Here’s the latest track of GCMusic called, “Whistler Spirit.”

Whistler, British Columbia is a magical and majestic place, not to mention a fantastic place to ski and enjoy outdoor nature sports. Everywhere you look, there is stunning natural beauty. Here’s the tune that came along after visiting the area. The Studio Blog is the place to hear the complete track.

Just press play and enjoy . . .

There’s a new Playlist on our YouTube channel called, “Adventures.” Whenever we have a notable experience while travelling, we’ll post it here. The first video added to that playlist is from the evening before the Olympic Opening Ceremonies in downtown Vancouver.

We managed to get ourselves in position to watch the torch get carried by Canadian crooner, Michael Bublé just before it made its final trip into David Lam Park for the official lighting of the Olympic cauldron. There were a ton of people clogging the streets that night and all of us were treated to an amazing fireworks display.

So, now that the Olympics are over, check out the excitement that took place before it all started . . .

The Studio Blog is officially two years old! It’s now being presented in its brand new home as our website has been redesigned.

Michael Lehto has reshaped the site to be more attractive and clear for all of our visitors and we are very appreciative of his expertise and creativity.

Thanks to all the loyal readers of the blog. Your feedback has been instrumental in the development of the content of this site.

You can also view this New Water Film entitled, “Natural Vancouver.” You didn’t think we just went to the Olympics without checking out the awesome natural beauty that surrounds the area, did you? Check out this video if you’re looking for a peaceful break to your day:

You can also watch it in HD on YouTube

The new music (the soundtrack to the video) can be downloaded here.

Another post is coming to you tomorrow with a film that features our Olympic Eve experience, watching Michael Bublé carrying the torch.

As always, remember that you can now follow our new GC Creative Studio Facebook page by clicking here and becoming a “fan.”

See you then!

We just got back from the first four days of the Olympics. What an experience!

Watching the activity on TV, it’s hard to imagine the enormity of the Games. The number of people and the amount of details involved is pretty amazing.

The energy on the eve of the Olympics was phenomenal. We watched Canadian singer, Michael Buble and others carry the torch into David Lam Park for the conclusion of the torch’s journey — nearly 28,000 miles around Canada! Here are some pics from that night:

facebook.com/OlympicEve

The organization of transportation, events, security and entertainment was impressive. Also, Vancouver is an amazing city with unparalelled access to spectacular natural areas.

We attended the Normal Hill Ski Jump, the first event of these Olympics. Here’s a link to some images of our experience, which included an up close encounter with the Joe Biden:

facebook.com/ski jump

There’s also a Cultural Olympiad taking place which “celebrates the contemporary imagination.” It’s 60 days of creative, cultural events from music, dance and art to multimedia. There are venues all over the city of Vancouver hosting these events.

We had a fantastic time, but one of the things that stood out to us with clarity was the people. The energy level was high and positive. We stayed with a wonderful host and everyone we encountered was helpful and pleased about their beautiful city. The creative energy that goes into an event like this is truly inspiring.

Enjoy these photos from the weekend . . .

All of us can use ways to find calm, right? Well here are just a few ideas that can help you experience peace and relaxation.

1. Calm your mind with meditation or breath awareness. When you wake up or just before you go to sleep for the night try one of these techniques:

a) Follow the movement of your abdomen as you breathe calmly. Just observe without feeling the need to control your breath. Whenever your mind drifts and you become aware that you’re no longer observing your breath, just gently come back to focusing on your breathing and the rise and fall of the abdomen. Start with 5 minutes and increase by one minute each successive day. Use a timer if you desire or just do it for as long as you want. With practice, you can get to 20 minutes each day. You will find that this practice will become a part of your active, waking day as well, bringing you tremendous calming benefits.

b) Practice visualization for five minutes a day. Create pictures in your imagination that reflect your life as you desire it to be. Feel the feelings of already having the life you desire as you imagine your mental movie in great detail. You can build details into your imaginary film every day. Try this for 21 days in a row and observe any changes you experience in your ability to think about things in your life as you desire them to be (even when you’re moving through your day). Also, remember Einstein’s great quote:

“Your imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions.”

c) Observe your thoughts without judgment. Pretend that your mind is the sky and that thoughts are like passing clouds. There’s no need to label thoughts as good or bad, just allow the thoughts to come into your awareness and pass through without you getting attached to them. When you resist the thoughts you don’t want, you give them power to stay around and become stuck in your field of consciousness. When an unwanted thought comes about, just observe it with a “there it is,” unattached approach. This practice is really great for helping you to develop greater clarity of focus. Try it for 5 minutes a day.

2. Fully engage yourself in a creative activity. Whether it’s practicing piano, learning a language, developing a business plan or playing with your kids, engage in these activities on a regular basis with your full attention. Turn off your cellphone and put away your electronic devices (unless your creativity is taking place on the computer) to help put you in a dedicated mental space. Plan time for this activity every day for 21 days so that it becomes an effortless habit.

3. Take a walk outside in nature. Few activities calm the mind more effectively than the act of communing with nature. You become connected to something larger than yourself when you open your focus to the variety and connectedness of the outdoors.

4. Listen to relaxing music or watch videos that make you feel tranquil. If you’re in the middle of a hectic day, music can be that “take it anywhere” elixir to help soothe your stress. As readers of the Studio Blog already know, we make videos specifically for that purpose called, “Water Films.” “GCMusic” is also a good resource for relaxing music.

We hope you find these techniques helpful as you journey toward greater peace in your everyday life. All of these ideas give you greater benefit with regular practice because you’ll find what works best for you. I find that something as simple as looking at a picture of a flower (like the one below) can immediately raise my vibration. Enjoy!

For more hibiscus photos, check out our Hawai’i Hibiscus album on our Facebook page. Click here.

While we were vacationing in Florida at the end of 2009, we witnessed some amazing sunrises and sunsets. This Water Film features some really cool shots from the beach on Sanibel Island.

The video is accompanied by a new composition, “Sanibel Sun.”

You can watch the new movie, also called “Sanibel Sun,” here:

Watch it in HD on the full screen on YouTube!

Or you can go to our Water Films website to watch this movie or any of the other relaxing Water Films.

If you like the music from this video you can download “Sanibel Sun,” you can download it here.

Watching films like this can put you in a place of calm focus (an upcoming blog topic — stay tuned).

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about exercise, so I thought I would write about what has worked for me. Here’s some food for thought when it comes to either starting or varying your exercise routine.

I found an interesting quote from Carol Welch about movement (which I translated into exercise) today:

“Movement is a medicine for creating change in a person’s physical, emotional and mental states.”

Exercise is different for everyone, so there is no “catch-all” prescription for a successful routine. Choose what’s right for you.

Here’s what I do to keep it fresh since I exercise 5 to 6 days a week for 50 to 51 weeks out of the year (I take off a full week to let my body just BE).

Ten Tips To A Better Exercise Routine in 2010

1. As you do indoor cardiovascular training (i.e., running, elliptical training, rowing, etc.), become aware of sensations in your body and just observe them. Also, observe your breath at different times during the workout. This meditation in motion keeps your mind from focusing on how much longer you have to go.

2. Try doing cardio activities outside in an inspiring setting. It’s so much easier to enjoy the workout when you’re surrounded by beauty. In the winter, try cross country skiing.

3. When lifting weights or doing resistance training, focus on the muscle group that you are training as you lift. Feel that muscle as you perform the movement. Visualize that area receiving benefit from your work.

4. Find a training program online or in a magazine that gives you a fresh new approach while guiding you through a time period that is long enough to effortlessly form a new habit.

5. Find an exercise friend. This could be someone you exercise with or it could be a friend that you report your exercise activity to in a short e-mail. It’s fun to exercise with someone else or to embark on a new program with someone else. That accountability also helps you form a habit.

6. Write out some fitness goals. You could specify weight loss goals or you could write out your routine before you start. You can keep track of your reps and sets in a notebook with weightlifting, but you could also project some targets for the next week, month or three months. Check in with these goals once per week and revise whatever is necessary.

7. Try different forms of exercise. My fitness routine includes weight lifting, mountain biking, indoor cardio, Qigong, yoga, walking around the neighborhood, hiking in nature, cross country skiing, riding my bike to errands and whatever else helps me to stay in shape and have fun.

8. If you’re trying to get started, start by setting a time each day that you will begin to associate with movement. Writing down your plans will further solidify your intention. You could start by saying, “I will walk for 20 minutes after dinner,” or “I will walk up and down the steps a few times before breakfast.” As soon as you associate a certain time of day with planned exercise of some form, you end that struggle to get your routine started.

9. Do some form of stretching in the morning. This doesn’t have to be a formal practice, but I really benefit from yoga after I awaken and meditate. A morning stretching routine eases you into the day and energizes your body. It also makes it easier to exercise later in the day because the intention for good health is there and your increased flexibility makes exercise more effective.

10. Start today! The longer you wait, the more likely it is that you won’t start. If you’ve already started, congratulations! I hope some of the ideas above will help you to be more creative in your approach.

Let’s end today’s post with two more inspiring images from Sanibel Island, Florida at sunrise.

If you haven’t heard, it’s 2010!

The beginning of the year is a traditional time in which people set goals and see how well they can stick to their intentions.

Even though I haven’t done the good old “New Year’s Resolution” in a while, I do re-calibrate my priorities at the beginning of each year (and throughout the year).

One of the most significant things we can examine and improve is how we relate to other people.

Here are some things that Candice and I do regarding relationships. You might find these techniques helpful as you renew important relationships in your life.

Relationship Renewal Techniques

1. If you wish to improve your relationship with anyone, from your significant other to your boss or your mother, try writing down a list of things that you appreciate about that person. Write it on a piece of paper as you think about this individual. Observe what happens to the relationship after you do this — it’s pretty cool.

2. If you are at an impasse with someone, try writing them a letter (one that you won’t actually send to them), expressing your feelings in great detail. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel when you express your feelings about a challenging relationship. People tend to repress their feelings when they’re upset with someone. As you may know, the anger can build to a point in which you cannot see the situation with clear vision. The idea here is to keep the letter in a confidential place after your write it. Some people even burn letters like this after they write them. I’ve done this when a relationship reaches a low point and it’s amazing what happens after the letter is written. At the very least, you’ll feel better.

3. Give something to someone that you want for yourself. You don’t even have to give it to the person from whom you want something. Maybe you’re looking for approval from your boss. Try giving someone a compliment when you’re moved to do so. Maybe you want to be accepted by your father. Try accepting someone in your life that has different ideas than you about living day to day. You get the point. You can create a new cycle of ease with this process.

In the next few weeks, the topics will include exercise, organization and calm focus. We hope these tools contribute to you having a fantastic week!

Enjoy these sunset photos from Sanibel Island, Florida.

If you’d like to take a break from the holiday bustle and feel peaceful, check out these images from the Cuyahoga River Valley in fall. Here’s the newest relaxing Water Film, “Autumn River.”

Flowing water images are accompanied by a new composition entitled, “Autumn River.” This tranquil piece blends strings, piano and light chimes.

You can watch the new movie here:

Watch it in HD on the full screen on YouTube!

Or you can go to our Water Films website to watch this movie or any of the other relaxing Water Films.

If you like the music, “Autumn River,” you can download it here.

Take some time for yourself to recharge and relax.

Here’s another new MP3 from GCMusic called “Dusk.” The Studio Blog is the only place to hear the complete track.

Just press play and enjoy this new, mysterious and cinematic track . . .

If you want to own your own copy for your iPod, click here to purchase it.

Also, for those of you who wish to hear my radio interview on Cleveland’s WHK 1420 AM on December 5, here’s the recording of the full interview with Nick Phillips, “The Advocate.” We discussed my musical background and the launch of our new GC Creative Studio product called the Creative Mentor. This exciting 21-day video program was developed for those who wish to find more time for creativity in their busy lives. Enjoy!