Getting Started Series Archives - Empowered Cardology

Nov 23 2015

How To Get Started With A Creative Routine – Invest In Your Creativity

This is Step 4 in my How To Get Started With A Creative Routine Series

Invest in your creativity

What can you invest in that will give you the highest return for your creative work?

Investing doesn’t always mean money. It can be time, energy or focus.

When you commit to stepping from hobbyist to professional, you will increase that leap tremendously if you invest in your creative work.

That could mean hiring a babysitter so you have several uninterrupted hours to work.

You might take a course to hone your craft, find a mentor, a group to join, or books on your craft.

I experienced years of trying to do it alone and I’ve watched other creatives do the same. We think if we can just sneak off and get a bit done, then someday…someday…when we’re good enough…we’ll get it done and show others.

That is great when you’re enjoying it as a hobby.

It won’t work if you want to take it seriously.

Someday doesn’t exist and there is nothing for your mind to focus on. It is the perpetual carrot in front of the donkey – it can never be grasped and eaten.

Every artist is a beginner and every artist has an area where they need some help and support.

Seek the counsel of those who’ve been where you are and have gone beyond.

I started by buying the Artists Way by Julia Cameron. I had no clue how to evoke my muse or build my confidence or even what the life of an artist looked or felt like. My next step was to find a group of other writers so I wouldn’t feel so alone.

Surround yourself with others who are creatives and who understand the stuff that creatives go through.

Invest in the knowledge and support that will help you expand and build your confidence and skills.

The longer you wait to do this, the more that ‘someday’ will rule your path.

Stop feeling overwhelmed at everything you need to do to have a prosperous career with your art/writing.
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Here is Step 3

Here is Step 2

Here is Step 1

Sep 25 2015

What Is It Like To Have A Writing Deadline?

Have you wondered what it’s like to be all in and working towards a deadline with your creative work?

I’m interrupting my series of Getting Started With a Creative Routine to interview Randi Janelle.

I think its better to talk to someone who is in the middle of it, than for me to yak on about what it takes to set boundaries and commit your time.

Randi’s goal is to finish her novel and release it on Halloween, 2015. That’s less than 5 months away.

For anyone who has spent years working on a novel, you know how scary a deadline for it being DONE can be.

For many creatives, getting started and building momentum can be easy, but getting to the finish successfully can be very hard…and scary.

I want to start off by saying thank you to Randi, because she took the time to answer my questions during her very committed time!

To Randi: You’re in the middle of a manic write to a deadline now–what has been the hardest change in your routine?

Sitting, eyes glued to the computer! Because I teach yoga twice a week, I’m getting out of the house and working at a coffee shop and the studio on those days, so at least I get out of the house a bit. Though I do like having my space, and there’s a little bit of making notes and transferring them at home once I have the whole of the novels laid out in front of me as usual.

How many hours a day are you writing?

12-14 hours

What have you done that has helped you?

Writing! I knew this would be the case, because it’s happened before. Truly, the hardest part is simply starting! Once I’ve dove into the story, the rest is easy. It comes and I’m thinking about it constantly and I want to get quickly into that desk chair when I wake up in the morning. Having the deadline and taking it seriously helps, because people understand that’s where I’m at and they rally along with me.

What helps you stay on track and motivated?

Cutting out other parts of my routine to clear space to write. The only reason I’m doing this interview is because my day started a little earlier than usual, so I’m taking that time to do this! Otherwise, my energy is generally LEAVE ME ALONE!! Haha. I do have this spacey quality to me now, nutty-professor-esque, and people are getting the vibe that I’m more into my book than listening to them. After some time, they give up.

I just keep thinking of the big, cold, bubbletastic bottle of champagne we will be drinking once this draft is done. It will be the first COMPLETED draft of a novel that I’ve ever had. I’ve written for many years, but with this project in particular, it keeps growing so the finish line has always extended out further. It will be a serious milestone for me, and the thought of completing a big first keeps me moving!

How do you stay out of becoming overwhelmed and stressing over the looming deadline?

It’s certainly happened. I’ve had days where I wake up and I prepare these monolgues…I’m sorry, but I just can’t make dinner at all this week, please forgive me, I can’t do chores neither…cue desperate hair-pulling whines. But then I get to work and the joy of the creative process relaxes me. By the simple act of it raising my energy, all the stress and worries about what others expect of me fall away. And then the writing is down and I get ever closer to finishing.

Again, the trick is simply to do what we’re so good at–creating!

How are those around you–family, roomies, friends–reacting to your schedule changes?

Instead of the dramatic monologue, I simply offered to have pizza delivered. My credit card company’s treat! Haha. At this point, time for me is the most precious.

I’m working to finish the first novel in a series of three. I’ll be releasing it on Halloween, so I am taking note that the release dates of the other novels will be early spring. So I can play in summer! I’ve had invites to go float on a river on an inflatable recliner, camping, free concerts downtown, general playing with my friends–all declined so I can finish this. It hasn’t been easy. Every time I hope that I’ll get to a certain point so I can play. But what do they say, genius takes time? Maybe that’s just what I tell myself.

So yes, I’ve had to combat peer pressure in a way I haven’t experienced since high school. But it helps me stay resolute: this is important to me; this is my purpose; this is worthwhile. I would not be enjoying the play, having the deadline poking me with a disapproving frown, anyway.

And, being a dramatic writer, I think… This book, the work that I’m doing right now will last for years, centuries! I can always float down the river later when the book is in the hands of my editor. 🙂

Thank you Randi!

Besides being a writer with a deadline looming, she is also a performance poet, a photographer

and a yoga instructor at Weaverville Yoga. Check out her website and sign up to get in on all the exciting (and non-traditional) goodies she has for her followers as we all wait in anticipatory glee for the release of her first book, The Story on October 31, 2015.

Sep 03 2015

How To Get Started With A Creative Routine – Step 3

Welcome back to my series on how to get started with a creative routine.

In step 1, I mentioned the illusion of time.

I’m going to expand on that because it is SO very important when you’re getting started.

Think back on a time when you met someone new and had a crush, or started dating.

If you were really interested, it began taking up a lot of your time and thought, right?

Because you met them, did it give you more time? No, but somehow you made time for them, even if you were already super busy.

You probably had to give up something else in your life in order to make room for them.

Less time with your besties, or less time watching TV, or less time getting your work done.

We always make time for what we love, want and are excited about!

At some point, when you make the decision to get serious about your art, you will need to place your creative time in a high priority slot.

It will need to go from playing with the paints when the mood strikes you, to spending time each day painting.

There is something in your life that you’ll need to give less attention to in order to give more attention to your creativity.

What will it be?

This is your first phase of discipline and responsibility to your work. When you commit to this, things have to change.

It’s like starting a new job. You have to be there at 8 a.m. You can’t stay up until 3 a.m. anymore. You have to rearrange your schedule.

Just as you need to put in the effort to keep a relationship going, you will need to put in the effort to stay focused on your creative work.

Because it is ‘creative’ work and it seems to bubble up whenever it wants to, doesn’t mean that you only wait to be inspired to work.

This is why training your brain to be productive at the very beginning is so important. When you sit at your desk to write, or get out your paints or sit in your favorite chair with special music on to write a poem, you set the intention to be productive – even if you don’t feel inspired beforehand. You’re telling your creative muse that you’re ready.

One of the difficult things you might experience once you begin a routine is in setting boundaries with those you live with and are close to.

Unless you go somewhere to work, you’re probably going to be working from home.

Those you live with are going to need to know that your time “working” is just the same as if you were in an office or workplace somewhere else. It can be hard for them to take your time seriously, when you’re sitting on the couch, or in your bedroom or at the kitchen table. Interruptions and expectations for your time might be frequent because others don’t realize that this is serious work for you – especially if you work in the evenings, or on the weekends.

This means you’ll need to clearly communicate to others that when you are working, you need that time to be respected and not interrupted unless… (and you need to set the parameter for what interruptions are OK).

As with any commitment to a new dream, if others don’t know about it or understand it, they won’t see it as having the importance that you know it has.

You might need help from a spouse or kids in order to carve out some extra time in your day.

I’ve experienced and seen this part of setting up a routine hi-jack a commitment to serious creative work.

Why?

Because we’re afraid to tell those we love that we’ve decided to go for it. We don’t want to rock the boat or seem as if we’re being rude when we can’t go out with friends or we ask a spouse to cook dinner or we tell our kids to leave us alone. Sadly, it can turn into battles we’d rather not deal with, so we put it off.

Don’t wait until you have time to get serious, because trust me, it will never show up.

You have to make the time, and clearly communicate to those around you what you are doing, what you need and to honor the time you will be spending.

If YOU aren’t serious and respecting the time, no one else will either.

This doesn’t mean you become a hermit!

As a creative, you need time to relax, to have fun, to be inspired and to refill your creative juices.

What needs to change in your schedule?
What do you need to let those around you know?
What boundaries do you need to set in order to not be interrupted when you are working?
What do you need to let go of in order to create a ‘space’ energetically, time-wise and physically, so you can get serious about your work?

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Jun 18 2015

How To Get Started With A Creative Routine – Step 2

This is step 2 of my 7 steps in getting started with a creative routine. You can find step 1 here.

The Inner Game for step 2:

Begin with a Mission Statement

OK, before you freak out, don’t worry – this won’t be a polished, ready to display mission statement.

This one will be for your eyes only and will set an energy of purpose for you. And it is very easy to create!

One of the first things I do with my private clients is ask them what they want their art to give.

It is surprising how many artists never think about this. They have stories to tell or poems and visuals to share, but they don’t know why they want to share it.

Some think their work has to teach or be revolutionary in some way in order to give.

While it can be revolutionary, or teach, or inspire…it doesn’t have to do that to give.

So, what exactly do I mean by give?

The act of creativity is how we, as humans, operate and live. It is our life force. We cannot survive in a stuck, static, non-creative state. Creativity is the energy of the Universe. It is constantly moving us forward. It gives, provides and expands. Bottom line, life is always in a state of giving and receiving. We take in information, ideas, sensual data and food, so we can give through our work, our ideas and our energy.

No matter what it is that you wish to create, when you expose it to others, you are giving – an idea, an energy, a message, a state of mind, a feeling.

Even when we can’t articulate or completely understand exactly what in us changes because of something we get from a work of art, we still get something. It affects us.

Your work will have an effect.

When you know what that effect is, you empower yourself as a creative and you empower your work.

That is powerful energy that will propel you forward!!

How do you know what your work gives?

The easiest way to answer this is to ask yourself: What does my work give me?

Why do you do it? What turns you on about it? Why do you love creating what you create?

When I wrote paranormal, I got into exploring the mysterious and mystical. I explored the topics of power, relationships and home. It gave me hope and a sense of magic about life.

When I was creating multi-media abstracts, I was also exploring the mysterious and unknown.

My functional art was about the magical parts of life and lifting our energetic state.

When I played with paisley designs, I loved evoking play and whimsy.

Can you see a theme?

My art gave me a glimpse into the magical and mystical aspects of life.

That is what my art gave.

If you are just starting out, you might not see a theme or fully recognize what your work gives you. You might still be exploring.

But, I guarantee there is something that intrigues you and calls to you….a sense of something that you need to explore and play with. Whatever that is – is what you will use to create your mission statement. If it changes down the road, that is OK.

But for now, you’re going to write a very simple statement and put it where you can see it.

Pick the one below that resonates with you and fill in the blank:

When I get excited about creating something and I want to make art, I start thinking about (fill in the blank)

When I start feeling (fill in the blank), I want to create art.

You can even make a statement that says:

When I think about having my own business, I get excited about (fill in the blank).

Remember, this isn’t a polished statement that will be in your bio, this is just for you, for now.

The reason it is so important to have this when you are getting started, is that it becomes a target for your focus. It is just like training your brain. It spurs your creativity because your brain knows to look for that topic/feeling and bring it to you.

It helps you be authentic and true to your gift.

It keeps you out of that space of thinking you have to create whatever the fad is at the moment.

It allows you to build a base of feelings and words that explain your art, so that when the time comes that you will create a polished artist statement, you won’t be at a loss.

The Outer Strategy:

Set up a Routine that is structured according to the Golden Triangle.

The rule of three – it works for design, writing, music, etc.

You can use it as a model for your creative routine as well –but in this case, there is a little twist.

We know the rule of three in regards to a beginning, a middle, and an end, or past, present, future, or introduction, body, conclusion.

The 3 is symbolized by the triangle and is considered the first perfect shape because it is the form that can be constructed by straight lines. In many cultures, the triangle is the symbol of the three-fold nature of Divinity: Father, Mother, Son; Osiris, Isis and Horus; Odin, Frey and Thor; Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma. It is the number of manifestation, as in the phrase, “Things happen in threes.”

Three represents creativity. The triangle is the geometric symbol of the focusing of creative energy.

Church steeples, pyramids, a dunce hat, a witch’s hat, a cone – all represent the gathering of creative energies prior to their release into manifestation.

You want your creative routine to allow a gathering of your creative energies, so it can manifest into form: a completed project, a book, a painting, etc.

What makes up creative energy?

Your Muse/Creative Spirit + Your starting point (Desire) + the line from here to there – where you are now to where you want to be. (end result)

You’re probably asking, what does this have to do with a creative routine? I want to know how to have a system, a schedule, a workable, productive structure so I can start, build momentum and finish successfully. Right?

Read that last sentence again: So I can start, build momentum and finish successfully.

There it is, that is your golden triangle!

In order to start, you have to have a desire, (that end result you thought about in Step 1.)

You need to allow yourself the time and space to imagine and dream. You need to always have this time and space somewhere in your life. It can be in the shower, while doing dishes, on walks or sitting quietly in the dark. It matters not where, or how, you just need to provide that time and space for yourself.

This MUST be in your creative schedule somewhere.

The other part of the Start is allowing your Muse to speak to you. This is why that space and time is so crucial. You need to be able to capture and collect the ideas, hits and feelings that will pop up for you.

Have something in place to capture your ideas:

A journal/notebook
Post-it notes
A bulletin board
Trello
Evernote
A white board or chalkboard

The next part of the triangle is to build momentum.

You have to be able to DO something with your ideas. Don’t wait until you have all the perfect pieces in place. Start with what you have an idea about.

Outline the idea for a story.
Get some info down about a character you see or sense.
Prime and ready a canvas.
Pull out the supplies you think you’ll need for an idea.
Open a new document and just start free flowing what comes to mind.

This begins your momentum. You can’t wait until it is all perfect in your head. You have to start and build the first few steps/layers even if it is vague and shitty.

This means you need the time/space to actually work. This part of the triangle is your action. One step leads to the next, but you’ll never get to the next step if the first one is never taken.

You build momentum by working at your craft every day.

Even if you’re just experimenting, or trying something new or just sketching out an idea, you need to make it a part of your daily routine.

The first layer of a visual lets you see what layers need to come next.

Writing down a simple outline for a story lets you see what you might need to research or figure out next.

If you don’t have a time/space set up in your day to DO something with your ideas, you’ll never move past ideas.

Workspaces come in all shapes, sizes and styles – make yours fit who you are!

Here is my Pinterest board with creative work space ideas.

The more inviting your space is (even if it’s a chair you sit in with a table top of things you love and a special candle), the more productive you’ll be. It needs to be a space honored by you – AND those you live with.

The third part of this triangle is to finish successfully.

I’m going to speak to a topic that is tossed back ansd forth among creatives.

We can be folks who have many projects going on at once. There is even a term for those who have a variety of passions – mulitpotentials.

I considered myself to be one and was trying to learn a new way to work as one.

I’ve always had numerous creative projects going on at once. I had three different novels “in progress” (before I realized my true love was in coaching and teaching.)

If you asked me what ONE change happened in my routine that helped me be more productive and successful, it would be this:

FINISH an idea before starting a new one.

Creative energy is powerful and can be overwhelming and make you feel scattered. That can lead to procrastination, indecision, starting many new projects, or feeling as if you don’t know how to do something.

If, instead, you take all of that energy and focus it on ONE thing, like directing the sun with a magnifying glass onto something, you can ignite fire. You can create something beyond what you thought was even possible.

This focus will allow the ideas, materials, knowledge, etc., to show up to help you get to the end – successfully.

You might make course changes along the way-that is fine and part of any creative project. The key is to not go off on a completely new direction because you feel stuck, overwhelmed or inundated with new ideas.

Capture new ideas and keep them for later.

Working through a period of feeling stuck is something I’ll talk about in a later post.

As simple as these 3 parts might seem, when you are set up to acknowledge and honor your desire, hear your muse, stay focused and build momentum to a finished product, you will have a container for you to work within that inspires and supports you.

As you work within this structure, you’ll see what steps you’ll need help, support or knowledge on between Start and Building Momentum and Successfully Finishing. You can start tweaking your structure and routine to make sure you stay on track.

Please join us in the Create The Leap Facebook Community as we discuss getting started. (and have fun talking together!)

Are you ready to kickstart your desire to be a professional creative and manifest the lifestyle you want with your work?

Click here to access the Free 8 Day eCourse and create your leap to a s a professional creative!

Jun 16 2015

How To Get Started With a Creative Routine – Step 1

Do you have a desire to get serious about your creative work? Want to take the first steps in going from a hobbyist to a professional creative?

This is the first post in a series on How to Get Started: The Inner Game and the Outer Strategies

I’d always loved writing and had notebooks full as a kid, but back in the early 90’s, I wanted to get serious about it. It wouldn’t leave me alone. I had story ideas and characters that were in my head talking to me all the time.

How does one get started?

This was pre-internet for me, so my start was slow and agonizing – the World Wide Web has made it so much easier!

In looking back, I can see where I got hung up and what took me so long that could’ve been avoided.

I’m sharing a series of posts that will help you get started if:

You want to stop just playing with your creativity and start taking it seriously.
You want to set up a routine and be consistent and see projects to the end (instead of living with piles of ideas).
You want to pursue the path of getting your work out there.
You yearn to be a professional creative and not just a hobbyist.

In everything I teach and do with my coaching clients, I always start with the inner game.

It will save you a LOT of time and headaches!

No matter what you want to start doing in your life, you have to have the inner stuff aligned in order for anything you do outwardly to be successful.

Each post will have an inner game changer and an outer strategy to get you set up and going.

Today’s post will be Step #1: Know the outcome you want.

When you think about getting serious about your work (whatever you do creatively), what is the end result you want?

Here is where you need to remove yourself from what everyone else is doing and take the time to imagine what YOU want.

If you’re a visual artist, how do you imagine your work being seen and felt?

Is it in others’ homes? In galleries? In local specialty shops and boutiques? In an online store? Is it custom work? Produced in quantity? Is it functional art? Décor? Inspirational?

You need to imagine and feel exactly what makes you giddy when you imagine the end results.

It is the same if you’re a writer. Where do you see your work once it is done?

Is it on bookstore shelves? Kindle? Are you reading at bookstores? Reading at schools? Is your book all tattered and stuffed into purses because it is a faithful companion? Is it written in and pulled out to thumb through frequently? Is it being read by women? Men? Teenagers? Seniors? Does it help relax and allow escape? Teach important life lessons? Does it inspire or entertain?

Get Specific.

Make notes as you think about the end results of your work. Keep an ongoing list of what comes to you.

TIP: There are NO rules. YOU decide. Don’t think about what looks the most profitable, or the easiest. Don’t let someone else tell you how it should be. This keeps you open to intuitive hits as well as using your creativity not only to create the work, but also for ways to share it!

When you can see and fully feel the outcome you want (and keep in mind, if this changes along the way – that is OK!), then your inner guidance and brain will get to work in helping this come about.

The outer strategy:

The next thing you want to do is to create a literal space that evokes the essence of your end result.

Depending on the type of work you do, you might need a desk or a table or just a chair to sit in as you work away on your laptop.

Regardless of what you need to use, you still want to evoke the right feelings that will become a trigger for you to get to work.

If you’re a dog owner, you probably have/do something that your dog recognizes as “time to go out or play.” You have a routine, a way that you go about getting ready to take your dog out that it is familiar with. You don’t even have to say anything.

In the same way, you need to train your brain to take your work seriously and get down to business. You need to prime the pump of your creativity, so that when you sit down to work, you are productive.

You do this by setting something up that evokes your senses in some way and gets you ready.

You can do this no matter where you are – even if your writing time is your commute to work each morning!

When I was a Swim Coach, I drove 45 minutes each way to work. It was on that drive that I would work on my plotting. I had a small recorder to talk into if I needed to. Technology makes it easy today, as we can talk into our cell phones to take notes.

Because that became my habit, as soon as I got onto the highway, my brain kicked into gear and I got into my story and ideas would flow.

Create a mood for your work.

I wrote paranormal stories, so I wanted to create a mood that represented that for me.

When I wrote at home, I lit candles, or played specific music or had a collage of images I put together in front of me. It put me in the mood. I could go from thinking about or doing something non related to my story, to being in the zone for creating, simply because I surrounded myself with certain sounds, scents or images.

When I was painting, I’d play recorded tapes of Abraham-Hicks. I’d get into a zone and work intuitively.

Some writers wear certain clothes, or put on a hat or robe or certain shoes. Some play a specific soundtrack, set up a specific snack to nibble on, or look at specific images where they’re writing.

Not only does this train your brain to get to work, but it sets the mood and gets you into that space for creating.

The most important thing to consider when setting up a space is to purposefully use that area, time or activity for your work. And to take it seriously. As long as you are still in that frame of mind of hobbyist, so are those around you, your brain, and the Universe.

YOU must take it seriously in order for others and all the unseen help available to you, to take it seriously.

Setting your “space” sets the energy and helps you get going.

TIP: Decide right now that you will no longer buy into the illusion of “there isn’t any time for me to create.”

YOU shape your time. We all have responsibilities, jobs, kids, pets, etc., that we have to deal with. The priorities get the time. When you get serious and decide to make the time, the time is there.