Many years ago I took a business enrichment workshop led by designer, artist and author, Gail Toma. One required exercise was to create a visualization collage that best represented the life of my dreams. I found this activity both pleasurable and helpful with goals I sought to achieve. Below are a few I’ve made in years past. They each mark a period of time when I was either exploring the idea of a new direction in my life, or fine tuning a journey I was already on.
![a new year's collage exercise ©linda nelson 2015](https://createaerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMGP2255.jpg) |
©Linda Nelson 2015 |
![a new year's collage exercise ©linda nelson 2015](https://createaerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMGP2256.jpg) |
©Linda Nelson 2015 |
![a new year's collage exercise ©linda nelson 2015](https://createaerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMGP2257.jpg) |
©Linda Nelson 2015 |
![a new year's collage exercise ©linda nelson 2015](https://createaerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMGP2258.jpg) |
©Linda Nelson 2015 |
![a new year's collage exercise ©linda nelson 2015](https://createaerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMGP2261.jpg) |
©Linda Nelson 2015 |
![a new year's collage exercise ©linda nelson 2015](https://createaerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMGP2262.jpg) |
©Linda Nelson 2015 |
I think an activity like this is a wonderful way to commence the new year; however, this time I’m tweaking it slightly. No goals. No future thoughts. Pure, raw, in the moment expression. I could not have gotten where I am today without the past, and my goals for the future never cease to exist anyway. I’m celebrating the beginning of 2015 with creating a collage that visually reflects what I delight in, who I am and where I am at today. I invite you to do the same.
Grab some supplies and materials, and start cutting and pasting away. I’m fashioning mine bunting pennant style, a style I haven’t done before. After all, now is the time.
![a new year's collage exercise ©linda nelson 2015](https://createaerie.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/IMGP2271.jpg) |
©Linda Nelson 2014 |
This exercise needn’t be completed in one sitting. Approach it, if you so choose, as if you were working on a 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle, chipping away at it in spurts. The most important aspect is to have fun visually expressing your current existence.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU!