Use Spontenaity

The most successful people are those who are good at plan B. - James Yorke

Unmotivated to Change?

The colossal misunderstanding of our time is the assumption that insight will work with people who are unmotivated to change. - Edwin Friedman

Money is Like Manure!

Money is like manure; it's not worth a thing unless it's spread around encouraging young things to grow. - Thorton Wilder

Knowledge vs Wisdom

These days people seek knowledge, not wisdom. Knowledge is of the past, wisdom is of the future. - Vernon Cooper

Laughter and Courage

Laughter rises out of tragedy, when you need it the most, and rewards you for your courage. - Erma Bombeck

Dare!

Yesterday I dared to struggle. Today I dare to win. - Bernadette Devlin

Confucius Say...

To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right. - Confucius

Helen Keller on Character

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." - Helen Keller

Lost Your Creativity?

The key question isn't "What fosters creativity?" But it is why in God's name isn't everyone creative? Where was the human potential lost? How was it crippled? I think therefore a good question might be not why do people create? But why do people not create or innovate? We have got to abandon that sense of amazement in the face of creativity, as if it were a miracle if anybody created anything. - Abraham Maslow

Creativity In Crisis? How To Stop, Breathe And Begin Again And Get Your Creativity Back On Track

Creativity In Crisis? How To Stop, Breathe And Begin Again And Get Your Creativity Back On Track
By Dan Goodwin

Emily was going through a difficult period with her creativity.

Although she’d recently had some of her writing published in a national magazine and some other work picked up by a renowned writers' publication online, she was struggling.

Emily was pleased with the writing she’d produced that had been published. But she wanted to develop and grow.

She didn’t want to write the same story over and over again, however popular that story was, and how well it was received.

But she was stuck in a cycle. Every day she’d go to her desk to write, try to come up with a good starting point to write from, then go about expanding it into something interesting. Then, sometimes only minutes later, she’d scrap the new writing in frustration, convinced it was nowhere near as good as her published work.

Some 30 plus days later, Emily was getting slowly more and more anxious, dejected, uninspired and creatively stuck. She’d reached a point of creative crisis.

How often have you felt like Emily?

How often do you feel so tight and anxious about creating that you can barely focus on the act of creating itself?

It happens to all of us, and though we know we’re in the midst of a creativity crisis, we’re so desperate to just get through and create, we don’t stop to take some of the simple steps that would free our creativity up again.

So here are 3 simple steps to Stop, Breathe and Begin Again when your in the midst of a creativity crisis.

Step 1. Stop. Whatever it is you’re creating, just stop. Put it on pause. ADMIT to yourself that you’ve reached a difficult point in this creative project, and more importantly ALLOW yourself to take time out, rather than slogging away blindly and ineffectually.

This may just be the hardest step, especially when you’re deep in the middle of a project and all you want is to get through it as quickly as possible. But before you can take the next step to get your creativity on track again, you need to just stop.

Step 2. Breathe. Literally, take a few deep breaths and calm yourself. You’ve taken control of your creativity, realised that what you were doing wasn’t working. This is a positive and brave step. Allow yourself to breathe and find your natural rhythm again.

Take some time out to absorb complete different surroundings. Go out for a walk somewhere beautiful. Spend some time with young children while they’re playing. Visit somewhere you’ve always wanted to but never got round to, like a gallery or a show or a monument.

Step 3. Begin Again. You’ll now be in a far calmer, more objective position. You have essentially two choices in beginning to create again. Either pick a new project, something quite small and fun that you can really enjoy without getting caught up and attached to the outcome.

Or, the second option is to return afresh to your current creative project. By stopping, then breathing, you’ll now see the project in a different light. Parts that seemed impossible or impenetrable will have become more clear. Trust yourself and your creativity, that you know the way forward. Because you do. Then begin creating again, in the way you feel is best.

The next time your anxiety is rising and you feel your creativity is in crisis, use these simple 3 steps.

Stop, Breathe, Begin Again, and you’ll return to creating with renewed purpose and energy.

Would you like help in getting your creativity kick-started today? Then download your free copy of the powerful and practical Explode Your Creativity! Action Workbook at www.CoachCreative.com.

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin.

Never Stop Questioning

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality." - Albert Einstein

Why Are You Waiting?

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting? - Stephen Levine

Start Today!

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. ~Anne Frank

Study Nature...

Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better. - Albert Einstein

Thomas Jefferson Quote

"On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson

Good Instincts

Good instincts usually tell you what to do long before your head has figured it out. - Michael Burke