Do you want to add some fun and color to your life? Do you want to be inspired every day? Do you want to embrace your creativity? Then go out and read the Awe-manac written by Jill Badonsky.
I received this wonderful addition to any bookshelf on a blue day. Simply opening the book and looking at the pages filled my heart with joy and my mind with possibilities.
Jill, a creativity coach extraordinaire and audacious author has agreed to do an interview with me about her book, The Awemanac: A Daily Dose of Wonder.
You’re a Kaizen Muse Creativity Coach and if you could coach anyone living, dead or make believe who would it be and why?
I’d go back in time and coach my parents. No further comment at this time.
What was the worst moment you experienced during the creating of the book and what worked to keep you moving forward?
One of the worst moments (and there were only two) was being overwhelmed by all that needed to be done as my deadline approached. Since a year has 365 days no matter how far behind I am, I couldn’t just cut out a few days here and there to get the project done. I dealt with it by not paying attention to my sniveling emotions. I created a laser-powered attention to pay attention to just each step, each page, each illustration and by drinking a lot of coffee.
As a Creativity Coach I encourage people to celebrate their successes, even the small ones. How did you celebrate your successes during the creation of the Awe-manac?
The writing of The Awe-manac was a celebration in and of itself. I was living the phrase, “Creativity is its own reward.” While I was writing it, I didn’t even care if it got published or not because I felt like I was in a beautiful flow and that was the prize.
Some people are afraid of wasting time and this is the reason they don’t start or finish some projects. There are many fringe benefits to enjoying creativity. What were the benefits you felt during the creative process PRIOR to the book being published?
I guess I sort of answered that in the last question but to expound: Being able to use my skills in a deep way, the freedom my editor gave me in designing the book, seeing the book accumulate, laughing at the ideas that came through me, discovering all the inspiring quotes and people that there are out there… it was a delightful, soul-affirming journey to write this book
I’m feeling a bit irreverent and I’m getting in touch with my inner child - If the Divine Spirit came to you blocked during the creation of Earth and humans what would be some suggestions you would give to help them to motivate themselves to keep going?
Well first I’d ask them if anything had worked in the past when they felt this block and if there’s anything THEY think might work.
Then we’d talk a bit about what might be getting in their way. I’d have them ask the question, “What’s one small, fun way I can work on the creation of the Earth today?”
If they had no answers, I’d have them practice by purposely making an imperfect universe that just consisted of two dimensional scribbles and doodles (there might be one of these floating out there in a two dimensional galaxy so keep your eyes open).
Or maybe we would both work on our worlds at the same time so they felt a sense of supportive structure.
Just a quick note to let all my blog readers know that I am currently studying to become a Certified Kaizen Muse Coach. I believe it is important for a coach to be certified so clients can be assured of getting someone who is knowledgeable and has met certain standards.
Thank you for your patience. In the new year I will get back to blogging.
Wishing you all a new year filled with joy, creativity and success.
Later.
Blessing: For the new year I am choosing to focus on the positive. To assist me I am filling out a Gratitude Journal. Every day I take a moment to list, 3-5 items, about what is going right in my life. Often it contains small moments of success, or things I enjoyed that day, or anything that I took a moment to appreciate. At first I struggled to write even three items on the list. Now 3-5 items comes fairly easily.
Experimentation is a part of life. As children we explore and love doing so. Children enjoy trying new things. Exploration is fun for them! Exploration is how a child discovers what works.
Adults tend to do less experimentation. As adults we have learned that experimentation is bad. It is bad because you do not know the final outcome. It is bad because you may waste time. It is bad because you should get it right the first time. A bunch of whooey if you ask me.
Humans do not come with a manual. There is only one way to learn what works. And that is through experimentation.
Learning to Succeed
We need to get rid of the word failure. The only failure in life is not trying. As long as you try, as long as you take action, then you are learning to succeed. Every stumble, every oops, every hard fall to the ground teaches you something.
Thomas Edison also liked to play with ideas. He was enthusiastic about new discoveries and trying new things. He willingness to experiment is one of the reason he is was successful. He understood that there is no straight path to a solution.
Crazy ideas take you to interesting places because they break you free from the pattern. The human brain likes to find a pattern and follow it. That is how we navigate life, by collecting and using patterns. And these patterns are very useful - imagine trying to figure out to make a cup of coffee every single morning - I’d never make it out of the house.
However, the problem with patterns is they are limiting. I had this insight once when I was going to college. Just about every student eats Kraft Dinner. And, in my house we make Kraft Dinner one way. In my university dorm there were about 40 students and I discovered there are about 40 different ways to make Kraft Dinner. Wow.
It was at this moment that I realized that there is not one solution, or one right answer, but many. There is more than one way to reach a goal. And there is more than one way to be creative and express yourself.
Experiment, be willing to learn to succeed and you will discover new information, new techniques, new ideas. Experimentation can be scary, because you do not know what will happen at the end. You might have an idea of what might happen, or the next thing you know you lab went kablooey.
While you are cleaning up the lab, fixing it up and replenishing supplies you may stumble across an amazing discovery. A discovery that could only have happened because the creativity lab exploded. Rebuilding brings with it the possibility of rebirth.
How are you going to experiment with your creativity project today?
I recently read a book called The Power of Your Other Hand written by Lucia Capacchione. It was an interesting book. It suggests that we can find solutions and answers by journal writing with our non dominant hand. It believes the non dominant hand is a channel to your inner self and your inner wisdom.
The book provides for lots of exercises to try this technique. The first exercise is simply to write your name with your non dominant hand. I, like most people, am right handed, so I decided to try some of the exercises myself.
My Non Dominant Hand
Writing with my non dominant hand felt weird and awkard. The hand writing looked like it was written by a five year old on a bad day. This is to be expected. If you do not write with your non dominant hand it will take some time for this activity to feel comfortable. And, I believe with practice this action would become easier.
Another exercise is to create a dialogue between the dominant hand and your non dominant hand. So, you write questions with your dominant hand and respond with your non dominant hand. I tried this activity and here are my results below.
Note the italic writing is the question I wrote and asked with my dominant right hand. The answer written with my non dominant left hand is in regular type.
Okay, we’re going to try this writing with the right hand and writing left hand then. I’ll start by asking a question and I’ll let my left hand respond, the well of inner wisdom and see what we get. Ready, okay, let’s go. Is becoming an artist coach and creativity consultant and entrepreneur a good idea?
Let’s see if this is a good idea. It is. You have the skills and the talent. You are amazing. Did you know that? Amazing and strong.
I don’t know who you are, but I like you. You say nice things. Will I be a successful entrepreneur?
You are already a success. I believe in you. I really do. You can do this. Be an entrepreneur. Be successful.
Great. Tell me how. I’m all ears and my heart is open.
Be you. Be warm. Follow your heart. It will lead you to your destiny.
The journal writing with the non dominant hand was an interesting experiment. While I would not go so far as to say there was another voice, there was definitely a dialogue going on between my left and right hand.
Now, my responses were feel good type of answers. However, be aware in the examples provided in the book there was at times some serious and anger filled discussions going on between the two hands.
I will continue to experiment with writing with my non dominant hand and see where it takes me. I can see that I am likely to try this technique when I am grappling with an issue to see if maybe an answer can be found.
Later.
Blessing: the weather was wonderful and glorious this week.
Many people suffer from perfectionism. Many of you do not even know you suffer with this creativity issue since you do not consider yourself good enough to be a perfectionist. photo credit: nyki_m
Perfectionist have very high standards. They tend to engage in all or none thinking. Almost perfect would be considered a failure in the eyes of a perfectionist. They tend to be critical of themselves and others. They set unrealistic standards, and focus on the final result instead of enjoying the process. You can check to see if you are a perfectionist by taking one of these online tests: quiz 1 or quiz 2
One good thing that can come from being a perfectionist is that because of your high standards you often achieve better quality work. Unfortunately, you cannot appreciate this because you only see what’s not working.
A lot of perfectionism comes from fear - fear of failure, fear of not being good enough. Actually a lot of creative issues have to do with fear. Fear is a normal part of life, and a normal part of the creative process simply because there’s no guide, no rule book, no treasure map to follow when you are being kreative.
Every creative project is an adventure. And, all adventures are scary as you know they will be obstacles to overcome, monsters to deal with and setbacks to handle.
The Problem with Perfectionism
If you are a perfectionist you may not be able to enjoy life fully. You want to achieve perfect moments and when you do not you see only the flaws. Note, you are not alone, this is an issue that affects many people, myself included - seeing the flaws that is.
Our life and media focus on the negative. Just watch the evening news and see how you feel when the program ends. Not to mention every advertisement you see is telling you that you need this product to make your life complete because you are missing X in your life.
If you go looking for the negative, you will find only negative answers. For example, if you ask yourself why am I such a bad artist? You are only going to find reasons to not like yourself and lower your self esteem.
Being a perfectionist is also stressful. You are trying to live up to incredibly high standards that are often not realistic. So, you are like a hamster running in an exercise wheel, wasting energy but not getting anywhere helpful.
Each of you carry within an inner critic. This voice, this negative voice will speak up and tell you all the ways you are a loser, all they reasons you won’t succeed, and all the reasons why it’s better to play it safe than to take a risk. This is something we all struggle with, not just perfectionists. That inner critic is simply louder and harsher for perfectionists.
The first step is to accept no one is perfect. Not you, not me, not anyone. While someone on the outside may appear to be creating effortlessly the truth is everyone struggles with the creative process. While you may experience moments of perfectionism, most of the time life will be imperfect. Embrace these imperfections they are what make life interesting!
Give yourself permission to be imperfect. If it helps, I give you permission to be imperfect.
Be aware of your perfectionist tendencies. When you find yourself going to that negative space, STOP, take a calming breath and find a more positive way to look at the situation. A way that allows you to move forward in a good way. For example, why am I such a bad artist? Turn that around to - What am I doing right as an artist? Or, what are some small steps I can take to improve as an artist?
Let good enough be good enough. It is better to be done than perfect. Once it is done you can usually go back and improve it.
Take time to enjoy the creative process. Kreativity is a gift. When you are pursuing an activity that you enjoy, where you can grow and express yourself, you can find meaning in your life.
One tool to help you focus on the positive is to take a moment and do a Yay List. Write down 2-4 (more will get you bonus points but 2-4 is enough) things that you can give yourself credit for right now. What are you doing right? What can you appreciate in your life right now? What small successes did you achieve this week? For example, on my gratitude list I caught the bus on time for work on Monday, I finished a book I was reading and I wrote a blog post :) Do this every day to help you to see the good that is taking place in your life.
If you are a perfectionist be aware it will take time to change. The reason perfectionism is a part of your life is because somewhere in your brain is the perfectionist pattern. And, the brain will want to return to this pattern because it is familiar.
Be aware of your perfectionism tendencies and take small steps to change your thinking. Give yourself credit for what you have achieved and are achieving every day - in life, at work, at home and with your creativity!
Later.
Blessing: MP3 players, they are small, portable and I can listen to music anywhere.
There is panic in the streets. People are worried about the finances and their jobs. Everywhere you turn the media is telling you how dire things are. photo credit: nate steiner
Now, I want you to step back a moment and take a deep breathe. Good. Now take another one. Think about the machine that is behind all the broadcasts of the terrible things that are happening on the markets or in the world for that matter.
Humans Want to Survive
You ever notice how the media usually focuses on the bad, the negative, the what’s going wrong? There’s a reason for that. We, humans, respond to what is going wrong. We are naturally attuned to paying attention when the news is bad.
Why? Because we are first and foremost designed for survival. To survive we need to be aware and alert to danger. And, if danger is being broadcast in the media our survival instincts tell us we need to pay attention and take action.
For many of us though the type of action we need to take right now is wait and see. We cannot control the market or change it. What we can do and often do is worry, and many people are worrying.
I am a worrier. I worry when things are not clear, or when things are not going my way. Heck, I even worry when I have two wonderful choices to choose from. I worry myself into a frenzy for nothing. Worrying is not making my life better, it is not helping me move forward, and what I really need to do is learn to let go of worry as much as possible.
People worry. If you worry you are normal. It’s okay to worry. What I want to do and am going to do is to provide you with some tips to help you move in a more positive direction when you find those normal worry tendencies popping up.
Tips to Let Go
Be aware of when you are worrying. Awareness is the first step. Once you know you are worrying you can take steps to deal with this emotion.
Write a Release List. We all carry with us negative energy. The Release List is one way to let go of some of this draining energy. First decide what emotion you want to release. For example, worry, anger, resentment, nervousness. Then start with the same sentence stater but finish it differently. Repeat the sentence starter and finish it differently until you have written down all those tizzying thoughts in your head.
The sentence starter will be: I X …, with X being the emotion you want to release. For example: I resent …, I’m angry …, I’m nervous …, I worry …. You are going to quickly write down and finish this sentence starter several times, filling it in differently each time.
You might find you repeat some options a few times. That’s okay. The point here is to just write down all the things you are feeling that are taking joy away from your life.
The last step is to release the negative emotions to make space for something more positive. You want to let go of what is not working and make space for something that will be more positive. So, the last sentence of your Release List will be: I release my X to make space for something more positive. Where X is the emotion you want to release. For instance, I release my worry to make space for something more positive. Sometimes to spice up this last line of the release list I choose the something better I want. For example, I release my nervousness to make space for confidence.
Example of a Release List
I worry about things I cannot control. I worry about people who can only change themselves. I worry about my job. I worry about the world being destroyed. I worry about how our consumer driven society is destroying the planet. I release my worry to make space for something more positive.
Okay, I feel better now. Note, this activity is not going to stop you from worrying. What is can do is take off a couple layers and lessen your worry and bring awareness. There’s a lot in life you cannot control, and that’s okay. But, you can find ways to make your life better and add meaning to your life.
Lose Yourself in Your Creativity
The way I do that is through kreativity. When I am being creative I am connected to a different part of myself and the world. Being creative is a place where I can be free, play and have fun.
I can express myself when I am being creative. I can share a part of myself with others. I can take the things I am feeling and put them somewhere. For me, that somewhere has been writing.
For others it might be painting, collage, acting, weaving, computer programming, filmmaking, taking photographs, making pictures from jelly beans, or whatever activity you find fulfilling and satisfying (Although, let’s be honest being creative can also be frustrating and scary, and that is also a very normal part of the creative process). As you can see my definition of art and creativity is pretty broad and loose.
You can be creative and experience the joy that comes from this fabulous gift of humanity. In creativity you can discover your magnificence and experience it. In creativity you can find yourself and lose yourself at the same time and forget about what is happening in the world for a little while.
One of the reasons I write this blog is to encourage you to be creative. The best adventures in my life have happened or been associated with my creativity. I stretch and grow not just as a creative individual but as a person.
Find ways to express yourself and bring creativity into your life. It is a worthwhile endeavor. You will find joy. Not to mention all the fringe benefits that come from being creative (we’ll talk about that some other time
Later.
Blessing: Challenges bring with it two gifts. The gift of reflection and the gift of opportunity.
One definition of poverty is: the quality or state of being poor or indigent, want or scarcity of means of subsistence, indigence, or need. With the economy going through a rough patch a lot of people are thinking about financial poverty. However, there are different types of poverty and they are often not discussed.
Poverty of dreams, poverty of confidence, or poverty of creativity. Studies have shown that money does not make a person happy after they have enough to cover the basics necessities of life. Yet, when we talk about poverty it is financial poverty that is focused on.
There are so many others ways to be poor. A lack of love, support and encouragement are as vital to health as money. Money can buy you a nice place to live, good food and health insurance. But, there is a lot that money cannot buy. Friends, dreams and achievements, these must be earned with what makes you uniquely you. These are earned with your own magnificent.
Double Fs, Fame + Fortune
Many people in this world aspire to win the lottery or to be famous for being famous. When I hear that I feel sad and afraid. What happened to taking the time to play with a craft and become good at it?
Don’t get me wrong, I want to be famous. I want to be a famous Screenwriter or Artist Coach and Creativity Consultant. I want to be famous for the talents I have, for sharing them with the world and making the world a better place. (Sometimes I think the price of fame is not worth the positives, loss of privacy being the big one for me.)
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to win the lottery either. Certainly I dream about winning the lottery. I dream about the winning to the lottery because it gives me time and money to pursue my dreams full time. And, I know that winning the lottery won’t bring me eternal happiness, solve my problems or fix my life.
I worry that many people who win the lottery or be famous think that it will solve all the problems in life and they will be happy from that moment forward. Drug addiction and death of many rich and famous people should be warning enough that the double Fs, fame and fortune, are not the answer to life long happiness.
Poverty of the Soul
So, what is? What is the answer to life? If you are experiencing poverty of the soul where can you turn? My answer is simple – be creative. People who are creative tend to be happier and more confident. When you are being creative you can both lose yourself and find yourself, and this experience of flow is where true enjoyment can be found.
Creative people tend to have dreams. They dream about completing a project, they dream about people enjoying the final result. Creativity often brings meaning and fulfillment into a person’s life. Creativity is also a way to make sense of your life.
For example, I wrote a script titled, RIVALRY that is about a family torn apart by the tragic death of their parents and how they heal. What’s interesting though is I realize now that the script is my way of dealing with my parent’s divorce.
This event happened many years ago in my childhood. However, it is such a defining moment in my life and so completely shattered my world that I will carry the scars from that event for the rest of my life.
As you can imagine I have a lot of feelings about this event that are beyond words. I’ve taken all these feelings and placed them into the script. The Rivalry script has nothing to do with divorce, but the emotions of loss and coming to terms come from my life, from my pain and from what I learned from that experience.
Abundance
Creativity has brought abundance into my life. It has brought me joy, confidence, friends, adventures and many other wonderful things. Creativity is about stretching myself, about growth and most of all about gaining some understanding about life and my place in it.
Take a moment to experience the abundance in your life right now, even if it is only something small. Be grateful and appreciate your accomplishments. Write them down and celebrate the people who make your world better.
As an Artist Coach and Creativity Consultant I know that practicing a skill is helpful. Playing with a skill in a setting where you can stretch and try new things without being concerned about the outcome and result is important. It is this regular playful practice that improves your skills long term. photo credit: Mikey G Ottawa
I visit and read blogs and I notice a lot of them have great advice, but no suggestions on how to practice these new skills they think will improve your life.
I want you to be creative. And, I know the best way to improve your creativity is with some playful practice. So, once a month I am going to have a Kreative Play activity where you can be creative, have fun, and stretch.
Reminders are Important
Most new age gurus preach be happy, or at least act happy until the real emotion shows up. This is good advice up to a point. Our mind will often follow when our body leads the way. So, if you are unhappy and you smile, your brain will get the idea and move to a more positive space.
However, there are times when we are going to feel sadness, pain, disappointment, anger or whatever other emotion brings down our hope and our spirit. That’s going to happen sometimes. Emotions, all of them, are a normal part of life. It is normal to go through periods where we feel low and then swing up and feel better. Experiencing a range of emotions is normal. I would not appreciate my successes if I had never tasted loss and disappointment.
And, while it is easy to tell someone to be happy, it can take some effort get out of a blue funk. One strategy is to create a Rejoice Journal - a scrapbook that will help you realign your soul with your potential for success and the goodness of the universe.
How to Create a Rejoice Journal
A Rejoice Journal is a way to remind yourself of what works, what has worked and what might work. It will contain stories of your success, moments of celebration. Stories are important. They let you know you experienced the struggle to reach your potential and YOU succeeded.
Buy a nice scrapbook or journal. Something that fills your body with joy. (Although do not let a lack of money stop you. You can create a Rejoice Journal from anything - cardboard, old newspapers, a notebook, online, a blog, etc. Anything goes as long as you can find a way to keep track of your successes and what inspires you.)
Step 2
Think back over your life and remember your successes, your moments of celebration. Large and small. It will be easier to remember your large successes. It is important to remember and write down your small successes as well. If you are having difficulty with this ask friends and family for help. You achieve the big goal only by accomplishing a lot of tiny goals first. So, celebrate the small goals as well.
Step 3
Place these stories of achievement in your Rejoice Journal. Be creative! Have fun! Use color, glitter, stickers or anything else that tickles your fancy. You might want to visit a scrapbook store to see what supplies they have to offer.
Step 4
Find quotes and affirmations that resonate with you. Quotes that inspire you, affirmations that remind you of your potential. Anything that makes you feel good in a supportive way is allowed. A word, a picture, a song, a smell, a texture. If it inspires you, fills you with enthusiasm, put it in your Rejoice Journal.
Step 5
Keep adding to your Rejoice Journal. It is a playbook in progress. Over time you will add new stories of accomplishment, new quotes and new affirmations.
Step 6
Whenever you feel bad or down or blue flip through the pages of your Rejoice Journal. Let it remind you that you are a person with achievements, with potential. Let it help lift you up to a better frame of mind.
Later
Blessing: I have achieved a level of success with my screenwriting. I have placed in contests. People tell me I can write. I continue to grow and improve as a writer, thank goodness.
This blog will talk about creativity. About the frustration and joy of being an artist. I’ll give you some ideas for dealing with and overcoming creative blocks, such as procrastination, overwhelm or perfectionism, and I’ll share stories about my own artistic adventure.
I am an Artist Coach and Creativity Consultant. My personal mission is to warmly support people to discover and regularly experience the wonder and joy of kreativity.
When I first took my creativity coaching course I found the information fascinating. Knowledge is power according to sociologist, Michel Foucault. Knowledge that I want to share with you. Knowledge that will help you to experience creative growth.
Over the years I have discovered much information on the web. This blog is my way of giving back. My way of sharing my passion with the world and hoping people find it useful.
My greatest joy and best journey has come from being an artist - a Wordsmithteer, someone who tells stories and plays with words to create a sense of adventure and excitement. I want every one to discover the joy of creativity.
This blog will be a creative project in progress. Like all creative activities it will have twist and turns. I do not know where it is heading. I only know that I take this step in faith.
Right now the plan is to write two articles a month. But, I will also post two activities you can play with. One creative and one not. Kreativity is a skill. A skill that improves with play. These activity adventures will help you explore your creativity, the world and even yourself. To be a good artist it is a good idea to be an explorer.
I’ve also set up a discussion forum at: http://kreativity.proboards83.com/. I’ve set up this space separate from this website because I hope that one day it will have a life all it’s own. A place where all artists are welcomed. A place where artists will support each other to explore their kreativity.
Why is kreativity spelt with a K?
You may notice that occasionally I spell creativity, create or creative with a K. This is not a spelling mistake. I do this for a few reasons.
To remind you to take small risks.
To remind you to notice the world around you and be inspired by it.
To remind you to ask small questions.
My last name starts with a K so spelling kreativity with a K is fun.
To remind you to play with your kreativity.
Later.
Blessings
I will end each post with a blessing. This will be something I am grateful or appreciative about in my my life right now. Or, it will be an affirmation, anchor, or quote.
It is easy to complain and focus on the negative in life. A blessing helps me focus on the good. Or, to focus on a goal I am taking small steps to achieve. It is most of all a reminder about what is good in life and to take a moment to enjoy it.
Blessing: Thank goodness for WordPress, a wonderful free blog software program
Do you want to add some fun and color to your life? Do you want to be inspired every day? Do you want to embrace your creativity? Then go out and read the Awe-manac written by Jill Badonsky.
Some people are afraid of wasting time and this is the reason they don’t start or finish some projects. There are many fringe benefits to enjoying creativity. What were the benefits you felt during the creative process PRIOR to the book being published?
