Staying Rooted By Tuning Into Your Artistic Expression, with Fiona Valentine

When you move internationally, often you make difficult decisions about which items earn a space in your suitcase. Art supplies might seem frivolous or impractical, especially if you’re “up close and personal” with poverty. But taking your creativity seriously may have long term impacts to your health and to your adjustment. “If only somebody had helped me to see how tied my creativity was to who I was as a person, how I was wired; and how I could have nurtured myself and strengthened the very skills I needed to thrive in a cross-cultural situation.” Fiona shares from her personal experience as an expat as an art coach Which art supplies will give you the most mileage Making setup and cleanup quick & easy, for adults and kids Working with your inner critic Finding time for your creative pursuits How our struggles with creativity reflect how we view ourselves and the world and more. RESOURCES mentioned in the episode:  Free and affordable drawing tutorials at Art Projects For Kids Reputable brands include Faber-Castell pan watercolors, Winsor & Newton in England or Daniel Smith in the U.S. ENJOYED THIS EPISODE? Take a screenshot and share it with your friends … tag @ResilientExpats. You might also like: Episode 2 - Therapeutic Art, with Kit Ripley ABOUT TODAY’S GUEST: Fiona Valentine is an artist and art coach in Melbourne, Australia. She hosts luxury art retreats and online coaching for women who want to build a creative habit and make beautiful art. Fiona and her husband met in Africa and had six international moves in their first 10 years together. Come join me in my Facebook community for inspiration and connection with other creatives. I do a LIVE video each week with art tips and you'll be first to hear about what's new with my online art classes and courses. CONNECT with Fiona Valentine: Website Facebook group The Confident Artist Email Coaching & Courses & Retreats ABOUT YOUR HOST: Kim Adams is an American raising three daughters along with her math-teaching husband of 20 years. She loves photography, reading, thunderstorms, walking on the beach, camping where there are no bugs, and has a weakness for mint chocolate chip ice cream.  To set up a conversation with Kim to learn how she can support you, go to ResilientExpats.com/Adapt and hit “Apply Now.” CONNECT WITH KIM:  Email Resilient Expats LLC website Facebook page Free Parents Community on Facebook 1:1 Support to smooth your transitions & maximize your expat experience

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Living an international life and raising kids abroad is amazing … and it can get intense! Being so far away from loved ones, the constant rounds of goodbyes, piecing together a cohesive education at multiple international schools, the eventual transition to university with its own brand of culture shock … and that’s only a few of the factors adding complexity for globally mobile families. I’m on a mission to raise a healthier generation of Third Culture Kids (TCKs) - and the parents who raise them! That means making sure you know the pitfalls to avoid, and giving you practical measures that really help. I’ll draw on my experience raising 3 TCKs, reading and research, experiences of friends and colleagues, including many international school teachers, counselors, seasoned coaches, artists and others doing fantastic work to ease the lives of expats around the globe. I believe we’re stronger together. Join me for a heart to heart, full of warmth and compassion... for you and for me… because honestly I’m figuring it out as I go along, just like most parents! For more, see https://resilientexpats.com, and come hang out with me on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/ResilientExpats/); hearing from you would make my day!