Original Impulse

Liberate Your Creative Genius with Cynthia Morris

Articles by Author and Book Coach Cynthia Morris

Elevate your annual review process quickly

by 1 Comment

When it comes time to reflect on the year, I often go all-out, writing a long document about my year. I love savoring how my projects have grown me. This year, though, I am deep in the revision of my book and don’t have space to write a long annual review. But I found a quick and fun way to reflect on my year, and I am so glad I did.

While on a recent plane trip, I took out my journal and made a two-page calendar, one box for each month. I identified a few categories – work, personal, travel, education, then filled in the boxes with things I had done throughout 2018.

It made me laugh to see that on the first couple of passes, I had forgotten major things like the Summer Chillenge. I also forgot the three weeks I spent in Paris working on patterns for my 100 Day Project. Or that I had learned so much about home renovation through choosing paint, tile and floor stains for our new home.

While it’s cool to see the events and things that happened, adding a reflection process can elevate the annual review beyond a list of what happened. Two things make this process more potent: values and stories. Try this four-step process to elevate your annual review process quickly.

First, list significant events from your year. Do this across a timeline, or in boxes on paper or notebook. This may take a few days. Go through photos and your calendar to spark your memory.

Next, add values. When looking at each event, ask yourself what values were being most honored. For me, doing the 100 Day Project, making 100 patterns, was one way I honored learning, creativity and sharing. Working on my book was a way to honor my value of doing good work that has a lasting impact.

Then, make a list of the stories you have been telling. What are the stories about? Are you cast as the heroine or victim? What transformation has taken place in these stories? I often recount the story of our honeymoon in Hawaii and the flood that gave it a much different ending than expected. I have also been telling stories about the process of writing my book this year. In both stories, I recognize a resilient yet adaptable heroine.

Sharing our stories helps us process our experiences. This is how we make meaning. Look back over your year and see what meaning you have made. What stories reflect who you want to be?

Lastly, look ahead. If you want to use this reflection process to make changes for 2019, go back to your values list. What values do you want to see lived more fully? Identify those and the list activities or experiences would honor those values.

Look at the stories you have been telling. Is there a different story you want to tell? My friend and mentor Jonathan Fields has a card that says “If you don’t like the story you’re telling, write a new ending.”

Enjoy this quick annual review process. Add it to your own reflection process or do it as is. Let us know how this review process goes for you in a comment below.

Don’t betray your original impulse like I did

by 8 Comments

Do you ever do something and then realize, OMG that was not the smartest move I’ve ever made? I recently made a couple of dumb and expensive purchases that I regret.

I bought two planners mostly as research for a potential project. I had filled my tried and true Moleskine so I needed something. I also thought it wouldn’t hurt to explore a new method of planning. But oh, it did hurt.

I got the Full Focus Planner. One book costs over $40 and is for one quarter of the year. It took five minutes to realize that the habit tracker, goal setting, weekend planning and weekly review were not going to be useful for me. I prefer to plan my week once and then just do the freaking tasks. All the time it takes to fill out the planner is time I could spend just doing the work and enjoying my life.

Then! I somehow caught wind of a gorgeous French planner and bought that. I won’t reveal the cost but let’s just say I could have bought a pair of sandals instead.

I blame myself for these shopdoggles. (That’s boondoggle for shopping. Yes, I made that up.) I blame my enthusiasm, my love of productivity and my tendency to want to do what others are doing. Do you suffer from these symptoms of a shopdoggler?

This issue of productivity comes up all the time with my clients. We are all battling for focus and productivity, and sometimes we think it’s the right planner or method that will save us. I think it’s making better choices and doing less that helps us feel more satisfied with our progress.

We have access to others’ opinions more than ever. Taking on things that don’t work for us can be detrimental to our confidence. If you have gone on a shopdoggle or otherwise sidelined your wisdom and self-knowledge, it’s okay. These things can teach us if we let them. Not in a harsh ‘You’ll learn your lesson, Missy!’ But in the ever-growing self-awareness that fuels more of us, more of our creativity and more of our power.

I shunned a system I had developed and that was serving me to thrive in work and life. This is how we defer our power. We shun our original impulse or deep knowing for something new, flashy or trendy. 

I’ve gotten over my tomfoolery. (Writing this helped!) I forgave myself and let go of the sunk costs. Beating myself up, cursing myself and allowing this to linger like a dark cloud isn’t helpful.

Know what works for you to be productive, apply that consistently and jettison anything that doesn’t suit your needs.

Next year is the 20-year anniversary of my coaching business. I am launching a book and have big plans for it. Why would I risk my sanity, my productivity and my focus trying a new planner? I will finish the year with this recent planner, hacking it so it works the way my old method does. But next year I will return to my trusted and effective way of working. Phew!

In case you’re curious about my planning method, read on.

I use a large, hardback Moleskine notebook to run my business. I like this notebook or this notebook. I prefer dotted or grid pages over lined or blank.  The front of the notebook is for my weekly to-dos, with one week per page. I make 9 boxes on a page. Each box holds a different category of tasks. Every week’s workload is different so the categories could be: writing, teaching, clients, admin, travel, etc. At a glance I can see what I need to do for what project or sector of my work life.

The back half of the notebook is where I take meeting notes, make notes about projects and basically dream my work into existence. This system has worked for me for six years. When I need to reference something from the past, within minutes I can find that year’s notebook and access the information.

What helps you honor your original impulse? Share below in a comment.

Applications are rolling in for the Original Impulse Atelier, my year-long program to help you focus, follow through and finish that all-important project of yours. This is a training in how to know, honor and trust your creative process. It’s fun and effective, and we’re enrolling a few focused creatives now. Check it out here.

You are the gatekeeper to your power

by 6 Comments

I’ve heard from some people that for the last year or so, world events have dampened their enthusiasm for their creative work. I get it. It’s easy to get discouraged and to sideline our creative work when we feel angry, fearful and disempowered.

The problem is, we need our power now more than ever. When the world ‘out there’ tries to disempower us, we need to do what we can to claim our power. And, I believe that taking up an art form is one of the best paths to personal empowerment there is. I’ve coached hundreds of women (and men) to find their power through their words and creativity. I have been blown away by the strength we access when we commit to and follow up on our creative dreams.

Showing up for our writing sessions sends a signal to ourselves that we matter. It says that when we commit to our projects, it means something. Most of my work as a coach involves helping women set up their lives so their creative work has the space it deserves. Writing a book may seem in conflict with our other commitments, but we actually gain a lot for our lives.

When we learn how to stake a claim for ourselves in this way, our lives are better. The real, deep work of committing to a creative path has a great side benefit of personal empowerment. Staking a claim for our projects is a power move. In our work together, we discuss:

  • setting and keeping boundaries.
  • communicating our needs to loved ones and others.
  • making choices about how we spend our time.
  • releasing beliefs, objects and obligations that no longer serve us.
  • learning to prioritize projects, tasks and commitments.

When we consistently show up for our work, we grow. When we empower ourselves through our  creative work, we gain confidence. This confidence extends to other areas of life.

The recent situation with Dr. Christine Blasey Ford can send a signal that women’s words, lives and experiences do not matter. In a recent episode of Hidden Brain, they looked at how in the past, when women have spoken up about harassment, nothing changed and their experiences were disregarded. This prevented others from speaking up. This is called ‘social proof’. Why bother? It wouldn’t make a difference. This has changed with the #metoo movement, but we see with the recent Supreme Court Justice appointment that we still have work to do. But we should not take this as proof that our voices, our stories and our experiences don’t matter.

Some of us are galvanized by world events. One of my clients said that recent events spurred her to stop playing small. This is what I want for us all: that we recognize that we are in charge of our own empowerment. No more waiting for permission. No more waiting until we feel stronger or more confident. We are the gatekeeper to our power, and we have the keys to empower ourselves. The time to act is now.

We may not be able to change policy as we wish. But we can lead the change we seek in our own lives. I believe that when we empower ourselves it has a ripple effect. First we feel it in our intimate relationships. Then our work relationships. And on and on.

Maybe you don’t see your creative work as a personal growth path. There are many ways to empower ourselves and make a daily difference in the world. We are empowered when we:

  • help a stranger.
  • say no to something that isn’t right for us, even if we worry about how others will respond.
  • negotiate for the true value of our work.
  • speak up for ourselves and others.
  • donate our resources to causes we believe in.
  • take an honest look at how our actions play a part in keeping ourselves in a one-down position.

It is time for each and every one of us to claim the power each human has and deserves. Power to be self-determining. Power to express our truth. Power to play a role in a world that treats every person as equal and deserving of dignity.

However you are stepping up to claim your power, know that you, and your empowerment, matter. It does make a difference when you make space for your creative work. It does make a difference when you take a stand for what you know to be right. My hope is that this article has rallied your courage and that you feel your power now and that you feed its growth.

How do you experience your creative practice as a path to empowerment?