going to be the one to share them all in my space. Thank you for inspiring me all the time and introducing me to so many amazing creatives in this post – deb xx
this is exactly what i love about you. i LOVE women that support and encourage other women…and you do that beautifully my friend.
i’m envious of all the retreats you’re attending!! i want a retreat! let’s chat soon! xo
my friend, i have watched you over and over again GIVE and LAVISH praise on friends. you have blessed ME beyond measure. your generosity blows me away. i love that about you
xoxo
Your voice speaks volumes…your heart is like a sponge, thank you for this post. I am lucky to have a few of those woman BUT need to look for some more, and your right I know they are out there. Thank you for reminding us of all the “good” in this world, with all the bad it’s sometimes hard to remember that, AND you do a awesome job at reminding us, you are a gem!!!
Oh this is so beautiful! We have so much to share with each other. Thanks for scootching over just a little bit more and making room for me in this commuinty of artist who love and support eah other.
Jeanne, you know I don’t comment very often, but I just had to on this post. Wow! I totally agree with everything you said. We are all women, we all struggle with something, we should be kinder to one another, support each other, encourage each other. I hope I can be a good example of this in my day to day life. You, sunshine, are amazing! I am so proud to call you my friend! XXOO
Very well said! Love your post, IT IS SO TRUE… you’ll receive 10 folds what you give away. Thank you for presenting it in such a graceful, beautiful, simple way… lovely reminder!
That would be a great title for a new course! Blessings to you for sharing!
I already left a comment Jeanne but I just wanted to let you know I posted on the subject and linked to your beautiful blog.
THIS is what we should be
modeling for our daughters.
Then the whole “mean girls”
thing would be a concept
from the past : ) Keep on
creating and inspiring, Jeanne!
xo Suzanne
Hi Jeanne, Thank you for sharing your beautiful post . . so . . so true and so important. I shared it with some of my friends as well as with Jenelle VandeMortel – http://www.whoadesigns.com and she posted it on FB. I am a member of W.H.O.A. (Women Helping One Another) and your post is exactly what W.H.O.A. is all about,
Hope you and your family are ok with the flood in your area.
Blessings,
Erin
What an AMAZING article! Thank you for sharing it! For SO many years I desired to connect with women who “got” this…..for SO many years I didn’t find them…..so I decided to BE one….and live it out…in the hopes that others would “get” it and begin ding the same…..Now I am blessed to have “those” women in my life and I continue to give and share and treat others the way I want to be treated…because that is what it all really boils down to…..Treating others the way we would like to be treated!
Blessings & Beauty to you, Jeanne!
xoxo Kathleen
I know we would be friends in real life. 🙂
I love affirming others and celebrating the work God is doing and the art he is creating in others’ souls.
It’s so beautiful.
Thank you for this beautiful post. In a world where everyone seems to be out for themselves, this is a breath of clean, fresh air. I had the privilege of meeting Christy at a workshop this weekend at jenny doh’s studio. My word. We learned a whole lot more than just her she art process. We learned about love. And encouragement. And friendship, graciousness, living a beautiful life and having fun and being vulnerable.
So, so good.
xoxo
Lynn
What a great philosophy – I love it!! Thank you for being so generous of heart.