Chris Guillebeau of The Art of Non-Conformity comes out with his third book, The Happiness of Pursuit. This book is all about finding meaning through engaging in quests that matter – first to the quester, then to the world.
Watch the video for more.
I’m giving away several copies of The Happiness of Pursuit here. By Monday September 22nd, please leave a comment below answering this question:
What quest are you on right now and what’s important about it for you?
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What books are in your beach bag this summer?
On my recent birthday trip, I had zoomed past the beach turn-off, and slamming on the brakes, took a quick turn into the next place. Guess what? I had come upon a little bookstore, Titcombs Bookshop in Sandwich, MA. Of course I had to delay the beach for books!
Inside, the tiny shop was full of people browsing. I was delighted to see so many people getting books for their beach jaunts.
I try to buy something from every independent bookstore I visit, so this time I picked up The Quotable Book Lover, edited by Ben Jacobs and Helene Hjalmarsson.
I opened it at random and found the perfect quotation to share with you today. It’s so true for me, it made me laugh out loud.
“There are two motives for reading a book: one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it.” Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness, 1930
Recent reads (all novels this time) I’ll boast about:
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – Weirdo or genius? I am sure many of us will relate to Bernadette in this book.
My Wish List by Gregoire Delacourt – A short, sweet and deep book about how winning the lottery could change everything, but not how you imagine.
Loving Frank – Nancy Horan – a great historical novel about Frank Lloyd Wright and the love of his life, Mamah Borthwick.
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker – A sweet and lyrical novel set in Burma.
Current fiction reads include:
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Lovers at the Chameleon Club by Francine Prose
What books are in your beach bag? Boast away in a comment below.
How to Enjoy Your Talents
I love making art and writing things. I made this poster to celebrate Original Impulse’s 15-year anniversary and to share a gift with you. I also wanted to practice the hand lettering I am learning in Sean Wes’ online lettering course. So I was happy to do about 12 drafts of this. That’s how it goes with making and learning – you have to practice. A lot.
Every single time I create something, I cycle through the wild and wooly creative process, as I know you do, too.
But near the end of the project I experienced what I know many of us face: dwindling interest in completing it. I saw my interest flagging and called on my creative pal Kristoffer Carter to hold my toes to the fire. Getting this thing over the finish line and here on the blog wasn’t easy.
All the usual crap – it’s not perfect, it’s not good enough, it’s amateurish…blah, blah, blah. Luckily I know better than to listen to that. Luckily I am willing to put imperfect things out there. Because I believe that our enthusiasm trumps perfection every time.
I am enthusiastic about learning. About hand lettering. About what we are called forth to as creative people. That making and sharing impulse is caring and daring, and that is what I and Original Impulse are all about.
I hope this inspires you to love what you love. To make things because it is so damn fun. And to share it even if you feel critical about it.
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How Does Paris Make Us Feel Sexier? Interview with Author of Naughty Paris
Heather Stimmler-Hall of Secrets of Paris is bringing out a new edition of her elegant Paris guidebook, Naughty Paris. I had the chance to interview Heather about some of the concepts in the book. I was curious about some of the Frenchwoman’s secrets, and Heather was happy to share what she knows in an email interview.
You’ve talked about how Paris women have a ‘secret garden’. What is this and how might we cultivate our own secret gardens?
A Parisian woman don’t feel it’s necessary to share every aspect of her personal life with those closest to her, not even with her husband. She doesn’t always say where she goes, who she’s with, what she ate, where she shopped. Not that she’s doing anything sneaky or that would upset her partner. She simply maintains a bit of mystery and privacy that she cherishes. Her own private garden.
This might be going to watch cheesy Hollywood films with a pint of ice cream on her own, getting her legs waxed and her hair highlighted at a local beauty parlor, or spending an afternoon alone at an art exhibition that moved her.
Your secret garden can be anything you want it to be, but it has to be private, not shared with others. We’re so transparent these days, just the idea of doing something wonderful for yourself without posting photos of it all over social media is a rebellious idea.
I love that. This is a great way to think about how we can cultivate a relationship with ourselves and to access our true desires. Privacy! What a concept! How common do you think it is for women to want to feel sexier while in Paris?
In my own experience as a travel writer and tour guide, I find that American women tend to be very conscious of Parisian women and their historic reputation for being mysterious, seductive, fashionable, and sexy. For some visitors this can be intimidating, but for others it becomes a challenge and an inspiration.
First, American women don’t want to appear like frumpy slobs in comparison, there’s our national pride to protect! And then there’s the desire to discover their secrets so we can use them ourselves. After all, the Parisians aren’t all super models. Au contraire. They simply know how to make the best of what they’ve got, and they have (or fake) enough self confidence to pull it off without looking like they’re even trying.
That idea alone can be quite liberating for women who are used to trying to force themselves into an American cookie-cutter version of beauty and sexiness that is hardly attainable by the average person.
Despite (or maybe thanks to) the language and cultural barriers, feeling sexier in Paris is almost effortless for women once they relax and allow themselves to enjoy all the wonderful pleasures the city has to offer
It’s true; I’ve seen this for myself and the women in my Paris workshops. You almost can’t come to Paris and not want to add a little feminine flair.
What gets in the way of women being able to access this side of themselves either in Paris or at home?
Not being able to relax and enjoy themselves, lol! Seriously, it’s not part of our culture to indulge in our own pleasure. Even on vacation we’re too goal oriented, with long “to do” lists and built-in guilt for doing anything that we might actually enjoy. A lot of women see the title “Naughty Paris” and say, “Oh, I’m not naughty!”
But when we deny ourselves pastries and chocolates because we’re on a diet, beautiful clothes and fancy heels because they’re not practical, and a day of simply people-watching on a café terrace with a bottle of wine because we think we “should” be visiting the Top Ten Tourist Sites, we’re telling ourselves that even the simple joys in life are bad.
Pleasure is the new Naughty, without even needing to go anywhere near anything blatantly sexual. Sometimes it’s easier when we’re on vacation to let loose a little bit, but once we’re back home and back to work…that’s a whole different book!
I love that ‘pleasure is the new naughty’! What surprised you while researching and writing this book?
I’m a travel writer, not a “naughty expert”, so doing the research was quite eye opening, but I would say it was more surprising to discover who was interested in reading “Naughty Paris”.
Let’s just say that I got the most Puritanical reactions from American women under 40 (but usually under the disclaimer of “I have no problem with it, but my friends are very conservative”), while older women were usually more enthusiastic and open-minded.
It’s encouraging to see how so many women really do come into their own after 50 and stop caring so much about what other people think of them. They’re more likely to “get” Parisian sexiness than the women in their 30s.
That’s fascinating, and also great to see how women develop as we age. What do you want most for readers of Naughty Paris?
Most people dive right into the “Naughty Nightlife” chapter or focus on the dining and hotel recommendations to start planning the logistics of their vacation, but I do hope everyone takes the time to read the first chapter* to better understand – and perhaps even step into – the Parisian state of mind.
Celebrating 15 Years as a Creativity Coach for Creatives and Writers
It’s with a grateful heart and a deep bow of thanks that I share this post. This month marks my 15-year anniversary as a coach for people who want to write and create with joy.
There’s so much I want to say about running a business, being a healthy creative person and what I want for you. I will keep it brief, because I know you have work to do.
Celebrate with gratitude
I’m so grateful to have a business that allows me to do good work and have time to do my creative projects. I’m grateful for my parents’ genes and their model of how to work hard and which are the right sacrifices to make.
I’m grateful that I have earned the trust of my readers, students and clients. This is important to me and something I treasure with great respect. It means a lot to me to be invited into someone’s world and creative process.
I’m so grateful for all the coaches, mastermind buddies, teachers and consultants who have helped me grow my business. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Fifteen years ago, I would never have imagined what I am doing now. I didn’t know I would be able to bring my teaching online. I didn’t know I would realize my dream of frequent work travel. I didn’t know the field of coaching would explode, and I certainly had no idea how much work goes into making a thriving business.
I don’t know where the next fifteen years will lead me. I do know that here, in June 2014, I am full of wonder for life and for the mysteries of the creative process. I am full of awe for the people who show up to do the real work of making something new. I marvel at the courage and have great respect for their commitment.
You may not see the work ahead in bringing your book to light. You may not recognize the impact your work will have in the world. You blissfully do not know how much effort it will take to complete your big project. And that’s okay.
One of the biggest insights I have gleaned over 15 years of studying the creative process is that we are never fully in charge. Our big idea for our book, our blog, our business venture – we are only a small part of its evolution. Many other factors come into play. Timing. Support. Real-world constraints. The art of bringing something from an idea to an actual thing calls us to our highest expression.
It’s in the process of making things that we grow. All our ideas add nothing to our real power. Making, writing, publishing, sharing – stepping out into the world to share our hearts and our creativity – that’s a bold act, and one I salute with a big smile.
Here’s to all of us who show up to heed our original impulse – to create, to write, to express and share the things that mean the most to us. As Helen Keller said, life is a daring adventure and it’s my great privilege to be on this adventure with you as a creativity coach.