The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker
I loved this book. It almost changed my life when I finished it and thought, I want to facilitate these kinds of experiences Priya describes. Then I realized I don’t need to change my career to host more illuminating and connective events. This book will spark hope for humanity in you. Highly recommended for changing the world one gathering at a time.
We’ve never had more resources to bring our creative ideas to life. Yet we still get stuck and often abandon our dreams for our books, art or businesses. Maybe it’s not because you are incompetent or not talented enough.
What if the creative process just inherently has hurdles that we all have to overcome? What if knowing those obstacles are there to grow you helped you actually finish things you care about?
Welcome to Stumbling Toward Genius. I’m your host Cynthia Morris. I’ve been coaching creatives for twenty years at my company, Original Impulse.
What I’ve seen is that you already have all the tools you need. But, even so, you still stumble and often give up. I love helping people discover their own unique genius for sticking with it to get their creative work done. This podcast celebrates 20 years of diving deeply into the creative process.
I’m not just a coach and speaker. I do the creative work I challenge my clients to do. In weekly episodes of Stumbling Toward Genius, you’ll hear stories of the things I have made and how they’ve made me.
If you’re like me, you’re probably not a genius. But you’d like to be. When you get the thrill of a new idea, you feel alive and buoyant and capable of anything.
Then the initial inspiration fades, leaving you with the real work of taking that great idea and pulling it down into form. The obstacles can’t be avoided. But I believe conquering them helps us become our truest selves.
Stumbling Toward Genius is the storytelling creativity podcast where we shine a light on the challenges we all face while making things. You’ll learn how to access the key competencies everyone needs to focus, follow through and finish the projects that matter.
You’ll find a different creative competency in each of the weekly 20 episodes. Download the assignments to develop your own creative genius.
Tune in wherever you listen to podcasts. Welcome to the ranks of people who are not letting the daunting work of making things stifle their genius.
I’d be so grateful for your help with a review of the podcast Stumbling Toward Genius on iTunes. While you’re there, be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss any of the 20 weekly episodes.
It’s Not Your Money by Tosha Silver
I’ve been reading Tosha’s books for a couple of years now. Her basic premise is that if we turn ourselves and our actions over to the Divine, Love, God, whatever you call it, life will lead you to unexpected but wonderful places. She leads an online community and brought her teachings into this book. I loved the Abundance Prayer, which I wrote and illustrated in my sketchbook. I also love the idea of decluttering as an early step in the abundance-building process. I want to re-read this book and practice letting go of control sometimes.
My friend, colleague and former coach Charlie Gilkey is a wiz at all things productivity. We had a blast talking about what it takes to write a book and why doing so is great for your business.
Also, Charlie’s new book, Start Finishing, was just released this week. Get your hands on a copy now if you struggle getting things over the finish line.
I do a lot of things in my office/studio aka atelier. I write, meet with clients, lead groups. I make videos, art and recordings. I ship packages out.
That’s a lot of different activities, and I need different spaces for each one. Lately, I’ve been frustrated having to move things around each time I switch gears.
I know we can’t always have our perfect environment. But we can make tweaks. Later this year, Steve and I are moving to our new home. I’ll be keeping this place and taking it over for my work, art and writing projects. I’ll be hosting events here. I cannot wait! But I have to wait.
When I realized I needed to set up my space for better lighting on video, it was clear that the light needed to be in a different spot. And then when I got my new microphone, I saw that would need to be positioned on the other side.
I haven’t been making changes to my space because I know the big change is coming. But one day, a door of possibility opened to me.
What if….I turned my desk around? That would give me the long side facing the way I wanted. I could put the light on one side and the mic on the other. It might not look pretty, but it would work better.
So on the weekend, I shifted the table. I re-positioned the equipment. I put the box on the desk and my computer atop it. It seemed good.
And then I got on a call with a client. And the setup? It felt GREAT. I don’t know if it was more space or a better view, but the whole thing just functioned much better. I am easily able to sit or stand and can adjust my desktop accordingly.
I’ve been enjoying this a lot. It’s hard to believe what a difference one shift makes. I would have lost months of this good feeling if I had waited until the big move.
Is your creative space working for you? Even if it’s a corner of your home or if you’ve commandeered the dining table, it can be tweaked to work better for you. Here’s a process I lead my clients through to help make simple, powerful shifts in your creative space.
Sit or stand in your space. If something feels off, identify specifically what it is. The lighting may be not right. You might perhaps not like your seat. Or the view.
Make notes about what doesn’t feel right for you. List as many things as you can about what’s not working for you in this space.
Then, step back. Ask yourself what tweak might be possible? I challenge you to not buy anything new. We often think purchasing something is the solution. And sometimes, it is. Hello new chair! But more often than not, we already have everything we need. Perhaps something just needs to be moved or removed.
Maybe you don’t make a shift in your physical space, but in your mental space. Here’s another simple shift I invite my clients to make all the time. The results are profound.
We often think we need a long period of time to get any writing done. Two or more hours is what most people consider necessary to write. But when do you get that amount of focused time? Rarely!
I suggest starting with short bursts. Small writing dates add up. Fifteen minutes. Thirty minutes. I know we think we need some time to get into the zone. That’s where a short free-write can help with the transition. You can free-write about anything to drop in. I often end a transition free-write with: Now I am ready to write….and I fill in the blank.
That’s just one mental shift my clients make. This kind of shift is deceptively simple. But small tweaks can change our creative course for the good.
What simple shift have you made recently that’s affected your creativity? Share in a comment below.
A Beautiful Morning by Ashley Ellington Brown
Morning routines are popular these days, and advice on the sometimes daunting routines we should be doing just make some of us want to burrow deeper into the comfort zone of our bed. Ashley pulls together interviews with a range of women to show a variety of ways we can start our days with intention. It’s a gentle way to see possibilities and choose for ourselves what serves our mornings. Full disclosure: I am featured in the book and am honored to have coached Ashley across the finish line with this book.
While it might be appealing to go away to a writing retreat for a week or weekend, the reality is that you will probably write most of your book in the interstices of your life. But because you don’t want “Write book” to be something on your calendar that you see and dread, you will want to find ways to integrate it into your life so it’s easy to drop into and get your words out on the page.
Consider that writing a book is a new relationship you are entering into. The book is a place where you connect with your ideas and yourself. It’s a repository of your ideas and what you want for the world.
As women, we tend to be relationship focused, so let’s make that work for you and your book. Instead of thinking of your book as something that takes time away from your current relationships, consider it a new and exciting relationship that you get to devote time and attention to.
Think about your author self. She’s super smart but not intimidating. She’s the kind of person you want to be with because she always has something to say. Most of the time it’s good stuff, too, insights and observations that somehow bring light to your life. She has a way with words, that one!
She’s a great friend, and is always there when you want to connect. You can tell her anything. She can take it. She’s wise and because she knows you well, she can help you shift into new ways of thinking, being and acting. She’s that kind of friend that makes you feel like a better version of yourself just by spending time with her. How cool is that? You will love getting to know your author self.
Clients ask me if they can work on a book and another project at the same time. Maybe two books are vying for your attention. It’s easy to think we can spread our creative love around. Everyone has to discover this for themselves, and in my experience, it’s very hard to do our day-to-day roles and juggle two major projects at once. Every project we have going is like a burner on our stove cooking away. It may be on low, it may be on high, but it’s taking away from our ability to focus. It may not seem detrimental, but losing our precious focus because of many projects can really slow us down.
If you have a record of being able to drive multiple projects consistently over the finish line with your sanity intact, by all means go right ahead. But I suggest becoming a creative serial monogamist, finishing one project at a time so you can give each its due. Keep a file or notebook for all your other projects. Use the magic phrase “for now.” For now, I’m focusing on my book. For now, I’m setting aside other projects. For now, I’m in a monogamous relationship with my book.
Take good care of this relationship. Follow through with all the dates you set aside to write your book. The power of keeping those promises to yourself cannot be overstated. The more you show up for your book, the easier it will become to devote time to it. If you find yourself avoiding your book, ask yourself what it will take to get back in touch with it. You can always do a free-write about the current state of your relationship with your book.
What does a healthy relationship with your book and author self look like on your busiest week?
This is an excerpt from my book, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book. If you’re ready to write your book and want support along the way, this is the guide for you. Available wherever books are sold in paperback, e-book and audio book. Get your copy now.
Her Rules Radio is a great podcast that is designed to empower women in work, life, health, and yes, creativity. My friend Alex Jamieson hosted me for a conversation about what it takes to write a book that changes the world. Listen in here.
It’s a real honor to have received this review from Publisher’s Weekly. I’ve shared it here and the original review can be found here.
STARRED REVIEW by Publisher’s Weekly
The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book (Reviewed September 2019)
Cynthia L. Morris. Original Impulse, $19.95 trade paper (224p) ISBN 978-0-9759224-7-7
Novelist and creative writing coach Morris (Create Your Writer’s Life) provides a feast of bite-size information, exercises, and encouragement in this guide for aspiring authors.
Each of its five parts consists of short, well-organized sections filled with exercises and strategies for dealing with obstacles to writing, such as facing up to the pesky voice of one’s inner critic. Part one considers the importance of developing the right mindset. Part two’s abundance of succinct tips reveals ways to start writing by creating personal prompts, using free-writing, and scheduling writing times.
Morris’s tone in part three is direct, but gentle, in her practical suggestions for creating a work zone, committing to a writing practice, and staying on course to finish one’s project. Part four’s information about software and strategies for deciding on book format and organization are crisp, clear, and relevant. The final part dives into writing the first draft and contains tips on revision and marketing the finished product.
Despite the title, the information Morris passes on about the writing process and publishing world, not to mention her useful checklists, are widely applicable, not just for the “busy woman.” Her insightful book should spark reflection and promote creativity in practically any writer.
– Publisher’s Weekly
Floret Farm’s Cut Flower Garden by Erin Benzakein and Julie Chai
Sometimes there’s a hobby lurking in you that you didn’t even know was there. Last year, shopping for mother’s day on the Chronicle Books web site, I found this book. I knew right away I needed to own it. When it came, I breathlessly paged through it and over the year have been studying and following their flower cultivation advice. I have a long way to go but I don’t care. The joy of seeing flowers grow and bringing home adorable bouquets is immeasurable. This book truly changed my life and I look forward to seeing my flower hobby grow.
It was a delight to be a guest on Kristoffer Carter’s This Epic Life podcast. Here are highlights from the show:
There’s an odd thing about writing (probably true for any art) – we can do more than we think. When we set out to write something, we think we have to have it all figured out. Then we’ll sit down and take dictation from our mind.
But what I have seen for myself and hundreds of writers is that the mind represents only a thin layer of our knowing. I call it a thin layer of topsoil. What’s below – in our heart, our gut, our essence – is much more rich than our minds believe.
And what’s above – coming from source, the Divine, God, inspiration – is also much vaster than our thinking mind.
This might sound crazy to you. Or perhaps you’ve experienced it yourself? You get into the writing zone. You go into a sort of writing trance. You lose yourself in the words and let it flow.
Later, when you read over your words, you find surprises. Clever turns of phrase. Things you don’t recall writing. Some good stuff. Where did that come from? You have no idea. Your mind certainly didn’t generate it.
I wouldn’t believe this myself if I didn’t experience and witness it thousands of times in my 20 years as a writing coach. It’s the most marvelous magic we spin with our pen, when we surrender to the flow state. When we write freely, we access an intelligence that’s much wider than what we know.
If you haven’t had this experience, have you tried free-writing? This method of writing is the quickest, easiest way to get out of the thin layer of our minds and into the depths and heights of what is possible for our creativity.
If your mind tells you that you don’t know what to write, that you aren’t good enough, that you have to have more figured out before you sit down, don’t be fooled! You really just need to sit down, open a document or grab a pen, and let your thoughts rip. Using a timer and a prompt, write for at least 10 minutes without stopping. See what emerges.
It’s Not You: 27 (Wrong) Reasons You’re Single by Sara Eckel
I was single for seven long, painful years before I met Steve. And I did all the things one suggests a single person do to connect. Let me tell you, it was frustrating and even depressing. Finally I found this book that helped frame the whole relationship quest in a new way. Highly recommended for anyone who is single and at the end of their rope.
Writing your book will require time, focus, attention, humility and courage. But your project will also give back. And not just when it’s finished. Throughout the process, you will slowly and subtly gain confidence. You will fall in love with your material all over again. You will enjoy how it feels to really know and share your expertise in this new way.
I believe that our creativity is the source of our vitality. When we are creating, we are tapping into our truest aliveness. We ignite our life energy when we create. We generate new energy. This energy feels so much better than the dread or pain of avoiding our writing. Quite frankly, this is the primary reason I coach authors. I want everyone to enjoy the aliveness that we generate when we are doing our creative work.
Now, here’s the weird thing. Usually, you won’t “feel” like writing. Your mind will trick you into thinking everything else is more important. That’s why we build structures around our writing so we don’t get lost in feelings or insecurities. We build a writing practice that helps us cross the river of resistance.
What if you had a reflection process that allowed you to feel the benefits of writing throughout the whole process? Simple, quick, but potent, capturing the vibe of the sessions will help you notice and savor more. The cool thing is you will begin to appreciate that working on your book is working you. You are writing this for others, but doing the work is having a positive impact on you. The first world you are changing is your own.
Here’s a simple practice to help you notice the difference your writing is making in your life on a regular basis. At the end of each writing session, in your author notebook, jot down three words that describe how the writing session was for you. Don’t overthink this; just write three words that reflect your experience. You will certainly see a range of experiences on your list. Some days might be “slogging, hard, good” or “freeing, fun, challenging.” Keep a running list to witness how the writing is changing you.
This is an excerpt from my book, The Busy Woman’s Guide to Writing a World-Changing Book. If you’re ready to write your book and want support along the way, this is the guide for you. Available wherever books are sold in paperback, e-book and audio book. Get your copy now.
Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
I just loved this book about a therapist, her patients, and her own mental health journey. It almost makes me want to change careers and become a therapist! Reading stories about the struggles her clients face allowed me to see my own challenges in new ways.
