Stress is part of life, but often much more noticeable during creative crunch time. Sensations related to the bubbling up of stress are easy to ignore. We have TV and social media to help distract us, while a few drinks or a good meal also does the trick. These habits help take our mind off of focusing on all the little to-do’s and help us recharge for a bit. Yet, ultimately, they don’t address the most important element - how we cope with stress in the day to … [Read more...]
Natural Momentum is a Free Creative Superpower
July 1, 2019 By Leave a Comment
Connecting with our unique natural momentum isn’t always…natural. When the brain keeps diverting us to expectations, rules, and shoulds, the natural momentum of life and creative expression gets muted. Demands on the self and what we need to “force” can take over, while the heart’s desires become an afterthought, or seen as a frivolous luxury. I wish I could say I’ve never let my brain take over and tell me how much better everything would be if I just FORCED … [Read more...]
Branching Out Into New Creative Waters
June 5, 2019 By 1 Comment
Branching out into new creative waters is about more than trying something different or uncharacteristic of your norm. More than starting a new healthy habit or spiritual ritual. I’m talking about a heart based decision to stand fully in who you are, even when your legs are shaky and your voice cracks. When fear creeps up the back of your neck, but you step forward anyway, willing to face the emotional challenge and find new ground to build an authentic creative foundation … [Read more...]
Balancing the Weight of Evidence and Trust in Creative Endeavors
May 6, 2019 By Leave a Comment
There’s no way around it; embarking on creative endeavors has a baked-in requirement - that we learn the unique balance between evidence and trust. The balance doesn’t have to be equal in measure, but it does need to feel authentic, and in alignment with what we value and want to create. If we place too much focus on “evidence” we can convince ourselves right out of an idea, or into one built around safety rather than inspiration. When our values are not our own, but based … [Read more...]
Creative Empowerment is a Commitment to Practicing Your Truth, Moment to Moment
April 2, 2019 By Leave a Comment
There’s something about the idea of creative empowerment that can feel a bit slippery as a concept. Is it an action? Feeling? Belief? All of the above? Something we are born with? Learn? Practice? A lofty goal that can never be attained? I like to think of creative empowerment as an invitation to live into what we are becoming through what we are creating, moment to moment. Or in other words, how we step into life and act or react to … [Read more...]
Practicing Creative Closure and Coming to Peace With What Is
March 7, 2019 By 2 Comments
In my experience, creative closure is an essential part of the creative process. It’s the part that stings, disappoints and sometimes sets us back, as much as it teaches humility, imbues us with hard won wisdom, and sets us free. The challenge is in understanding how we come to creative closure in our mind and heart, even when saying goodbye to something feels forced or like a last resort. As much as we want reasons and clarity why something isn’t flowing or … [Read more...]
Taking External Action is Only One Part of the Creative Equation
February 4, 2019 By Leave a Comment
It’s easy to focus on taking external action as the most important part of creative expression. Our culture puts a lot of emphasis on getting moving, crossing things off the list, clearing, building, growing and having something to show for our time and efforts. The actions we take also give us a feeling of purpose and worthiness, especially when we share details in conversation with others or on social media. So when we are in a creative action lull, or more … [Read more...]
Fine Tune Observation Skills to Fire Up Creativity
January 9, 2019 By Leave a Comment
There’s something to be said for amping up quiet observation skills. To actively listen to what’s just beneath the surface, or feel into the vibe of the room or situation before even one word is spoken. Call it “spidey sense”, intuition, or gut feeling, all of these factors tie into how you observe, what you “hear”, how you relate, and subsequently, create. The way you listen also changes with each experience. What you learned, how you may or may not have gotten burned, and a little sprinkle … [Read more...]
Blast Through Comfy Habits to Create With Courageous Intention
December 5, 2018 By Leave a Comment
How are you going to create with courageous intention next year? Is this a bold question to kick off a blog post? Sure is...and it’s also an invitation to break the comfy, restrictive, outdated mold you’ve created up until now by setting safe, practical goals. The energy of 2018 was all about really seeing, sensing, and understanding what felt like a mismatch. It showed you ways you need to grow; maybe even forced you into the fire more than once to get the … [Read more...]
Grieve and Make Peace Before Creating a Fresh Path
November 7, 2018 By Leave a Comment
There’s something to be said for going all in on creating a fresh path. It feels good to leave the old behind and forget how much it sucked or hurt us. To leave things we know won’t work on the side of the road for the trash collector, or to burn in a ring of fire, as Johnny Cash would croon. A catharsis point like the need to begin again can feel like it’s going to make everything better and stronger. And it can. It can also be a distraction from seeing, grieving, and … [Read more...]