Tag Archives: Toni McLellan

Doing What Works: A quick and easy cure for The Mondays

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blog dww mondays crab

What’s your take on Mondays? Love ‘em or hate ‘em, or somewhere in between?

Do you have a kickass morning routine that nurtures you and sets you on course toward the life you want to lead, or do you roll out of bed in response mode, blerging and erging every step of the way? Or maybe you’re on auto-pilot, feeling just sort of “there,” or numb, or tuned out?

Here’s the deal: Like attracts like. So if you live to complain, the Universe is more than happy to oblige by giving you even more stuff to complain about and more people who enjoy complaining and ranting to join you. Or if you prefer a more scientific view of this deal, consider the idea that once something is on your mental radar, your brain will seek out similar things; it’s the “little red car” phenomenon; your pal gets a little red car and suddenly you notice them everywhere you go. The great news is that if you shift your attention to more positive pursuits, the Universe and your brain are more than happy to oblige in providing more of the same.

Here’s an idea for those of you who get a case of The Mondays each week: Start by thinking about what went really well over the weekend. Write about it in a journal or get a gratitude app like Happier and start your week listing all of the awesome in your life right now. Let the first thing you share on social media be something positive about where you are right now.

If gratitude feels hard for you–like a bitter pill to swallow or just another “to do” on an already massive list, remember that it doesn’t have to be complicated, just sincere:

  • Sunshine in June.
  • Popsicles.
  • Great coffee.
  • Sleeping in on weekends.

You don’t need a complicated “system” of gratitude to polish and perfect. This can be as simple as naming three things when you wake up each day, adding a few from the weekend on Monday to really bolster those positive thoughts to start your week.

Why does this matter? If you’re kicking off your week either cranky or numb, thinking about what’s great in your life and your world pulls you out of that mental state. And why does that matter? Well, if you want to change your life for the better, it helps if you’re choosing to step into your days with intention and positivity. I’ve found that it’s hard to achieve goals if I’m complaining all the time, or being self-critical/perfectionistic, or feeling worried or sad. Gratitude plucks me out of that headspace and drops me off somewhere way better, and that sets the tone for the whole rest of my day, which impacts the choices I make, how I work, why I grow my business, and more.

Yes, really, just from feeling grateful for what is. Try this and let me know what you think — especially those of you feeling either really “meh” or super-”grr” on Mondays. Have a great week, weirdos!

Doing What Works: Crafting a kickass morning routine

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blog morning routine 06.03.13

With our summer break in full swing here, I’m yearning for a morning routine that goes beyond “sit bolt upright when my alarm goes off, herd kids toward breakfast and school, then gulp coffee and read email and check social media . . . for a while.” Hurry up and wait and then hurry up again as coaching calls and other must-do’s for the day come marching in. Right now the kid-herding part is down to a minimum, but I really wanted to put a little more intention, fun, and light into my mornings. Last winter I woke a few minutes early to start each day with ten minutes of meditation, but I’d fallen away from that routine and could really feel that lack of connection.

Last week, I purchased a ‘microcourse’ from a site I’m digging on — Be More with Less — called How to Create a Meaningful Morning Routine. (This isn’t an affiliate link; I just think Courtney’s voice and work are awesome and love sharing great resources I find.)

I was excited about the idea of an affordable, achievable step in the right direction in my life. I think e-courses are great, but sometimes I don’t want to commit to something for six months or even six weeks. Because I’m already engrossed in a coaching training program that will take up the better part of this year, I was excited to try something of interest to me on a smaller scale. I was also curious about the format of a microcourse and how I might integrate such a fun teaching tool into my offerings here.

Was it worth $9.95? Yep! It’s a great idea, the information is segmented into easy action steps, and the material (which is yours to keep) is both thoughtful and useful.

I think my favorite aspect of this microcourse was the notion that morning routines can change with the seasons or our own needs — an early morning walk is less feasible for me during the school year in winter when it’s still dark and icy outside, but I can always adapt and shift what I do during those months without feeling like a failure. I’m not a fan of rigid adherence to anything anyway (even though my recovering perfectionist brain always wants to go there first!), so it was nice to see that gentle reminder to plan ahead but also to go with the flow.

And here’s my .02 on morning routines: Fold stuff into it that you’re genuinely excited or at least curious about. The more “wanna” and less “have to,” the greater joy and results you’ll see. That’s not to say there won’t be a learning curve or effort involved, but I always advocate leading with joy first and seeing where that leads, and building on those successes and good energies from there.

Starting my summer morning routine also led me to come up with a new way of journaling each day that I’m pretty jonesed about. I’ll share more about that in another blog entry.

You tell me:

  • Do you have a satisfying/nurturing/energizing morning routine? What’s it look like?
  • If you don’t yet have a morning routine and would like to develop one, describe a typical morning and also your ideal morning. 
  • Would you purchase a microcourse on a topic of interest to you? Why/Why not?

Either reply in comments or email me. Have a great week, weirdos!

Announcing: Camp Makearoo Speakers!

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Camp Makearoo is May 10-12 and it will be here before you know it!

This week, I have an exciting announcement: Camp Makearoo now has two special guest stars who are gonna light up this event!

Meagan Francis is the keynote speaker for Camp Makearoo 2013!

Meagan is a one-woman media empire — she’s written several books and made the switch from freelance writer to parenting blogger at The Happiest Mom and now she also hosts a podcast at The Kitchen Hour. Meagan is an engaging and witty speaker and she is sure to light up the room at Camp, with stories of how she got started, made and learned from tons of mistakes, launched new brands, partnered with other companies, and made quality time with her husband and five kids.


Kate Hanley, aka Ms. Mindbody, will help us get mind, bod, & spirit on the same page, with techniques and insights that will last well beyond our weekend together. If you’re intimidated by yoga or unsure about mind-body practices, then the host of Kate’s Yoga Playhouse has a ton of treats in store for you! You don’t have to be a bendy pretzel or disappear into a silent retreat for six months to benefit from what Kate is going to teach us. Hint: There’s a mini field trip involved! Awwww yeah!


And then there’s me, your faithful host, Toni McLellan, founder of Makearoo. This is actually a photo of me acting excited about going sledding. I’m sharing it because I get even MORE excited about Camp Makearoo, and I REALLY love sledding. I’ll give a couple of talks, be available for one-on-one creativity coaching sessions throughout the weekend, and will help our guests to get the most out of our weekend together.

I’m really excited to have these perfect guides on board for Camp Makearoo. You can read a bit more about us here.

Are you ready to join us for an experience of a lifetime?

We have a bring-a-friend discount for Camp Makearoo!
Save $100 on your tuition for you and a pal – just enter BUDDY13 during checkout when you and your friend register.

The Makearoo Newsletter No. 19

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Joyful me, age 9, before I flipped the constant self-criticism switch.
What would you tell your 9-year-old self about your gifts

Dear magnificent shiny-object chaser,Welcome, new subscribers! I take note of every person who signs up for this newsletter (usually by doing a booty shake in my chair), and am very grateful for your time and attention. Whether you’ve just arrived or have been reading from the start (thanks for that, by the way), here’s a handy link to all of the past Makearoo Newsletters.

And for those who just can’t get enough:
The Makearoo Facebook Page
Makearoo on Twitter, and
The Makearoo blog.


Last week, I wrote about hearing voices in my head. I clicked the seat belt on my flight home and heard:

“The secret is to love yourself.”

In the moments before, I’d been ragging on myself internally. “Look at that flab on your upper arm! How gross!” I’d been having negative body image stuff popping up throughout my otherwise lovely anniversary getaway, and when I started tearing into myself on the plane, some part of me stood up and said “Enough.”

The secret is to love yourself.

I’ve hated my physical appearance since puberty. I started dieting at age 12, because all of my friends were doing adorable things like drinking only tea all day long or eating only grapefruit, and at home my mom was always on a diet. I’d started reading women’s magazines that commanded me to blast my butt or flatten my abs. I was a pre-vanity-sizing 5, if that. This month, I turn 45. I’ve been overweight for about 18 of those years, but the self-loathing predated that and isn’t about weight at all. I think being away from the comfort of routine and seeing myself in more angles in hotel bathrooms and lobbies stirred up some negativity for me. I think something just clicked in my head–knock that shit off. It felt good. It felt freeing.

Do I feel 100% sexy and slammin’ 24/7 since that plane ride? Nope. But when I feel those thoughts starting to swirl, I counter them with kinder thoughts. “I hate my stretch marks” becomes “Hey! I got to make three babies!” Every single time my brain wants to play the self-loathing game, I gently redirect it like I would a toddler trying to gnaw on my phone.

Last week, I had a VIP day with my coach, Darla LeDoux. I’d been looking forward to this for weeks: a half-day JUST FOR ME to focus on my business or myself, or both. Honestly, it’s always both, especially when you’re a creative entrepreneur. At one point we started talking about a very painful point in my life, during college. I mentioned off-hand also being very pretty in a girl-next-door sort of way and receiving frequent male attention. Darla asked me why this bothered me so much, and I said because I wanted to be liked for ME, not as some sort of extension of THEM. “But your beauty was a gift,” she said. “How would that time in your life have been different if you’d seen it that way?”

The secret is to love yourself.

The way I saw this question is “What if I’d chosen to love, instead of loathe myself or constantly pick at my perceived flaws? How would my life be different?”

I’d have taken different risks–ones geared toward helping me thrive instead of gaining acceptance
I’d have nurtured my body instead of remaining an emotional eater
I’d have appreciated my physical self instead of wishing it could meet the warped ideals I had in my mind
I’d have understood, without resentment or anger, that most of the unwanted male attention directed my way was about those individuals and not a reflection of my worth in either direction and learned to set better boundaries

So let’s turn this around to you:
Are there any gifts in your life that you’re not appreciating? (This doesn’t have to be about your physical self.)
Is there something for which you receive frequent attention or praise that you’re downplaying?
What about tasks you perform effortlessly that people ooh and aah over, while you say “It was nothing” because it just flows naturally for you?

What if you chose to see those aspects of yourself or your talents as gifts instead of burdens or things that make you go “meh?”

Are any Big Insights hitting you after reading this? Email me and tell me about them. I know the body image stuff runs deep for many of us, particularly women, but I also know guys struggle with this stuff, too and all creatives face times when they doubt their talents. If I hear from enough people, we can continue this conversation in next week’s newsletter, because I know this is a ‘deep dive’ issue for many of us.

Recently on the Makearoo blog:We are here to thrive.
My all-time fave quotation (what’s yours?)
Go forth and be AWESOME! A convo with Kate Swoboda

How about some Instagram? You’re welcome.
Follow @makearoo on Instagram! It'll be fun, I promise!

The Makearoo Newsletter is crafted with love and silliness by Toni McLellan, a creativity coach and the sublime weirdo behind Camp Makearoo. Learn more at makearoo.com.

Are you curious about the benefits of creativity coaching? Want to know how coaching supports both your creative work and spirit, or to get a sense of whether we’d work well together? I’m offering 45-minute Makearoo Mini-Sessions for just $35. Email me for more information and/or to sign up. Learn more about creativing coaching and my offerings here.

If you’d like a half-day of coaching fun with me like the one I wrote about in this newsletter, check out the Makearoo Jam Session – I know we’re not supposed to pick favorites, but this is my very favorite offering. It’s like a virtual, one-on-one Camp Makearoo with just us two. Swooning yet? This is the only offering I can also do in person if you’re local to the Chicago or Milwaukee areas! A field trip focused on YOU, YOU, YOU! Duration: 4 hours Cost: $450 Note: Because of the time and energy commitment required, I offer a limited number of Makearoo Jam Sessions. Email meto get on my calendar and spend a day focused just on YOU and your big ideas.

What are you doing next May? If you’re a creative person looking for more (clarity, clients, joy, permission to be awesome, etc.), you need to be at Camp Makearoo, a gathering dedicated to creative evolution. And silliness. And communing with like-minded people who are inordinately fond of making cool stuff because they can. Your people. Want a piece of this?  Details and registration are at makearoo.com. (Don’t forget the new CAMP MAKEAROO BRING-A-FRIEND DISCOUNT: If you have a friend, partner, or partner in crime you’d like to bring to Camp Makearoo, you each save $100 on registration! Contact Toni (that’s me!) to get your twofer.)

GO FORTH AND BE AWESOME! This month, I’ve interviewed some wise and wonderful people about finding our purpose–especially as it relates to creative work–and working through, around, and in spite of issues such as: overwhelm, procrastination, depression/anxiety, and fear of failure and/or success. Stay tuned for interviews on the Makearoo blog with Kate Swoboda, aka Kate Courageous, Katrina Martin, aka Katrina Dreamer, and Kate Hanley, aka Ms. Mindbody. (If you’re reading this and have insights, experiences, and/or wisdom to share on these topics, please get in touch!).

Go Forth and Be AWESOME! A conversation with Kate Swoboda

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I’m so excited to share the first in a series of convos about finding your creative purpose and working through any stumbling blocks we encounter along the way. Today’s special guest star is Kate Swoboda, aka Kate Courageous. We’re going to talk about finding our purpose, inner and outer alignment, and telling ten-year-olds to eff off. Check it out and share your thoughts about this.

Go forth and be AWESOME! Interview with Kate Swoboda from Makearoo on Vimeo.

Camp Makearoo Recap: “I loved every minute.”

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Creative souls communing at the Starline Gallery in Harvard, Illinois
Creative souls communing for an inspiring talk and tour at the Starline Gallery in Harvard, Illinois

Hello there, brave and beautiful weirdo! This is a repost of the 12th Makearoo Newsletter here on the blog.

FYI, in my world, ‘weirdo’ is high praise and one of the many perks of being a creative person. Tapping into our unique weirdness is one essential element of producing our best creative work. In fact, I have an upcoming e-course on this very topic, called Dare to be Weird, designed to help creative people embrace what makes them unique instead of assuming your quirks, work habits, and gifts are bizarre flaws to keep deeply hidden out of fear of judgment and/or rejection. Interested? Email me for more info and to sign up if you’re an early bird sort of person.

Camp Makearoo Recap
There are probably dozens of things that could have kept Camp Makearoo from happening. All of them relied upon me quitting. As I wrote on the blog before camp, I didn’t come anywhere close to filling seats like I’d hoped to when starting out, and I could have counted that a failure. I didn’t. My parents experienced a major health crisis two weeks before camp. I helped where I could, had a few healthy cries, and kept planning. I experienced about two dozen technical/logistical/financial glitches–including during the morning of Day 1–and I carried on in spite of them. A guest dropped out a couple of days before the event, deferring her attendance for a future camp. I kept working.

I could have quit. I could have let any one of those things stop me. But I had this idea for a gathering of weirdos that I couldn’t let go of, and I had three talented creative people with big hearts and even bigger dreams who were excited to attend this event. Giving up wasn’t even on my radar. And when I woke on May 18th, I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous in my life–including my wedding day. Speaking of weddings, my awesome husband Daniel–the biggest supporter of my creative work for the past 15 years–was on hand as the Camp Makearoo AV Guy, packing up computer and camera gear and gift bags for our guests and speakers so we could hit the road. I was nervous, but it was a great kind of nervous, if that makes any sense. The right kind of nervous. I’d released any attachments to perfection or ‘wowing’ anyone, deciding I was going to show up ready to serve and share with the people who were every bit as thrilled to be there as I was.


Packed and ready to lead with joy!


View of the harbor on Lake Geneva from The Abbey Resort


Cozy rooms for working on your creative projects throughout the weekend

Dr. Dawn Levitan talks about how relationships can shift when we head in the direction of our dreams.
Dr. Dawn Levitan of LifeScopes Coaching talks relationship shifts and healthy self-talk for creatives

I don’t think the weekend could have gone better. The only things I was lacking were a stylist (as you can see from all the beige in our gathering space!) and an event photographer. Lesson learned for next time: There will be color and fun in the Camp Makearoo environment! Ban the Beige!Another lesson learned: I am a one woman force of nature, but I can’t do it all. I’m a decent photographer, but I knew ahead of time that I’d be 100% focused on my guests and keeping Camp Makearoo running smoothly. So I set up my camera in the back of the room and asked my husband to grab some shots for me, because I knew I couldn’t be present in that sort of storytelling way during camp. I also set an intention to have an event photographer on hand for all future Camp Makearoo events so I won’t have to worry about capturing every moment of the weekend.


Mandy Page of Bold Types Coaching gets to the heart of our secret knowledge and how to tap into that creative power

Other than those two logistical issues which, despite their importance to me, did nothing to impede the quality of Camp Makearoo, the rest of the weekend was incredible. The people who attended were insightful, eager to make room in their lives to pursue their creative dreams, candid about their gifts, hopes and fears, and incredibly and uniquely talented in a variety of media (sewing, baking, interior design, writing, graphic design, etc.) The people who facilitated camp with me were just as talented, energetic, and eager to help our guests–we even had financial freedom coach Ginny Victory reach out to us via Skype (no technical glitches there, woo hoo!) and exclusive videos containing simple things you can do at your desk to either wake up or stay connected to Source from Ms. Mindbody Kate Hanley. It was so fun seeing the connections made between speakers and guests, and insights and ‘Aha! moments’ popping like flash bulbs at the Oscars. One guest remarked that she loved the total absence of ‘the guru thing,’ how each of us at Camp Makearoo–guests and speakers–was striving and working through our own stuff and there were no ‘hands-off’ expert types who floated above it all. We were all connected, regardless of where we were on our individual paths. That’s powerful stuff.


A Skype talk about money mindsets from Ginny Victory

I’ll give a brief recap of the schedule: Day one took a multidisciplinary approach, with guides tackling different facets of creative work (relationships, mind-body, blocks, owning your unique weirdness, money mindsets). Day two featured one-on-one sessions with our experts on topics important to our guests and a discussion of spreading the word about your awesome stuff without feeling like a douchebag. (This is where I’ll share one of my favorite moments: I made some kind of smart remark and one guest leaned over to another and said, with total affection and I suspect a hint of admiration: “She really has no filter whatsoever.” It’s funny because it’s true.) We then took an afternoon pause to rejuvenate or work on our creative projects and ended with a group dinner at The Abbey.


Blissfully perfect spring weather all weekend meant al fresco lunch and walks along the lake during down times(That’s my handsome AV guy, aka husband there on the far right)

We regrouped in the lobby early on the morning of day three for a super-secret excursion–a quick drive south to Harvard, Illinois for a talk and exclusive tour of the Starline Gallery by photographer, teacher, and marketing whirlwind Nancy Merkling. Nancy talked about her own creative process as a photographer (including resisting the classic line “it’s a great hobby, but . . . ” as she crafted a thriving career). We also discussed the gifts inherent in rejection, and why she started a monthly gallery event at the Starline based on community (no stuffy inner circles), freshness (new art each month) and fun (live music, Shakespeare plays in the elevator–yes, really–and wine paired with tasty eats) that’s grown beyond her wildest imaginings. She built this event and people from all around came to this tiny farm community way out on the outskirts of the Chicago area, despite the protests of the usual gang of naysayers who appear seemingly out of nowhere when someone announces an ambitious project.The takeaway: Hold the belief, execute it with smarts, heart, and fun, and people will pay attention–all things I believe with my heart and soul.

Next, we toured the entire Starline Warehouse, where they’re renovating to create more event space (including a chapel and bridal suite), galleries, an Internet cafe, and a full service, ‘no reservations’ restaurant. There were tons of photo opps as we walked through the bones of this enormous old factory, once home to a farm equipment manufacturer that was saved from demolition a decade ago by local entrepreneur and visionary Orrin Kinney. The combination of Nancy’s energetic talk and exploring the renovations in progress were both uniquely inspiring, and everyone had their cameras out and creative antennae extended–the perfect field trip for weirdos!


One of the hidden gems at the Starline – a central atrium maintained by an artist/landscaper who rents studio space at the gallery


Exploring the Starline Gallery renovations — what a gorgeous space!


Chapel organ installation-in-progress

We ended our last day together with a Camp Makearoo Gallery Showing. I’d snagged a sunny conference room overlooking the harbor, we ordered lunch (exploring warehouse/gallery renovations builds up an appetite!), and each guest (and speaker!) shared something they had created, talked a bit about the process of making it, and explained why it was awesome. I think getting to know each other over those three days made the sharing of our work that much more powerful. Some people shared their chosen works for the first time ever, and realized how vital it is to open up and share in an environment of trust. It was a powerful precursor to opening up and sharing our work with the world. And I think that ties into the personal and personalized marketing perspective I believe works so well for creatives and really any indie biz–when you have a sense of the human being that made the cool thing you’re itching to buy, you feel that much better about spending your money. You know you’re part of a cycle of good things.


A brave and beautiful Camp Makearoo guest shows some of his artwork during the Gallery Showing

All around, this was one of the very best experiences of my life and I had a blast from start to finish.We all learned so much. We discovered the inherent value in being in a room with people who are either in the same place in their creative journey or who are a bit further along, having busted through barriers to reach a place of joyful productivity. We also reveled in the mad energy of sharing our work with and gaining inspiration from our tribe–because creatives share many common traits, regardless of our chosen media. This idea was at the heart of Camp Makearoo from the outset–that just hanging with fellow creatives brings myriad benefits–and I was thrilled to actually experience what I already knew was true.We discovered that ‘talent is the least of our problems’ and that knowing you can make cool shit isn’t the same thing as actually making it and sharing it with the world in ways that feel authentic to us. We also learned the importance of going back and repeating that process over and over again, leading with joy and laughter because suffering for our art is no way to live or work.

And we began transforming our money stories, starting with forgiveness for our past money mistakes (because guess what? We’ve all made them!), new insights into smart risks (including taking on debt in some cases) and big, bold plans to earn enough to come out on top, because I am on a mission to bust the starving artist myth (and the suffering artist one while I’m at it), and I aim to bring all of you brave and beautiful weirdos with me in reshaping what’s possible for creatives.

Finally, the subject line of this newsletter is an actual quote from one of the guests at Camp Makearoo. We wrapped up the Gallery Showing, feeling invigorated and inspired by all of the incredible work produced by everyone in that room, but also sad because it was time to say good-bye. One guest walked up to me and said “I enjoyed every minute.” I really can’t ask for more than that, and I’m thrilled to have created the space to make that happen, knowing that the participation, insight, and honesty of our guests also helped make Camp Makearoo such a memorable and enjoyable experience.

If you’re reading this and thinking “Hey, I want some of that!” I’ve got great news for you:

A SUPER-AWESOME ANNOUNCEMENT!

The next Camp Makearoo will be October 19-21st at The Abbey Resort.

Yep, we liked the venue so much we decided to stay. As one guest put it, “You pull into the resort and just immediately feel relaxed.” I’ve chosen another ideal time of year for this event as the leaves are turning colors and the days are warm and sunny enough for a lakeside hike or stroll.

Are you ready to experience the power and magic that gathering with fellow creatives can bring?
Are you longing for more from your creative work and hungry to learn how to break past your biggest barriers?
Do you like to laugh and enjoy beautiful surroundings?
Are you ready to make your uniquely cool stuff and share it with the world in ways that feel authentic to you?
Do you want to help us bust the myth of the starving, solitary creative who must suffer for his/her art while waiting to be discovered?
It’s time to stop reading about Camp Makearoo and chart a course to get yourself there!

Register and grab your room, and get ready to rock your creative world!

And as always, Email me if you have any questions. I’ll be doing a couples/bring-a-pal discount oand referral bonuses, too!