How My Dog Became My Artistic Muse: The Story Behind My Book
How My Dog Became My Artistic Muse: The Story Behind The Joy of Mindfulness with Dorie the Dog
Sometimes the greatest transformations in life arrive quietly.
For me, that transformation came through a dog.
Dog Dorie entered my life as more than a beloved companion. She became a source of healing, inspiration, and presence. She also became the heart behind my children’s book, The Joy of Mindfulness with Dorie the Dog.
What began as love for my dog slowly evolved into a deeper creative journey—one rooted in mindfulness, art, nature, consciousness, and personal growth.
How Dorie Taught Me the Power of Presence
Dogs naturally live in the present moment.
They do not replay the past or worry about the future. They find joy in simple things: sunlight on the floor, a morning walk, the breeze outside, the comfort of companionship.
Watching Dorie reminded me of something I had long been drawn to through the teachings of Eckhart Tolle and his books on consciousness and presence, including The Power of Now and A New Earth.
His message, that peace is found in the now, and that awareness changes how we experience life—deeply resonated with me for years.
Then I saw those teachings reflected in my dog every single day.
Dorie wasn’t trying to be mindful. She simply was.
That realization became one of the inspirations behind writing a children’s mindfulness book that helps young readers reconnect to calm, gratitude, creativity, and their inner world.
A Lifelong Love of Creativity
I have always been a creative person.
Since childhood, I was drawn to art, imagination, color, storytelling, and creating things that made people feel something. Creativity was never just a hobby for me, it was how I processed life, expressed emotion, and connected to something deeper.
As the years went on, that creative energy stayed with me, but this project awakened it in an entirely new way.
Creating The Joy of Mindfulness with Dorie the Dogfelt like reconnecting with the truest part of myself.
Creating the Artwork in Procreate: My Daily Meditation
The illustrations for the book were created using Procreate on my Apple iPad.
I expanded my skills through online learning, including courses by Freya Holmér, and used custom brushes purchased through Etsy to bring warmth and texture into the pages.
What started as learning digital illustration became a sacred daily ritual.
Each day, as I was walking Dorie, I started to take photos of her. I then turned my photos into digital painting. I would spend hours drawing Dorie, painting landscapes, designing affirmations, and shaping peaceful scenes for children. Those hours became my meditation practice.
The more I created, the calmer and clearer I became.
Nature as My Inspiration
Many scenes in the book were inspired by the beauty around me in Del Mar and San Diego.
Ocean air, palm trees, flowers, sunsets, neighborhood walks, and moments outside with Dorie all found their way into the pages.
Art helped me notice life more deeply.
I began paying attention to color in the sky, changing light, the movement of trees, birdsong in the morning, and the quiet healing power of nature.
How This Book Changed Me
This book became much more than a creative project.
It became a path of transformation.
Through the process, I developed:
● Greater discipline
● More confidence
● Emotional balance
● Stronger intuition
● Renewed purpose
● Increased productivity
● Inner coherence
I became more aligned, more focused, and more connected to myself than ever before.
Sometimes creating something beautiful changes the creator first.
Why I Wrote This Book for Children
As an educator in California, I have seen how many children today are navigating distraction, stress, anxiety, and constant screen stimulation.
I wanted to create something gentle and meaningful.
The Joy of Mindfulness with Dorie the Dog was designed to help children learn:
● Presence
● Gratitude
● Positive thinking
● Emotional awareness
● Calm breathing
● Creativity
● Love for nature
Simple tools that can make a lifelong difference.
My TEDx Message on Presence and Inner Well-Being
The same values that inspired this book also inspired my TEDx Talk on helping young people reconnect with themselves in a distracted world.
Mindfulness, creativity, movement, nature, and consciousness are not luxuries—they are essential for emotional wellness.
You can see you Tedx Youth Talk , Presence is the Gateway to Creativity here
Final Reflection
If someone had told me years ago that a dog would help guide me back to creativity, presence, and purpose, I may not have believed them.
But Dorie did exactly that.
She helped me slow down.
She helped me create.
She helped me grow.
She helped me return to myself.
And from that place, this book was born.