29 Ways to Stay Creative

Wanted to share this list because I found it very helpful & also I love how there is a typo & the artist decided to just let it be. Can you spot it?

Source

Do you have any advice to add? I would say read other's blogs for inspiration & try a new blog that isn't normally in your area of interest. Go for a leisurely walk. Take a bath. Hope you're having a wonderful week. See you on Friday for another special guest on my Five Favs Friday post.

Playing around

Just playing around in my studio this afternoon. I had an awesome first coaching session earlier today. I'm super crazy excited to move forward and have quite an ambitious to-do list to tackle. With specific due dates. And small, manageable steps. Gotta love that. Thanks so much Woz!

And it was my first time using Skype. I know...I'm pretty behind in the technological times. I did have a technical problem towards the end of the call, where her picture kept freezing, but it was really a great experience besides that one glitch. It made the session way more personable and intimate.

I've been experimenting with some of my product ideas for the shop. Trying various mediums, sizes and colors. Getting a feeling for what works and doesn't. Working from concepts in my head to making them a reality is a difficult process. I'm trying not to get stuck on perfectionism or let my inner critic speak to loudly. Finding myself drawn to the colors gray and blue.

Prepping background pages in my journal

Playing around with acrylics

Soon, we're off to run some errands. Hope you're having a wonderful day.

To share or not to share

(source: TED)

Derek Sivers says it's better to keep goals secret. He shows evidence that people who talk about their ambitions are less likely to achieve them. This video is only a little over 3 minutes. Watch here & let me know what you think. 

In my personal opinion & experience, I think there is truth to what he says. When I posted my intention to open an Etsy shop, it felt so good. I was taking the first step in going for my goal and announcing it aloud was going to make it a reality. It was my way of being held accountable. Surely, I couldn't say it to my readers and then not move forward. That was a little over 2 months ago. My progress? Zip, zero, zilch. Just announcing it seemed to make it enough of a reality that I never went beyond that.  Sure, I've read a ton of books on the subject & I know what my next steps are. Which seemed to be enough. Because I felt proud & as Stivers' says, like I had nearly achieved my goal.

Then I shared that I hired a coach. And after that. Nothing. I felt like that was enough as well. That because we set a date to start for next weekend, that I could just wait. Sivers' solution isn't necessarily to stop sharing your goals. You'll have to watch the video to see his suggestion. And I wouldn't stop anyway. That would defeat the purpose of this blog & my intent to share all of it - the good, the bad & the ugly. My truth. My reality.

Currently, I'm in a hotel room in Cinci. I'm enjoying room service and getting over my cold.

The Creativity Summit I wrote about on Monday was better than I imagined/expected. I'm so excited to have a place like this close to home. And Michael Chabon was INCREDIBLE. So smart, funny and entertaining. Plus, its always energizing and exciting to be surrounded by like-minded people who feel a passion for creativity too.

Have a fabulous rest of your weekend & as always, thanks for reading. I love your comments and for those of you who don't comment (you know who you are because we've had conversations about it), I would like to thank you for your support as well. Just knowing that you care enough to read and make references to my blog in person means the world to me.