Greetings,
Create a supportive space where you and your creativity can thrive! Clutter clamors at us, draining our energy, fracturing our attention, and causing energy blocks that leave us feeling stuck. So out with the old to make room for the new! Nature will fill the vacuum with great ideas and inspiration.
See decluttering and establishing order in your workplace or home as a form of self-care. (See my last post for more about self-care.) When I see it as self-care, it seems like much less of a chore.
I also work on the clutter in short bursts to keep my resistance from coming up. Be compassionate with yourself. Focus on the solution rather than wasting energy beating yourself up about the mess. I teach what I need to learn, and I'm still working on these things myself. It's a very common issue; you're not alone if you have clutter or organizational issues!
Develop a system of organization that fits your personal style. Many books are available on this topic, including at least one for creative types and at least one for those with ADD.
The order you create will be soothing to the eyes and the soul. Color and harmony in your environment are very important, too. Ideally your environment should get lots of sun and have windows that open so you can air the space out often, Feng Shui experts tell us.
Sound is another thing to consider in your environment. Music affects the energy in a room and your own energy. If you're feeling droopy and down, start with a piece of music that closely matches your mood. Then gradually bring your mood up by playing successively more lively pieces of music.
Also consider how the space will cater to your kinesthetic sensibilities. Consider the ergonomics of the furnishings and the textures of the fabrics in your environment. If you're the sort of person who thinks better you have something to fiddle with, consider keeping some small puzzles or a squishy stress-relief ball handy.
On an old TV show called "Thirty-Something," two of the main characters worked at an ad agency, and they had to be creative at their jobs. They put a small basketball net right in their office and played a little one-on-one to loosen up their thinking. (See my last post for more on the value of play.)
Taking these steps to improve the energy of your environment will make you a worthy steward for more creative ideas to come to fruition under your care!
Please add any victories or blunders you have to report around this topic from which the rest of us can learn. If you're finding more blunder than victories, I'd love to coach you on this topic! Email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com to set up a complimentary trial phone session.
Cheers,
Susan
P.S. to Betsy: Thanks for the thought-provoking comment for my 2/20/07 post on reframing success. I agree; it's very grounding to stay in touch with our mission and values. I also love what you said about being more inner-directed in spite if all the advice that is coming from the outside. Just like a store full of shoes, the suggestions of others are not always going to fit!
Love,
Susan
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Rx for Creative Blocks
1. Let go of striving and resistance. Accept this part of the creative process with as much grace, faith, and patience as you can. The harder you push against the block, the more entrenched it will become. Einstein said, "A problem cannot be solved by the same level of mind that created it." O.K., so how do we get to another level?
2. Press "pause." Julia Cameron, author of the modern classic, "The Artist's Way," asks, "Have you learned the art of doing nothing so 'something' can emerge?" Solitude and meditation can support this period of incubation. Let go of how and when the solution will come. Just let your mind play with the pieces of the puzzle "off-line." If meditation isn't for you, try journaling or any repetitive activity that allows your mind to wander.
3.Press "Play." Martin Buber said, "Play is the exaltation of the possible." While your subconscious mind is playing, consciously play also! Find a healthy balance between solitude and time with others. Brainstorming is a great form of mind play, whether done alone or with friends, but "Mental expansion is found in the inspiration we give to each other," (author unknown). Allow yourself to explore, experiment, make mistakes, and have fun!
4. Try some cross-training. Include in your play some time to dabble in other forms of creativity. They will keep the creative juices flowing while your subconscious mind works on the block. Experiment with different structures and tools. This can change your perspective and relieve the stress around the original project, which you can later return to feeling refreshed.
5. Get out in nature. Walking in nature is even better, because of its repetitive, meditative qualities. Try doing your brainstorming out in nature, too. You will feel a different kind of energy supporting you and carrying you along.
6. Take small steps. When you return to your project, do so gently. Set a timer for 15 minutes and play around with any new ideas you garnered from taking the steps above. If nothing comes together, back off and try again later. Once something clicks for you, you'll be off and running!
7. Self-care is the common theme in all of the steps above. Julia Cameron asks, "Do you remember that your body and your body of work are connected?" I wish I could give you (and myself) a quick fix for creative blocks, but this is another one of those situations where it serves us better to go with the flow. See my post from 2/12/07 called "Patience Is Power!"
Please add your comments about how these or other block-busters work for you!
Thanks,
Susan
P.S. I used some of these steps while writing this post!
2. Press "pause." Julia Cameron, author of the modern classic, "The Artist's Way," asks, "Have you learned the art of doing nothing so 'something' can emerge?" Solitude and meditation can support this period of incubation. Let go of how and when the solution will come. Just let your mind play with the pieces of the puzzle "off-line." If meditation isn't for you, try journaling or any repetitive activity that allows your mind to wander.
3.Press "Play." Martin Buber said, "Play is the exaltation of the possible." While your subconscious mind is playing, consciously play also! Find a healthy balance between solitude and time with others. Brainstorming is a great form of mind play, whether done alone or with friends, but "Mental expansion is found in the inspiration we give to each other," (author unknown). Allow yourself to explore, experiment, make mistakes, and have fun!
4. Try some cross-training. Include in your play some time to dabble in other forms of creativity. They will keep the creative juices flowing while your subconscious mind works on the block. Experiment with different structures and tools. This can change your perspective and relieve the stress around the original project, which you can later return to feeling refreshed.
5. Get out in nature. Walking in nature is even better, because of its repetitive, meditative qualities. Try doing your brainstorming out in nature, too. You will feel a different kind of energy supporting you and carrying you along.
6. Take small steps. When you return to your project, do so gently. Set a timer for 15 minutes and play around with any new ideas you garnered from taking the steps above. If nothing comes together, back off and try again later. Once something clicks for you, you'll be off and running!
7. Self-care is the common theme in all of the steps above. Julia Cameron asks, "Do you remember that your body and your body of work are connected?" I wish I could give you (and myself) a quick fix for creative blocks, but this is another one of those situations where it serves us better to go with the flow. See my post from 2/12/07 called "Patience Is Power!"
Please add your comments about how these or other block-busters work for you!
Thanks,
Susan
P.S. I used some of these steps while writing this post!
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Reframe What Success Means to You
Hi All,
I love this quote, rumored to be on a sign in Einstein's office: "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." To me this means that the "bottom line" isn't always the "bottom line." And it's particularly true for creative endeavors!
Then there is the wonderful ending to Emerson's famous poem entitled "Success": "...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success." Money represents an exchange of energy, but there are many other ways to offer or exchange energy in our world.
Dr. Wayne Dyer says, "Do what your heart tells you will bring you joy, rather than determining whether it will be cost-effective."
Now you may be saying, "That's very nice, but I have to support myself, either through my art, another job, or both!" I have a few suggestions for that dilemma:
*SIMPLIFY, downsize, or whatever you need to do to keep your expenses down in your personal life and your business if you have one. Lessening your need for money can be as liberating as earning more of it! Check out the great book, "Simplify Your Life," by Elaine St. James. She walks her talk!
*REDEFINE your relationship with money. See money as what enables you to experience the joy of creating, rather than seeing creating as the means to get more money. Check out two great books by Marsha Sinetar: "Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow" and "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love."
Christopher Morley, an author, says, "There is only one success...to be able to spend your life in your own way...."
But here's the quote (author unknown) that really touches me deeply: "No matter what our attempts to inform, it is our ability to inspire that will turn the tides." Wow! If I can do that, I'll be thrilled with my "bottom line"!
Be well,
Susan
P.S. Please see last week's post for details about my complimentary DIG-IN DAY on Feb. 28!
Also, take advantage of my complimentary COACHING HOTLINE on Thursday, March 1, from 4:00pm to 9:00pm Eastern time. Sessions will run about 30 minutes each; first-call, first-served. The HOTLINE NUMBER is (610) 385-3766. All coaching topics are welcome, and there are no strings attached!
I love this quote, rumored to be on a sign in Einstein's office: "Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted." To me this means that the "bottom line" isn't always the "bottom line." And it's particularly true for creative endeavors!
Then there is the wonderful ending to Emerson's famous poem entitled "Success": "...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is the meaning of success." Money represents an exchange of energy, but there are many other ways to offer or exchange energy in our world.
Dr. Wayne Dyer says, "Do what your heart tells you will bring you joy, rather than determining whether it will be cost-effective."
Now you may be saying, "That's very nice, but I have to support myself, either through my art, another job, or both!" I have a few suggestions for that dilemma:
*SIMPLIFY, downsize, or whatever you need to do to keep your expenses down in your personal life and your business if you have one. Lessening your need for money can be as liberating as earning more of it! Check out the great book, "Simplify Your Life," by Elaine St. James. She walks her talk!
*REDEFINE your relationship with money. See money as what enables you to experience the joy of creating, rather than seeing creating as the means to get more money. Check out two great books by Marsha Sinetar: "Do What You Love, the Money Will Follow" and "To Build the Life You Want, Create the Work You Love."
Christopher Morley, an author, says, "There is only one success...to be able to spend your life in your own way...."
But here's the quote (author unknown) that really touches me deeply: "No matter what our attempts to inform, it is our ability to inspire that will turn the tides." Wow! If I can do that, I'll be thrilled with my "bottom line"!
Be well,
Susan
P.S. Please see last week's post for details about my complimentary DIG-IN DAY on Feb. 28!
Also, take advantage of my complimentary COACHING HOTLINE on Thursday, March 1, from 4:00pm to 9:00pm Eastern time. Sessions will run about 30 minutes each; first-call, first-served. The HOTLINE NUMBER is (610) 385-3766. All coaching topics are welcome, and there are no strings attached!
Monday, February 12, 2007
Patience is Power!
Greetings!
Those of you who are Stephen Covey fans have no doubt heard him talk about "The Law of the Harvest." He points out that waiting until August to start planting will leave you pretty hungry! Farming, he says, requires much more planning, patience, and faith than the earlier method of hunting and gathering, but what a leap for those who were willing to take that long-range view! We can apply this to our creative projects as well.
What about your creative projects? What are they asking of you? Here's what mine are asking:
*"Let us grow organically."
* "Keep the big picture in mind."
* "Plant lots of seeds, and don't dig them back up to see if they're doing anything! Instead, go out and plant some more."
The potential of your idea is staggering! Otherwise, it wouldn't keep nudging at you. Patience will give you the power to see it through. Happy planting!
News to Use
Check out Dorian Abel's new yoga website at www.healingyogapa.com!
Check out www.opendoorfitness.com for info on a day of music, movement, and meditation with Betsy Chapman and Kathy Gracenin on Sat., Feb. 24, at The Open Door!
February Dig-In Days! Please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for more info or to register for this fun way to support each other on our projects via teleconference technology. The calls are short; the time in between is independent work time in your office, home, or studio! I have two sessions scheduled: Wed., Feb. 21 and Wed., Feb. 28. Each will run from 1:00 pm Eastern until 3:10 pm Eastern. You may join either one or both with my compliments; your only expense is your long-distance charges for the three brief check-in calls to the teleconferencing service. Please register by noon the day BEFORE your chosen session or sessions.
This method of supporting each other in our work has been wildly successful in the coaching community, but why should coaches have all the fun? Here's what one of my non-coach participants, Mary Beth Krawchuk, had to say about her first Dig-In hour: "I got more done in the first hour than I've done on this project in the past month!" Please join us!
The price has dropped on my 50-page guided journals, "The Whispering Heart"! They are now
available for $10. Please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for shipping and tax details that will depend on where you live. You may also request five sample pages free of charge!
Blessings,
Susan
Those of you who are Stephen Covey fans have no doubt heard him talk about "The Law of the Harvest." He points out that waiting until August to start planting will leave you pretty hungry! Farming, he says, requires much more planning, patience, and faith than the earlier method of hunting and gathering, but what a leap for those who were willing to take that long-range view! We can apply this to our creative projects as well.
What about your creative projects? What are they asking of you? Here's what mine are asking:
*"Let us grow organically."
* "Keep the big picture in mind."
* "Plant lots of seeds, and don't dig them back up to see if they're doing anything! Instead, go out and plant some more."
The potential of your idea is staggering! Otherwise, it wouldn't keep nudging at you. Patience will give you the power to see it through. Happy planting!
News to Use
Check out Dorian Abel's new yoga website at www.healingyogapa.com!
Check out www.opendoorfitness.com for info on a day of music, movement, and meditation with Betsy Chapman and Kathy Gracenin on Sat., Feb. 24, at The Open Door!
February Dig-In Days! Please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for more info or to register for this fun way to support each other on our projects via teleconference technology. The calls are short; the time in between is independent work time in your office, home, or studio! I have two sessions scheduled: Wed., Feb. 21 and Wed., Feb. 28. Each will run from 1:00 pm Eastern until 3:10 pm Eastern. You may join either one or both with my compliments; your only expense is your long-distance charges for the three brief check-in calls to the teleconferencing service. Please register by noon the day BEFORE your chosen session or sessions.
This method of supporting each other in our work has been wildly successful in the coaching community, but why should coaches have all the fun? Here's what one of my non-coach participants, Mary Beth Krawchuk, had to say about her first Dig-In hour: "I got more done in the first hour than I've done on this project in the past month!" Please join us!
The price has dropped on my 50-page guided journals, "The Whispering Heart"! They are now
available for $10. Please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for shipping and tax details that will depend on where you live. You may also request five sample pages free of charge!
Blessings,
Susan
Sunday, October 08, 2006
An Invitation: "Once Begun, Half Done!"
Hi All,
It's time for the October Dig-Out Days! Don't let a big project or a pile of clutter snow you under!
Join us for two hours of motivation and the start of some real progress toward your goal, whether it's a work, home, or creative project. We will accomplish this through three 10-minute conference calls with two work sessions sandwiched in between.
Choose the session or sessions that work for you:
Wednesday, October 11, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm Eastern
Saturday, October 14, 8:00 am to 10:00 am Eastern
Wednesday, October 18, 6:30 am to 8:30 am Eastern
Tuesday, October 24, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm Eastern
Here's the schedule we'll follow for each session:
Opening Call ~ 10 minutes
Independent Work Time in Your Home, Office, or Studio ~ 50 minutes
Check-In Call ~ 10 minutes
Independent Work Time ~ 40 minutes
Follow-Up Call ~ 10 minutes
I'm offering the Dig-Out Days as a complimentary service, so come and join the party! Your only expense will be your long-distance phone charges to the US Area Code 712, where we all will be calling into a teleconferencing service.
Pre-register and/or sign up for email notices of upcoming events by calling me at 1-610-385-3766 or emailing me at scleaver@dejazzd.com by the day before your chosen session or sessions. I will provide the access numbers to the sessions you specify. It's gonna be fun!
All the best to you,
Susan
P.S. to folks in the greater Philadelphia area: I'm facilitating a Design Your Future
workshop on Saturday, October 28, 2006 from 9:00 am to 1:00 in Pottstown, PA. To receive details about this and other offerings, email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com. Thanks!
It's time for the October Dig-Out Days! Don't let a big project or a pile of clutter snow you under!
Join us for two hours of motivation and the start of some real progress toward your goal, whether it's a work, home, or creative project. We will accomplish this through three 10-minute conference calls with two work sessions sandwiched in between.
Choose the session or sessions that work for you:
Wednesday, October 11, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm Eastern
Saturday, October 14, 8:00 am to 10:00 am Eastern
Wednesday, October 18, 6:30 am to 8:30 am Eastern
Tuesday, October 24, 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm Eastern
Here's the schedule we'll follow for each session:
Opening Call ~ 10 minutes
Independent Work Time in Your Home, Office, or Studio ~ 50 minutes
Check-In Call ~ 10 minutes
Independent Work Time ~ 40 minutes
Follow-Up Call ~ 10 minutes
I'm offering the Dig-Out Days as a complimentary service, so come and join the party! Your only expense will be your long-distance phone charges to the US Area Code 712, where we all will be calling into a teleconferencing service.
Pre-register and/or sign up for email notices of upcoming events by calling me at 1-610-385-3766 or emailing me at scleaver@dejazzd.com by the day before your chosen session or sessions. I will provide the access numbers to the sessions you specify. It's gonna be fun!
All the best to you,
Susan
P.S. to folks in the greater Philadelphia area: I'm facilitating a Design Your Future
workshop on Saturday, October 28, 2006 from 9:00 am to 1:00 in Pottstown, PA. To receive details about this and other offerings, email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com. Thanks!
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Resource Round-Up
Greetings! Below you'll find a few of my favorite resources....
~The Sensitive Professionals Network
Check it out at www.sensitiveprofessionals.com.
~Mind Media Life Enhancement Network
This website has a catalog of really cool stuff! Some of it is downloadable software, such as Roger Von Oech's "Creative Whack Pack," which is a fantastic brainstorming tool that I use. See www.mindmedia.com.
~Susan Abrams, Master Certified Coach
Susan Abrams has specific skills that can help you sail past blocks, creative or otherwise. To this end, she employs the Emotional Freedom Technique and a step-by-step plan for zapping limiting beliefs. She also offers the Option Process (R) Dialogue, as taught at The Option Institute in Sheffield, MA, USA . See her site at www.susanabrams.net.
~Ali Rodriguez is the owner of Vision for Success, a business coaching and consulting service. Her passion for her work is contagious! Follow this link to see her calendar of teleclasses and live events: www.visionforsuccess.biz/calendar.html.
~The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron with Mark Bryan. This book is a modern classic which has been pivotal in my creative development. Cameron uses the word "artist" in its broadest sense. It's still in print after more than a decade, so you can find it at www.amazon.com.
~The Mind Map Book: How to Use Radiant Thinking to Maximize Your Brain's Untapped Potential by Tony Buzan with Barry Buzan. The title says it all! It's also available at www.amazon.com.
~A.D.D. and Creativity: Tapping Your Inner Muse by Lynn Weiss, Ph.D. This book is a nice mix of personal experience, valuable info, and a fresh perspective. It's at www.amazon.com, too.
~You Don't Need a Title to Be a Leader, by Mark Sanborn. Inspirational! Go to www.amazon.com.
~And a shamless plug for my own guided journal, The Whispering Heart, which I'm offering to my blog readers with free shipping within the US for $15 US. Click on the previous post called "Getting to the Heart of Your Creativity through Journaling" (3/27/06) to see sample pages. Pennsyvania residents will need to add $0.90 tax per copy. Residents of other countries, please email me for shipping details. Make your www.paypal.com payment to scleaver@dejazzd.com. Please put the book title and number of copies in the subject line, and your name and shipping address in the "note" box.
Please let me know how you've found these resources to be helpful once you've checked them out. The more specific you can be, the better, so that your comment can be of help to other readers.
Thanks!
Susan
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
This Is Gonna Be Fun!
Greetings,
This is your invitation to Dig-Out Day on Tuesday, September 26, 2006! Does an avalanche of clutter or a big project have you snowed under? Join us for a series of brief teleconference calls, where we will support and motivate each other to "dig out"! But...
The real magic happens between the calls! This is when we will be in motion, each tackling our own project at hand. We will be calling in at the times below to keep us all on track and inspired. I'd love to have you on all the calls, but if your schedule doesn't allow that, call in when you can.
9:00 am eastern
9:45 am
10:30 am
11:15 am
12:00 noon
I know what you're thinking: "But it's too overwhelming!" "But I don't know where to start!" "But being organized will stifle my creativity!" We are going to get off our "buts" and into action! Who knew it could be this much fun?
We will be calling into a conference line service that is in the US area code 712. So, while I am offering Dig-Out Day as a complimentary service, we each will be charged our long-distance rate by our respective providers.
Pre-register by emailing me by Monday, September 25, at scleaver@dejazzd.com. I'll see that you get the number to call!
Blessings,
Susan
P.S. There are also three telecoaching hotline days left this month! Call in on any of the remaining Thursday nights in September between 6 and 8 pm eastern time. Again, this is a long-distance call for most of you, but the 15-minutes of coaching is complimentary. The hotline number is 610-385-3766.
This is your invitation to Dig-Out Day on Tuesday, September 26, 2006! Does an avalanche of clutter or a big project have you snowed under? Join us for a series of brief teleconference calls, where we will support and motivate each other to "dig out"! But...
The real magic happens between the calls! This is when we will be in motion, each tackling our own project at hand. We will be calling in at the times below to keep us all on track and inspired. I'd love to have you on all the calls, but if your schedule doesn't allow that, call in when you can.
9:00 am eastern
9:45 am
10:30 am
11:15 am
12:00 noon
I know what you're thinking: "But it's too overwhelming!" "But I don't know where to start!" "But being organized will stifle my creativity!" We are going to get off our "buts" and into action! Who knew it could be this much fun?
We will be calling into a conference line service that is in the US area code 712. So, while I am offering Dig-Out Day as a complimentary service, we each will be charged our long-distance rate by our respective providers.
Pre-register by emailing me by Monday, September 25, at scleaver@dejazzd.com. I'll see that you get the number to call!
Blessings,
Susan
P.S. There are also three telecoaching hotline days left this month! Call in on any of the remaining Thursday nights in September between 6 and 8 pm eastern time. Again, this is a long-distance call for most of you, but the 15-minutes of coaching is complimentary. The hotline number is 610-385-3766.
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