“Whatever you can do or dream you can begin, boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”  ~ Goethe

All the dreaming in the world won’t get you anywhere without – ACTION

Without action you will remain exactly where you are.  Nothing will change.

Often this is the stage that some of us may come unstuck on.

We may have lots of great ideas and dreams, perhaps maybe even too many.  We get confused, overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.

Choose one thing.

It doesn’t mean that you have to give up and ditch all your other ideas and dreams, but for now decide upon one and solely make that your focus.

Choose NOW.

What is your one thing going to be?

Write it down right NOW.

Get your pen and paper out & do it NOW.  Sometimes choosing which path to take is the hardest part.  Some of us are like kids in a sweet shop, we want to it all!

This has always been the part of the creative process I have most struggled most with.

I find it impossible to choose.  Choosing, feels like I am discounting all the other possibilities and options.  I feel as if I’m forgoing all the other possible paths and experiences.   What if I make the wrong choice?

It seems so hard to just choose one path, but choose you must.  Otherwise you will end up attempting to do too many projects, doing a bit of this, a bit of that and not actually excelling in any.  Jack of all trades springs to mind!

We end up flying in so many directions that we don’t actually end up going anywhere.

Beware of the curse of the high options!

“Think of many things, do only one.”

Have you chosen the one thing you have decided to focus on?  Don’t worry, this does not mean that you will never be able to pursue any of the other ideas, but for now this is where your creative energies are going to be directed.

FOCUS

The chances are, that within that one thing you will actually find all the pleasures, joy and happiness that you were hoping for.   Your life lessons could well be wrapped up and found in pursuing that very one thing.

In fact you will probably learn more from sticking with one thing.

Where your focus goes, your energy flows.

NEXT – BABY STEPS

The duality of dreaming big and acting small….

Break down whatever it is that you want to do into manageable steps.

Baby Steps.

They need to be manageable and achievable.

This is not about biting off more than you can chew.  If you had to eat an elephant, would you attempt to eat him or her all in one giant bite?  You wouldn’t would you?!  So why would you try to do the same with your creative dreams?

Start where ever you are and start small.

Small steps will help you overcome any creative blocks you have been experiencing.  It will help you overcome any fears and anxieties you have attached to creating.

You need to take action, but you also need to be patient and kind to yourself.

Softly, Softly.

When you do a little every day, eventually big things will start to occur.

Each time you take a baby step, and another tiny step, another you will grow in both confidence and creativity.  You will start to feel better about yourself. You will start believing that this is actually possible.  You will start to feel excited.

What small step could you do right this very minute to get you started?    There must be something.  Maybe it’s make a phone call?  Perhaps you need to buy some materials?

Whatever it is, decide to do it today.

RIGHT NOW.

Continuous effort & persistent-not strength, talent or intelligence is the key to unlock our creative potential

NO EXCUSES.

Remember there are always a million excuses we can use.

STOP.

Each time you take a tiny baby step you get that little bit closer to creating and making your creative dreams a reality.  Each time you take the smallest action you grow in confidence and self-belief.  Success begets success.  The more actions you take the more you will start believing in yourself.  Taking ACTION creates a self fulfilling success circle.  It creates momentum.  It is like a snow ball growing bigger and bigger as it speeds down the hill.  Getting bigger and bigger, until it is unstoppable.

Your ideas and creative endeavours will be just like this snowball once you begin to take action, continuous action.

They will grow and gain speed and momentum.  How great is that?  It is the law of nature, the law of the universe.  Your ideas and creativity will become larger and larger till you have created an avalanche.

Each time you take another tiny step, a tiny action you make yourself that little bit prouder.

& what’s  even better, each time you take action, however small the action is, you begin to shake away some of the anxiety and panic that is attached to creating.

Baby steps take away the fear of the blank page, the horrors and biggest hurdle, of not knowing where to start.

So what are you waiting for, get your creative shoes on right NOW….& tiptoe right past fear!

Before you know it you will be free flowing, rolling down that hill, creating a massive creative avalanche!

You will eventually pass the point of no return.  Just like how it is now too late for me to turn back, on writing this blog post.  I have written too much to ditch it, even though at times the going gets tough.  When I first started it was crazily difficult.  There was that little voice inside which kept telling me, “What’s the point?”  “No-one’s going to read it anyway.” “What do you know?  It’s too hard; I might as well not bother.”

Even now, at moments I struggle or wonder to myself if its all worth the effort and hard work. Yet I have passed the point of no return, and so will you.

“All great things have small beginnings.”

FINALLY –

KEEP GOING

Quote about perspiration.

It’s about feeling the fear and doing it anyway.  Don’t underestimate your courage.

Just think about how great you will feel?

How proud will you feel?

Keep those positive feel good thoughts in mind.  Use them to spur you on.  The more you do, the more the fear will lessen and lose its grip.  I think we could all think of an experience in our lives which shows this to be true.  FEEL THE FEAR & DO IT ANYWAY.

“Why not go out on a limb, is that not where the fruit is.”

There are two stages of creativity.

1. 1. Dreaming
2. 2. Doing

Dreaming –

“The truth lies in a man’s dreams.” Miguel de Celvantes

Like I mentioned at the start of this book, everything starts as a thought, a tiny pin-prick thought in someone’s imagination.  You have to give yourself time and ALLOW YOURSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO DARE TO DREAM.

Your dreams are the doors and gateways to possibilities.

OPEN THE DOOR.

Don’t dismiss them.

Give them the space to flourish and open like a beautiful flower opening its delicate petals to the sun.

The dreaming stage is crucial.  This stage is about DREAMING BIG. In this stage anything is possible, there should be no limits.  NO restrictions.

DREAMS ARE EXTENSIONS OF HOPE.

If you have a dream, is it not worth giving it a chance to flourish?

We spoke earlier about human potential; I hope most of you believed that that we are capable of so much more.  If you agree, then you are also likely to believe that the power of your mind is virtually unlimited & largely untapped.

“I shut my eyes in order to see.”  Paul Gauguin

Give yourself space to dream.

We lose the art of dreaming because we are too quick to get realistic.

Your Dreams are precious

Give yourself permission to dream

Daydreaming is the soul food of creativity, even if you were told differently in school!

This stage is all about being as wild and crazy as you can possibly be.  There should be NO LIMITS.  EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.  YOU MUST DREAM BIG.

• Your plans at this stage do not, should not be evaluated, and certainly not picked apart or judged
• Give your inner-critic, that negative voice in your head the big heave ho

Are you listening?

You do not need to be realistic.

At this point do not even let it enter your head about how you are going to make your dreams happen.

This stage is all about getting a bit silly, a bit out there, a bit crazy.   Really letting go.

So here goes, more activities and exercises.   This means that you now need to stop reading, pick up your pen and paper and allow yourself the time and space to give the activity a go.   You can spare 15 minutes surely?

Remember, you only get out, what you put in!

• What one thing would you love to contribute to the world?  Be really honest with yourself.

Whether it is a book, a song, painting, arts, crafts, a story, a piece of music, it doesn’t matter.  Just write down, draw or doodle whatever it is that when you are in your eighties (hopefully?) and you can then look back with pride, and say I did that!

• What would you do if you couldn’t fail?

• What would you do if money was no object?

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.

CREATIVE DREAM TASK

You will need some big sheets of paper, preferably A3 size or bigger.  Lots of coloured pencils, pens, paints, and crayons- whatever you would prefer to draw and doodle with.  Fix yourself a nice cup of tea/ coffee or wine if you fancy.  Ideally get down on the floor, spread out and make yourself comfy.  Set your stop watch on your mobile phone or a timer.  Allow yourself 30 minutes to draw, create and doodle.

YOU are now going to draw and doodle, You at your most uber amazing creative-ist.

Get silly. Get creative.  Have fun.  You could even invite a friend around to do the activity with you?

Do not think too hard, you are in the dream stage, so anything is possible. You can do or be who ever you want to be.

Imagine you at your most creative?  Imagine you are the Creative version of Wonder Women.

LIVING YOUR MOST CREATIVE LIFE

Where are you?

How do you look?  What colours? What is your style?

What are you wearing?

Who are you with?

How do you feel?

What does your life look like?

How do you spend your time?

What activities / past-times do you do?

What does you life look like?

How would you like your most creative life to be?

Here is an example of me at my most creative!  ….

One I did earlier…

CREATE A CREATIVE VISION BOARD

A great way to move towards and closer to your creative dreams is to create a “Creative Dream Vision Board.”

You will need lots of magazines, access to the internet, a big sheet of paper to stick all your images and words on, or a pin-board.  Pin-boards are very inexpensive and can be picked up for a few pounds from place like Pound Stretchers.

Search through all the magazines and tear out any images, pictures or words that you are drawn to.  Do not think too deeply about this.

Do a Google Search for images that represent your creative dreams, ideas or thoughts.  This could be things that you long to do.  Places you long to go.  Pictures of activities you would love to do, interest or just appeal.

Here is an example of mine;

As you can see I have included open fires and a stone cottage as my plan is to eventually own my own old stone cottage with an open fire and scenic views.  I have saved images of messy art and creativity, and at the time I didn’t even know I wanted to really create art!  There are pictures of places I would love to travel to, such as Venice and India.  I have included pictures of writing, workshops, books & animals.  There are images that are less than obvious and more symbolic of the values, dreams and aspirations, such as an image of birds been released from a cage and ..

Once you have completed your creative vision board you need to display it somewhere prominent, ideally in a place that you have to walk past every day.  Mine is in the hall and I must walk past it at least 10 times a day to get to the kitchen.

The idea is that the images and words will speak to your inner-creative subconscious.  Slowly but surely they will reawaken and ignite something in you, you will move towards the images and words without even realising.

• Without stopping to think write, doodle or draw list 20 things that you love to do or enjoy.

Do not stop to think, just write the first things that come into your head.  There are no wrongs or rights.  No pressure.   Just let go.   The aim here is not to think too hard or deeply.

So come on, without stopping make a list of twenty things you enjoy and like to do.  It doesn’t matter what they are, and you can include food and sex!

Interestingly, we probably had more of an idea of who we were, and what we wanted to do when we were very young.  A good starting point is to think back to when you were a child.  Think back to a time in your life when the everyday was more about play, having fun, been spontaneous, and doing what made you happy in the moment.

The older you get the more likely you are to over-thinking and over-analyze things.   I have a tendency to over think everything.  Unfortunately over-thinking  is a big killer of creativity!  Your aim is to get back in touch with your inner creative-child.

• Now, take 5 minutes to think back to when you were a younger.
• What did you love to do as a child?
• What did you love to do as a child?  What about when you were a teenager?

• If there was a fire in your house, what would be the four things you would save?   If you were to save one photograph, one book, one object and one idea what would it be?  What four things are at the core of your being?

• Imagine you are a human cat.  If you had nine lives to devote to nine very different careers, what would they be?

Now look at what you have written.  Can you see any links patterns or themes?  Are there any connections?  Show a close friend, your partner or someone you trust what you have written.  Ask them if they can see any patterns or ideas emerging.  Only do this with someone who you know will be positive and have your best interests at heart.  You do not need any Doubting Thomas’s or negative comments at this stage in the proceedings!

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand.  Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.

CREATIVITY IS ABOUT FINDING WHAT YOU LOVE….AND DOING MORE OF IT.

Sounds simple doesn’t it?  Well it may sound obvious, but actually many of us have forgotten the very things that really light us up.  The things that make us feel alive, fun and excite us.

Tapping into our own innate creativity is about finding what you love to do, and doing more of it.  This sounds so simple and obvious, yet for many of us we struggle to know what we love to do; we have lost touch with our inner essence, of who we really are.

It is not surprising as life can be pretty relentless.

We grow up, we listen to other people, we try to fit in and conform.  We do what other people and society expects of us.  Maybe we received little or no support or encouragement as we were growing up from our parents and teachers?

We begin to think that perhaps our childhood hopes and dreams were nothing more that fantasy, not based on anything real or substantial.  We are torn and pulled with the everyday pressure and responsibilities of living.  Hectic lives, busy responsible jobs, families and children to care for and support.  Pulled and tugged in many directions, our needs and desires can become secondary and slip down the priority list.

We may have had a longing to learn an instrument, to write a book,  make creative crafts or art, but we just don’t think that what we do will be good enough, so we then we think, what’s the point?  Why bother anyway? We convince ourselves that it’s a total waste of time.  WE GIVE UP.

What have you given up on?

Months and years go by, and before we know it we have convinced ourselves that it is too late now anyway.

If this sounds familiar, think back to what you thought first of all, when I asked you if you believed that in each and every one of us there is the potential to be so much more?  I’m hoping that you did think, and believe deep down that in each and every person there is the potential to be more than what they currently are.

Surely now is the time for you to tap into your potential? If you don’t do it now, when will you.  Life is short.  If you do have a deep-seated longing to do something shouldn’t you do your utmost to honour that need?

Okay, it might not be easy.  There are doubts, fears and anxieties that we all have to contend with.  The big one FEAR.

People, who will just not get it, just not get you.

It might be scary and overwhelming; you may not know where to start.  You may feel stupid.  Your inner voice will probably rear its angry loud voice and tell you time and time again,

“Who do you, think you are?  What are you doing? What’s the point?  You will never be good enough?”

At times we listen.  You will need courage to ignore, to keep going regardless.

You may have a struggle on your hands.  It will not happen overnight, it may take some time and effort.  You may have to accept that you are not going to be an over-night success, or be brilliant at whatever it is you want to create or do from day one.

The fact is, you will have to face the fact that at first you will be a beginner.  Being a beginner means accepting that you will not always get it right.   In fact more than likely you will get it wrong far more times than you will get right.  Can you cope with that?   You will make mistakes.  What you do will be far from perfect.  You may look at what you do and think that it is not very good.  You may find yourself comparing yourself to others and the comparisons will be unfavourable.  All these things are likely, but what is the other option?

The other alternative being that you wake-up one day, when you are very old, with little or no time left, and look back on what could have been.

I do not want to wake-up one day with these serious regrets.  Do you?  I do not want to wake-up knowing deep down that I could done more, that I didn’t even really try.

That I gave in, that I took the easiest path, the path of least resistance.

I don’t want to wake-up with the knowing that I didn’t even have the fight, drive or courage to give my dreams at least a fighting chance.

How will you feel if that is you?

I know I can’t bare that possibility.

You can push your creative dreams aside for as long as you want, like I have tried to do, but when it comes to the end of your life will you look back and think I did enough, or will you have serious regrets.  If there is the remotest chance that you will regret that you didn’t give it your best shot, you need to ACT NOW.

We have to make a start, start today, start exactly where you are right now.  Where you are right now is exactly where you should be.

Start where you are – Lots of people worry that everyone else will be so far ahead.  These people?  They started somewhere.

“Do not die with your music still inside you.”

Perhaps you are one of the lucky ones?

Maybe you already know what you love to do, what you love to create.  Fantastic, you’re off to a head start.  You know what you love to do.  You just need to find the time, space, and energies to pursue it.  Or maybe you need to work on some blocks and obstacles that are stopping you from really going for it and getting out there and making it happen.

The reason doing what you love is one of the secrets to creativity is that we simply tend to want to do more of the things that we find enjoyable.  We want to do the things that give up pleasure.  Not only do we tend to do more of these things, but we tend to put more energies, efforts and soul into them.  We don’t just go through the motions; we do them with spark and love.

That is what you need if you are serious about tapping into your most inner creative-self, you need to tap into that joy, passion and excitement.  I can remember my very first earliest memory, of when I truly felt totally caught up in the moment feeling of creating.

I was six years old and I had been told to write a story.  It was about a group of animals who go on an adventure balloon ride.  I may have only been six but I tapped into something that I knew, even then was very special.  All the other children had gone out to play but I remained in the classroom writing frantically, letting the story pour out of me.   It was important.  The experience that has always stayed with me, that I never forgot how at that moment I was totally in flow.  In fact I guess that experience stayed with me so much that it what I have been trying to recapture for much of my life!

It was effortless.  It was creativity at its most powerful.

I was lost in the moment.

I was in flow.

That is when we are at one with ourselves, when we are at one with our most creative and powerful selves.

They key to harnessing this creative energy is to first of all find what you love to do.

Let’s face it, if you try and do things that you think you think you “should” do or “must” do, you will soon get bored, fed-up and certainly not do it with any creative flow.  How do you expect to feel inspired, passionate or excited if it’s not something that even floats your boat!?

Here is a creative task:  Remember how I said at the beginning of the book, if you really want to get something out of this book than you are going to have to get stuck and give the tasks ago.  I know how easy it is not to bother.  You just want to read without to much effort or thought, & juts let the words wash over you.  This is all well and good but you can’t expect any significant changes to occur if you aren’t prepared to do a little bit of digging deeper.

WHO ARE YOU ~ CREATIVE TASKS

Spend 10 minutes on this next question.

• WHO ARE YOU?
• Why am I here?  I know that seems like such a massive, existential question but I think you will be surprised by what will come out of spending a bit of time just writing a stream of consciousness and attempting to answer this question.  Be as honest as you can be with yourself.  What ever comes from this is okay.

Write down the first things that come into your head.

Who are you really!?  We are always so much more than we think we are.

I know last year I had real difficulty answering that one very simple question.  I was at a NLP Practitioner training course and the workshop began with the usual getting to know you introductions & icebreakers.  We had to walk around the room, meeting and greeting people, introducing ourselves and telling them who we were, what we did and why we were here.

I felt like running away.

I did not want to talk about what I did or tell people who I was.  At that current moment in time I did not have a clue.  I felt really lost.  I was going through a serious transition stage; I had quit my teaching job, moved in with my then boyfriend, who just happened to be the course facilitator.  My head was in a mess.  I was definitely lost and the simple question, “What do you do?” sent my head into orbit.

For the record it is okay to be lost.  Accept.

We all feel lost from time to time.  Accept wherever you are right now as being the right place for you.

• Without stopping to think write, doodle or draw list 20 things that you love to do or enjoy.

Do not stop to think, just write the first things that come into your head.  There are no wrongs or rights.  No pressure.   Just let go.   The aim here is not to think too hard or deeply.

So come on, without stopping make a list of twenty things you enjoy and like to do.  It doesn’t matter what they are, and you can include food and sex!

Interestingly, we probably had more of an idea of who we were, and what we wanted to do when we were very young.  A good starting point is to think back to when you were a child.  Think back to a time in your life when the everyday was more about play, having fun, been spontaneous, and doing what made you happy in the moment.

The older you get the more likely you are to over-thinking and over-analyze things.   I have a tendency to over think everything.  Unfortunately over-thinking  is a big killer of creativity!  Your aim is to get back in touch with your inner creative-child.

• Now, take 5 minutes to think back to when you were a younger.
• What did you love to do as a child?
• What did you love to do as a child?  What about when you were a teenager?

• If there was a fire in your house, what would be the four things you would save?   If you were to save one photograph, one book, one object and one idea what would it be?  What four things are at the core of your being?

• Imagine you are a human cat.  If you had nine lives to devote to nine very different careers, what would they be?

Now look at what you have written.  Can you see any links patterns or themes?  Are there any connections?  Show a close friend, your partner or someone you trust what you have written.  Ask them if they can see any patterns or ideas emerging.  Only do this with someone who you know will be positive and have your best interests at heart.  You do not need any Doubting Thomas’s or negative comments at this stage in the proceedings!

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand.  Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.

• Print off a copy of the post
• Get yourself a pen, paper and a highlighter
• As you are reading highlight any words which seem, relevant, important or jump out at you.
• Make notes in the margins.  This can simply be any thoughts, connections or ideas that come to you whilst you are reading.

For minimum impact you need to be an active reader.

For maximum impact you need to be an active participant.

After each CREATIVE SECRET there are questions for you to consider, and Creative Tasks and Exercises for you to try.  If you are serious about becoming more creative set aside at least 15 minutes to complete each activity.

*TAKE NOTE ~ the activities or questions that seem the most tiresome, difficult or challenging are likely to be the ones that will benefit you the most!

REMEMBER

~ SMALL STEPS EVENTUALLY MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE

~ KNOWING AND DOING ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS

~ YOU ONLY GET OUT WHAT YOU PUT IN

Be prepared to dig a little deeper.

Are you like me, do you believe that in each and every one of us there is the potential to be so much more?  Would you love to live a life that is true to who you really are?  A life that is more fun, creative and passion-filled?  Do you seem to never have the time, energy or motivation to do the creative activities you long to do?   Do you know exactly what you would love to do, but just don’t know how or where to begin? Perhaps you feel buried, deep underneath fears, doubts and anxieties?   Does it seem easier simply to put your creative pangs on the back-burner, not to begin, or to keep putting off even starting?  Maybe it even seems easier; to simply forget about any of your hopes and dreams?   Maybe you’ve managed to convince yourself that it’s just too much of a struggle and not worth the effort?   Have you convinced yourself that you are too just too old, not talented enough or too broke?  Do you tell yourself that you simply do not have the time to live a more creative life?

Perhaps you are already a very creative person in your day to day life?  Maybe you do a job or the type of work which allows you to express yourself creatively most days?

If so, great!

Not all of us are so fortunate.

Many of us have had our creative urges stifled, and even kicked out of us from a very early age.  For many, our innate creativity is buried deep under years of responsibilities, fears, doubts, negativity and “just not good enough’s.”

Some of us have stopped believing that we are actually creative; instead we have managed to convince ourselves that we have no need, or time for creativity in our lives anyway. That creativity is a luxury, for people who have lots of leisure time and/or money.  Or creativity is for people who are naturally predisposed to being creative, and that those people are in the minority.  People born with creative talents of gifts, who seem to have been naturally creative since they were a child.

Not people like you or me.

We may have distant memories of longings, forgotten or buried dreams, yet we have managed to do a great cover job on ourselves.  To brush our dreams well and truly under the duvet covers.  managing to convince ourselves that these past hopes and thoughts were just flight of passing fancy, pipe dreams nothing more.

Do you have a feeling that something is missing from your life?

Maybe for years you’ve had a niggling longing to do something, but you just haven’t known where to start?  Do you ever have a feeling that something is missing from your life?  That there has to be more to life that what you are experiencing now?  That you would love to do something more creative, if only you had the time, energies and finances?

Would you love to be more creative, but have too many other demands on your time, like your family and job?

In the past did you have dreams of writing a book, learning to play a musical instrument or creating art?   Have you decided it is now too late now?

STOP.  Take a moment and answer this;

Do you believe that in each and every one of us there is the potential to be so much more?

I do.  I believe that there is magic and creativity in each and every one of us.

Maybe now is the time to take the hunt, and go in search of you’re your missing treasure?  & go in search for your missing treasure chest of creativity, which I believe is buried deep, right inside you.

The time is perhaps NOW.

Dare to open up your very own chest of creativity.   I think you will be amazed at what you will discover and unearth.  Precious treasures lie in wait, waiting to be discovered.

But you have to be prepared to dig a little deeper.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT CREATIVITY ANYWAY?

Because………..

SECRET ONE

“CREATIVITY IS YOUR BIRTHRIGHT”

YOU WERE BORN TO CREATE

We are all born to create.

Simply living itself is a creative act.

For prove that we are all creative……

Just take a good look around you.

Look at the home that you live in, your environment and the big wide world that we call Earth.  We have shaped and created our world, everywhere you look there is evidence of our undeniable human will to create, our instinctive need to create.

Almost everything you see right now has started of as single thought, a small spark of an idea in someone’s imagination.

EVERTHING!

From the desk that you are sit at, to the seat that supports you, the computer screen that you are reading this blog post from, the cup you drink your coffee out of……

I could go on.  All of these objects started off as a tiny lit spark of a creative idea, a light bulb of inspiration and creativity in someone’s imagination.

EVERYTHING.

CREATIVITY is primal.  It is our natural instinct.

Our urge to create is a so powerful, and we should honour this need.

IT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED.

I believe we are all artists of some kind.  We all have a creative spirit, that spark within us.  If you think that this is some kind of new age bullshit take a look at children.  Perhaps you have children of your own?  If you don’t, take a moment to think about your nephews and nieces, or perhaps friends or neighbours children.  They are constantly creating.  They never stop.  They are constantly exploring and making sense of the world through play, games and creation.  Give them paper and crayons, and they will happily doodle and draw with fearless ferocity.  It is the most natural thing for a young child to do.

It is only as we get older that we start to lose that natural spark of creative energy.  Does this not show that creativity is not just something that is a gift or talent to a chosen few?  That we are all born creative.  We only lose our natural creative tendencies because life takes its stranglehold, we take many knocks and bumps and our creativity which is so susceptible to harsh words and negativity, so it goes into hiding.   By the time we hit adult-hood our creativity appear to be know where to be seen.

The great news is that our creativity has not  gone for goo, neither is it lost forever.   It’s like with anything if you don’t use it you lose it, and it becomes less and less easy to tap into.  We are all still naturally creative, it’s just that we’ve forgotten how to create, we are simply out of practise.

We are all still creative, our creative just needs a little, encouraging, coaxing, TLC.

Your creativity may need reigniting that’s all.

It is not only artists, musicians and poets who can be creative.  You, who ever you are, you who is reading this e-book have a creative need and urge that needs fulfilling.

We could all be so much more.  We already are so much more; we just need to awaken the stifled creative fire and breathe life back into it.

Creativity has for far too long been viewed as mysterious, magical and even divine.  Way too many of us have been led to believe, or brainwashed into thinking, that you either are creative or you are not creative, simple.  This is crazy thinking.

We are led to believe that creativity should be some effortless act.  We grow up thinking that if it doesn’t flow or happen easily then we are simply not creative.   Creativity throughout history has been seen as the trait of only a select group of people, in particular people who we term “Artists”.   Individuals, like writers, musicians and poets people who we imagine are born with particular gifts and talents.

This is total nonsense!

We all need to make sense of our world.   Everyone needs to find their place in the world.  It is essential that we can explore and work out whom we really are.

This is why creativity is so powerful, because it offers us an outlet, a means of self-expression which allows us to do just that.   When we tap into out creativity we start to be able to express ourselves more freely, and we begin to understand who we are.

CREATIVITY IS THE KEY

It is a magic key.  It is the KEY that can unlock  OUR own TREASURE CHEST.

The creative process has the potential to enable us to tap into our, sometimes hidden, or hard to express or understand feelings.

Creativity is a key to our very own personal treasure chest.  The key maybe old, rusty, unused or even lost , but with a bit of fiddling and fumberling, perhaps in the dark, the key will eventually fit the lock, turn and, who knows what treasure you find….

REMEMBER DIG DEEP.

“Finding the joy and freedom to express through dancing, writing, painting, music and singing will unlock the magic and wonder of your soul.”

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” ~ Lao Tzu

This Post is written by Leo Babauta @ Zen Habits

Consider the above quote from Lao Tzu, (perhaps mythical) father of Taoism: how can it be true?

Is it possible to never hurry, but to get everything done?

It seems contradictory to our modern world, where everything is a rush, where we try to cram as much into every minute of the day as possible, where if we are not busy, we feel unproductive and lazy.

In fact, often we compete by trying to show how busy we are. I have a thousand projects to do! Oh yeah? I have 10,000! The winner is the person who has the most insane schedule, who rushes from one thing to the next with the energy of a hummingbird, because obviously that means he’s the most successful and important.

Right?

Maybe not. Maybe we’re playing the wrong game — we’ve been conditioned to believe that busier is better, but actually the speed of doing is not as important as what we focus on doing.

Maybe we’re going at the wrong speed. Maybe if we are constantly rushing, we will miss out on life itself. Let’s let go of the obsession with speed, and instead slow down, stop rushing, and enjoy life.

And still get everything done.

Let’s look at how.

A Change of Mindset
The most important step is a realization that life is better when you move at a slower, more relaxed pace, instead of hurrying and rushing and trying to cram too much into every day. Instead, get the most out of every moment.

Is a book better if you speed read it, or if you take your time and get lost in it?

Is a song better if you skim through it, or if you take the time to really listen?

Is food better if you cram it down your throat, or if you savor every bite and really appreciate the flavor?

Is your work better if you’re trying to do 10 things at once, or if you really pour yourself into one important task?

Is your time spent with a friend or loved one better if you have a rushed meeting interrupted by your emails and text messages, or if you can relax and really focus on the person?

Life as a whole is better if you go slowly, and take the time to savor it, appreciate every moment. That’s the simplest reason to slow down.

And so, you’ll need to change your mindset (if you’ve been stuck in a rushed mindset until now). To do this, make the simple admission that life is better when savored, that work is better with focus. Then make the commitment to give that a try, to take some of the steps below.

But I Can’t Change!
There will be some among you who will admit that it would be nice to slow down, but you just can’t do it … your job won’t allow it, or you’ll lose income if you don’t do as many projects, or living in the city makes it too difficult to go slowly. It’s a nice ideal if you’re living on a tropical island, or out in the country, or if you have a job that allows control of your schedule … but it’s not realistic for your life.

I say bullshit.

Take responsibility for your life. If your job forces you to rush, take control of it. Make changes in what you do, in how you work. Work with your boss to make changes if necessary. And if really necessary, you can eventually change jobs. You are responsible for your life.

If you live in a city where everyone rushes, realize that you don’t have to be like everyone else. You can be different. You can walk instead of driving in rush hour traffic. You can have fewer meetings. You can work on fewer but more important things. You can be on your iPhone or Blackberry less, and be disconnected sometimes. Your environment doesn’t control your life — you do.

I’m not going to tell you how to take responsibility for your life, but once you make the decision, the how will become apparent over time.

Tips for a Slower-Paced Life
I can’t give you a step-by-step guide to moving slower, but here are some things to consider and perhaps adopt, if they work for your life. Some things might require you to change some major things, but they can be done over time.

1. Do less. Cut back on your projects, on your task list, on how much you try to do each day. Focus not on quantity but quality. Pick 2-3 important things — or even just one important thing — and work on those first. Save smaller, routine tasks for later in the day, but give yourself time to focus. Read more.
2. Have fewer meetings. Meetings are usually a big waste of time. And they eat into your day, forcing you to squeeze the things you really need to do into small windows, and making you rush. Try to have blocks of time with no interruptions, so you don’t have to rush from one meeting to another.
3. Practice disconnecting. Have times when you turn off your devices and your email notifications and whatnot. Time with no phone calls, when you’re just creating, or when you’re just spending time with someone, or just reading a book, or just taking a walk, or just eating mindfully. You can even disconnect for (gasp!) an entire day, and you won’t be hurt. I promise.
4. Give yourself time to get ready and get there. If you’re constantly rushing to appointments or other places you have to be, it’s because you don’t allot enough time in your schedule for preparing and for traveling. Pad your schedule to allow time for this stuff. If you think it only takes you 10 minutes to get ready for work or a date, perhaps give yourself 30-45 minutes so you don’t have to shave in a rush or put on makeup in the car. If you think you can get there in 10 minutes, perhaps give yourself 2-3 times that amount so you can go at a leisurely pace and maybe even get there early.
5. Practice being comfortable with sitting, doing nothing. One thing I’ve noticed is that when people have to wait, they become impatient or uncomfortable. They want their mobile device or at least a magazine, because standing and waiting is either a waste of time or something they’re not used to doing without feeling self-conscious. Instead, try just sitting there, looking around, soaking in your surroundings. Try standing in line and just watching and listening to people around you. It takes practice, but after awhile, you’ll do it with a smile.
6. Realize that if it doesn’t get done, that’s OK. There’s always tomorrow. And yes, I know that’s a frustrating attitude for some of you who don’t like laziness or procrastination or living without firm deadlines, but it’s also reality. The world likely won’t end if you don’t get that task done today. Your boss might get mad, but the company won’t collapse and the life will inevitably go on. And the things that need to get done will.
7. Start to eliminate the unnecessary. When you do the important things with focus, without rush, there will be things that get pushed back, that don’t get done. And you need to ask yourself: how necessary are these things? What would happen if I stopped doing them? How can I eliminate them, delegate them, automate them?
8. Practice mindfulness. Simply learn to live in the present, rather than thinking so much about the future or the past. When you eat, fully appreciate your food. When you’re with someone, be with them fully. When you’re walking, appreciate your surroundings, no matter where you are. Read this for more, and also try The Mindfulist.
9. Slowly eliminate commitments. We’re overcommitted, which is why we’re rushing around so much. I don’t just mean with work — projects and meetings and the like. Parents have tons of things to do with and for their kids, and we overcommit our kids as well. Many of us have busy social lives, or civic commitments, or are coaching or playing on sports teams. We have classes and groups and hobbies. But in trying to cram so much into our lives, we’re actually deteriorating the quality of those lives. Slowly eliminate commitments — pick 4-5 essential ones, and realize that the rest, while nice or important, just don’t fit right now. Politely inform people, over time, that you don’t have time to stick to those commitments.

Try these things out. Life is better when unrushed. And given the fleeting nature of this life, why waste even a moment by rushing through it?

Remember the quote above: if nature can get everything done without rushing, so can you.

– By Douglas Malloch

38 Lessons I’ve Learned in My 38 Years

These lessons come from Leo Babauto @ Zenhabits

1. Always swallow your pride to say you’re sorry. Being too proud to apologize is never worth it — your relationship suffers for no good benefit.

2. Possessions are worse than worthless — they’re harmful. They add no value to your life, and cost you everything. Not just the money required to buy them, but the time and money spent shopping for them, maintaining them, worrying about them, insuring them, fixing them, etc.

3. Slow down. Rushing is rarely worth it. Life is better enjoyed at a leisurely pace.

4. Goals aren’t as important as we think. Try working without them for a week. Turns out, you can do amazing things without goals. And you don’t have to manage them, cutting out on some of the bureaucracy of your life. You’re less stressed without goals, and you’re freer to choose paths you couldn’t have foreseen without them.

5. The moment is all there is. All our worries and plans about the future, all our replaying of things that happened in the past — it’s all in our heads, and it just distracts us from fully living right now. Let go of all that, and just focus on what you’re doing, right at this moment. In this way, any activity can be meditation.

6. When your child asks for your attention, always grant it. Give your child your full attention, and instead of being annoyed at the interruption, be grateful for the reminder to spend time with someone you love.

7. Don’t go into debt. That includes credit card debt, student debt, home debt, personal loans, auto loans. We think they’re necessary but they’re not, at all. They cause more headaches than they’re worth, they can ruin lives, and they cost us way more than we get. Spend less than you earn, go without until you have the money.

8. I’m not cool, and I’m cool with that. I wasted a lot of energy when I was younger worrying about being cool. It’s way more fun to forget about that, and just be yourself.

9. The only kind of marketing you need is an amazing product. If it’s good, people will spread the word for you. All other kind of marketing is disingenuous.

10. Never send an email or message that’s unfit for the eyes of the world. In this digital age, you never know what might slip into public view.

11. You can’t motivate people. The best you can hope for is to inspire them with your actions. People who think they can use behavioral “science” or management techniques have not spent enough time on the receiving end of either.

12. If you find yourself swimming with all the other fish, go the other way. They don’t know where they’re going either.

13. You will miss a ton, but that’s OK. We’re so caught up in trying to do everything, experience all the essential things, not miss out on anything important … that we forget the simple fact that we cannot experience everything. That physical reality dictates we’ll miss most things. We can’t read all the good books, watch all the good films, go to all the best cities in the world, try all the best restaurants, meet all the great people. But the secret is: life is better when we don’t try to do everything. Learn to enjoy the slice of life you experience, and life turns out to be wonderful.

14. Mistakes are the best way to learn. Don’t be afraid to make them. Try not to repeat the same ones too often.

15. Failures are the stepping stones to success. Without failure, we’ll never learn how to succeed. So try to fail, instead of trying to avoid failure through fear.

16. Rest is more important than you think. People work too hard, forget to rest, and then begin to hate their jobs. In fitness, you see it constantly: people training for a marathon getting burned out because they don’t know how to let their straining muscles and joints recover. People who try to do too much because they don’t know that rest is where their body gets stronger, after the stress.

17. There are few joys that equal a good book, a good walk, a good hug, or a good friend. All are free.

18. Fitness doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a long process, a learning process, something that happens in little bits over a long period. I’ve been getting fit for five years now, and I still have more to learn and do. But the progress I’ve made has been amazing, and it’s been a great journey.

19. The destination is just a tiny slice of the journey. We’re so worried about goals, about our future, that we miss all the great things along the way. If you’re fixated on the goal, on the end, you won’t enjoy it when you get there. You’ll be worried about the next goal, the next destination.

20. A good walk cures most problems. Want to lose weight and get fit? Walk. Want to enjoy life but spend less? Walk. Want to cure stress and clear your head? Walk. Want to meditate and live in the moment? Walk. Having trouble with a life or work problem? Walk, and your head gets clear.

21. Let go of expectations. When you have expectations of something — a person, an experience, a vacation, a job, a book — you put it in a predetermined box that has little to do with reality. You set up an idealized version of the thing (or person) and then try to fit the reality into this ideal, and are often disappointed. Instead, try to experience reality as it is, appreciate it for what it is, and be happy that it is.

22. Giving is so much better than getting. Give with no expectation of getting something in return, and it becomes a purer, more beautiful act. To often we give something and expect to get an equal measure in return — at least get some gratitude or recognition for our efforts. Try to let go of that need, and just give.

23. Competition is very rarely as useful as cooperation. Our society is geared toward competition — rip each other’s throats out, survival of the fittest, yada yada. But humans are meant to work together for the survival of the tribe, and cooperation pools our resources and allows everyone to contribute what they can. It requires a whole other set of people skills to work cooperatively, but it’s well worth the effort.

24. Gratitude is one of the best ways to find contentment. We are often discontent in our lives, desire more, because we don’t realize how much we have. Instead of focusing on what you don’t have, be grateful for the amazing gifts you’ve been given: of loved ones and simple pleasures, of health and sight and the gift of music and books, of nature and beauty and the ability to create, and everything in between. Be grateful every day.

25. Compassion for other living things is more important than pleasure. Many people scoff at vegetarianism because they love the taste of meat and cheese too much, but they are putting the pleasure of their taste buds ahead of the suffering of other living, feeling beings. You can be perfectly healthy on a vegetarian (even vegan) diet, so killing and torturing animals is absolutely unnecessary. Compassion is a much more fulfilling way to live than closing your eyes to suffering.

26. Taste buds change. I thought I could never give up meat, but by doing it slowly, I never missed it. I thought I could never give up junk food like sweets, fried crap, nachos, all kinds of unhealthy things … and yet today I would rather eat some fresh berries or raw nuts. Weird, but it’s amazing how much our taste buds can change.

27. Create. The world is full of distractions, but very few are as important as creating. In my job as a writer, there is nothing that comes close to being as crucial as creating. In my life, creating is one of the few things that has given me meaning. When it’s time to work, clear away all else and create.

28. Get some perspective. Usually when we’re worried or upset, it’s because we’ve lost perspective. In the larger picture, this one problem means almost nothing. This fight we’re having with someone else — it’s over something that matters naught. Let it go, and move on.

29. Don’t sit too much. It kills you. Move, dance, run, play.

30. Use the magic of compound interest. Invest early, and it will grow as if by alchemy. Live on little, don’t get into debt, save all you can, and invest it in mutual funds. Watch your money grow.

31. All we are taught in schools, and all we see in the media (news, films, books, magazines, Internet) has a worldview that we’re meant to conform to. Figure out what that worldview is, and question it. Ask if there are alternatives, and investigate. Hint: the corporations exert influence over all of our information sources. Another hint: read Chomsky.

32. Learn the art of empathy. Too often we judge people on too little information. We must try to understand what they do instead, put ourselves in their shoes, start with the assumption that what others do has a good reason if we understand what they’re going through. Life becomes much better if you learn this art.

33. Do less. Most people try to do too much. They fill life with checklists, and try to crank out tasks as if they were widget machines. Throw out the checklists and just figure out what’s important. Stop being a machine and focus on what you love. Do it lovingly.

34. No one knows what they’re doing as parents. We’re all faking it, and hoping we’re getting it right. Some people obsess about the details, and miss out on the fun. I just try not to mess them up too much, to show them they’re loved, to enjoy the moments I can with them, to show them life is fun, and stay out of the way of them becoming the amazing people they’re going to become. That they already are.

35. Love comes in many flavors. I love my children, completely and more than I can ever fully understand. I love them each in a different way, and know that each is perfect in his or her own way.

36. Life is exceedingly brief. You might feel like there’s a huge mass of time ahead of you, but it passes much faster than you think. Your kids grow up so fast you get whiplash. You get gray hairs before you’re done getting your bearings on life. Appreciate every damn moment.

37. Fear will try to stop you. Doubts will try to stop you. You’ll shy away from doing great things, from going on new adventures, from creating something new and putting it out in the world, because of self-doubt and fear. It will happen in the recesses of your mind, where you don’t even know it’s happening. Become aware of these doubts and fears. Shine some light on them. Beat them with a thousand tiny cuts. Do it anyway, because they are wrong.

38. I have a lot left to learn. If I’ve learned anything, it’s that I know almost nothing, and that I’m often wrong about what I think I know. Life has many lessons left to teach me, and I’m looking forward to them all.

When I was 18 years old I was a senior in high school with a raging drug and alcohol addiction. I was deeply depressed and lost, and had no understanding that I had anything of value to offer the world. I didn’t relate to others around me and had a deep painful void in my soul that I was desperate to fill.

A required art class changed all of that for me. The art teacher, Mrs. Burke, told me that I was talented and needed to keep going with this art thing. It was the first time I felt like I had something I could do, that I enjoyed doing, that was uniquely mine. It was life changing.

After I graduated high school, I checked myself into drug treatment and then enrolled into a 4 year art college. I studied photography and it became a way for me to really dive into my inner world and figure out how to say visually through images what was so painful for me say verbally. I received a BFA in photography. More importantly, I had figured out that life was worth living, sober, and that I could express myself fully through my art.

Today I have 23 years of sobriety. I have a photography business that focuses on eCourses and Retreats for women who wish to get back to a Soul*Full way of living.  I’ve been honored with being published on the cover of National Geographic Magazine. There have been awards and kudos from Photo District News and other national magazines. I’ve showed my personal work in galleries around the country. I believe these awards, etc. are all just the universe sending me external evidence that I’ve been following my passion. I’ve also had the privilege of working with Miguel Ruiz , author of the Four Agreements,  as my Spiritual Teacher. This work continues to enrich my life, teaching me ways to love more freely. On top of all of that I am also married to a great guy that you can learn about on his website, and we have a 2 year old son, Max Harrison who happens to have Down syndrome. Max is the brightest light I’ve ever met. Yes, Max has ablog!

Doing what I love means – feeling very passionate about my artistic pursuits, losing track of time while working on projects, being totally focused and engaged. People come in to my office or studio and I can barely hear them talking because I’m so “in it”. I love creating, whether it’s a piece of artwork, a photograph or a new eCourse or retreat. I just feel filled up inside even when at times it’s hard work. The key to doing what I love is remembering where I came from and what a gift my life is now. I allow myself the time to create my art and to spend time being present with my family. When I notice I’m overwhelmed or stressed it’s usually because I’ve forgotten to trust my intuition, make action plans, reach out to my tribe of supportive friends and team of professional experts and take it one step at a time.

I have several big dreams right now. One is to show my series of Nap photos in a gallery soon. These are photos I’ve been taking with my iPhone during my son’s nap time.  I’m also excited about my Soul*Full eCourse that’s starting this Fall and leading my women’s retreat to Zion, Utah next Fall.

[All images courtesy of Catherine Just. To find out more about Catherine and her e-course Soul*Full visit her website here.]