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Not Getting Things Done? Enter the Deadline Zone

Wouldn’t it be nice if you had a focused space in which to write your book or finish your project? You often yearn for that far-off creative zone, an idyllic escape where you can focus on your work without daily distractions, tempting dates with friends and other seductive projects.

A mountain getaway would surely help you stay focused on one project. You may even replace Julie Andrews with an image of yourself, singing blissfully to the sky because you’re so tuned into the creative flow!
Sigh. Maybe you can’t escape your daily grind, but you can create what I call The Deadline Zone. This is less a place than a practice – and your ability to shut off distractions to complete projects is a key factor in your success.

Something about the word ‘deadline’ strikes fear in the hearts of many. Most people understand the urgency and focus of a deadline. [Read more…] about Not Getting Things Done? Enter the Deadline Zone

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Juju Infusion 2: Dealing with Difficult

Creativity in unexpected places…join me for this week’s infusion of creativity – Juju Infusion!

Quick links for things mentioned in the show:

AWP Association of Writers and Writing Programs

Vital Yoga

Baer Ridgway Exhibitions

Curious Amsterdam: June 13th – 19th – last chance to register this week.

Kathy Loh

Demetri Martin

Tartine Bakery

Original Impulse Inc.

Hello!

Welcome to episode two of Juju Infusion.Take a break to inject an infusion of Juju –
good, zesty creative energy – into your life.

In this episode:

  • Falling in love at the AWP conference.
  • Yoga Juju: Utkatasana! (Say it with me.)
  • Journal Juju: Join me on my jaunt to Northern California
  • Journal Juju – Last week’s winner of the journal juju giveaway was Janet Keen. Who is it this week? Watch to find out!

Plus more surprising juju in action.

Thanks for watching and please do let me know what you’d like to see in future episodes!

If you watch my show, please let me know by rating it or by leaving
a comment below. (You’ll want to leave a comment anyway, to be entered
in the Journal Juju giveaway next week!)

To your juju infusion,
 

Cynthia

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Ten Creative Sinkholes and How to Paddle Past Them

I received a note from a former client the other day and asked her to frame it as a testimonial. She wrote this:
“Cynthia doesn’t just talk the talk when it comes to writing and creativity…she walks the walk.”

I like to think that whatever success I have is because I completely relate to the thrilling white water rapids ride my clients experience when they want to bring a book or blog or art or business to life.

When I coach my clients, I remind them that I am paddling alongside them. I constantly push my creative edge by riding the waves of new projects. E-books, blog posts, creative excursions and videos all provide me with my class IV rapids.

I navigate these thrills by being willing to learn, willing to ask for help, and willing to go beyond perfection in order to complete and launch initiatives. I know the sinkholes in the creative process and I know how to paddle past them.
But I confess that while I do walk the talk, I’m not telling all. I’ve been operating under the premise that I need to have everything figured out before I present it to you.  And that my own creative paddling isn’t interesting to anyone but myself.

I feel it’s wrong to give the illusion that I have everything figured out.  Being able to live with an imperfect process is essential to making anything. So I’ll share a peek into what I am working on to share how I paddle past common sinkholes in my creative ride.

My hope is to show you how I get a big idea and paddle past the common inner and outer sinkholes  to launch. Hopefully my process will illuminate something about your own creative path so you can ride the creative wave and launch more easily.
[Read more…] about Ten Creative Sinkholes and How to Paddle Past Them

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Writers and Artists: Pay Yourself First

You might not be used to depositing checks earned by the sweat of your pen or paintbrush (yet). That doesn’t mean you can’t start becoming financially savvy with your art. One of the top tips for becoming financially empowered is to pay yourself first.
How can you do that without incoming cash? Set your intention, and take a little action. Here are eight fun steps to make money a part of your creative life, even before you get paid from others.
[Read more…] about Writers and Artists: Pay Yourself First

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Earning Your A

Writers and other creative types are often notoriously hard on ourselves. Yes, I got published, but they didn’t pay much, you’ll hear. Or, sure I got a show, but it isn’t a solo show. Dissatisfaction is the bane of the creative’s existence.

It could be said that dissatisfaction drives the creative type to keep creating. If we were perfectly content with the world, we wouldn’t have to make anything new, would we?

Yet, this cranky perspective can also keep us from really enjoying the process of producing art. In The Art of Possibility, Benjamin Zander shares this exercise for banishing the ‘not good enough’ demons that haunt us. It’s called Earning Your A.
[Read more…] about Earning Your A