Issue # 17, July 2004

Dear Impish one,
I'm dedicated to supporting the "imp" in you - especially this
month, your Intuitive, Magical, Playful inner child.

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passed it on. Sign up or unsubscribe at the end.

A special welcome to new subscribers! Earlier editions are
archived: http://www.theimpjournal.com/archives/

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1. Feature Article: Playtime!
2. Coaching Q&A:
3. News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners
4. Inspirational Message to Ponder

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1. Feature Article: Playtime!

Summertime! In "The Year of The Imp", that means playtime. Yes,
in January I IMPudently designated 2004 "The Year of the Imp".

Some people consider play and leisure a waste of time, anything
silly as inappropriate and immature. How sad. Your health and
well-being are IMProved when you take time for pleasurable,
meaningful activities.

Make the time! A delightful book that will encourage you to do
so is "Time Management for Unmanageable People" by Dr. Ann McGee-
Cooper and Duane Trammell.

Paulette Guitard, a professor at the University of Ottawa, has
identified five qualities of playfulness in adults: curiosity,
creativity, humor, pleasure and spontaneity.

The Imp suggests:
Curiosity
1. Observe children. What are they curious about? What can you
learn from them?
2. Explore! Go somewhere in your own community where you have
never visited before.
3. Feeling bored? Focus on some ordinary object. Really notice
details. How did it come to be where it is?

Oh, and the Imp asks, "What hair color is put on the driver's
license of a bald man?"

Creativity
1. Many craft kits are available - especially for children. Be a
kid again - what could you create?
2. Be open to new ideas and new experiences to exercise your
creativity muscles.
3. Check out http://www.creativityforlife.com 
4. Two books by Sark that I love are: "Inspiration Sandwich:
Stories to Inspire Our Creative Freedom" and "A Creative
Companion: How to Free Your Creative Spirit".

Humor
1. Start (or add to) a bulletin board at work for jokes and
cartoons.
2. Go to garage sales to find humorous articles to use as gifts,
props or conversation pieces.
3. Do you have an 'executive sandbox' on your desk?

The Imp is wondering if it is OK to use the AM radio after noon.

Pleasure
1. When I was a kid, we used to draw pictures on each other's
back with a stick. Try it!
2. Finger paint - in the bathtub.
3. Throw a party and play lots of silly games.
4. Ask three people what their favorite game was as a child.
If you don't know the games, ask the person to teach you.
5. The Imp Journal has the theme 'Indulge in Many Pleasures'.
Choose several activities from there.

Now the Imp is asking, "When is the last time you blew bubbles?"

Spontaneity
1. Choose to drop a few 'shoulds' and do something fun at a
moment's notice.
2. Do you have a dressups box? Get into the spirit of any
occasion by having appropriate costumes and props. Or spend part
of a lazy summer day browsing in a costume rental store.

Another Imp question, "When's the last time you hippety-hopped
down the street?"

The Imp hopes these ideas have sparked a few of your own.
Hi, ho, hi, ho, it's off to play the Imp and I go...

Oh, and before we go the Imp asks, "Have you visited my Play!
page recently?" There are several ways to win a set of the Imp
notecards. Clue #3 has been added for the riddle.
http://www.theimpjournal.com/play.htm

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2. Coaching Q&A:
Feeling stuck? Grappling with some issue? Ask for Bev's
perspective. A broader perspective means more options.

Ann, whose question was answered in May writes, "Thanks for the
in-depth and full of goodies reply." Kate, whose question was used
last month commented, "Bang on."

How have the answers provided helped YOU?

When your question is answered in this column, you'll receive
a set of whimsical Imp notecards. What challenge are you facing
on your journey to greater self-empowerment?
Go ahead! Click here:

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3.News, Comments, Success Stories, Winners

A reader, saddened last month to hear about my brother, offered
a suggestion. Angel (yes, that is her real name) wrote: "I sit
outside after dark and look up at the stars. I then imagine that
I have put the people I am worried about in a protective bubble.
I use a deep breathing technique to blow the bubble to God and
leave all of it in His capable hands. Both the visualization and
the breathing do wonders for so much. I will put a bubble out for
your brother tonight, too." Thanks so much, Angel.

Thanks also to Ernalee, who wrote sympathizing with the "where's
the spark?" dilemma.

At the end of last March's article, I asked, "Are you willing to
take your health and well-being into your own hands?" For several
years I've enjoyed a column in a local paper written by Dr.
Ingrid M. Pincott, ND. (She pointed out her 'imp' initials when
I met her last Fall.) Check out her website for many valuable
articles related to Natural Health. Definitely in line with
"The Imp" way of living! http://www.drpincott.com 

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4.Inspirational Message to Ponder

Sometimes, I'll do an online search for an appropriate quote.
Searching 'play', 'fun' and 'pleasure' yielded unsatisfactory
results. Some quote sites did not even have those terms as
categories!

So this month's quote is directly from "The Imp". It's one I
keep posted in my office (on peach-colored paper).

The Imp encourages you to write the quote on a card, read it
regularly, and then journal about your thoughts, insights,
feelings and, especially, actions.

"Has your Intuitive, Magical, Playful inner child been out to
play today?" The Imp

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Please share this "IMPressions" newsletter with your friends.
Just hit the forward button on your e-mail program...

Look for your next newsletter in mid-August

Warmly, "The Imp and I", Beverley ;-)

Beverley Howden, M.Ed.
"The Imp Lady"
Author, Speaker,
Personal Empowerment Facilitator,

1-250-897-0992

 

The Imp is the delight of my life starting over in 1993.
My other website is www.StartingLifeOver.com

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