You Can Do It!
Christopher Lowell is a powerhouse. He is a motivator, energizer, inspirer and a guru on unleashing creativity. While interviewing him on a beautiful Chippendale sofa at the Office Depot Success Strategies conference media room, his message was resoundingly clear. "We are all creative," he says, "and through personal creativity, our spirit comes out to play." With summer upon us, I knew Lowell would be great for our inspiration. He has a wonderful motto…you CAN do it! And I propose we use this mantra throughout the summer. Better yet, when talking to ourselves and those we love…Let's use this mantra…forever.

Explore Your Personal Creativity
Lowell was easy going and easy to talk to. He is a man on a mission and believes his work is his ministry. He is watching the trends and patterns in our society and is influencing our evolution. "In the American culture, Lowell observes, "people have great instincts but these same people are afraid. And with fear comes hesitation. Our instincts have been suppressed because of our past experiences and most people don't discover this until they go to decorate their homes. Our home is a reflection of who we are…and when we begin to design the interior, we have to meet ourselves. Then we say…oh my gosh, who am I? I have always felt the home format is the perfect opportunity to get in touch with yourself. You see, our physical interiors match our mental interiors. We are how we live and by changing the way we live, either in our mental interior or our physical interior, other things in our life will change as well. We have an opportunity to reinvent and to explore our personal creativity in a more profound way, under our own roof, than in any other area of our lives. If we can't experiment in our own homes, then where can we?"

Christopher Lowell has many talents. He was an accomplished concert pianist, artist, sculptor, dancer and entrepreneur. "My inner curriculum developed by honing my artistic skills. We confuse talent with creativity. We are not all talented, but we have an innate creativity. I do my personal work everyday. Here's what I suggest:
Christopher's RX For Living

Decorate With Your Heart
"Take a look at your wardrobe. Look at what you have. Chances are you will see a repetitive group of colors that pop up. Chances are these look good on you, and will also look good around you."

"As I watched our culture change, I saw male and female relationships changing too. Get home magazines for you and your husband to peruse. For one month without regard for budget, tear out every picture you like. Have him do the same. Circle what you like in the picture and put all the pictures in your own folder. Have him do the same. Then look at what you have selected. This elicits dialogue and allows you both to contribute to the new creativity you will express in your home. You see, for the first time in history, co-partnering every decision made in the home is a reality."

Future Trend
The Day Spa industry is up 78%. In the future, we will build spa-like settings in our own homes. "People want flexible sexy spaces that are not gender specific environments. In my next book, “Future Urban Living”, we will explore the changing home environment and we will look at creating that environment and new options in entertaining."

Man On A Mission
A native of Anchorage, Alaska who spent a portion of his childhood in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Christopher Lowell has genetics to thank, in part. "I was very blessed to be born into a creative family," he explains. "My father was a master joiner, an artisan who can recreate 16th, 17th and 18th-century interiors. From him I learned that elusive thing called scale. I was also inspired by my grandmother, an interior decorator."

Lowell's inspires confidence in consumers, adhering to his philosophy that, where there is fear, there is no creativity. His first, best-selling book, "Seven Layers of Design: Fearless, Fabulous Decorating" (Random House/Clarkson-Potter) is now in its twelfth printing. It was designed to help people overcome fear and was followed two years later with the Fall 2002 publication of "If You Can Dream It, You Can Do It!: Dream Décor on a Budget" (Clarkson-Potter). In September 2003 "Small Spaces" (Clarkson-Potter), was published and Christopher's new entertaining book, "The Hassle Free Host" (Clarkson Potter), came out last fall. New York Times Magazine says "At once cheerleader, drill sergeant and household ham, the frenetically funny Christopher Lowell is poised to parlay his stealth success as a decorating guru-to-the-masses into the next how-to empire."

Love Your Home---Love Yourself
As viewers of his top-rated television show can attest, Christopher Lowell is an expert at smashing barriers, especially those that stifle creativity. Disarming audiences the moment he steps onstage, sporting an outrageous costume or playing a flamboyant character with a silly accent, he sparks creative thinking from the start of each episode. His TV series "It's Christopher Lowell!" and "The Christopher Lowell Show" give viewers the ideas and courage they need to create the house of their dreams. Lowell earned a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Service Show Host. As one journalist noted, his "signature humor, wit and charm" transform what might be a bland how-to show into a mischievous romp, propelled by an infectious enthusiasm. With his hearty slogan "You can do it!" Christopher motivates, entertains and inspires.

Lend A Helping Hand
"The rewards for helping others can only be understood while in the act of giving. We shouldn't give because of the politics, the money or social standing. It's the pure pleasure of doing something outside our self that can make such a profound difference in someone's life-someone we may never meet. An act of anonymous kindness can, and does, change lives. Working together for a common cause can create community. Being generous of heart can yield the greatest sense of what being human is all about. A greedy heart is one that took too much, felt entitled to more and focused on self. A full heart is one that lives without fear, knowing that a humble heart will always be replenished and that there is no such thing as being "generous to a fault." Together we can make a difference.

Inside-Out
When you think about it, "inside-out" is really one of life's metaphors. We seem to be forever busy on the outside, dancing as fast as we can, trying to cope in stressful world thinking this is what we're supposed to be doing. In reality, what we're all trying to find is that safe place where inner joy and happiness are all we need. Every generation and every civilization has had its own unique set of circumstances at its moment in time. Our outward fight for freedom, independence and positive change should never take precedence over our inner ability to love and be love-to understand the power of forgiveness and integrity. The next time you find yourself thinking about the million and one things you think you need to get done or else-stop, take a breath and ask yourself if what's on the outside list is more important than creating that safe and loving place for you and those you love. Together, we can do it!"

Change Your Home, Change Your Life
"Throughout nearly 10 years on television, my real goal is to penetrate your mental interior just long enough for you to understand that deep and personal change starts at home. Creating a nurturing space has nothing to do with money, perceived taste or expertise. It's really about self-esteem and the ability to understand the home is really a powerful metaphor for where you are. Look around. Does where you live give you a feeling of pride or is it undermining your ability to create experiment and discover who you really are? Accomplishment is additive. Small changes can give way to major breakthroughs. It might only be a matter of painting one wall. But the thousands of letters I get tell me that in the act of doing, many of you have found yourselves in the process."

This summer, create a nurturing, safe, loving and sacred space…that reflects you. Remember Christopher's mantra…You CAN do it!