Why Working from Home Works for Sensitive Creatives

Creative folks often fall into the category of high sensitivity. I've mentioned it in other posts, but to get the whole story, see The Highly Sensitive Person, by Elaine Aron, PhD.

Meanwhile, here are my reasons, as a highly sensitive person, that I find having my "headquarters" at home to be good for my head...and the rest of me, too!

Environment
Highly Sensitive People usually experience their sensitivity in just about any way you can think of it. This includes sound, weather, indoor temperature, good or bad Feng Shui, energy coming from others, sights, textures, emotions, physical sensations, information overload, interaction overload, smells, tastes, and the effects of hunger or pushing themselves too hard.

Working mostly from home gives us much more control over these issues. This really helps, because most people in the more common sensory mode do not understand why we even have these issues. How can they, until the concept of high sensitivity is explained to them? It's simply not in their experience. So don't hold it against them. Just do what you need to do for your self-care.

Pace
Because sensitive people take things in at such a deep level, we have a lot more processing to do. This can cause us to respond, adjust, and/or work more slowly than others.

Remember those standardized, timed tests we took in school? I never saw the end of any of them! I simply can't sort that much info that fast, not to mention simultaneously handling random data coming in through my thoughts or senses! I do not have a "standardized" mind! That was in the 60's and 70's, when accommodations for differences were in their infancy.

By working from home I can make my own accommodations and set my own pace, even if it means it'll take me longer to get done. Rushing only compounds the problem, so I plan ahead to avoid that as much as possible.

Solitude
If sensitive people can work in reasonable solitude at home, so much the better. Not everyone has that luxury, but maybe you can arrange some time for solitude by asking for help from supportive family members or friends.

Flexibility
As you can see, the flexibility of working from home can help with all three of the issues I've mentioned above. Just be sure that you keep your trait of high sensitivity in mind when you are your own boss. Don't fall into the trap of making working from home just as difficult for yourself (or even more so) than working elsewhere. You can have better control over your environment, pace, and amount of solitude, so use your flexibility to make sure you do!

One way that I'm doing this is by controlling the level of clutter and disarray in my environment, as I wrote about in my last post, on July 10. If you missed it, please check it out!

Thanks,
Susan

P.S. For a complimentary exploratory tele-coaching session on this topic or most any other, email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com!

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

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Structure and Accountability Trump Will Power!

I know that my creativity needs elbow room, and that keeping my home and office environments in an organized state that is pleasing to me is good Feng Shui. But maintaining the level of organization that I want has always been a challenge for me. I'm doing better, but I still have times when I get really frustrated with myself around this.

Not only will I have a better chance of succeeding if I report my project and progress here on the blog, but you can use it for an example for creating your own way to accomplish what you want to do.

So here's my plan. I know that structure and accountability trump will power. So here's where you come in. I've set forth a three-month challenge for myself and I'm "going public" with it here for accountability. I'll report my progress on this blog once a month during the project: Monday, August 11, Wednesday, Sept. 10, and, finally, Friday, Oct. 11. There! Now I've put myself on the hook, but in a good way! :-) I trust you'll post nudging comments if I slip up!

Here are the details of my plan: For 50 days out of those three months, I'll invest 2 hours daily on the clearing, organizing, and optimizing of my immediate indoor environments (home and office). I also need to find ways to easily maintain the systems/environments I create. Please come back to cheer on my efforts (or to frown upon my slip-ups)!

What are you not moving along steadily/quickly enough that you could use some accountability, structure, and support around? I invite you to make a plan and write it in the comments section so that we can all be there for you! We'll all learn from it!

Thanks,
Susan

P.S. To receive the alter ego to this blog, "Susan, Unplugged...Your 'Slow-Tech' Source for Creative and Healthy Living Tips," with my compliments, just send your snail-mail address to me at scleaver@dejazzd.com. If you live outside the continental US, I'll ask you to cover the cost of the postage.

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

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The Way of the Creative...Terrier?

Here are personality traits of my Silky Terrier pup that I would like to see all of us creative folks emulate!

She is...

• feisty
• playful
• intuitive
• brave
• always ready to speak up for herself
• never growling at herself for messing up
• sure the kibbles will follow if she does what she loves
• not about to let her short stature and 4-lb. weigh-ins keep her from being assertive
• willing to rest when she's tired and eat when she's hungry
• adding joy to the lives of those around her
• given to bouts of spontaneous and gleeful exercise
• non-judgemental
• not afraid of failure
• always radiating positive energy
• appreciative of the wonders of nature
• most comfortable as part of a supportive community

Her joyful way of living is her art form!

Please comment on what you have learned from your pets, children, grandchildren, etc., about living creatively!

Thanks,

Susan

P.S. Email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com to set up a complimentary intro tele-coaching session!

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

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Talking to Volleyballs and Beyond

This post ties into my last topic (June 2), about imagination and journaling, even though I didn't plan it that way. So much the better! I credit my subconscious with much of what ends up here on my blog, anyway. :-)

Remember Tom Hanks' character in the movie "Cast Away," who was stranded alone on a deserted island? Taking on an imaginary friend (in his case it was a volleyball, animated only by his imagination) was probably the sanest thing he could have done! Refer back to my June 2 post for more about imaginary friends and how this helpful psychological tool grows with us and shows up in different forms at different stages of our lives.

If you remember the details of the movie, you'll recall one conversation in particular that Hanks' character, Chuck, had with the volleyball that saved his life. Chuck was preparing to commit suicide, when he imagined the ball (whom he named Wilson) advising him to test his method of demise first. He did so, and after the test clearly failed, Chuck had a change of heart and decided to focus on staying alive instead.

On the movie site, http://www.imdb.com/, Wilson the Volleyball is listed as a character, played by himself. :-) He even has a short bio on the site! He's also mentioned in the awards list for the film. The Broadcast Film Critics Association named him "Best Inanimate Object" for 2001, while the Teen Choice Awards recognized Wilson and Tom Hanks for their on-screen "chemistry"! MTV Movie Awards nominated Hanks and Wilson for "Best On-Screen Team."

Most of us who have had imaginary friends in some form have had ones without movie credits, but they may have served an important function in our personal lives, as they did for Chuck.

The whole concept reminds me of Gestalt Therapy (see my June 2 post), but Chuck didn't have a name for it. He just developed his relationship with Wilson in a seemingly spontaneous way that his instincts led him toward to safeguard his sanity and clarify his thinking. He even had arguments with Wilson, and complained to him about the "laxative effect" of coconut milk! :-)

Maybe your "Wilson" is your journal or what you call your Muse. In any case, never underestimate the power of the imagination. As Einstein said, it's "more important than knowledge." And Einstein did all right for himself!

Imagining the best for you,
Susan

P.S. Two quick reminders:

*'Didn't quite get to your spring cleaning before spring slipped away? Join us in tele-space for the complimentary Summer Cleaning Dig-In Tele-Party this Saturday, June 28, from 9 am to noon Eastern. Contact me by Friday at scleaver@dejazzd.com for the call-in codes and more info.

*This blog now has an alter ego! No, I don't call it Wilson! :-) It's my snail-mail newsletter called "Susan, Unplugged...Your 'Slow-Tech' Source for Creative and Healthy Living Tips." It's complimentary in the continental US; elsewhere I'll ask you to pay for the postage only. Contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com and give me your snail-mail address to receive this light and informative newsletter. Thanks for being part of my self-development and learning community!

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

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A Sign of Creativity That's Often Overlooked

Did you have imaginary friends as a child? If so, chances are you've grown into an intelligent, creative adult! Imaginary friends are not a prerequisite for high IQ and creativity, but they are one way that children express these traits.

We use imaginary friends to help us navigate our unfamiliar worlds: the one inside our heads and the one around us. As we get older, the friends sometimes show up as entities such as "Kitty", to whom Anne Frank wrote her journal.

I often use journaling as a way to dialogue with my subpersonalities, or "masks." It's amazingly effective! In Gestalt therapy, a similar technique is employed orally, with the client changing seats each time the speaker changes. It gets to information that we can't can't access while thinking in our everyday patterns, which is why we go into therapy in the first place!

Also as adults, we tend to pick role models that we haven't even met, and ask ourselves, "What would Oprah do?" or "What would Bill Gates do?" Writers of fiction know they've hit the mark in character development when the characters start to take on what seems like lives and minds of their own. My guess is that this is made possible by our subpersonalities, too.

The ability to imagine others and/or others' responses in given situations should be celebrated! It's a wonderful gift from the muse and from our inner healer that can serve us well throughout life!

Be well,

Susan

P.S. Whether you live around the globe or around the corner, you can email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com for a complimentary trial tele-coaching session!

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

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Finding a Great Coach

Many coaches offer complimentary trial sessions. Here are some things to listen for when deciding if the coach is competent and if he/she is the right fit for you.

• He walks his talk. Is he displaying the qualities that you wish to develop in yourself?
• She is a life-long learner and is constantly developing herself further.
• Do you feel a rapport with the coach?
• A great coach will constructively help you see your blind spots.
• He will help you figure out who you need to become in order to reach your goal.
• She will point out when your tone of voice, etc., do not match what you are saying.
• He will help you see signs in yourself that are coming from unrecognized sources, ie., signs of burn-out or a life that's not in line with your values.
• A great coach does not do the work for you. She can guide, inspire, and encourage you, but the goals, strategies, and action plans must come from you in order to be right for you.
• She understands the holistic nature of life and will help you work through the obstacles in the other areas that are blocking you from your goals.
• He will propose challenges for you to accept, reject, or modify.

You may not see all of these displayed in one session, but this list can help you clarify what you're looking for in a coach, whether for creativity coaching or coaching in other areas.

If you'd like to try a complimentary session with me, email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com, and we can set up a tele-coaching session about creativity or most anything else!

Be well,

Susan

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

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You've Come a Long Way, Baby Boomer!

Calling all baby boomers whose teachers told you to be seen and not heard as kids...it's time to be seen and heard and to use your talents and creativity to make a positive difference for yourselves and others!

Go for it! Step up to the metaphorical (and/or real) microphone and boom it out, baby! :-)

Please keep us up to date and inspired with field reports of your booming adventures in the comments section. Thanks!

A fellow boomer,

Susan

P.S. Last call for the Spring Cleaning Dig-In Tele-Party! Email me today at scleaver@dejazzd.com for the access numbers. See my May 8 post for details!

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

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