When creative projects or brainstorming efforts hit a long-term lull, it might be time to consider the impact of a stealth culprit called background noise. This indirect distraction slowly builds up steam to form creative blocks, but has long-term staying power because the source of the “noise” is not always obvious to you. The tricky part? It can take place inside your mind or in your physical space. Background noise can take on four distinct forms: Negative self-talk that won’t let up or … [Read more...]
Want to Shake your Inner Hunger? Stop Ignoring Creative Guidance
August 14, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Creative guidance is a key part of a daily healthy diet, just like food and water. It’s a slow drip that trickles through all five senses as you go about your day, sharing little nudges during a grocery run, gym workout or while scrubbing the last bits of unidentifiable crust from your soup pot. Even if it doesn't feel like anything earth-shattering is happening, your creative guidance is present, tuned in and flowing along just under the surface. Are you listening, open … [Read more...]
What Does your Creative Caricature Look Like?
July 31, 2014 By Leave a Comment
When you take a moment to tune in and think about it, you have a vision of what your creative self, or creative caricature, looks like. Is it strong, sturdy and super hero-esque? Colorful, whimsical and playful? Royal and confident? Let’s not forget silly, giggly and mischievous… You can also have a few unique creative caricatures that show up throughout the day on different projects or with specific clients, friends or family. Is there a “normal” amount? … [Read more...]
Clearing Out Weeds in your Creative Garden
July 10, 2014 By Leave a Comment
A creative garden is the space you set up to play with new ideas to see how they grow. It’s like an incubator for cool ideas and inspirations you want to simmer a bit longer. The seeds you plant could be for your business, career or personal life - whatever feels intriguing but doesn’t require immediate action. The class you were thinking of attending or developing? It’s a seed in your creative garden. Your latest passion for biking? It’s in there too. Thinking of trying … [Read more...]
Is Your Creative Voice Ready for a Change?
July 3, 2014 By 6 Comments
Your creative voice is distinct; unlike anyone else’s. You aren’t required to label yourself as an artist or define yourself as “creative” to have or use your creative voice, it’s simply how you express your inner essence. The voice is a natural part of you, whether you express it outwardly or not. When things get hard or confusing in your life, often unexpectedly, it can be more challenging to connect with or honor your creative voice in the same ways. You can feel smashed around, … [Read more...]
Balancing Tension Between Productivity and Creative Flow
March 6, 2014 By 2 Comments
Productivity is a common benchmark for determining perceived value in the world of work, but while ticking items off a to-do list can feel fulfilling, using the same approach to measure the value of your creative flow falls flat. That’s why you may sometimes feel a sense of underlying tension around expressing yourself creatively - there’s no set way to determine the value of the effort. You just need to trust the act of creating is valuable, and that can feel awkward for people used to more … [Read more...]
The Inner Mirror and Expanding Creative Freedom
October 10, 2013 By 1 Comment
Everyone has an inner mirror. It’s a tool that reflects back to you a collection of thoughts, ideas, emotions and experiences that shape how you see yourself. Often your inner mirror is a bit dirty, carrying residue from what you consider failures, heartbreaks, mistakes or disappointments. Yet, this mucky buildup is really just the opportunity to see what needs to shift, so you can to break free from self-judgement and expand into creative freedom. A common unconscious reaction is to try and … [Read more...]
Change, Flashbacks and Getting Past your Back Story
October 3, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Change can feel like a scary word, even if you’ve offered it an open, heartfelt invitation into your life. Knee-jerk reactions including, “What the hell was I thinking?” or “Maybe it’s not too late to change my mind” are also common, as you turn back to review the series of choices that brought you to the present day. It’s absolutely normal to have a few flashbacks and heart attacks while moving through deep inner change. What matters most is the step you take next. Will you travel into … [Read more...]
Why it’s Important to Connect the Dots of Passion Along the Creative Path
September 19, 2013 By Leave a Comment
When you throw together all of your life experiences, relationships and passing interests that led to nothing but detours, you are just scraping the surface of what shapes your creative path. Is this mind blowing? Not really, but it's pretty amazing if you think about how each of aspect has looped towards, away from and over each other to bring you to the present moment. So, having gotten this far on your winding creative path, can you take the viewpoint of a hawk, high on … [Read more...]
Dancing with the Creative Shadow of Possibility
August 22, 2013 By 3 Comments
Dancing with the creative shadow is mysterious and alluring, like dabbling in magic without knowing the backstage insider tricks. Yet, it’s really just another aspect of you offering the ultimate invitation -- to dive in and enjoy the ride of creative self-discovery. The question is, are you curious enough (or frustrated enough) to jump in and see what the shadow has to offer? The creative shadow is the inner evolution of how you connect to your full authentic self, both the light and dark. … [Read more...]