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What Is Your Public Contribution?

The Place de la Concorde métro station in Paris is paneled with white tiles. On these white tiles are blue letters so when the train comes into the station, you feel as if you’re entering a tunnel of words. But only if you use the pause to see the letters will you see that they’re not random letters.
One day I picked out ‘contribution publique’. Public contribution. I love that. It made me question my contribution.
What am I contributing to the public space?
Often it’s something along the lines of:

  • Irritation
  • Hurriedness
  • Anxiety

When I become conscious of my state of being, I can slow down and choose something other than grumpiness.
I do this thing in airports where there’s a lot of tension and anxiety. I consciously emanate calmness. Moving slowly through the space, I act as if there’s no need for fear or worry. I relax and trust that all is well. I usually find a wall to the side of the waiting area and practice a few yoga asanas.
Often I see people start doing their own pre-flight stretches. People have approached me and asked about yoga. I see the ripple effect of a few public stretches. I know I’ve sent out:

  • Calmness
  • Peace
  • Trust

For my life online, my policy is to not put negative comments into the space. Often I want to complain about something. A snarky response dances at the edge of my fingertips, wanting to get out there and show how clever and smart I am.
But I hold back. That’s not the contribution I want to make.
I can do this anywhere – send out ‘good vibes’. This is one possible contribution publique, to be mindful of the energy I put into the world around me.
The Occupy Movement is another public contribution. Giving money or food to people begging on the street is another public contribution.
As part of the American Thanksgiving celebration, consider your public contribution.
What do you contribute and what would you like to contribute? 

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Get Current: Update Your Inner Landscape

To keep things fresh and operating smoothly, you update you software and apps. You change the oil in your car and get your hair cut regularly. You may even do a spring and fall cleaning of your home.
You keep things current. If you don’t, your systems aren’t operating at full capacity. You are limited in what you can generate if you’re not up to date.
You’re good about these external updates, but what about updates for your inner landscape?
When is the last time you refreshed your commitments and beliefs? If you’re feeling stale or uninspired, pressured, it may be time to get current with your beliefs.
Getting current with France
In February 2000, I stood in the Pere Lachaise cemetery. It had been 8 years since I’d been to Paris. I was enjoying a few days there after my job as a hot air balloon chef in Switzerland.
Standing among the mossy sepulchers, I had a blinding realization: I speak French. I speak French, and this francophilia was a huge part of who I had always been. I missed France and loved speaking French.
Right there, I made a commitment to myself to return to France every year.
Fast forward to 2011. I’ve almost kept my commitment. I’ve been to France every year but 2002 and 2004, and during those years I’d gone to London. (Close enough, right?)
In Paris this year with my friend Tonja, I recount this story of my commitment to return to France every year. She listens, nods, and finally says, “You don’t have to come back every year.” “I know,” I say, brushing on to the next thought.
But later, I reflected on what she said. That’s right, I thought. I don’t have to come back every year. That commitment I made 10 years ago needed updating.
When I considered not coming back every year, I felt liberated. I’ve satisfied my francophilia. I’ve improved my French and learned more about French and European culture. I’ve shared this love with people on my excursions.
Getting current feels good
I probably will come back regularly, but I don’t have to. Updating this commitment helps me stay open to new commitments, like publishing my novel and offering my new writing workshop. It puts me at choice in the present.
Getting current like this has inspired me to look at my other beliefs and commitments. I’ve made a list and am checking in with what’s true for me now. I renew some beliefs  and release others. It feels good to do this updating of my inner landscape. It allows me to grow even further than I imagined when I made those commitments.
Try this for yourself. What beliefs and commitments can you update? Share your experience with this process in a comment below.
I help my clients get current so they can more toward what they want in life. Work with me to make life sweeter, easier and more authentic to your original impulse.

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Be More Creative: Less Journaling, More Story

In my online writing group, we huddle together (virtually) every day to write for 15 minutes. The only rules are to keep writing for 15 minutes.

A range of writing and responses come from the group. Many of us are disappointed that our writing still feels like journaling. We use this time to process what’s happening in our lives, to release and understand the stories we’re living.

We’re frustrated that the writing is just showing us our same old stories and not revealing anything new, exciting and sparkly. Where’s our creative genius?

It can take time and effort to shift from journal writing to ‘creative’ writing where stories and lyrical writing fill your pages.

To advance toward more ‘creative’ writing, try these approaches.
[Read more…] about Be More Creative: Less Journaling, More Story

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The Disclaimplanation – Don’t Do It!

You’re at a concert of your favorite band, Abba. They come onstage and spend 5 minutes apologizing for not putting out an album in the last 20 years. They shrug and moan a bit, announcing that they may be a bit rusty, and that they hope you don’t mind.

Finally, they get into what you came for, swinging into a hot new version of ‘Dancing Queen’ that has you and your friend grooving like you’re sixteen. The concert goes on, dancing and merriment is had by all, and the awkward bit at the beginning is almost forgotten.

Almost.

Disclaimers leave a slight smudge on the space. The energy subtly wanes and your passion for the artist turns toward pity.

Don’t do it. Don’t disclaim.

Do you disclaim? [Read more…] about The Disclaimplanation – Don’t Do It!

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Finding Your Writing Form

You’ve wanted to write for years, and now, yes, now, you finally step up to the pen. You’re ready to go.

But what to write? You have some ideas but aren’t sure about the form. Blog post? Personal essay? Poetry, or perhaps a novella?

I remember this confusion when I embarked on my writing life in 1994. I felt the desire to write but had no idea where to start.

Luckily, I discovered Natalie Goldberg. The free writing method allowed me to get my words on paper first, then figure out what form they’d take.

With that freedom, I explored:

  • Poetry
  • Personal essays
  • Survey articles
  • How-to articles
  • Performance pieces
  • Plays
  • Screenplays
  • Novel

Almost every newbie writer I’ve encountered has this same dilemma. I encourage them to start with free writing and let the content inform the structure. [Read more…] about Finding Your Writing Form

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That pesky 'and'

If you’re like me, your description of what you do can be a run-on sentence. “I’m a coach and an author and a speaker and a traveler and a yogini, and…”
Or, you have an idea for a project. It’s a brilliant core idea, and it’s got a lot of branches. “It’s a workshop and an e-book and an app and…”

Bored with 'and'

Or, your description of what you’re currently up to resembles a train with a million cars attached. “I’m working on my novel and an e-book and a series for this workshop I want to lead and…”
Do you see the problem with ‘and’? I’m exhausted just writing about it. You’re probably overwhelmed thinking about all you’re trying to do. And the person you’re telling this to? Completely incapable of grasping or caring about anything past the first ‘and’.
It’s okay to be juggling multiple projects. We all do it. Whether we’re doing it successfully is another topic.
Stop the ‘and’
If your descriptions of what you do are peppered with ‘ands’, I invite you to embrace the full stop period instead of ‘and’. Try sharing just one thing.
“What are you up to?”
“I’m working on publishing my novel.”
From there, the conversation can deepen into this one topic. Perhaps it will spread to other subjects as well, where you can share the other things you’re up to. Leaving out the ‘and’ allows for a little more breathing space and perhaps a bit more focus, for the duration of the conversation at least.
Works for writing, too
The ‘and’ can detract from your writing as well. This is one of my personal writing weaknesses. I want to pack so much into a sentence that all my sentences are compound. This kind of writing can be confusing and distracting. Run-on thoughts leave the reader tired and overwhelmed. (See?)
Is this true for you? Put your antennae up for ‘and’ this week both in your speech and writing. See what it’s like to use a full stop. Enjoy the simplicity of focusing only on one thing at a time. Notice what’s different for you, and let us know in a comment below.

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Why We Don’t Create

You don’t have time.
You have too many ideas and find it hard to focus.
You don’t have a supportive community.
You don’t have the right space in which to create.

These are all the reasons you and I don’t create. All are true and valid. And, that’s only the partial truth.

The truth is, you don’t create because you’re scared silly. You’re afraid you don’t have anything original to say. You’re afraid that despite your creative urges, you’re not good enough. You’re afraid that if you share your work with the world, you’ll be exposed as a talent-less loser.

How do I know? Have I peeked into the deep recesses of your creative unconscious?
No. I know because these are the fears that lurk in every writer I’ve ever coached, myself included.
Creating is scary. The original impulse of an idea is fun, energizing, exciting. The actual path to executing and completing that idea is fraught with our very human fears.

I’m feeling pretty terrified these days

As I approach the publication of my novel Chasing Sylvia Beach (2012), I feel more and more fear. I’ve been working on this book for twelve years and it means a lot to me and my work.

I find myself having to fight off deep, deep fear at every step of the way. It starts in my chest, seizing my heart and rooting in my gut with an acidic and painful grip. The fear saturates my blood and rushes to my brain, convincing me to abandon the mission and go hide somewhere dark and safe.

I swear if I didn’t have coaching skills I wouldn’t be able to talk myself off the ledge of quitting. Luckily, I know how to soothe my nervous system and squelch my fears.

I also know that fear will accompany me every step of the way. If I didn’t care so much, I wouldn’t be afraid.

I believe that our creative work transforms us, and that these fears arrive to help us delve deeper, grow further, understand more about our own unique process. Sure, you can work with a therapist to help you overcome your deeply rooted psychological issues (and I recommend you do) but adopting a creative course will give you much the same insights and opportunities for growing yourself as a person.

Keep going despite the fear

Our passion and fear come in equal measure. How to keep going despite the fear? Connect to your bigger mission, surround yourself with creative allies, and trust your creative impulses to help stay on track.

Here are a handful of books that have helped me choose commitment to my art over fear:
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Courage to Write by Ralph Keyes
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

Enrolling allies

Coaching helps me and my clients continue on when the fear is too great. Sure, I help them arrange their schedules so they can write. I guide them to choose the projects that hold the most meaning for them, and to enlist help from creative allies.

But much of our work together revolves around eradicating fear enough to get the words out. I honor the brave souls who recognize that the external barriers to writing are only part of the reason we avoid creating.

 

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Enough Measuring Up

How many subscribers do you have? How many people are your friends on Facebook, your followers on Instagram?

How do you measure up?

The world at large, including publishers and agents, demands that we deliver our statistics to prove our worthiness. We get caught up in counting our followers, our subscribers, our word count. We concern ourselves with how long our posts are.

I’ve seen countless clients and students (myself included) get caught up in this. We fret over how much, how many, how big.

But does it really get us anywhere? Sure, you may feel some satisfaction in knowing that you have 1,000 Facebook friends, 500 visitors to your blog each month and 1,400 subscribers to your newsletter.

But how does that actually help you do a great job of writing or making art?

Measuring has traditionally been important when we need to show others how great we are. Like name dropping, measuring allows us to flaunt our status. It’s the kind of social proof we need when we’re pitching our work, writing our book proposal, or asking for a review copy of a book.

These numbers can be useful to show the reach of our influence. The good news is things are shifting and isn’t as necessary as it has been. We can self-publish our books. We can write articles and post them on our blogs. We don’t need the approval of editors and publishers to get our words out.

If they’re powerful and you’re brave enough to share, your words will be read and people will be influenced.

Check your analytics, measure your numbers, then get back to the real work: focusing on creating the best work you can.

Give yourself a break from measuring up and just write. Join me in The Devoted Writer. The early registration discount ends today!

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See the World Through My Eyes

I hear this often: “I want to see Paris through your eyes, Cynthia.”
What’s it like to move through life as a writer or artist?

Always with the journal

Let’s play ‘Being Cynthia Morris’. Come, step in and adopt my perspective. This is how you’d see the world, whether you’re traveling or at home.
Your thoughts are not linear, and they bounce between what you’re going to eat later to what you’re trying to sort out with your latest article, to being captured by anything and everything that’s happening around you.
You notice everything, every color, every noise, every written word, every dog turd and gesture. It may seem like you’re spacing out and not paying attention, but really, you’re feeling, hearing, seeing and smelling everything.
You’re constantly curious, er, nosy. You’re making up stories all the time about people around you. That couple there? First date. That woman inching along the sidewalk? Widowed for 20 years, still misses her husband’s irritating morning cough. Those young women? On holiday from Spain, enjoying Paris for the first time at volume.
The curiosity doesn’t stop at people. Why is that metro stop called Wagram? Why did they call their shop that? What’s behind all these giant, closed doors?
What's behind that door?!

You move back and forth in time. You’re walking down a tiny street in the Marais, peeking into designer clothing shops. The next thing you know, you’re imagining the sound of jackboots on the cobblestones, feeling the fright of a Jewish person out after curfew. Your own memories intertwine with history. You’re constantly fascinated and astounded by layers of time and history.
You’re obsessed with language. Words in English trip through your head, and also French. A word you’d mulled over yesterday suddenly pops in your head, along with the understanding of its origins and pronunciation.
You’re constantly writing in your mind. Ideas for new articles, better ways to express yourself in old articles, a streaming narration of Facebook posts (that you’ll never do) run through your head.
You’re always accompanied by your inner narrator, and heaven forbid you leave the house without a notebook and pen, or you’ll have to stop and buy writing materials to capture everything. (This article came while walking in the Luxembourg gardens.)
Despite the amazing and disheartening news of the day, you’re hopeful and optimistic. You fear your novel may not be good enough, but you’re also optimistic enough to go for it. In fact, you’ve come to relish ventures that challenge you beyond your perceived capabilities and are always looking for ways to grow.
You’re an idea matchmaker, constantly seeking connections. How does X relate to Y? Can you extend the metaphor to align this idea with that idea to make something new and engaging? What if….
You’re positive about people. You see people with kindness, curiosity and respect. You’re blown away by the thought of the millions of people in the world, the variety of experience and the gazillion stories out there being lived, told and shared right this very minute.
Who are all these people? What are their stories?

You surf a constantly shifting wave of emotions: joy, wonder, sadness, loneliness, frustration, contentment. You’ve come far enough to not cling too much to any one, since you know the next influx of emotion is cresting at the next corner.
You’re a magnet for insights about how you can be a better person, serve others better, enjoy life more. You’re curious about your evolution as a human and about your ever-shifting inner landscape.
You’re still a child in some ways, full of wonder and naiveté. You are willing and able to be stopped in your tracks by something that captures your attention. You can pass cute babies by but dogs will always charm you.
Surprised? Probably not; you’re probably very similar. I’m not saying this is the best way to live, just that it’s my way.
What’s the world like through your eyes? Take a few minutes to jot down your version of the world through your eyes.