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Cynthia Morris

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Befriend Your Body To Release Pain, Increase Creativity and Feel Great While Writing

Today’s article is a guest post by Ashley Josephine, a friend who is passionate about empowering busy women to embrace wellness through the practice of yoga and mindfulness. We talked about the need for writers to have a good physical practice in order to stay healthy, and Ashley wrote this article to offer us strategies for wellness at work.
It’s surprising how hard it can be for writers to actually start writing. Despite the fact we say we love to write, when it comes to completing projects, our self-discipline tends to fly out the window and excuses abound.
The act of writing can actually be quite painful – physically, emotionally and mentally. It’s only healthy to exercise our creative minds for so long before burnout becomes inevitable and it’s shockingly easy to become lost in fantastical realms that we forget exist solely in our heads.
As with all professions, the stresses we experience as writers need to be addressed to ensure a healthy, productive and efficient writing session and career. This three-part series outlines movement-based exercises and stretches that will help open your mind (and body) to new ideas and relieve the pain and tension common to many writers, novice and professional alike.
Watch the video demonstration of the following yoga practice.

Yoga for Mental Clarity

When you’re feeling burnt out, stuck, or all wrapped up in one plot line that you can’t seem to escape, try taking a break to restore mental clarity. The following exercises will help clear the cobwebs up above.
Forward Fold:
This pose will help stretch your low back and hamstrings, plus turn your world upside down. Enjoy the rush of blood to your head and surrender to gravity’s pull to feel relief and clear-headedness, allowing all your frustrations to roll of your shoulders.
Sunflower:
From a forward fold, wrap your hands onto your opposite elbows and make large circles with your torso, coming all the way up through standing and moving back down again. After a few circles in one direction, switch sides. This exercise will force you to use your abs, stretch the obliques and hamstrings plus raise the heart rate to get your blood moving. Go at your own pace to get back into the swing of things and out of a confusing rut.
Alternate Nostril Breathing:
When you allow one side of your brain to dominate for too long, you start to lose touch with the better qualities of your other half. Alternate nostril breathing is the perfect cure to balancing out your left- and right-brain tendencies.
Start sitting in a comfortable seated position and place your right hand on your thigh. Raise your left hand up toward your nose and close off your left nostril with your left thumb. Inhale through the right nostril, hold the breath, then close off the right nostril with the left ring finger, release the thumb and exhale through the left nostril. Pause at the end of the exhale, then inhale through the left nostril, cover the left nostril with the thumb again and release the left ring finger from the right nostril to exhale. Continue in this pattern until you feel a sense of calm restored throughout.
Legs up the Wall:

Legs up the wall is surprisingly relaxing

This relaxing pose is quite simple and performed exactly as it sounds. Taking weight out the feet and legs relieves and reverses the typical gravitational pull, giving your legs a rest from supporting your weight all day long. Reversing your blood flow by going upside down can lower your heart rate and help you relax according to the Mayo Clinic.
Start by scooting your rear end as close to the wall as possible and then place your legs on the wall. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and enjoy relaxing without worry.
Practice Suggestion:
Start your day with this practice or take a break with some or all of these poses when you’re feeling confused, lost, overwhelmed or stressed out.
The next two parts of this series will be published here.
Ashley Josephine has been studying yoga for 5 years and currently lives and teaches in Wichita Falls, TX. A writer, traveler and a whole lot of other things, Ashley believes wholeheartedly in experiences and is passionate about empowering women to embrace wellness with yoga and mindfulness based practices.
Sign up on Ashley’s yoga web site if you’re a woman working through life’s daily stresses who’s ready to enjoy life more. You’ll get worldly wisdom, yoga, meditation and other free resources delivered straight to your inbox.
Other places to connect with Ashley:
Ashley on Facebook
Ashley on Twitter
Leave a comment below to share relaxation and/or movement practices that work for you when you’re in need of creative reinvigoration.

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A Good Life Is Possible with a Power Tribe

Big dreams need a big container and big support. I’d always appreciated Jonathan’s heartfelt and smart writing at his blog. I resonated with his message at Tribal Author. So when he launched the Good Life Project and announced the application process for his business incubator, I went for it.
I was accepted and eagerly prepared to change my life for the better. Reflecting on our year together, I can say that I got so much from my time with this group. I have made a lot of changes and have a lot more to make. I am excited about my good life and about making both my life and the lives of those around me better.
I’d like to publicly thank my GLP peers and share their work with you here. Enjoy this brief tour of my mastermind group!

First meeting in NYC

 
Linda Buchner  is one of those people you call a giver. She gave so much love and support to me. In her work as the co-founder of the non-profit Minddrive she’s on continual give. MindDrive is an extracurricular program where students at risk work throughout the year to build electric cars. They’ve got a IndieGoGo campaign that ends this week, so pop over and be part of this amazing project.
Karen Wright is one of Canada’s top executive coaches. Last year she published her book, The Complete Executive, a must-have for busy people trying to live a good life. A few of the things Karen said to me last year profoundly impacted me and changed me for the better. Pick up your copy of The Complete Executive. 
Jennifer Boykin has more sass and wisdom than she can ever express, but thankfully she’s doing her best to inspire mid-life women at Life After Tampons. She’s about to launch a gift for subscribers, so get over there now and join the movement.
Kristoffer Carter says that everyone asks him ‘what are you on?’ Last year, he answered that question in his multi-media manifesto. It’s been inspiring people to see and live in new ways; if you haven’t gotten your copy yet, head over to This Epic Life to pick it up.
Eric Michael Pearson is a celebrity photographer and videographer and all-around sweetheart. I worked with Eric to shoot some footage of me that will appear later this year. Check out his celebrity photos here.
Ashley Josephine is a writer and yoga teacher who’s bringing her passion for health and sanity to readers at her new blog Ashley Josephine. Take part in her Do Nothing Challenge here.
Angela Devlen is on a mission to help hospitals and emergency care providers get the skills and resources they need to thrive under pressure. She is a speaker and consultant, and also spearheads a thriving non-profit, Mahila, devoted to addressing the health and hygiene needs of women and girls in disaster zones. Be part of this inspiring mission.
Kelly Newsome  Kelly’s cool, wise and heartfelt work helped me through some tough moments last year. I can see why her business. Higher Ground Yoga, is successful in guiding extremely busy female executives to stay sane and healthy. Kelly’s email Love Notes continue to inspire me – get yours here.
Gathering in Mexico for our final circle

Karen Friend Smith and her husband are on a mission to help people eat well so they can feel well and do good in the world. The Kitchen Skinny has made a huge difference in my lifestyle. Lots of free goodies and insights for your kitchen are available here.
Chris Stepien We nicknamed Chris the Gentle Giant because he’s a sweet and strong force in the world. A chiropractor and trainer with a vision to make fitness and health a soulful practice, Chris gave so much to GLP members, as he does at his clinic in New Jersey, Barefoot Rehab.
Max Fram-Schwatrz is a young genius just out of university who landed a job in Silicon valley immediately. Being part of Max’s emergence into the work world taught all of us the value of beginner’s mind and how to boldly go into the world with a hope and a dream and lots of energy.
Margy Stratton is a force for bookish good in Milwaukee, programming speakers at Lynden Sculpture Gardens and pioneering reading programs at her soon-to-be launched Milwaukee Reads.
Last but of course not least is our fearless leader Jonathan Fields. I got so much support from him. He helped me clarify and focus. He knows business and appreciates the creative spirit. he guided me to make choices that honored both my CEO and my artist.
Special thanks to GLP faculty: Charlie Gilkey, Susan Piver and Emiliya for their generous teachings.
I’m grateful that I made this leap and got this kind of support. It was a financial leap and a leap that called me forth in many ways, both big and small. It was worth every penny and every quaking moment.
What leaps are you taking this year toward your own good life? Who are the people that surround and support you?
I’d love to hear what you consider a good life and who contributes to that. Consider your own blog post on this subject and share the link in a comment below, or just post some thoughts below.

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Three Steps to Liberate Your Creative Genius

Three steps to liberate your creative genius, whether you are a writer, an artist, a photographer, a multi-lingual rabbit…
Liberate your creative genius with 3 easy and fun steps
Willing to try it? I’m doing it and it feels so great I wanted to share these three easy steps with others. It’s more fun to be a creative genius with others, so don’t hoard this message! Share with friends and others you know who need a nudge.
What are you doing this week to liberate your creativity? Share in a comment below.

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What’s Fun for You?

Practically every client I work with – no matter what they come to coaching for – wants to have more fun.

“What’s fun for you?” I ask.

This question is always met with the response, “I don’t know!”

So I give the assignment I’ve written about in a previous article about fun as a means to success. I invite my clients to list 50 fun things.

A friend and colleague tried to do this, but got stuck. She realized that the word ‘fun’ wasn’t right, and that the notion of ‘joy’ was better for her. She didn’t like the concept of fun as something that happened on an episodic basis, and that she wanted joy in every moment.

I love that perspective, and for me the word fun and joy are fairly interchangeable. I ask clients to write down 50 things because after the first 10 big fun items – vacation, special events, unusual activities – you’re going to have to dig deep into the mundane to find fun. And fun and joy should be found in our work, our parenting and our free time.
I did a spread in my journal of what’s fun for me now. It’s not 50 items, but when I put ‘looking at dogs’ I realized how much joy and fun this simple, easy-to-experience thing brings me.

I’m still learning how to best show my art, which is also fun.

What about you? What’s fun for you now? 

Fun is more fun when shared…don’t hoard this fun inspiration! Send to friends or share below.

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How To Measure Your Writing Success

Did your writing measure up this year?
That feels a little harsh, doesn’t it? But I bet your inner critic is asking the same thing – poking you to see if you and your writing measured up this year.
How do you make an honest assessment of your progress that’s not fueled by the gremlin’s sharp stick poking you? If you’re like my clients, it’s easy to forget all the boons and progress you made.
Last week I wrote about how our superlatives are killing us. How they represent a standard – best, most, perfect – that we simply can’t achieve. We also can’t assess progress on those terms.
So how do we glean satisfaction from our efforts? This article will help you absorb all the nutrients from your efforts and your successes so you can build on them next year.

Pause and absorb the nutrients of your successes

Happy moment in Paris absorbing the 2012 publication of my novel

These are the questions I ask myself and offer to my clients; I invite you to make the most of your writing year by answering them too. Make a pot of tea or pour a glass of wine and enjoy savoring your writing year. Look back at your mid-year check-in, and to use this metric to gauge your progress and process:
1. On a scale of one to ten, how satisfied are you with your efforts?
2. What could you have done (given all the circumstances of your life) to bring that satisfaction level up two notches?
3. On a scale of one to ten, how satisfied are you with the results of your efforts?
4. What acknowledgement can you give yourself for all you did and felt?
5. Check your numbers. List your numbers in the following categories that are meaningful to you:

  • Number of publications
  • Number of hours or writing sessions you logged
  • Number of writing retreats you gave yourself
  • Amount of money you earned from writing
  • Number of books sold
  • The amount of help you asked for and received
  • Number and quality of comments on your blog
  • Number and quality of reviews

The numbers are the external measurements, but they’re not the only way to assess your success. Go back to your satisfaction and really soak in all the effort you put into your writing. That is where you will be able to relish your good enough writing year – by measuring your efforts and not your results.
Sometimes answering these questions brings disappointment. For me, I never have as many comments or views as I want. But my expectations and disappointments don’t stop me. Don’t let yours put a lid on your writing, either. Use your dissatisfaction to fuel next year’s best writing efforts.
6. What didn’t happen that you wanted to happen?
7. What can you do differently next year?
8. How does this assessment help you set expectations that will help you feel successful?
9. Finally, what image can you post in your writing space that reminds you of your efforts in 2012? This photo of me proudly holding my book at Shakespeare and Company in Paris marks many hours of work come to fruition. The photo helps me savor all of it.

Be real, be kind to yourself

I’ve seen unrealistic expectations do more damage than good with my students and clients. Big dreams are great, I’m all for them, but expecting too much from ourselves can bring disappointment and discouragement. Examples include expecting ourselves to write every day no matter what. Thinking we can forge ahead no matter what the circumstances, season or level of our energy.
We’re human, and our energy ebbs and flows as much as our creative output does. Be kind to yourself as you assess your progress and reevaluate your process.
No one can tell you how to measure your success. I invite you to be clear about which metrics are important to you and why. Gleaning satisfaction from your writing this year can help point you toward what you need to enjoy even more success next year.
What helps you feel satisfied with your writing efforts? 
 

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Your Best, Most Awesome Self Is Screwing You Up

You’re a word person – you love writing, playing with language, moving words around to create the most perfect sentences, your best paragraphs and your most awesome stories, books, or blog posts.

You love getting things right – creating the ideal environment in which to write, setting up the perfect scenario to get your projects done, and celebrating in the ultimate, delicious way. You always give it your best effort.
What’s wrong with this picture?

Your superlatives are killing you.

In our minds, there exists this wonderful landscape. In it, we’re at our optimal weight and body mass index. We make the most efficient use of our time. We do our very best in our work, our relationships and with our creative projects.

In reality, we can’t live up to this superlative lifestyle. We work hard, we open ourselves to learning and growth. But we don’t ever operate in a best, perfect or ideal scenario.

We battle our inner critic. We struggle to stay focused. We hack away at our calendars to carve out even the smallest amount of time to write our book. The dog barfs on our notebooks. Traffic makes us late. Life is always throwing curveballs at our superlative dreams.

That’s the first problem with superlatives – they don’t match the world we live in. The second problem? When it comes time to asses whether we’ve done our best or had the perfect experience, our brains seem to throw up road blocks. Try it.
Who is your favorite author? 

I’ll wait while you think about that.

What happened? Chances are, your mind accesses a slew of authors and when you had several in mind, you were unable to quantify favorite. Your mind did loops justifying why each one was your favorite.

(If you were able to name just one person, kudos. You probably don’t have trouble choosing which project to focus on, what to order off the menu, or what to wear. You are gifted in focus, so enjoy it.)

You will do this when trying to list your favorite moments and enumerate your best wins and your shining successes. With superlatives as your compass, you won’t be able to fully absorb the nutrients of your success.

We go through again and again: this superlative lifestyle is always out of reach in our imagination. We don’t know how, really, to quantify ‘best’. We don’t even know when we’ve done our very best. Superlative lifestyle leaves us in an endless loop of striving and dissatisfaction.

Superlatives may seem good and useful, but rarely can we measure our lives and creative efforts by them.

Tell me – does this superlative lifestyle screw you up? Or do words like ‘best’, ‘favorite’ and ‘perfect’ help you feel creatively inspired? Dish in a comment below; I’d love to know what you think about this.

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Not about the Money: Gains from Writing and Publishing a Novel

When I set out to write my novel Chasing Sylvia Beach, I had no idea that 13 years would pass before it came out into the world, with the surprising heft of an imagined thing made real.
I’ve been a writer for nearly twenty years and wanted to be one my whole life. I oriented myself early on to the notion that I probably wouldn’t make a lot of money or become famous for my writing.
With Sylvia at the Sylvia Beach Hotel in OregonWith this in mind, I learned to love the process and to not bank on the result. As a coach, I believe that every project we work on works us, and that it’s our job to glean satisfaction from the process.
I published the book in late June, and it’s taken a few months to assess the boons. While I have seen my bank account grow, these benefits of writing the book far outweigh the money.

A sense of myself as a persistent person.

I am a person who finishes things. It took twelve years and seventeen drafts, but I did it. This ability to stay with a project despite setbacks and disappointments is a skill that will serve me again and again. I had finished other projects, another book and several e-books, but finishing this seemed like a bigger deal to me.

Integration of my personal and professional work.

A friend read a review copy of CSB. When she finished, she told me that she loved the book and felt inspired by it. She gushed about a new desire to write and was ready to pen her own stories.
I was surprised. Yes. my character wants to write and has her own turnaround to the page and the pen. But it wasn’t until readers got the novel that I saw I am transmitting the same beliefs that are core in my business:

  • Dare to live your own creative adventure.
  • Write your stories now. 

It’s odd how we can’t see what’s inside us until we put it into form. It’s even more amazing to see how the process of writing a novel was integrated into my business and personal life.
Of course, anything we write that is deeply considered will reflect our essence and the things we’re here to sort out. But it’s cool to see that reflected in our readers.

First-hand knowledge of what it takes to write a novel.

I’ve attempted almost every form of writing: play, screenplay, short story, essay, and poetry. I embarked on a novel because I love reading novels. When I started, I had no idea how to write a novel. I learned from doing it. Now I know much more about plotting, character development, pacing and the very nitty gritty of what to keep and what to leave out of a novel.

Deep, experiential understanding of the full arc of the creative process.

Writing this novel allowed me to test and test again the coaching solutions I provide for my clients. I have a deep knowledge of what it takes to overcome the inevitable roadblocks and distractions we all encounter in our writing and art making.
I know what works for me to get my creative work done and I know how to point clients to their best creative practices. This novel gave me a deep, experiential knowledge of what it takes to experience creative work in a healthy and sane way. Self-care, a solid support system, a physical practice and a deep connection to my motivation were all necessary to stay with it until the very end.

Understanding of the publishing and self-publishing industries.

To bring your work to the world, you have to know that world and its rules. When I was seeking publication for my book, I studied the publishing process: querying agents, preparing pitch materials, and of course, polishing my manuscript until it was perfect.
When I decided to self-publish, I had a lot of learning to do. Making a book includes dozens of decisions to be made and followed up on.
Self-publishing is one of the most dynamic and interesting fields you can be in these days. I’m far from abreast of everything that’s current, but I do follow a few writers who keep me in the loop:

What have I missed? What have you seen change in me from finishing this? What are some of your own boons from finishing your big projects? Share your experience in a comment below.

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Today, start living your epic life

What does it mean to have an epic life?
When I hear the word ‘epic’, I think in a gigantic scale. I think of epic movies and novels with masses and masses of people like Schindler’s List or Braveheart. I think of herculean and miraculous acts like Moses parting the red sea.
But ‘epic’ doesn’t have to mean big. Epic can be deep and authentic. These descriptions come closer to what culture catalyst Kristoffer Carter is sharing on his site This Epic Life.
Kristoffer is one of those rare people who has figured out how to have a successful career, how to love his family well, and how to honor the musician he has always been. Even more than that, he somehow has enough energy to acknowledge, love and challenge every single person he meets.
Luckily, Kristoffer isn’t stingy with his juju. He is the first to let you in on his secret: green drinks and meditation.
Before you head for the juicer or the meditation cushion, let me tell you that’s not the method. What we feed ourselves and how we tune in on a daily basis is important, but it’s deeper than that.

Living according to your non-negotiables

Kristoffer believes that we can each live our own epic lives, not according to what would look impressive on a billboard or resume. Not according to what others think is epic, but according to what is right and true for us.
People always ask Kristoffer ‘What are you on?” He laughs and talks about the green drinks and the meditation. But soon he realized he had more to say about what it means to live an integrated life.
I coached Kristoffer this year to help him pull his work together in a way he could share. In his multi-media manifesto, he invites us to get clear on our non-negotiables, the pieces in our lives that when brought together, add up to our own epic life.
In my coaching, I call this values work, and it’s powerful stuff. But KC takes it one step further to bring these values into a lens statement. When you combine your values into a statement, or mantra you can live by, that’s powerful stuff. This becomes the lens through which you see and experience everything.

Start enjoying your epic life

Today Kristoffer launches his multi-media manifesto. I’m celebrating him and all the work he did to pull this project across the finish line – in itself an epic feat.
But it’s not just about Kristoffer Carter achieving his big goal of the year. It’s about all of us finding the way to live and thrive as the creative dynamos we are. Not because we’re prima donnas needing to have life our way. Because the world needs fulfilled, creative people working to make this a better place for all of us.
Together, if we’re all living our values and honoring our non-negotiables, we all get to enjoy this epic life. Kristoffer is living proof that no part of ourselves – not our brilliant work selves, not our kooky creative selves and not the part of us that loves our families – no part gets left behind.
Get your copy of Kristoffer’s manifesto – for free – today. And start enjoying your epic life now.

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Read This: 29 Gifts by Cami Walker

Often the things that are most powerful are also the most counter-intuitive.
For instance, if you were diagnosed with a debilitating and life-threatening illness, would you think the path to healing would involve giving, giving and more giving?
Probably not. You’d think – I can barely get from one room to the next…how do I have enough energy to give anything to anyone? You’d think – I need to focus on my healing and then I can think about others’ needs.
But Cami Walker, when diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at age thirty-three, found that giving offered a direct path to healing.
Cami tells her remarkable story in her best-selling book, 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life. The book, our Creativity Book Salon pick for November, is only the beginning. The story and practice of giving a gift every day prompted a global movement, of which there are over 16,000 members in 43 countries.
Inspiring to say the least! I chose this book because I love how extending ourselves to others can create such a cycle of growth and healing. And because it seemed like a good book for the holidays.
Join us Friday, November 30th at noon MDT to explore 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life. You must be a member of the Creativity Book Salon to participate. It’s free, and easy to join. Just go here.

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Three Vital Pieces for Creative Success

Last week I wrote about the internal challenges that threaten our creative output. I’m not going to dwell here on the internal challenges; those obstacles are better dealt with in conversation with a therapist or coach.
We all need consistent patience and compassion to keep going when the emotions rise up and threaten to derail us from writing our book or blog. But you can do it.
I have found the following three things are vital in managing the emotions that accompany writing or any creative work.
1. A physical practice. Walking, running, dancing, yoga, tennis, weight lifting— whatever you do, do it regularly. Being in your body and using exercise as a way to get out of your head and work things through will help keep you grounded and sane.
2. Support from your creative tribe. Being around others who are also working on their creative projects is vital to staying on track. Ideally you will have a community of people working in your medium, but it’s also helpful to be around artists working in other forms. Conversations with other creative types will fuel you and help you process the emotions that surface.
3. A clear sense of your motivation. Without clarity on why you are working on a project, you won’t have the stamina to stick it out through tough times. Knowing your motivation for finishing will give you more stick-to-itiveness than you can imagine.
The clients I work with who have these three pieces struggle much less than those who don’t. The work of writing is already difficult enough; make it easier by ensuring you have these three vital pieces.
What helps you navigate the challenges between you and the finish line?
This post is excerpted from Cross the Finish Line: Five Steps to Leap Over the Hurdles to Completion. This and other guides for being a creative superhero are available at Original Impulse through November 30th, 2012. After that, they’re gone. Poof!

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The Hidden Gift at the Finish Line of Your Creative Projects

Are you one of those people who can’t seem to finish your creative projects? Books, blog posts, art pieces…no matter what you try, the finish line remains an elusive land you can’t seem to access.

Why, why? Are you simply lazy, inept and perhaps stupid?

I doubt it.

When we consider the entire arc of the creative process, it’s easier to understand why the last part can be so difficult. Imagine a funnel, wide end open to the sky. At the top, we have the beginning phase of creating. In this wide space, we are flush with the heady, exciting sense of possibility.

Here, anything can happen: Our idea will be successful and lucrative. We love this spacious phase, where our ideas shine with intoxicating brilliance. Our abundance of ideas provides proof to us of our creative genius and allows us to dwell where we’re most happy – in the creative dream.

As we move down the funnel, the realm of possibility narrows toward the realm of reality. We begin to bring our snappy concept down to earth. We map it, sketch it, outline it and force it to live according to the laws of gravity, cost, and the dictates of its genre. As we work on our projects, we come in direct contact with our capacities: how much time, energy, resources and skills we actually have to make our idea real.

This reality check can be really uncomfortable. It can be painful to discover that we often get ideas that we don’t yet have the skills to execute. Squeezed by the dictates of our genre, we’re tempted to abandon the mission. (New, sexy ideas crowd around us at this phase.)

To make matters worse, we can also get caught in the emotional undercurrents that run below the surface. Everything that quietly prevented us from creating now shouts loud and clear. It gets more and more painful to even think about your once-beloved project.

The further into the creative process you go, the narrower the space feels, and the more you are required to deal with the emotional eddies that swirl under the surface of your creative life.

  • Fears lurk to sabotage us:I’m not good enough.
  • I don’t have anything to say, or show.
  • This has already been done, and better.
  • No one will like it.
  • I’ll be exposed as a failure.
  • If my work is bad, I am bad.

You’re not a fool for feeling these things, and you’re certainly not alone. After thirteen years of coaching myself and others through all these phases, I believe that the work of creating calls us forth in a deeply powerful and challenging way.
The only way to overcome these fears is to keep creating. If you want to know who you are and what makes you tick, take up an art form and stick with it. Staying with a project from start to finish will teach you more about yourself than years of therapy.

Can you accept that this is the nature of art-making? Can you stop bemoaning how hard it is? Can you embrace the emotional challenges of writing? If so, there are rewards.

Every project has something to teach us. What’s to learn? It’s different for everyone. You may learn something about your true limits. You may unearth some old wound that will be healed through this particular project. You may discover that the forces that have been driving you are no longer your own wishes.

Sticking with writing and finishing my novel has been the best teacher, the most challenging coach, and the biggest gift I ever gave to myself. My clients, too, have seen themselves develop alongside their commitment to their art. If we don’t finish our projects, we lose the valuable insight that each project has for us.

Next week, I’ll share three vital pieces that have helped my clients and students stay with their projects. In the meantime, what have you gained from your completed creative projects? Share with us in a comment below.

This post is excerpted from Cross the Finish Line: Five Steps to Leap Over the Hurdles to Completion.

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Read This: The Beauty of Different by Karen Walrond

What if your wacky, weird ways were the qualities that most contribute to your greatness?
This is the question posed by Karen Walrond, author of The Beauty of Different: Observations of a Confident Misfit.
In this gorgeous book, Karen shares her experience as a photographer and writer on a quest for beauty. She found beauty everywhere, and not surprisingly, in the uniqueness of the people she interviewed and photographed for her book,The Beauty of Different: Observations of a Confident Misfit.
Reading this book is like experiencing a meditation on truth, heart and courage. The photographs are intense and invite me into a sort of magical space where anything is possible.
Karen’s work makes me think about my own beauty, my own difference. Our uniqueness isn’t always easy to recognize, but when we feel it, when we claim it, we are more free.
How do you access and accept your difference and beauty? We’ll be talking about this and other ideas that The Beauty of Different inspired in the Creativity Book Salon.
Join us Friday, October 26th at noon MDT to explore The Beauty of Different. You must be a member of the Creativity Book Salon to participate. It’s free, and easy to join. Just go here.

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Take the Permission You Need and Create Something

Brenda Ueland, author of If You Want to Write, asserted that “Everybody is talented, original, and has something important to say.”
I love this. This belief highlights our innate creativity and power. We do have something important to say, by virtue of being human and having lived our own, unique experience.
So why does writing or any other creative act require permission?
During many years coaching my clients to write books and build businesses, I’ve seen that creating something is a radical act. Art making demands truthfulness and self-revelation. It’s not comfortable to put ourselves out there. In her book Daring Greatly, Brené Brown writes about vulnerability as the thing we need most but is also most daunting.
My clients often need permission to speak up for themselves and their art. They’re both excited and scared to start something new. Our conversations normalize this fear and help them take steps toward writing their book or blog.

Give yourself permission

This Scottish butter gave itself permission to sizzle with gusto.

The most powerful permission comes not from others, but from ourselves. When we grant ourselves the right to reach and stretch, we loosen up and begin to enjoy the process.
My wish is for you to discover your unique offering and to write it and share it as you see fit. Now that we have spent some time with our inner critic, let’s balance the scales with some extra encouragement to write. Enjoy giving yourself the following permissions to write, and give yourself your own permission!
Permission to be honest. Whenever you write, give yourself room to be honest. Do what it takes to give yourself permission to tell your truth.
Permission to imitate. Copy stories or poems that you like. When you write out other authors’ works, you can gain a deeper understanding of the way they craft their writing. Pay attention to what you notice most as you write their words down. Then try to write in their style.
Permission to practice with a curious eye. Practice word sketching.  Like an artist, sketch what you see, hear, and smell right where you are. Sketches are quick and rough, meant as practice, not perfection. Doing this will develop your skills of focusing detail in your writing.
Permission to maintain privacy. Promise yourself that your journal writing is for you and you alone. No one has to see what you are writing. This will help you to retain a sense of safety, which is important as you reach for your writing dreams.
Permission to listen to yourself. Keep a notebook by your bed and jot down your dreams and those wild thoughts that always show up just before you fall asleep or when you wake up. Our unconscious has wisdom to guide us if we stop to listen.
Permission to blab. Think of a secret that you have harbored. Now write it down as a story. This could be a personal secret, a family secret, or even an invented secret. Notice what happens as you write it down and what it feels like afterward. You don’t have to share this with anyone.
Permission to be imperfect. Try writing just for fun. Try writing badly. Give yourself a week or more to write just as you want to, without worrying if it is good. See what happens when you give perfectionism a break.
Permission to be human. Know that there are ups and downs in any endeavor. Don’t be hard on yourself if for some reason you don’t do as much writing as you want to. Enjoy the journey and do what you can.
Take the permission you need and make something. You will never know what your original impulse is leading you to if you don’t follow it.
What permission helps you get going with your writing or art? Share in a comment below.
This essay is adapted from my online class Make Writing a Happy Habit. This and other encouraging lessons start October 28th, 2012. Give yourself permission to start writing now.