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…”
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.
Creativity
Liberate Yourself from Old Projects
There they are – bulging in the file cabinet, collecting dust: your old writing projects. Some are complete, but most are 80% finished.
When you look at them, you feel a mix of emotions:
- Despair that you never finished that great story
- Hope that someday you might finish that great story
- Excitement – when you revisit the idea, you really like it. There’s some good writing in there.
- Overwhelm – where do you start?
You close the drawer and try to forget about these half-bakeds. You want to write new things but after seeing this logjam, you lose confidence that you can ever complete something.
It’s one of the most difficult decisions to make – revive a project or abandon it. Use my coaching questions to help discern whether the project(s) can be resumed or are ready to be dropped.
1. Where did the impulse for this project come from? Was this your idea or someone else’s?
2. What is your motivation now? What is important about completing this project? Get clear about what you expect completion of this project to do for your life.
3. How has the project changed? Is this piece still in the same genre? Has the focus of the work changed?
4. How have you changed since you began this project? Take a look at your circumstances. Assess your maturity, your commitment, and your other obligations. Is there still room for this project?
5. What tools or skills do you need to finish? Assess required time, space, and resources to get a realistic picture of what you need to complete the work. Locate the support, books, and other reference materials that will help you to complete the piece.
6. What are your strengths? Where else in your life have you stayed with a project even when you didn’t know you could? Take stock of your completion history and know that you can complete a project.
7. What would it feel like to set this project aside? Check in to see if you are ready to let this project go. Notice if you feel regret, remorse, or relief when you consider shelving this project.
8. What does your gut say? Respect yourself. Do what you need to do to feel that you are doing the right thing for you, right now. Trust your instincts to guide you in making decisions that you can live with.
Incomplete projects may be costing you more than you think. Lack of confidence, inability to focus, fear of starting new projects can all be caused by these partial projects that are clogging the queue.
List your unfinished projects and use these questions for each of them. Do the work or let go, and open yourself to new creative energy in your life.
Too Hot to Move? Dream Instead
Summer – lazy time! It can feel too hot to move, let alone focus on anything specific. We’d rather lie in the hammock, sip lemonade and read a book.
What if you honored those inclinations to slow down? Give yourself permission to be lazy. Chilling out doesn’t mean leaving your creativity behind.
Use the mellow pace to get big – in your mind.
Dream, envision, and open yourself to possibility. Reflect on where you’ve been so far this year and imagine where the rest of the year will take you.
Jot your vision and dreams down, no matter how lofty or mundane. No need to do anything about them, or even plan, if you don’t want. Just capture the dream.
This kind of dreamy spaciousness is exactly what we need most for our creativity – the space to explore possibilities.
One fun exercise, from Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, is to list five alternate careers. If you had taken five other paths, what might they have been?
Mine:
- Professor
- Tour guide
- Stand up comic
- Singer
- Psychotherapist
When I look at these, I see pieces of what I’d like to have in my life: more time in front of audiences. More time moving people emotionally and creatively.
I can do that in my current life as coach and writer. I don’t need to worry in these lazy days of summer about how I will do that. Just seeding these desires is enough for now.
I’m off to dream about the book tour for my novel, how I will decorate my new home, and how much fun it will be to enjoy it all with my hot man.
What dreams do your summer lazy days evoke? Let us know in a comment below. And if you’ve never gone through Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, it’s an excellent resource for sourcing your deep desires and dreaming big.
In case you think dreaming is a waste of time, check out this book: Write It Down, Make It Happen by Henriette Klauser.
Buff Up Your Creativity: Ten Creative Capabilities Enhanced by Travel
I gave this article to my Curious Boulder participants to remind them that travel itself is a creativity workshop. Formerly published in 2009 here, I offer these perspectives to you again, so your summer travel may incite your creative juju.
Creativity is a combination of skills, qualities and perspectives that allows someone to bring ideas into form. Identifying and cultivating those capabilities allows you to be more effective in life and work.
It’sno surprise that the rigors of travel build our creative capacity. Both
endeavors push us to our physical, mental and sometimes emotional limits.
Travel and creativity aren’t for pansies.
After a year as a creative nomad in Europe, and from observing the changes I see in my Curious Excursions participants. I have charted ten ways that travel sparks our creativity. Check out the following ten creative capabilities to see how travel has contributed to yours.
[Read more…] about Buff Up Your Creativity: Ten Creative Capabilities Enhanced by Travel
How to Be More Creative
People often tell me they want to be more creative. Of course, I’m curious. “What does that look like for you?” I ask.
What does it mean for you to be more creative? You might not have a ready answer. If we can’t pinpoint exactly what ‘more creative’ looks like, we can have a sense of how we want to feel.
When we’re more creative, we:
- Experience more vitality and vibrancy
- Enjoy a sense of play
- Feel more empowered
- Attract more opportunities and success
- Connect more easily to like-minded people.
So when we say we want to be ‘more creative’ we really want to be more alive.
The creative spark strikes us and lights us up, allowing us to savor those ‘aha’ moments where something new makes sense and can change our lives.
How does one get ‘more creative’? Practice by pushing the edges of your comfort zone. Try:
- adopting an open ‘why not’ perspective
- experimenting in new media
- dropping perfectionism like a bad habit
- a willingness to try, fail, and appear stupid
- making new connections between things and ideas
- acting according to your values without worrying what others will think of your lifestyle and choices
What does your ‘more creative’ look like? Share your ideas below.
Stay tuned for more ways to fire up your creativity. Get your juju delivered with a subscription to Impulses, my bi-weekly newsletter.
Shore ‘Em Up Boundaries for Creatives
I have written about the need to have and maintain good boundaries. This week, I share a few kinds of boundaries that are particularly useful for those who want to make art or write.
Space
This is the easiest boundary to identify. Where is your work space? What’s allowed in there and what is not?
When I’m writing my articles, I work best in public. I love writing at Watercourse Foods, my favorite Denver restaurant. They don’t have Internet access and on Thursday mornings, there’s just enough activity to allow me to keep my focus and enjoy being around others.
Other spatial boundaries may include – a closed door, special lighting, music, a ‘Do not disturb’ sign, software that shuts away distractions.
A weird one that works for me – no books on the desk.
What boundaries define your creative space? Jot them down now. [Read more…] about Shore ‘Em Up Boundaries for Creatives
Are Weak Boundaries Draining Your Creativity?
Feeling busy, busy, busy with everything but your creative work? Are you not completing projects you’ve committed to?
It could be time to shore up boundaries that are easily breached. This is especially true for women, for whom connection and relationship can seem more important than our own work.
Honoring boundaries feels good
I had to create some serious boundaries last winter in order to focus on finishing my novel. Saying no in order to say yes to my work was uncomfortable at first.
Then it started to feel good. The more I focused on my work, the less concerned I was about refusing requests. People understood that I needed to stave off distractions during this time.
I sense you squirming and even protesting. ‘I can’t say no! I don’t want to be rude.’ We fear that saying ‘no’ makes us look like a bitch.
But here’s the secret: the people who cherish you will respect you more for it.
But when we let others violate our boundaries, we permit them to leach away our vital creative energy. You wouldn’t sit calmly by while someone stuck his hand in your purse and took whatever he wanted, would you?
Treat your time, energy and attention with as much mindfulness and protectiveness as you do your physical assets.
The worst thing about giving in for others’ sake is the awful sense of self-betrayal we feel when we allow our precious energy to be drained away because of weak commitments.
How firm are your boundaries? Share what works for you in a comment below.
Next week, I’ll write about specific boundaries and how to shore them up.
In the meantime, practice noticing which boundaries are working and which ones are not.
Rebel at the Peril of Your Creativity
If you’re like my clients, you’re a bit of a rebel. You don’t like being told what to do and you’re happiest when you’re doing your own thing.
This rebellion might feel good, powerful, even, but if you’ve turned this rebellion upon yourself, you may be sabotaging your creativity.
Are you self-sabotaging?
You say you’ll write for an hour on Saturday morning. Once your writing time rolls around, you ‘don’t feel like it’ so you do something else. You chafe against structure so you never end up finishing your articles, stories and book.
Or…
You set up studio time, and choose a specific focus for your work. But once in the studio, you pass hours not getting anything done. You assert your right to ‘flow’.
Often creative people internalize the obstinate stance. We become so accustomed to positioning ourselves against something that we struggle against ourselves.
We like being bad, even if it’s damaging our creative power.
Draft Your Writer’s Obituary to Have a Great Creative Life
I know no one wants to talk about death, but sometimes staring at the reality of our mortality can help us live our juju a bit more.
If I were to open Poets & Writers, or Writer’s Digest, or Writer of the Year magazine and saw your writer’s obituary, what would it tell me about your writing life?
Often, creating a vision for our creative work can help us choose what to focus on and what to discard.
Clarifying what we ultimately want to be known for helps us make powerful decisions for our creativity.
Try this: Cast your vision to the end of your life and reflect upon what you accomplished by drafting your Writer’s Obituary. Include some or all of the following:
- What will you be known for as a writer?
- What genres have you explored?
- Include publications, awards and any accolades you would like to garner throughout your writer’s life. Include the impact you will have upon your readers.
Artists of all genres can play with this. Let this be playful instead of morbid. Create a really big and outrageous vision. Don’t overwork it – just write whatever comes to you, letting yourself be surprised. Write a juicy one for yourself!
Here’s mine:
Cynthia Morris wrote and published widely. Her articles and books about the creative process inspired millions to be more empowered and expressed. Her novel, Chasing Sylvia Beach was a global bestseller and the basis of the hit film of the same name. She was in great demand as an entertaining speaker and workshop leader. Morris died from a giggle fit at 89 in her home in Paris.
Try it
Keep it to 200 words or less. Post it on your blog and include a link in a comment below.
Drop a comment below and let me know what you learned from doing this.
Your Talent Is Not a Twinkie
Remember the Twinkie? That golden cake with fluffy white filling is rumored to have no expiration date, meaning it can sit on the shelf indefinitely and still be good when you unwrap the plastic.
While an infinite timeline can seem seductive, your brilliance is not meant to be held off forever.
Your talent is not a Twinkie. Your ideas, your projects, your unique expression, cannot sit on the shelf indefinitely.
Talent has a shelf life.
[Read more…] about Your Talent Is Not a Twinkie
Spring Cleaning the Body
Let me start by saying that I am grateful for the incredible privilege I have to choose my food, to choose the most vibrant, fresh and healthful food.
And, I think it’s a good idea to do a cleanse for the body and spirit every year.
For two weeks I relinquished:
- dairy
- caffeine
- alcohol
- sugar
- processed foods (including wheat).
What’s left!? I opted for a diet of vegetables, fruits, grains, beans and cleansing herbal teas.
I know you’re thinking, I could never give up my…. That’s why I’m writing this article, to share some surprising insights that may help you reevaluate your own choices.
First, my approach
- I set the dates months in advance in my calendar.
- I got a cleanse buddy, who is also an herbalist.
- I got clear on what I wanted from this: to feel lighter, to lose a few pounds of winter weight, and mostly to see what my body is like without all these stimulants.
With this preparation, I was able to develop a mindset that helped me commit. I didn’t focus on what I was going to miss or on how hard it was going to be. Instead, I focused on how curious I was about what would happen.
My values of curiosity and health trumped my fears of lack or deprivation.
Treats!
I see how I experience food as a ‘treat’. It’s something I eagerly look forward to. It’s a very creative endeavor for me, this eating, so the week is peppered with food treats:
- Daily cappuccino right away upon arising
- Oo! Let’s make pizza tonight!
- Friday night happy hour with friends – wine! cheese plate, fried treats!
Even though vegetables, grains and salads are delicious, there’s not a lot of ‘treat’.
Bottom line: I am doing that thing I’ve heard of but didn’t think applied to me: emotional eating. But that’s okay. I’m more aware of food’s role in my life, and that’s a start.
Food is life’s best art – one you take into your body – and I plan to relish it for as long as I can.
Easier than you think
This elimination plan may seem daunting.
How will you ever get through the day without caffeine! You probably want to kill me for merely suggesting it. But it’s actually not as difficult as you think. If you find a positive perspective, you can overcome some of the more difficult moments.
I know that sounds very coachy and Pollyanna-ish – ‘Think bright thoughts!!’ but so much of our experience really does happen in our minds, and we truly can change how we think.
I also didn’t go out much. This helped a lot to avoid temptation and also made this time a more sacred, an inner process.
Bottom line: you can do more than you think. You are capable of more than you think. Your will is strong.
Remember my crazy yoga stunt this time last year?
Even keel I’ve often suspected that what and how I eat and drink may contribute to my mood swings.
The first few days of the cleanse, I felt pretty flat. Not HIGH not low, just flat. By day five, I felt more energized but still on an even keel.
Bottom line: if I am feeling overly emotional, I know I can back off on some of these stimulants to enjoy life on the plains instead of the peaks and valleys.
Insights
I need things to look forward to in order to feel joy in life. I’ve been planning my autumn trip to Europe and how I will celebrate completion of my novel. (Peek: It involves Amsterdam!)
I can’t say I will stay on the straight and narrow with caffeine, alcohol and sugar. I do hope to be more mindful. The cleanse wasn’t about eliminating these treats forever, just clarifying their role in my life.
My cappuccino will be decaffeinated and I’ll use less milk. I’m trying for as little caffeine as possible.
For over three weeks I have not reading while eating. It’s hard, and I tend to eat more quickly to be done with it and go back to work. I’ll make an effort to slow down and savor.
I’ve lost four pounds, and I feel great without it. This lightness and feeling good in my clothes is the motivation I need to stay moderate in my eating. I’m gearing up to escape the cocoon, and I want to feel and look great out there!
I’m dying for pizza, for tortilla chips, and for yogurt. I’m celebrating the end of the cleanse by feasting with friends. I’ll take it easy, don’t worry!
What about you? I hope this inspires you to think differently about your choices. I encourage small changes. It’s not just radical adjustments that make a difference. It’s the little things that add up. What does this spark you to change? Share it in a comment below.
I Can't Draw – But Who Cares?
“I can’t draw!”
I hear this often, especially by people who are attracted to my Curious Excursions but feel the need to profess how much they are not an artist.
Drawing is one of the creative tools in my toolkit because it’s a practice in attention and awareness. The kind of drawing I encourage is about looking, not producing.
Drawing as meditation for those who can’t sit still
I began drawing in 1994 as a way to still my thoughts. Encouraged by others to meditate but unable to sit still, I found something amazing when I came upon Frederick Franck’s book, Zen of Seeing: Drawing As Meditation. Franck’s work helps people calm and still themselves by focusing and rendering on paper what they see.
When you look, really look at something, a calm settles in. The concept of ‘being in the moment’ finally roots in a practice of applying your pen or pencil to paper. When you truly give your attention to something, you occupy the moment in a simple yet profound way. [Read more…] about I Can't Draw – But Who Cares?
Three Days in Paris
I am often asked what to do with three days in Paris. I’m not a tour guide and I don’t have hotel recommendations, but I can share some tips on how I like to enjoy the City of Lights. Try this:
First thing, after checking into your lodgings, is to hit the city. If you’ve got three days only, it’s your duty to soak up as much as possible. Jet lag be damned. [Read more…] about Three Days in Paris
Dumping Mr. Perfect
He’s busy inside your mind, squirreling away on a treadmill that never ceases. “Again!” he cries, never satisfied. “Better!” he urges, and you comply, re-working that sentence, re-painting that corner.
He is Mr. Perfect, and if he rules you, your creativity is at high risk. Your perfectionism gremlin is actually not helping you – he’s draining your creative vitality.
Mr. Perfect is a sneaky gremlin. He has you convinced that perfectionism is a good thing, that re-working something endlessly means you have integrity and high artistic standards.
The problem is, more often than not, Mr. Perfect grinds away at you for so long that you end up never completing that draft or that sculpture. Because it’s never perfect, you never feel satisfied and you don’t advance your creative career.
Mr. Perfect tries to dominate my clients’ creative process. They proudly and sheepishly proclaim that they are perfectionists, sensing Mr. Perfect isn’t good for them, but feeling unable to escape his grip.
Why do we labor under this illusion of an attainable perfection? [Read more…] about Dumping Mr. Perfect
Permission Slip for Creatives
You have permission to be wild.
You have permission to create your most brilliant work.
You also have permission to produce mediocre work.
You have permission to sleep in when you want, and you have permission to play hooky from work when you feel like it.
How does it feel to receive my permission to be yourself? Kind of weird, isn’t it. I mean, who am I to wave my wand and say that you’re free to do this or that?
Yet permission – or lack of it – is one of the biggest issues standing in the way of creative people enjoying their talent. We wait for permission to:
- be loud
- be ‘over the top’
- take risks
- try a new medium
- create according to our own rhythm
- say what we really want to say.
The problem is, we seek permission outside of ourselves. And guess what? That’s never going to come. When it does, you’ll likely shun it, preferring instead your own independent path.
Write your own permission slip. Consider this to be your global permission slip to be and do exactly what you are moved to do. What permission do you need to feel fully expressed, fully and creatively exuberant?
Share your permission slip in a comment below. Yes, you may.
Give yourself six weeks of permission to focus on your writing – your way, in your style, in my unique online class, Make Writing a Happy Habit, which starts May 16th. Get in now.