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Be More Creative - How To Shake Off The Shoulds That Choke Your Creativity

Be More Creative - How To Shake Off The Shoulds That Choke Your Creativity
By Dan Goodwin

Often we look at how to be more creative by analysing other people, comparing ourselves, and wondering why we aren't as creative as they are. Up to a point this can be useful. There may be certain techniques, systems and routines that other people find help them be to more creative, that we can learn and adapt to help us in our own creative lives.

But there's always the danger of comparing too closely, trying to exactly emulate someone else's "success", even though they're a very different person to you.

On top of this, most of the time, you probably don't actually know the person as well as you think you do, so the things you're trying to emulate aren't an accurate reflection of their everyday reality anyway.

So you end up trying to be just like what you think someone else is like in order to be as creative as they are. Which inevitably ends in frustration and disappointment, firstly because you're different and don't have exactly the same ambitions, abilities and resources, and secondly because the person you're trying to be like isn't like you think they are anyway.

So how can you avoid this state of creative frustration that ends up leaving you even less creative than when you started?

The problem is you're overloaded with "shoulds", and this simply chokes the life out of your creativity.

I SHOULD be more creative, I SHOULD be able to create work as good as her, I SHOULD be able to create on demand, I SHOULD be able to create perfect work every time...

All you do with this approach is set up a whole load of unrealistic expectations that you'll never fulfil.

The end result can only be disappointment and a sense of failure.

And a further problem with this approach is that you don't give yourself credit and reward for all you DO create.

If you're always expecting to achieve 100% in every creative project, then even if you reach 80 or 90% and create some wonderful work, because your eyes and expectations are fixed on "I should achieve 100%", you don't see all that you do achieve.

In short, it's time to shake off the "shoulds" and give yourself a fair chance to realise how much you create - compared only to yourself - and stop building layers of unrealistic expectations based on misinformed impressions of other people.

It's time to let go of all the things you think you "should" do and "should" be, and just create.

A great place to start is to look at your creative strengths and what works FOR YOU.

Think about times in the past when you've been highly creative. What have been the key elements in place that have enabled you to create freely? Think about external elements, such as the schedule you used, the workspace you had set up, and the materials and forms you were working with.

Just as importantly, consider the internal elements. What was your state of mind in these periods of creativity, what were you telling yourself, what did you believe about your creativity and your abilities?

Then next step is to start putting these elements back in place in your creative life today.

Shaking off the shoulds can be a highly liberating act, and finally free you to create in YOUR unique way, like only you can. Isn't it time you took the first step today?

I invite you to take the next positive step to increase your creativity today by downloading your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

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How To Be More Creative - Simple Principles For A Life Of Creativity

How To Be More Creative - Simple Principles For A Life Of Creativity
By Dan Goodwin

As artists, we often shun some of the rituals of everyday life because we see them as restraints and limitations on our freedom to create.

Look a little more closely though and you'll find that each of us already have our own habits and routines that help us be more creative, and increase our overall happiness.

Avoiding routines on the basis that your creativity must be free and cannot possibly be chained in or directed sounds gallant and romantic. But ultimately the only one who suffers is you. While you're struggling to create and shunning what you see as conformity, there are many who are happily creating everyday, following the simple principles that work for them, and leading a prolific, rewarding artistic life.

So how do you find these "Simple Principles", the guidelines by which you can live and create and that will allow YOU to be as creative as you have the potential to be?

It's simpler than you think.

You already KNOW many of the principles that work for you. But because you live with yourself day in, day out, and because you've been focusing on NOT developing routines and habits through fear they will limit your creativity, you haven't seen them working.

You weren't born yesterday. And you didn't just discover this morning that you could create stuff and it made you feel good. You have your whole life's worth of experience up to now to draw upon to find these Simple Principles that will help you lead a life of creativity from today and into the months and years ahead.

Start by looking at the present. What's working well for you right now in your creative life?

What do you do each day that helps you be creative? What are the little habits that make a big difference? Spend a little time writing out as many as you can think of.

Maybe you write a few pages in your journal each morning? Maybe you read a little each day of a book that inspires your creativity? Maybe you walk each weekend around the local park to take in the nature around you? Maybe you use an ideas book to capture ideas to develop later?

Think of all the habits and little principles you follow that enhance your creative life. All those things that if you stopped doing them would mean you'd create less.

And they won't necessarily all be directly about creativity, but they all support and enrich your ability to create.

Now think about some of the times in the past when you've been particularly creative. What were the key habits and elements you were following then that you've since forgotten or that have drifted? Again write a list.

So now you have your list of simple principles. Read through them, combine any that are essentially the same, take out any that aren't as important as you thought, add any that you may have thought have since. Keep them as simple as you can, don't drown yourself in overly complex or detailed guidelines.

Write or type out your finished list and call it "My Simple Principles for A Life of Creativity" or something similar that sounds right for you.

Just the act of writing these kind of principles down will automatically have brought them to the forefront of your mind and made you more aware of what works well for YOU. We're each unique, and have our own list that works best for us.

Stick your Simple Principles up in a prominent place on your wall so you'll regularly be reminded and nudged in the right direction of being as creative as you can be.

If you find after a few weeks or months that you come up with extra principles that you overlooked, add them to the list, it's a living, evolving document. Follow your Simple Principles, and you'll live the creative life that's right just for you.

I invite you to take the next positive step to increase your creativity today by downloading your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

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Be More Creative - Are You Making Space In Your Life For Creativity To Fill?

Be More Creative - Are You Making Space In Your Life For Creativity To Fill?
By Dan Goodwin

Often when we complain we're not more creative, the problem isn't actually at the source of our creativity. There's plenty of creative potential waiting to be called into action in all of us, and no shortage of ideas queuing up to be explored and developed. The problem is instead that your creativity has no outlet, nowhere to go, no space to fill.

Picture a young boy on a beach, digging big holes in the sand. The tide is slowly coming in and getting closer to where he's digging and he knows this and continues to carve out his holes. Pretty soon, he's stood in one up to his waist. The waves rush up the beach and seconds later our little friend with his bucket and spade is up to his waist in water.

The sea washes over and fills any dips and crevasses on the beach as it flows. If there's nothing but perfectly flat sand, the sea just washes right over the surface.

It's the same with your creativity. Your creativity will always be there, ebbing and flowing like a mighty ocean. And if you make space for it to fill - if you dig your own holes on your beach, it will gush in and fill them. If you don't, it simply washes over the surface, barely making any impact.

So what can you do to make sure you have made space for creativity in YOUR life?

There are 3 main areas:

1. Making space for creativity in your mind. If you don't have a welcoming and open attitude to creativity and being creative in your mind, you'll always struggle to create consistently. Think for a moment about your beliefs around your creativity. Do you truly believe that you're creative? Do you believe that new ideas will always flow to you? Do you believe that creativity is important in enough to you to make space for in your life?

If the answer to any of these is less than a resounding "YES", then it would pay off to spend some time working on some more positive beliefs, beliefs that allow you to welcome the idea that you're highly creative into your mind and allow you to be as creative as you can be.

2. Making space for creativity in your schedule. If you have the approach that many of us do, you tend not to make creative time much of a priority. "I create when I have time, I'm got so much other stuff going on in my life right now" is the general way of thinking. But, as I'm sure you know, saying you'll create "when you have time" is pretty much the same as saying "I rarely create".

The only way to create consistently is to create everyday. To actually make creativity enough of a priority to commit to 15 minutes minimum at the same time each and every day to creating. 15 minutes is only 1% of your total time each day. I'm sure you'll agree that anyone who wants to be more creative will find at least that amount of time to commit to it.

3. Making space for creativity in your physical surroundings. Do you have a desk or some kind of workspace where you go to create? Is there somewhere you get straight into creating whenever you wish? If each time you go to create you're overwhelmed by stacks of paperwork and other general clutter, and you have to clear a lot of stuff away before you have space to create, it's an instant creativity killer.

What can you do to make a space that's easy to create in, where everything you might need - materials, tools, equipment - is ready and close to hand? If you need to spend some time preparing a space to create in, rather than creating, then do this first. It will pay off no end in the long term, and allow you to create so much more easily, freely and deeply.

These are the 3 key areas to making space for creativity in your life.

Which if these do you feel you'd most benefit from focusing on? What steps can you take in the next 24 hours to move you forward in this area? Write down what you're going to do and when you're going to do it. Then do it!

I invite you to take the next positive step to increase your creativity today by downloading your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

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Creativity - The Rewards of Living Outside the Box

Creativity - The Rewards of Living Outside the Box
By Richard van Beek

Are you one of those people who claims that you are "just not that creative?" Or perhaps you have moments of inspiration, but they are not as often as you wish. Creative people are the ones who seem to have the most fun, since they are able to take a fresh approach that makes things more interesting for themselves and the people they influence. Creativity helps us solve problems and adds zest to our lives. To cultivate your creativity, you need to nurture and develop your interests and try new things to round out your experiences.

Sitting down at your desk, staring at the wall, trying to come up with a unique idea, you are instead likely to find yourself uninspired. Creative people are ones who approach things differently because they make opportunities to develop their spirit of creativity in varied ways. Creativity flows from passion. If you are enamored of the outdoors, spend time outside and doing an activity you thoroughly enjoy whether it be sketching, gardening, fishing, golfing or something else. Whatever you are inclined to do for expression and recreation will foster your overall creativity.

You can also begin to explore experiences that are novel to you to get outside of your routine. Engage your mind in a variety of activities and reflect on them. Writing, journaling, music, travel, dance...anything that offers quality input or opportunities for expression will result in fresh ideas and revelations. While you are doing what you enjoy you may find the inspiration for something else. Or perhaps more ideas will come to you later once you are refreshed and invigorated. The deeper and more varied your experiences are, the more likely you are to be able to take a creative approach to problem solving or generating ideas.

So you don't have to keep racking your brain to come up with something brilliant or unconventional. Simply start doing the activities you enjoy most. Or decide to try learning something new that interests you. Take your individual uniqueness into account to release your greatest creative potential. Creativity is part of the joy of living; to tap into yours by allowing yourself the time and the freedom to do what captures your interest and sparks your imagination. We live in a busy and distracted world where it is difficult to find a quiet moment to think, much less develop ourselves into a modern day Michelangelo. Yet by pursuing pastimes that energize you, your potential for artistry and creativity can experience a renaissance that will impact all areas of your life, personal and professional.

Richard van Beek invites you to visit his Big Ticket To Wealth website for one of the most exciting opportunities you will ever find. People from all walks of life are making money online without internet experience. Please click here now to learn more.

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Increase Creativity - Create The Vessel And Your Creativity Will Gush Forth And Fill It

Increase Creativity - Create The Vessel And Your Creativity Will Gush Forth And Fill It
By Dan Goodwin

I'm sure you've been sat at a blank page, screen or canvas, gripped by the panic of not knowing what to create. There are SO many possibilities, so many idea, so many options, wherever do you start?!

The longer the page stays blank, the greater this pressure becomes, until you're convinced your creativity has up and left you for good, taking the kids, the stereo, the TV and your best china with it.

One of the best ways to avoid this creativity killing scenario is to simply create a frame and let your creativity fill it. What this means is as soon as you provide some kind of framework, or vessel, your creativity instantly gets to work. It can't NOT create, it's what it does.

For example, say you want to write a short story but you don't know where to start, there are too many competing ideas. As soon as you get some framework down, your creativity will be given the go ahead and start to flow.

You could sketch out the plot in 5 parts. You could write a few sentences about the relationship of your two lead characters. You could describe the house where the main events will take place. You could draw a timeline and mark the major plot twists. It's almost irrelevant where you start. What's crucial is that you start.

Your creativity is always there in the background waiting to create. It will always fill the vessel you present it, once it's given permission.

Imagine your creativity as a raging river flowing by your back door. Anytime you need water, simply take a bucket out back, lower it into the river and it will fill in an instant. If you don't take the bucket to the river and dip it in, it won't ever get full!

It's the same with your creativity. Provide it with a "bucket" - a framework or a vessel to fill - and it will flow in and fill it to the brim every time.

So how can you apply this practically? How can you bring the bucket to the river?

Like we looked at before, instead of being daunted by a blank page, just get something down - a phrase, a character, a scenario and plot line. The moment you commit pen to paper, is the moment you're creativity takes a sigh of relief, cries "ah you DO still need me!" and gets to work...

And to take the next positive step to increase your creativity today, download your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

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Creative Ideas - 3 Steps To Producing An Endless Flow Of Creative Ideas

Creative Ideas - 3 Steps To Producing An Endless Flow Of Creative Ideas
By Dan Goodwin

Creative ideas are the lifeblood of creative artists, the raw material we shape into wonderful new creations. This is true whatever your preferred forms of creating. If you have no ideas, you have no place to start creating from, your creativity is starved before it's even given a chance to get going.

So how can you have more creative ideas?

There are 3 key elements, and they don't begin with the point of having the idea, but way before. Here are the 3 crucial stages:

1. Be open to new ideas. If you have the mindset and belief that you never have any good ideas and never will have, then guess what? Yep, you never will have! Having ideas begins with being open to the world all around you, and letting ideas in. We each experience the world through our senses, so this is the starting point for being open to new ideas. Appreciate each of your senses as fully as you can, let each sight, sound, scent, taste and texture thrill you like it's the first time you've discovered your senses. The more open you are to fully experiencing your senses, the more they'll stimulate thoughts, memories and ideas to develop in your creative projects.

2. Capture your ideas. This is the biggest mistake - and the biggest misconception - we make as creative people. When you say: "I never have any ideas", what you're really saying is: "I never capture any of my ideas, so it seems like I never have any". Get yourself a notebook, sketchbook, pocket camera or voice recorder - whichever is most useful for your creative medium - and keep it with you wherever you go. As soon as an idea comes to you (through your newly heightened and enriched senses), record it. As you get into this habit of capturing your ideas, you'll find the more you have, the more appear willingly in their place.

3. Let your ideas evolve and multiply. Once you've started to capture your ideas, and they're in one place, you'll find they almost magically begin to evolve and multiply. Just the act of capturing the ideas gives them the go ahead to develop. In your mind, when you capture an idea, a signal goes off, and a box is opened, and either consciously or subconsciously, you're constantly working on that idea in some way. When you want to use an idea, go to your ideas book (or recorder or camera) scan through and choose the first idea that excites you. Go with that natural energy, shut out all other ideas and get creating.

Follow these 3 steps and within a few weeks, maybe even a few days, you'll have a fresh supply of great ideas to develop, and your creativity can really come out to play!

And for more tips and techniques to help you increase your creativity, I invite you to download your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

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Brainstorm Your Way To Internet Success

Brainstorm Your Way To Internet Success
By Steven Lohrenz

Brainstorming is a session of time where you record every idea you have for a particular subject, topic, product, article, etc.

Brainstorming sessions can be on anything. Want to figure out what to write about for your blog? Brainstorm it! I'm going to give you a few rules to having an effective brainstorming session.

1. Define the problem in broad terms, do not insert artificial constraints into the query you trying to answer. The question should be broad enough to generate many creative ideas. Rather than asking "How do I pick up an egg to move it to position X?" ask, "How can an egg move to location X?" The former confines the solution to something involving the egg being picked up, the latter encourages the following idea: allow the egg to hatch and let the chick walk to location X. The wording of the question will determine the quality of the ideas generated during the brainstorming session.

2. There are no limitations on ideas - Throw the laws of physics out the window, open up your business to your personal life. This is not the stage for evaluation. Do not let the phrase - "Come On, Let's Be Serious" be said during a brainstorming session. Serious is for later. Crazy and idea generation is for now. Crazy ideas will spark tangents that may produce the ideal answer for you and your team, if you nip those ideas in the bud at the beginning you may never reach the ideal solution.

3. Set yourself a time limit and not an idea limit. Allow yourself 20 minutes to come up with as many ideas as you can rather than the first 100. The really interesting ideas only come after you exhausted the ordinary ones. Allow yourself time to break though to those ideas, but don't create stress or force the ideas by putting a number of ideas you must produce. If you say you want 500 ideas and you are still struggling with generating ideas after 4 hours - you aren't doing yourself any favors by continuing. Limit the time you spend and come back later if necessary.

4. Write everything down - everything needs to be recorded so it can be returned to and recorded during a later evaluation phase. As above, nothing should be evaluated at this stage. If you find yourself not recording ideas, it's because you're evaluating them. Stop evaluating and start writing! This also helps if you need to return or restart a brainstorming session. You'll know where you left off and can pick up threads started earlier. Find a tool where you can record all the ideas, fast. Speed is essential, once you're on a roll, you won't want to stop.

If you follow these 4 simple guidelines for brainstorming, you should have no problem coming up with a wealth of ideas for whatever problems you are facing in your business.

"Visit my blog and learn the art & science of putting your internet business on complete autopilot." -Steven Lohrenz. Here is the URL: Internet Business Automation

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Be More Creative Today - 5 Techniques To Breathe New Life Into Your Creativity

Be More Creative Today - 5 Techniques To Breathe New Life Into Your Creativity
By Dan Goodwin

If you've found yourself a little stuck lately in your creativity, here are 5 techniques that can give you the boost you need to start creating freely once more. Read through the 5, pick the one you like most, then start putting it into action today.

1. Create in a form you've always wanted to try. Sometimes we can be highly creative in one specific form and create freely without any problems. After a while though you realise you're producing virtual clones of the same artwork time and time again.

An excellent way to combat this and shake up your creativity a little is to experiment in a form you've always wanted to try but never have. What kind of creative medium really excites you? What would feel like a new creative adventure into unknown territory? Pick on project, then focus only on enjoying and experimenting, not expecting any perfect outcome.

2. List your greatest creative hits. However uncreative or blocked you might feel right now, there were times in the past were you've been highly creative without thinking, and without struggle. These times will have produced some great memories, as well as the actual projects you created.

Take the time to revisit your 3 greatest creative hits - the projects you're most proud of and pleased you created. You'll not only unearth some past techniques and ideas you'd forgotten about and would like to visit again, but your confidence will receive a boost as you realise yes you were that creative then, and you can be that creative again.

3. Take yourself on a creative date. One of the biggest struggles creative people have is committing to the time they need to create. At best we end up with small disjointed fragments of time here and there and never really get into any kind of creative flow. At worst, we don't spend any time creating whatsoever.

Instead, set a specific date with your creativity. Choose a place to go, plan the date and time and write it down in your diary or somewhere you'll remember. Go somewhere stimulating and inspiring, take a sketchbook or camera and capture the best ideas and moments, then use them to begin new projects when you return home.

4. Gather your greatest creative strengths. We all have more strengths than we realise, but because we're so close to ourselves, we overlook them and take them for granted. Reminding yourself of some of your creative strengths can give you a major confidence boost.

Write in the centre of a large sheet of paper: My Greatest Creative Strengths. Then fill the page! Think about your specific creative skills and talents, as well as strengths like being dedicated, enthusiastic and flexible.

5. Treat your creativity to new materials. Repeating the same patterns over and over and expecting a different outcome will always end in disappointment. When your creativity is stale and stuck, something needs to change. One way is to change the materials you're using.

A good way of doing this is starting with the material first, rather planning a complex project and then trying to find the perfect materials for each part. Get hold of some materials that appeal to you, and just get to know them, experiment with them, see what you enjoy, see what works.

These are 5 tips to help get your creative kick started when it's feeling stuck. Pick the idea that appeals to you most and start using it today.

Take the next positive step to increase your creativity today by downloading your free copy of the powerful and practical "Explode Your Creativity!" Action Workbook at http://www.CoachCreative.com

From Creativity Coach Dan Goodwin

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Creativity - Unleash Its Power In Your Business And In Your Life

Creativity - Unleash Its Power In Your Business And In Your Life
By Mark A. Stevens

Somewhere along the way in our journey from childhood to responsible adulthood, we all too often lose our sense of creativity. We go through our day-to-day lives with a monotonous sameness that can make us feel as though we are sleep-walking through life instead of seizing every delicious moment of it.

If this sounds like you and your current life, you need to stir up one of the most powerful characteristics God imparted to us ... creativity. We were not created to live our lives trapped in a prison of boredom and sameness. No! God created us in His image, and He is the ultimate creator of creativity.

So if you have stopped dreaming and using your imagination, whether in your business or in your daily life, I encourage you to read this article very carefully. Let it sink into every fiber of your being. Embrace it and let it cause you to soar on the wings of newfound creativity.

The first thing you must understand is that God does not want any of His children to live mediocre, routine lives. In fact, His Word commands quite the opposite:

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind." Romans 12:2 NIV

In other words, don't let the world squeeze you into its mold.

Creative people invent, imagine, problem-solve, create and communicate in fresh, new ways. And where did this creative bent come from? God invented it. In Genesis 1:1, it says "In the beginning, God created ..." That means at the very beginning of time, the first thing God did was create.

When God said "Let there be light," it was not a one-shot command. I believe the power of that creativity is still reverberating far past our known universe, creating light where there was once only darkness. The power of creativity is ongoing and constantly expanding.

There's another Scripture that I believe speaks directly to the creativity that lies within each of us. Ephesians 5:1 instructs us to be imitators of God. And that includes His creativity.

Now, what does this have to do with our everyday lives and our businesses? People respond and are drawn to creative ideas. Creativity has sparked all of the important artwork and writings throughout history. Creativity is what enables us to communicate effectively and build relationships that endure the test of time.

That's right. Creativity is essential in successful relationships, both in personal relationships and in business relationships.

From a business standpoint, it is sometimes all too easy to overlook the need to keep your business exciting and personal. But when you keep your focus on creative communication, your team members can share in your passion and your goals. You will also find that you attract the kind of people that you want to work with - creative people who are not afraid to "think outside of the box" to achieve your mutual goals.

There is a principle that I try to incorporate into both my business and my relationships with family, friends and business acquaintances. It's called the "confusion principle" and sports trainers use it to increase muscle strength. Essentially, the idea is to change up the way you do things and break away from the mentality of "this is how we've always done it." In other words, think outside of the box! Perhaps a better name for the confusion principle is the creativity principle. This principle infuses a breath of fresh air and spontaneity in life, which I believe is exactly what God wants for each of us.

There is a toy company that has the most fabulous slogan, and it's one from which I think we as adults could learn a great deal. The slogan is "Play, Laugh, Grow." If you have ever watched children play, you have doubtless observed their amazing creativity and imagination in action. I believe that God wants His children to grasp much the same attitude by embracing a mindset of "Create, Take Action, Grow."

So take those first steps today to unleash your creativity. Ask God to enhance your creative mind. Surround yourself with creative people, for creativity breeds creativity.

And then see your ideas through to the incredible joy and success that God wants you to experience in every aspect of your life, including your business efforts.

Visit http://www.V4L.com to learn more about Mark A. Stevens and Vision For Life International.

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Being the Rose - Opening to a Deeper Creativity

AchievementRadio.com's

Being the Rose - Opening to a Deeper Creativity
By Emily Hanlon

Fall into the beauty
of a rose
and know yourself.
If you cannot
love
yourself
you will not
be the rose.

We walk half asleep, experiencing only a small part of our creative passion, insight and being. Our vision is by the eyes of the mind, which are cast outwards. Creativity, however, is birthed in the cosmic landscape of the inner world, a place to which the mind's eyes are blind, a place belonging to the vision of the heart and soul. The question is, how do we awaken to the immensity of knowing contained within.

One way is through nature. Nature, fully noticed, and entered into with the wonderment of children, gains us admittance into the unseen world. Another way is through our writing or other creative endeavors, but this has limitations. First, this entry is often sporadic. Second, our creativity tends to disappear as soon as we put aside our creative endeavor. Nature, on the other hand, is a natural guide. She is a primal image for creativity, so majestic that even the Inner Critic dares not challenge her! She infuses us in unseen ways. Often by being one with nature, the inner world embraces both our creative efforts and our daily life while shifting our perception of our place in the world.

In thinking about this, I came up with an exercise that I call Being the Rose. I chose the word being with great deliberation... Think about it... how being the rose differs from the image and feel of becoming...observing...considering the Rose.

The Exercise:
Look at the photograph of the rose above or find any flower, it doesn't have to be a rose, and gaze into it until you feel yourself falling out of yourself and into the essence of the rose. This is akin to falling from the your mind's eyes into your heart's eyes.

Now dwell on this statement for a minute or two or ten: The most creative force in existence is nature...

Your first response will likely be a thought that comes from your conscious mind. Let this thought go, then repeat the statement, The most creative force in existence is nature...

Allow the sense of these words to move an idea into a feeling. (You cannot do this through your mind. Only the inner landscape whose entry is through the heart will work.) Allow images to rise up from the unconscious. Do not hold on to any particular image. Let it float away and watch new ones arise.

Now open to the scent of the rose... Become the scent...

Open to the seeing if the rose... Become the seeing...

Open to the sound of the rose... Become the sound...

Open to the feel of the rose... Become the sensations...

Open to the taste of the rose... Become the taste...

Ask yourself, "When is the last time I allowed nature to share her creativity with me?"

"When is the last time I gave myself over to nature?"

"When was the last time nature stirred me to passion, quietude, ecstasy?"

Now sit down and write. Write without thought. Write without expectation.... Write or simply be...

Emily Hanlon is a writing coach, a creativity coach and novelist. As a writing coach, Emily demystifies the writing process with her two pronged approach of teaching technique and unleashing creativity. In addition to private coaching, she offers, workshops, retreats, teleseminars and teleworkshops.

Her work as a creativity coach is based on her belief that the multifaceted journey of creativity is not limited to the arts, but nurtures life at its most profound depths. The creative journey is a template for leading a more creatively fulfilling, aware and meaningful life. Emily offers two Mentoring Programs: Creativity as A Wellspring of Life and Writing Your Story, Creating a Tapestry of Your Life: Memoir Writing as a Healing Journey

Her websites are:
http://www.thefictionwritersjourney.com
http://www.creativesoulworks.com
email: emily@emilyhanlon.com

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