Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Tailor Your Resolutions to Your Lifestyle

Here's my recipe for Creative Resolutions:

C
Create mental imagery of what your life will be like after the goal is completed.
Example: My goal is to write a book, so I'm imagining good questions and supportive comments from comments via email, on this blog, and in person! I also have an image of the cover of the book, of which I'm going to make a mock-up so can I see and touch it every day.

R
Revise your plan when it's truly needed, but be honest with yourself here.
Example: I'm estimating that it will take two years to write my book, but books often take on a life of their own. I may have to adjust that expectation.


E
Set your intention each day for the next step in the process.
Example: A typical daily intention for my book might be to work on it for a minimum of 30 minutes. I often do more, but this way it moves forward, and still feels doable.


A
Set up an accountability system for yourself.
Example: I'm doing this right now by saying here that I'm writing a book. If a reader asks me in 6 months, "How's the book coming along?", I want to be proud of my answer! I also have a one-on-one buddy, who, like me, is writing a book while she has lots of other things going on. When I know I have to give her an update in an hour, it really helps me stay focused!

T
"The work will teach you how to do it." --Estonian Proverb
Example: As I mentioned above, projects do tend to take on lives of their own. I'm just following my book down the rabbit hole. I'm not concerned about how it's going to come together. I just trust that it will.

I
List the improvements that your project will make in your life and the lives of others.
Example: This list will keep me motivated for the long haul, and it will also serve as a list of intentions for the book.


V
Track your goals visually.
Example: I keep a chart of how many hours a day (and week) that I spend on the book. When the chapter titles start to take shape, I can also track which ones are complete. This may sound too simple to help, but it does!

E
Evaluate obstacles and make plans for overcoming them.
Example: One of my obstacles might be feeling overwhelmed, so I have the 30-minute
minimum in place. Another is setting aside the time. My accountability buddy helps greatly with this!


~~~~


R
Is the timing right for your project?
Example: For my book, the timing feels right intuitively, and I've been collecting material for it for 7 years.


E
As Laura Howard West would say, it's "easy, natural, and fun"? Check this out at
http://www.joyfulmarketing.com/.
Example: My book project does feel "easy, natural, and fun." I'm letting it develop organically, and it doesn't even feel like work! (At least not yet!) :-)

S
State a specific desired outcome.
Example: Since I'm letting the book take the lead, this can be a little tricky. This is where the list of desired improvements for others and myself will come in handy. Another way around this is to state your intentions, and follow them with, "or something better!"

O
Get help from others.
Example: My accountability buddy and other friends are cheering me on. Another option for me would be to assemble an R&D team for some helpful feedback on the book.


L
Look ahead. Will this goal help to propel you toward the future you want?
Example: My book will contribute greatly to the future I'm planning. Looking at the big picture, I see that the book fits beautifully with the other things I'm developing!


U
Pick a goal that "U" really want. (No posturing or "it'll look good" goals, please!)
Example: My book topic has grown out of my own interests and not from trying to figure out what the "market" will want in a few years.


T
Set a target completion date.
Example: I've set a two-year completion date to give myself some structure, even though it may have to be changed as the book progresses.


I
What will this project do for your integrity? Will it move you closer to wholeness?
Example: I'm eager to see how my book will turn out, because it will synthesize a lot of what I've learned and experienced over the last 20 years!


O
Is your project on target with your values?
Example: The values I have around creativity and being of service will be woven securely into my book.


N
Break your project down into non-threatening small steps.
Example: For 7 years, I threw interesting bits of information and quotes into my "book box." It's a habit that has served me well, and there is almost no risk involved. (Unless you have a fear of success! ) :-) Now, my 30-minute minimum keeps my fear level down.

S
Don't forget about self-care. Creativity is a holistic process, and all aspects of your being need to be as unencumbered as possible.
Example: In the past I neglected my self-care, and my creativity packed up and left until I changed my ways. What a joy to have it flowing freely again!


Wishing you a productive year in 2008,
Susan

P.S. Being coached was a huge help in getting me to this point. Do you need some support around these topics? Email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for a complimentary coaching tele-session!

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

Monday, December 03, 2007

Small Changes, Big Results

I once heard an anecdote about a group of listless otters in a zoo who were brought back to their usual playfulness simply by having someone dangle a piece of paper in their play area. It caught the attention of one or two of the otters, setting off a chain reaction until all the otters were lively again. The dangling piece of paper was a small change that brought about a big result.

In similar ways, we can stimulate our creativity with small changes in our routines and environments, which encourage our brains to make new connections among neurons. Here are some to try, even if for just a day.
  • Do something on the spur of the moment.
  • Try a new type of physical exercise.
  • Try a different art form.
  • Try a new spiritual practice.
  • Rearrange a room.
  • Type when you would normally write by hand or vice versa.
  • Try a new recipe.
  • Dress differently.
  • Style your hair differently.
  • Listen to a different kind of music.
  • Set up a small meditation alter (or rearrange the one you have).
  • Create in a different room, in a public place, or outside. (This is the one I'm using at the moment.)
  • Try a new kind of bodywork, such as massage or Reiki.
  • Change your working hours.
  • Take the bus instead of the train, or vice versa.
  • Travel on new routes when walking or driving.
  • Shop at some different stores.
  • Try different colors of paper and ink, and change the font.
  • Change your usual order of tasks or steps in a process.
  • If you are around kids, ask for their feedback on your project.
  • If you have kids, find a babysitter for an afternoon.
  • If you aren't usually around kids, borrow a friend's kid for an afternoon.
  • Try some new essential oil aromas.
  • Take a bath instead of a shower, or vice versa.
  • Try taking more frequent breaks, and experiment with the length of your breaks.
  • Take an afternoon off from technology.
  • Call an optimistic friend you haven't talked to recently. No whiners, please!
  • Create in the presence of a friend or a group as they work on their projects.
  • Devise a mini-retreat for yourself.

My friend Mary Beth and I set aside several hours a week where we check in with each other by phone to declare what we are going to work on for the coming hour. Then we check in with our reports and encourage each other to keep going. It's great! With this small change, we've had amazing results over the past year. If you'd like to give it a try, email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com, and I'll do my best to set you up with a "Dig In" buddy.

Good luck experimenting with these ideas, and please let us know what happens. Remember, sometimes a change can be as good as (or even better than) a rest!

Be well,

Susan

P.S. My guided journal and inspirational card set both make great holiday gifts, especially for Law of Attraction fans! Email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for details. Thanks!

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***