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You’re ready to create what’s inside you. Finally, you’re at a place where you can devote yourself to your creativity.

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Get Ready to Feel More Sane and Creatively Rich

I got a lot of great feedback from this article I posted in last week’s Impulses, my private newsletter for creative dynamos. (Not a subscriber? Get in here, you! Sign up over there to the right.)

One simple practice has become one of my best allies for work and creative satisfaction. In all the years I’ve been coaching creative people, I’ve learned that bringing this simple yet vital missing piece makes all the difference.

What’s the trick? It’s a little bit of space/time on a regular basis. 

Raise your hand if you pack your days with more than you can actually handle. Don’t worry, I won’t judge. I call this misplaced optimism. Given our exuberant natures, we want to do so much. We think we can squeeze one more thing in between tasks.

But this doesn’t work so well, does it? We end up feeling rushed and scattered and often late.
I propose something else: take time back by giving yourself 15 minutes a day for something that actually fuels you. Some possibilities for fifteen minute pauses:

  • meditate to start the day or as a transition between activities
  • play with your art supplies, sketching, coloring or collaging
  • visualize what you want to manifest, either in your mind or on paper
  • leave early so you don’t rush and arrive like the richest person in the world – with time to spare
  • spend some time in nature, even if it’s just with a houseplant
  • free write on your current state of mind or on a project you’re working on.

I’ve found answers, insights, calm, contentedness and more in these fifteen minutes.

You may be shaking your head, oh, no, I don’t have fifteen extra minutes. But if you can’t slow down a bit every day, what are you missing? What are you avoiding?

I assert we don’t have to be constantly running and going and doing. If you are an artist or writer or entrepreneur, it’s ESSENTIAL to take space. If you’re like me, you know that when we have space, our best ideas can bloom. And we feel more sane and creatively abundant.

Do you do this practice or a similar one? Leave a comment below and let us know how this impacts your happiness and creativity.

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Yes! I Respect!

We’ve made countless dates and I stand you up every time. Sometimes I bother with a lame excuse – I had to do the laundry, or I got engrossed in online surfing – and sometimes I don’t even give a reason. I rarely apologize and yet I insist that our relationship is important. And then I do it again. I blow you off.
With good reason, you’re not so happy with me. Sometimes you even tell me off. I’m afraid that you will abandon me altogether and find people who show you respect.
Is this how your relationship with your creativity looks? Might your Muse feel disrespected and abandoned?
I sincerely hope not. I hope you’re heeding the call to create and showing up consistently to practice, play and finish your creative projects. If so, you can stop reading and head back to your writing or art making.
It’s time to live like you respect your creative impulses. Say YES to your creativity and build trust and self-respect. And be a lot happier. If you’re feeling guilty about the lack of respect you’ve shown your Muse, read on.

Six ways to say yes and repair your relationship with your Muse

BelleHortense3Yes to creating first. You have a lot of other obligations. Try creating first and see how it fuels your relationships with yourself and others, your work, your other pursuits. If your other relationships are based on respect, your loved ones will be happy that you’re creating.
Yes to prioritizing. Recognize where creating stands on your list of priorities and honor that. Your priority list may look like this: family, health, writing. Honor the place writing has in your life by making time to write and then filling that time in with nothing other than writing – not researching, not talking about writing.
Yes to focus. Create muscular goals. Muscular goals challenge you to your edge. They give heft to the impulse and commitment to create and help you to move past obstacles.
Yes to progress. Respect all and any minor or major accomplishments. This is vital to building trust and momentum for your art making. We often gloss over our achievements and focus on what isn’t happening. Respect your progress and let it fuel more creating.
Yes to completing. Respect your ideas by following them through to their natural end. This will mean different things for different people and different projects.
Yes to confidence. Enjoy the confidence you build in yourself by respecting your creative impulses.
If you’re not feeling the love between you and your Muse, try saying yes more. You’ll both be happier!
How else do you show respect for your creative life? Share your respect in a comment below.

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Devotion Transforms Your Work

I just finished reading Julia Child’s book My Life in France. What a delightful book – I soaked it up in 4 days while on vacation. I highly recommend it.
MyLifeinFranceWho wouldn’t adore Julia Child? This plucky American discovered a love for cooking whilst living in Paris and got so enamored of it she ended up devoting her life to teaching others about French food. She wrote several books, launched a popular TV show, and in short, changed the world of food.
All because she was in love with her subject.
It all sounds so easy and breezy when I write about it, but Julia worked her you-know-what off to write that first book. It took a good nine years to get Mastering the Art of French Cooking out.
Why?
Was she slouching around Europe with her husband, Paul?
Was she going back and forth and back and forth with her co-author?
Was she blowing off writing sessions to watch TV?
No. Well, yes to the first two. The last – TV – she barely even knew existed.
It took so long to write this book because Julia was so darn into what she was doing. She was ruthlessly methodical about getting every recipe, every description, every photo just right. Some might deride this level of fastidiousness. Just move on already!
But it was this level of love and commitment to excellence that made the book an instant bestseller. All those hours hunched over the stove and typewriter represented true devotion. Julia gave her all to the work, and when the cookbook came out, the world responded to her devotion.
This, I believe, is what makes great books. Not weekend workshops where you whip out a shaggy draft and call it a book. Not hacks that help you feel yore gaming the process. Not whips and chains and all the other things we associate with disciplining ourselves to DO THE WORK. Julia2
It comes down to love. Pure, fiery love and commitment to the core of the thing. I felt this when writing my novel about Sylvia Beach. I respected her so much and was so enamored of her story, I was willing to do whatever it took to tell her (and my) story.
What about you? What are you devoted to enough to give it your all, and then some? Are you writing a book and wondering where you’re going to find the juice to get it over the finish line?
It doesn’t have to take a decade to write your book. But it will help to accept that it will take as long as it takes.
Maybe Julia inspires you like she does me. Maybe you have your own hero who leads you to do your best. To dig a little deeper and discover that you have an even better best inside you. Whatever it is, find the thing you love and devote yourself to it. Because this approach to creating may change the world, and it will definitely transform you.

Finish Your Book Coaching Group starts next week

If you’re writing a book and not making the progress you want, join us in Finish Your Book coaching group that’s devoted to people ready, willing and able to get their books done. Join us now.

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Focus & Inspiration: How to Respect Both to Get Your Creative Work Done

Inspiration and focus: two constantly battling siblings.

Inspiration is the fickle sister in the creative process. She shows up often, demanding attention, then flits off, rarely staying to see her inspiration to completion.

No doubt you have felt the heady breath of inspiration in your ear. You may hurry toward the vision that she showered upon you only to lose interest, tickled perhaps by another visit from inspiration.

How to harness the thrill of a new idea and carry it to completion?

Focus is the responsible sister in the creative process. She requires that we shut out distractions. She shuns worry and fears. With a firm hand, she invites us to step into the magical act of creating.

We don’t really like her until we’re deep into the writing. Then we love her, call her flow, and never want to leave her.

How to stay committed to the one that gives so much?

Are you often torn between these two siblings of the creative process? Does this battle make it hard to get anything done?
My clients and students struggle to find the focus to sit down and do their best creative work. It’s getting more and more difficult for all of us to focus our attention. Our focus is pulled in hundreds of directions every day. E-mails, social media, work, creative projects, food, relationships, all demand our attention.

Doing big work like writing a book or completing a body of art work demands tremendous focus. I’ve helped my clients discover what works to wrangle their attention to what matters. Here’s what we practice that helps us get our important work done.

1. Capture inspiration. When other ideas show up demanding your attention, make note of them in a separate notebook or file. Appreciate your enthusiasm and return to your main project. If you capture them, your ideas will be there later.

2. Get regular. Dedicate a specific time and place to work on your project. If a regular routine isn’t possible, make consistency your goal. Consistently put the important work first on your agenda.

3. Announce your intention. Let your people know what you are up to. Request that they honor your intention to focus and complete your book, giving you what space and time you need. Telling them “I’m on deadline,” helps you stay on track and lets them know you’re serious about your book.

4. Know your truth. Stay connected to your motivation for writing the book. This will help you make choices to honor your long-term commitment.

5. Get support. Who else has done what you want to do? Who is doing it now? A buddy, a friend in the same boat, or a coach (or all three!) can help you stay aligned with your vision.

6. Pay attention to your attention. Notice the impact different acts have on your focus. Social media time or internet wandering dissipates our focus. When we start our day turned out to the world, wrestling our focus back to our projects can be difficult.

What helps you develop a good working relationship between these two siblings in the creative process? Leave a comment below and share what works for you.

And if you found this article useful, share it with your friends so they can create more easily, too!

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Friday Art: Olive Huddle

Over coffee with encaustic artist and friend Alix Christian, I had an aha. Thank goodness for conversations with people who recognize where you are and see where you could be. And who say one small thing to nudge you there.
Looking at my journals, Alix pointed out a jar of pickles I’d illustrated. “See this?” she said. “Do things like this, by themselves, on a page.”
Ding, ding, ding! Of course I should have seen this myself. I’d been feeling that my journal pages were too crowded for my taste. I craved a simpler expression.
I rushed home and got my small Hand Book journal off the shelf. Now I am happily filling the pages with one thing at a time. Here’s the first one – Olive Huddle.
olives watercolor illustration Cynthia Morris

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Commitment Points Pave the Way to Completion

Our finished projects – books, business launches, bodies of artwork – are all paved with commitment points.
coaching books author Cynthia Morris illustration
You can see that many of my commitment points involved me realizing I needed help or a new approach. If you’re stuck with the book you’re writing – non-fiction or a novel – I can help.
Join me and other committed authors in my Finish Your Book Coaching Group. We begin on September 11th. You will love how this group helps you focus on what’s important to you – finishing your book.
Early registration discount ends on September 1st, so snag your spot today. 

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The “F” Word Isn’t So Bad. Really.

Finish.
Oh, the dreaded ‘F’ word. ‘Finish’, along with ‘focus’ and ‘follow through’ are words that make creative types cringe.

Focus? Why? Living in the land of possibility is so much fun! I have so many great ideas, it’s really impossible to focus on only one.

Follow through? Groan. It’s much easier to entertain new and energizing ideas! I can’t get organized enough to follow through on project ideas.

Finish? Death! If I finish something, then I have to face the reality of whether it’s any good or not – will anyone want my work?

If you’re familiar with these obstacles to completing projects, you’re probably less familiar with the boons on the other side of the finish line. Deep satisfaction, pride, recognition, and yes, possibly cash money await you if you can bring your creative baby to completion.

Quit being a cringer and become a finisher. Here are the five essential steps to carry your brilliant ideas all the way home.

One: Identify Your Motivation

Start becoming a great finisher by doing some soul-searching. In a notebook or computer file, write out an answer to this question:

What is important about becoming someone who finishes?

Understanding your unique motivation for staying through the entire process is an essential piece of the puzzle. Get clear on what’s important about finishing. You may come back and add more as your motivation becomes more apparent to you.

Craft that motivation into one sentence that you keep nearby when you’re creating. A single affirmation or reminder of your commitment can do a lot toward achieving the finishing line. Develop your own version of the Little Red Engine’s mantra: “I think I can, I think I can!”

Two: Commit to a Project

You most likely have a number of projects in various stages of completion. These ideas marinate in your mind, spoiling as you become overwhelmed and distracted by your creative inspiration. It becomes easier to let them fall to the side rather than make choices to commit to one project after another.

When you decide to be a completer, you need to choose where you will focus your time and energy. You will be tempted to work on several projects at once. This is fine, if you manage to follow through and finish at least some of them. (I don’t recommend this until you can call yourself a serial finisher.)

Three: Build Structure

External structures help you stay organized and focused. You will need to learn what works for you, but you’ll have to commit to structures like deadlines, timelines and accountability. Your inner saboteur will pipe in with notions like “I’m not a deadline person,” or “Lists don’t work for me.”
Take this as normal resistance that surfaces when you try something different. Sometimes creative people think they need to be free and flexible, but the truth is that structure allows creativity to flow. Creative people actually like structure, for it gives them the needed focus to bring their ideas into form.

Four: Stay on Track

Getting clear on your motivation, committing to a project and developing a plan of action are the first three crucial steps. Staying with your project to completion is critical to becoming a completer. As Molly Ivins wrote, you need to “dance with them that brought you.”

Don’t flirt with your other ideas once you’ve committed to go all the way with one. You’ll need to develop your creative stamina, hone your emotional intelligence, and stay connected to all the previous reminders about why you’re doing your project and what’s your payoff for finishing.

Five: Acknowledge and Celebrate Completion

This final step is often overlooked. After all that work, we skip the fun part! But it’s important to put this into the creative cycle. Too often, we rush to the next thing, overriding the need to acknowledge our efforts.

Before you pop the cork on the champagne bottle, take some time to acknowledge what it took to get here. Take the opportunity to learn about your creative style and what it takes to bring your projects to fruition. Acknowledging and celebrating will help you build confidence to complete future projects.

Most of us want to finish. The work required to finish is nothing compared to the real cringer when we think about all those once-wonderful projects that are now abandoned on the back burner, hidden in the bottom drawer, or lurking on the garage shelf, gathering dust and silently mocking us and our supposedly brilliant ideas.

Knowing the five steps is one thing. Taking them is another. Do yourself a favor: stop cringing and start finishing.

Check out my book, Cross the Finish Line and let go of cringing about the ‘F’ word.

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How to Celebrate: The Declaration of You Invites You to Own Your Success

TDOY_bloglovintour_banner
The Declaration of You, published by North Light Craft Books, gives readers permission to step passionately into their lives, discover how they and their gifts are unique, and uncover what they are meant to do!
Today’s post is part of The Declaration of You’s BlogLovin’ Tour, which I’m thrilled to participate in alongside over 300 other creative bloggers. Learn more — and join us! — by clicking here.

Celebration is a topic near and dear to me. In the course of coaching hundreds of people to help them make their creative dreams real, I have learned that there’s one insidious thing that blocks our success and satisfaction:
We don’t know how to celebrate. And when we don’t acknowledge our efforts, we lose confidence and momentum for our projects.
I am here to insist upon celebration as an integral part of your creative life. When you’ve hauled yourself over the line of your deadline, when you’ve gotten the news that your story has been accepted, when a gallery finally sees your brilliance and puts your work on the walls, it is time to celebrate.
Oddly, when I ask my clients, “How will you celebrate?” they have no response. Most of us have no idea how to celebrate. Aside from a special dinner, we don’t have celebration rituals at the ready.

Thirteen ways to celebrate your creative wins

BelleHortense3I’ve compiled a baker’s dozen of creative, inexpensive and fun ways to celebrate your successes. Try these or let them spark your own celebrations.
1. Write a love note to yourself bragging about your win. Go on, indulge in some bragging!
2. Treat yourself to a new notebook or pack of pens.
3. Visit the art supply store and buy a new brush, tube of paint, sheet of beautiful paper, or other creative treat.
4. Take a pause. Go to the park or other natural environment and allow the sights and sounds to rejuvenate your spirit.
5. Give yourself an afternoon in the library or bookstore. Pick up ideas and inspiration for the next creative phase.
6. Call up a creative buddy and schedule a walk or coffee date. Trade acknowledgements of each other’s progress.
7. Make a list of all the things you have done for your creativity in the last six months. Give yourself gold stars for everything.
8. Reread a journal or free write notebook. Take stock of how far you have come and prepare for more.
9. Compile your victories in a portfolio or notebook. Use a three-ring binder with plastic sheets to protect your clips, reviews, articles about you or other kudos you get.
10. Treat yourself to a special bouquet – or even one – flower.
11. Get tickets for a concert, reading or other artistic display. Connecting to others’ creative expression will feed your own.
12. Make notes about what you brought to bear on your creative life. Your persistence, your sense of humor, your willingness to listen to your instincts, all will help you in the next phase of the journey.
13.Plan a retreat – an afternoon, a day, a weekend, a week – in a nearby locale to fuel yourself.
Make a list of your own celebrations and rewards. When you hit a milestone, small or large, you’ll be ready to party on!
How do you celebrate? Share your ideas below.

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Good Life Project TV Interview with Tami Simon, Founder of Sounds True

I’ve long admired Tami Simon, founder of Sounds True, a multi-media publishing company that produces titles relating to spirituality and personal growth.
This is one of Boulder County’s most successful businesses, and I’ve always wanted to meet the woman behind the company. I was at Jonathan Fields’ Good Life Project TV interview with her and did this capture.
Check out the video interview with Tami Simon at the Good Life Project. It’s inspiring on many levels.
Tami Simon interview with Jonathan Fields captured by Cynthia Morris
 

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Friday Art: Capturing an Interview with an Earth Protector: Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche on GLP TV

I recently had the  pleasure of sitting in on some tapings of Jonathan Fields’ Good Life Project TV. During these interviews with entrepreneurs and authors, I captured the conversation on paper.
I’ll be sharing them with you as the shows go live. You can watch all episodes of the Good Life Project here.
This week’s interview is with Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.
Good Life Project TV illustrated Cynthia Morris

Capturing the wow

It was our first interview of the day. I had no idea who we were going to meet. I was just along to push the button on the second camera. When we drove up and were escorted into a mansion by men in suits, I began to suspect something extraordinary was about to happen.
Turns out Jonathan was interviewing the head of the Shambhala lineage, Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.There’s a lot I could say about that experience but I won’t here and now. I will say that the Rinpoche signs his books with a Visconti pen.
Check out the interview between Jonathan Fields and Sakyong Mipham Rinpoche.
About the capture: I was sitting directly behind the Rinpoche. I captured the conversation in ink, then painted it later. I was experimenting with my new Peerless Water Color Paints . I confess that I had little or no control over the colors. The page turned out way, way brighter than I expected.
Perhaps it’s not an accident, but a reflection of the energy in the room. I like how the heads of the people speaking are not painted. Their conversation swirls around them in words and color.
My favorite part: the quote: “We’re living this life together, all of us.”
Check out the interview and come back to tell me how it moved you.

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Video Book Review: Startup Life by Brad Feld & Amy Batchelor

Another review in my series of book recommendations*. I loved Startup Life by Brad Feld and Amy Batchelor.
One sentence review: A great book to help you design a conscious and thriving relationship with your partner, entrepreneur or not.

Have you read this? If so, how did it impact your relationships?
*I am sometimes given books to review but am not compensated for sharing my enthusiasm for books that help creative people thrive.

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Video Book Review: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey

I’ve been reading a ton of great books lately, and this summer I’ll share what I’ve gleaned from the creativity books I love to consume.
This week’s video review: Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey.

One line review summary: Read this book for entertainment, not for how-to advice.
I’m giving away a copy of this adorable and entertaining book. Simply tell us about a daily ritual that you do that helps you be more creatively satisfied.
Leave a comment here at the Original Impulse blog by Friday, June 21st at noon MT to be entered into a drawing to win.