If someone offered you 10 million dollars with only one small catch, would you take it?

January 19, 2012 by 8 Comments

The other day I had an email from a friend about me screenwriting at 6 a.m. every morning. She said, “I admire your discipline. It must come from a deep passion.”

I thought, “Is this passion? Is this discipline? Is that what this is? That doesn’t quite feel right.”

Perhaps this is because I’ve struggled for so long to be clear about what I’m passionate about that the word “passion” has lost meaning for me.

Then, last week I found myself saying to my Writer’s Circle participants how you would have to fight me off with a sword to keep me from writing.

And I thought, “Huh! Passion.”

But the clincher was when I saw Jeanne Bowerman‘s tweet:

I knew my own answer was “No. Way.”

Then I got it. This is beyond reason, it’s beyond passion. It’s a kind of fierceness I never expected.

What shocks me is that this fierceness has been born out of the discipline of writing on a daily basis, not the other way around. And I hesitate to even call it discipline, because there are days when I have to drag myself out of bed with bribes and threats alike. The funny thing is that it’s gotten more scary NOT to write than TO write. 

I didn’t know I would love writing like this. I had no idea until I started doing it regularly. Daily. At ungodly hours.

I’m also fascinated to have discovered that taking a day off or two DOES dwindle this feeling. I find myself drifting and uninspired when I stop.

But as long as I write every day or darn close to it, I’m good.

And I’m doing this by making it a LOT harder NOT to write than it is TO write:

  • I set my clock early. If I don’t get up and write immediately, I’ll miss my chance before my husband goes to work and I’ve got kid duty.
  • I set public goals with my Writer’s Circle EVERY DAY. And they notice if I don’t show up.
  • I have assignments due every day for my ProSeries screenwriting class. And they’re counting to make sure we’re doing the assignments.
  • I’m the coach for the Writer’s Circle too, so I have a responsibility as a role model too.

I’ve got multiple layers of accountability. Plus a healthy fear that if I stop writing, it’ll be hard to get started again. And a fierce belief that I’ve found my true calling.

Your Turn

What does this inspire for you? Let me know on the blog.

*** If you’d like to have this kind of daily accountability for yourself around your writing, join my “Just Do The Writing” Accountability Circle right now. Our next session starts on Monday, January 23rd, and Thursday, January 19th is the last day to register. If you do your part, it will blow your mind. http://JustDoTheWriting.com

 

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> Ongoing. My Protection & Grounding Jewelry is on close-out. Only TWO necklaces are left, and then they are gone for good. Find them here.

~> January 23rd, 2012. The next session of my Writer’s Circle starts. Sign up here. Get my Free Writing Tips series too, and receive a coupon for a savings on your first 4 week session.

~> February 2, 2012. Start the new year fresh with your life purpose clear in your mind. My next life purpose breakthrough group session in on February 2. Details. SOLD OUT.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Writing in the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU, which was just named the #1 screenwriting class by InkTip.

~> Daily and especially Fridays. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

~> Still watching Castle, Season 3, so good. I guess the whole planet really is designed to show off Nathan Fillion’s awesomeness.

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: , , , , ,

The truth about why you don’t have time to write

January 12, 2012 by 4 Comments

One of the most common excuses I hear from people who say they want to write but aren’t doing it is that they don’t have enough time to write.

If you’re attached to that excuse, you might not want to keep reading. (I’m feeling a little feisty today!)

I see frequent articles on the web about “how to find time to write” — and I’ve even written one of them myself (it’s good — you can check it out here) — and yet people are still not writing. This is interesting when you consider the fact that over 81% of Americans answered “Yes” when asked “Do you think you might have a book in you?” in a 2002 study from the Jenkins Group.

So the desire is there, but not the action nor the results.

Why?

What you’re telling yourself:

I know you think you are too busy and that you don’t have enough time.

I know you’re longing for a whole day off where you can finally sit down and focus on your Big Writing Project, but when that day comes, you remember that the laundry really needs to get done or that you promised Jane you’d go with her to that party and you don’t have anything to wear so you have to go shopping and while you’re out you remember that you forgot to… Well, you get the picture.

I also know you have too much work to do and the kids need you. And that those things are true.

I know you also want to write but you aren’t sure where to start or what to write about. I know you think you need to get a little farther along with your career and save some money (or get the right room or the right computer) before you can devote yourself to your writing career.

I know this because I was telling myself these same things for too many years to count.

And I know something else. These things? They are Not True — at least not in the larger sense.

Let me tell you what is True.

What is true is that the reason you are not writing is because you are scared.

You are scared that you don’t know how to write, or what to write about.

You are scared that your writing won’t be good enough, original enough, or that maybe someone else has already said it better.

You are scared to do the hard work of writing, and overwhelmed by the thought of such a big project.

You’re scared you might hurt people if you write your truth. Or disappoint them.

So you don’t give yourself a chance to do it.

This thing about time is just a story.

You can go on telling yourself that story if you want to, but we both know it isn’t true. Because we both know the real reason you aren’t writing is that you don’t believe in yourself.

I’ve found the time to write every single day after years of telling myself I didn’t have time. Years! And I’m busier now in my life than I ever was before.

Sometimes it exhausts me. But more often, it is the fuel that fires my LIFE. I found myself saying to my Writer’s Circle participants yesterday that you would have to fight me off with a sword to keep me from writing. And this from someone who thought she could never write fiction to save her life — except in her wildest dreams — up until a year or so ago. 

Here’s what else I know:

I know that if writing means as much to you as you say it does, you will find a way to make it happen. If you want some help, that’s what my Writer’s Circle is for. I’d love to have you join me.

“The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness.”

To close, here’s a passage to inspire you:

“You know that the antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest?”

“The antidote to exhaustion is not necessarily rest,” I repeated woodenly, as if I might exhaust myself completely before I reached the end of the sentence. “What is it, then?”

“The antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness.”

~ An excerpt from Crossing the Sea by David Whyte, here.

Your Turn

What does this inspire for you? Let us know on the blog.

 

 Jenna

Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: , , ,

Intriguing side effects of getting up at o’ dark hundred

December 28, 2011 by 5 Comments

A few weeks ago, I wrote about getting up at 6 a.m. to write. I’ve continued with the experiment and I’ve been enjoying the results very much.

I’ve been surprised to notice a number of interesting side effects:

I feel better rested.

I’ve been going to sleep no later than 10 p.m. if I can possibly help it, and usually more like 9 or 9:30 p.m. I’ve read that you get the most regenerative sleep between the hours of 10 p.m. and 2 a.m., and I’m finding that it is true.

I’m using my time much more wisely.

Something I’ve struggled with over the past year in particular is how I use my time in the evenings.

I was watching shows on streaming video… and then watching just “one more” until the evening was gone and it was far too late. Or obsessively playing iPhone games or looking at things online.

I felt like an out of control addict who was doing unhealthy things in the name of having “alone time.”

Instead, now I reward myself with little nibbles of these formerly addictive devices when I complete a task, and it doesn’t stop me from being efficient and effective. If anything I feel more effective because I’m enjoying these little breaks as true play.

I feel calm.

In part this is due to Just. Doing. The. Writing., but I believe it also has to do with doing it so EARLY.

Getting up at 6 not only demonstrates my commitment to myself and to my writing, but also helps me get it done. Instead of having it hanging over my head for an entire day (“When am I going to fit it in?”), which makes me feel incredibly guilty, I feel at peace when I do it first.

It’s like I’m saying, “I’ve done my hardest work. Now, what else is there?”

I feel happy.

A big part of feeling happy is the result of actively working to fulfill my calling as a writer.

But there’s also a kind of freedom and joy that comes from doing it first that is highly compelling.

Contrary to how it might appear from the outside, writing triggers a huge amount of fear for me, so facing it first (while still half asleep, I might add), creates such a huge sense of relief that happiness seems to rush in and fill the void.

How cool is that?

Your Turn

What does this inspire for you? Let us know on the blog.

 

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> Ongoing. My Protection & Grounding Jewelry is on close-out. Only a few items are left. Find them here.

~> January 23rd, 2012. The next session of my Writer’s Circle starts. Sign up here. Get my Free Writing Tips series too, and receive a coupon for a savings on your first 4 week session.

~> February 2, 2012. Start the new year fresh with your life purpose clear in your mind. My next life purpose breakthrough group session in on February 2. Details. Registration deadline: January 5.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Writing in the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU.

~> Daily and especially Fridays. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

~> Enjoying time off with my family.

Filed Under: Creativity, Writing Tagged With: , , ,

Align your day job with your creative destiny

December 8, 2011 by 6 Comments

Being trapped between a “day job” and your true creative destiny can be awkward.

It doesn’t have to be.

All too often, having a “day job” or “support job” looks like doing work you don’t enjoy in the name of paying the bills, while you pursue your true creative calling on the side.

In a more optimal scenario it looks like doing work you enjoy, ideally closely akin to your creative work.

For a long time, I’ve wanted to be a “real” writer. You probably know that already. *grin*

And for a while it felt like my coaching business was preventing me from doing that.

What I’ve since learned is that I was the only one stopping myself from pursuing my creative writing, and I had to make a few adjustments to change my relationship with my business to make my writing life a priority.

Inner & Outer Adjustments

Here’s what I mean:

  1. I had to start seeing myself as a writer and believing that my creative destiny and future success lies in that direction.
  2. I had to reorganize the structure of my days and life around my writing.
  3. I had to start thinking of my coaching business as my day job — luckily one that I like very much, and fully intend to keep doing — but one that is not the only center of my universe.
  4. I had redesign my business model to be more in alignment with my writing so it didn’t feel like such a departure from my own creative work (hence my Writer’s Circle and my focus on creativity over sensitivity, though that’s still part of the mix).

Ideal Support Job Alignment Checklist

Some things to take into consideration:

  • Make sure your support job pays well. Support jobs are Good Things, because they give you breathing room, usually financially, so you can pursue your creative destiny free from needing to rely on it to keep a roof over your head. (Not setting it up this way = a recipe for feeling creatively blocked if I ever heard one. I made this mistake when I first started my coaching business.)
  • Make sure your support job leaves enough time and energy that you feel like you have the bandwidth left to pursue your creative work. Support jobs are Good Things only when they work for you, so check to make sure your “day job” is truly supporting your creative work. If it is draining and deadening you, it’s time for a recalibration. Having a good support job that feels good to you can make all the difference in the energy, spirit, and passion you’re able to bring to your creative work.
  • Ideally, make sure your support job is aligned with your creative work. In an ideal world, your support job will match or resonate with your creative work. If it’s not, can you make any adjustments? Your spirit will be so much happier.

Your Turn

What about you? If you have a “day job,” is it working for you? How well is it aligned with your creative destiny? Are you inspired to anything shift about it? Let us know in the comments.

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> December 26th, 2011. The next session of my Writer’s Circle starts — come rain, come shine, come holidays! Sign up here. Get my Free Writing Tips series too, and receive a coupon for a savings on your first 4 week session.

~> January 26th, 2012. Start the new year fresh with your life purpose clear in your mind. My next life purpose breakthrough group session in on January 26th, time of day TBA. Details. Registration deadline: December 29th.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Writing in the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. Still critiquing (and learning tons!)

~> Daily and especially Fridays. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

Filed Under: Creativity Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Why I’ve been getting up at 6 a.m. lately

November 30, 2011 by 4 Comments

I’ve been getting up at 6 a.m. lately, for the last two or three weeks, to do something remarkable.

But before you think I’m just an “early bird” let me tell you that up until recently: 1) my ideal sleep scenario involved NO alarm clocks and waking up naturally, usually between 8:30 and 9, and, 2) after a fairly recent and excruciating bout of sleep deprivation à la new baby turned into toddler, …

… if you had had the audacity to suggest that I would get up at 6 a.m. for ANYTHING I would have reacted with revulsion.

So.

That said, here I am, pretty much daily — even on weekends! — getting up at 6 a.m. to WRITE.

And I LOVE it.

Love it!

How insane is that?

The Fear of Writing Has Turned Into a Fear of Not Writing

Today Isabel asked me to think back to what it was like before I was writing regularly, about what that was like. I almost cried. And a wave of fear went through my stomach.

See, the thing is, I’ve crossed a line.

It’s the invisible line between terror in the face of writing and terror at the thought of not writing.

How did that happen?

I mean, of course I know the answer (decision, commitment, regular and consistent action, accountability, passion, etc.) but How. Did. That. Happen?

It’s truly amazing.

Does It Really Matter?

But why, you may be asking, why, Jenna, does it really matter if you get up at 6 a.m. to write? Why not write at 9? Or 3 p.m.?

It does matter. At least to me.

  • It matters because when I start writing before I’ve entirely woken up, my inner critic is a LOT quieter. In fact, I hardly hear from him at all. And that makes my life SO much easier.
  • It matters because when I get up early to do my soul’s true work first, I feel a deep answer to the Powers That Be saying, “Here I am. I am doing my part.”
  • It matters because when I put my Big Dream FIRST in my day, I feel calm for the rest of the day. And that calm is highly addictive.
  • It matters because I’m showing myself, deep down, that I’ve reorganized my life around my passion for writing and I really, really mean it.

I don’t know if I’ll keep doing this — I think I will — but so far, it rocks as successful experiments go. I was inspired to try this by hearing about so many writers that get up so early to write. I figured they must know something I don’t.

Holy smokes, they were right!

Enough About Me

What about you? How are you making your Big Dream a priority in your life? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Warmly,

 Jenna

Join us for the ongoing journey

Join the Writer's CircleThe next session of the Writer’s Circle starts soon. The Circle is a bit like a giant sandbox where you get to experiment with your writing habit, see what works, see what doesn’t, and end your isolation as a writer by writing alongside other writers committed to showing up and doing the work. Find out more and register here: http://JustDoTheWriting.com

 

Filed Under: Creativity, Writing Tagged With: , , ,

My ego died a little more today

November 17, 2011 by 12 Comments

A while ago I wrote a post about facing the dark creative void, which was received with slightly mixed reviews.

A few people noted (or responded privately) that for them creativity is about light and love and joyful expansion, not darkness, not ever. Many other people connected with what I was talked about.

I certainly can and do connect with the beauty of creativity at the high points along the creative path.

But there are also days when venturing into creativity feels like a terrifying journey through a dark forest laden with the most horrifying monsters I can image.

It’s no wonder why scrubbing the toilet can suddenly seem alarmingly important.

As I’ve been working on my current script I’ve been aware of a background conversation that runs something like this:

  • What if it’s too dark?
  • What if no one likes it and it’s too depressing?
  • What will people think of me as a mother if I write this? (It’s a sci fi story about a mother.)
  • What if they hate it?
  • What if the ending is too bleak and horrible?
  • What if it is too powerful emotionally and people judge me for it?

And today I noticed that all these questions  have to do with my ego.

It’s my ego that cares what other people think.

But my spirit doesn’t.

My spirit says, This is a powerful, painful question you’ve been given to explore and to answer  for this character. So don’t shy away from it, don’t hold back. This is a gift you’ve been given and you are giving, the power to explore this darkness. Don’t be afraid.

My ego died a little more today so that my story might live.

Your Turn

What are you birthing, despite your fears? How can you release what your ego thinks in order to more fully claim your creative visions? Share your thoughts with us in the comments on my blog.

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> Wednesday, November 16th at 3 p.m. Pacific Time. My live video Writer’s Chat. Did you miss it? Sign up now and we’ll get you the recording link.

~> November 28th. The next session of my Writer’s Circle starts. Sign up here. Get my Free Writing Tips series too, and get a coupon for a savings on your first session.

~> November 29th. It’s my birthday! I’ll be holding a birthday sale for the entire week. Stay tuned for details. :)

 


~> Saturday morning. The final bits of my Right Brain Business Planning with my buddy Kris Carey. Can’t wait to wrap this up and share with you.

~> Ongoing. Writing for the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. The “plotting and outlining” journey continues and it’s amazing!

~> FRIDAYS & now daily too. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

Filed Under: Creativity, Writing Tagged With: , , , ,

How to grow into your dream

November 9, 2011 by 1 Comment

Last week I wrote about the most important work you’ll ever do, which is getting out of your own way so you can make your dream real. Along the way, you’ll also need to grow into and trust your dream.

Growing Into Your Dream

You’ll also need to allow yourself to grow into your dream over time.

Here’s how:

  • Step 1. Get Clear: The first phase of making a dream real is getting clear on what it IS, even if the details are fuzzy. What would be deliciously fun for you? What would you be thrilled beyond reason to do? I want to be a published writer.
  • Step 2. Own It: The second phase is owning it — being clear, inside, about who you are, what you are going to do, and why you are doing it. Still okay if the details are fuzzy. This looks like believing and knowing in your heart you are an artist or healer, even before you are doing it in the world. I am a writer!
  • Step 3. Envision It: Now start to imagine the possibilities for HOW this dream can come into being. What kind of writer (or X) do you want to be? What would you be writing about (or working on)? What would be fun? I want to write a sci-fi script.
  • Step 4. Do It: The fourth phase is where your dream become external — where you start taking action in the outside world, without indulging that part of your brain that wants to give up before you even start because it’s too hard or because you think you have to be perfect before you’ll even attempt it. Remember, this whole idea that we can figure it all out before we start is just a way of playing it safe. I am writing — and people know about it.

Then, it’s time to trust and take action.

Trusting Your Dream

Trusting your dream means being willing to pursue it even when the going gets rough (and even when you aren’t totally sure it’s quite the right dream and maybe your mom was right and you should have just stuck with that graduate school degree after all).

Trusting your dream looks like:

  • Showing up daily and doing the work, bit by bit, come hell or high water.
  • Getting up and writing or painting or working even when you don’t want to or when you’re not in the mood.
  • Believing in the project you picked and seeing it through to the end.
  • When you think what you’ve created is pure crap, you don’t give up, but see it as an opportunity to do better.

Can you allow yourself to grow into your dream and trust it?

Your Turn

I always love hearing from you in the comments on my blog.

 Jenna

 

Coming Attractions

~> November 10th. My next Life Purpose Breakthrough ‘Big Vision’ Group. Sold out. Details about future groups — yes, you might want to get on the waiting list.

~> Wednesday, November 16th at 3 p.m. Pacific Time. Something free, fun, and writerly: A Writer’s Chat. Registration details TBA.

~> November 28th. The next session of my Writer’s Circle starts. Sign up here.

 


~> This weekend. Right Brain Business Planning with my buddy Kris Carey. Last two chapters to go!

~> Ongoing. Writing for the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. Now working on “plotting and outlining.”

~> FRIDAYS & now daily too. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

Filed Under: Creativity, Dreamification, Vision Tagged With: , , , ,

The most important work you’ll ever do

November 3, 2011 by 5 Comments

Once you’ve gotten clear on your dream — the Big Thing you Believe Beyond Reason, or what you really, truly, deep down want to do — the most important work you’ll ever do is to get out of your own way so you can make that dream a reality.

Getting out of your own way looks like:

Cleaning up all the ways you stop yourself, all the negative things you tell yourself, all the fears that get in your way, all the stories, all the doubts, all the old creative wounds that hold you back, and doing something about them. This is the place for thorough examination, exploration, discovery, and recovery.

For instance:

  • Pay attention to where you are procrastinating and get to the bottom of it. Sometimes you don’t have enough information, sometimes fear is coming up, sometimes you haven’t hit the right thing yet, sometimes you really need some down time. Figure out what it is and resolve it for yourself so you can Do The Work.
  • Pay attention to the limits you put on your own dream — how are you limiting your own thinking about what is possible? How have you crimped your dream by being reasonable or realistic? (Again, I’m not saying that you don’t have to pay the bills, trust me, I do too, but I still let myself dream about what I really want because I know that’s the only way I’ll ever accomplish it.) This is often a way that we play it safe and hold back from pursuing what we really want.
  • Pay attention to the stories, fears and doubts running through your mind and get help to address them on a deep level so they don’t stop you anymore. This might look like coaching, energy work, therapy, training, talking with a friend, or journaling. The main thing is to look directly in the face of the fears, doubts, stories and old wounds to say, “Really? You sure about that?”

If you want to write, act, sing, paint — whatever your dream is — your most important job is to clear out anything and everything that might stop you from doing it so you can get on with doing the work you were put here to do.

Your Turn

I always love hearing from you in the comments on my blog.

 Jenna

 

Coming Attractions

~> November 10th. My next Life Purpose Breakthrough ‘Big Vision’ Group. Sold out. Details about future groups — yes, you might want to get on the waiting list.

~> November 28th. The next session of my Writer’s Circle starts. Sign up here.

 


~> Next Tuesday. Right Brain Business Planning with my buddy Kris Carey.

~> Ongoing. Writing for the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. This class is brilliant! I’m already thrilled with my results and we’ve really just gotten started.

~> FRIDAYS & now daily too. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

Filed Under: Creativity, Dreamification, Quiet Your Inner Critic, Vision Tagged With: , , , , ,

Getting into the Creative Zone

October 12, 2011 by 6 Comments

I’ve heard from many creatives that it takes too long to get in and out of the “creative zone” so they can’t find the time to do their creative work, because they have to have big long chunks of time to get into the groove, actually do the work, and get back out of it.

I used to believe this too.

When I first set up my Sacred Writing Time on Fridays, I was trying to do some work on my coaching business and then do some writing, but I found it extremely difficult to do.

I figured it was because it was “too hard to shift gears” from one type of work to another.

What’s true about this is that they ARE different kinds of work.

So I decided that Fridays would be ONLY for writing. And that helped for a while.

Creating Everyday Turns It Around

But then I started my Writer’s Accountability Circle, and I made a commitment to writing every weekday.

I reorganized my schedule to include writing time at the beginning of each day, and while I’ve sometimes struggled to do it first, I’ve pretty much managed to write every single day I intended to.

I’ve also found that jumping right back into my writing is nowhere near as hard as it used to be.

Turns out that creating more frequently, even for lesser amounts of time, makes it easier to keep your work fresh in your mind (something I’ve talked about in my free tips series for writers), and therefore easier to dive back into.

Resistance Is Oh-So-Obvious

Plus I’m finding that when I really do put my writing first, my resistance is much more obvious. (More on resistance here.)

And therefore much easier to bust.

Case in point: Yesterday morning when I came home to write after dropping off my son at school, I found my fear coming up big time.

See, I’m at a key transition point in my writing where I’m moving into new territory, and my fearful self thinks I won’t be able to come up with anything new.

Luckily, due to the daily Writer’s Circle question I answer, “What negative self-statements did you notice?” I’m more clear about what I’m telling myself than I used to be.

So I was able to say to myself, “Okay, this is fear coming up. I’m going to do the best I can to face it and do this anyway. What will help me?”

And I had the insight almost instantaneously to use mind-mapping to help me get unstuck.

So I did.

And it did! I came up with a great new spin on one of my concepts that I’m very happy with.

To Sum Up

  • We have lots of excuses for not doing our creative work.
  • Resistance is more obvious and solvable when you face it every day.
  • Writing (or creating, depending on your “thing”) daily helps keep your work fresh in your mind.
  • Time to get out of “all or nothing” thinking.
  • Fear is only fear. Nothing more, nothing less. It takes courage to face it, but it’s worth it.

Your Turn

What do you think about all this? I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below, about:

  • How resistance shows up for you.
  • What you’re doing to move through it anyway.
  • What stories you’ve recently busted yourself on.

Also, if you’d like to read more along these lines, you might be interested in my Free Tips Series for Writers, “How to Stop Making Excuses and Start Writing,” here. I’ve written 5 lessons so far and will be adding to them soon.

And if you’d like to vote on the topics you’d most like to hear about, you can do so, here:

[polldaddy poll=”5577143″]

Jenna

 

Coming Attractions

~> November 1st. Tuesday. The next session of my Writer’s Circle starts. Really, don’t miss it. If you want to write but you aren’t finding the time for it or being consistent or accountable to your dream, this will give you just the kick in the pants you’re looking for. Sign up here.

~> November 10th. My next Life Purpose Breakthrough ‘Big Vision’ Group. Sold out. Details.

 


~> Next Tuesday. Right Brain Business Planning with my buddy Kris Carey. We’ve had to postpone our last two sessions (resistance??) so we’ll be regrouping next week. :)

~> Ongoing. Writing in 10 day stretches for the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. So far so good.

~> FRIDAYS & mornings too. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

Filed Under: Creativity, Writing Tagged With: , , ,

Busting Through Conceptual Glass Ceilings

October 5, 2011 by 1 Comment

How do you “up” your creative game?

How do you breakthrough the limitations of your thinking and conceive of something that’s entirely original?

Or is it really true that “there’s nothing new under the sun?”

As a die hard science fiction fan, I can readily attest that nothing delights me more than new ideas and seeing things in new ways, or even seeing my own similar musings explored by like-minded wonderers. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, here comes Another Earth or Melancholia to bend my mind in new ways (haven’t seen them yet, but looking forward to them).

So how do we reach for those ideas and concepts we’ve never thought of before? How can we bust through those conceptual glass ceilings that keep us spinning the same ideas around in endless circles instead of coming up with something new?

I’ll tell you my deep dark secret: I’ve never been sure that I can. I’d like to be able to, but I’ve never trusted my creativity enough to come up with something brand new.

But I like to think I can.

Snap Out of It

My friend Giulietta says most of us are sleep walking through our lives.

There are days when I remember to dig my head up out of the hole of my computer, look at the sky, and remember.

Remember to breathe, to be awake, to see. Oh yeah, I’m awake, I’m alive, it’s not about how much email I “have to” answer today…

Try Something New

As I’ve explored the screenwriting industry, I’ve been thrilled to look at things with new eyes.

The big news over the last few years in the coaching industry is all about learning formulas and blueprints for success. Yawn.

What I love about my current screenwriting class is that the focus is on teaching us to take our familiar ideas and look at them from different perspectives to generate new concepts. It’s entirely refreshing.

If you’re tired of thinking about the same old things in the same old way, try learning something new and see how it translates back into your world.

Set Yourself Up for Inspiration

As I’ve been working with my creative clients around setting up sacred time for their creative endeavors, one of the things that’s become crystal clear is that it is not necessarily in those precise minutes of working that inspiration happens, but that showing up regularly to the work allows the inspiration to come through then or other random moments, like in the shower or on a walk.

Most of us think we have to wait for that moment of random inspiration to occur, but by consciously creating time to put yourself through your paces, you open yourself up to possibilities.

Mind Map Your Way Out of It

I’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with mind mapping and free writing lately as tools to get my creative engines whirring.

I take a “seed idea,” or a problem I’m stuck on resolving, put it at the center of my paper and start spider diagramming until I solve it (thanks to Kris for reminding me recently about this great tool).

Somehow the act of writing down EVERYTHING I’m thinking, without judgment or censorship, is what allows me to come up with new solutions. There’s so much filtering that happens internally, that otherwise those new breakthroughs might never see the light of day.

Which Reminds Me

Isn’t it interesting that so much of the sleepwalking we do in life is tied to censorship?

We’ve been so programmed to “go along” that we forget to think for ourselves.

Wouldn’t it be a brave new world if we could all bust through that conceptual ceiling?

Your Turn

What do you think about all this? I’d love to hear from you.

 

Jenna

 

Coming Attractions

~> October 7th. FRIDAY. The absolute VERY LAST day to get into the current session of my Writer’s Circle. Really, don’t miss it. If you want to write but you aren’t finding the time for it or being consistent or accountable to your dream, this will give you just the kick in the pants you’re looking for. Sign up here.

~> November 10th. My next Life Purpose Breakthrough ‘Big Vision’ Group. Ready to find your life purpose through an astonishingly accurate system of hand analysis and claim your big vision in the world? There’s only one spot left in this affordable small group session. I don’t know when I’ll be offering another one of these sessions, so jump in now if you’re on the fence. Personalized payment plans are available. Sign up here.

 


~> Next two Tuesdays. Right Brain Business Planning with my buddy Kris Carey. Wish us luck for finishing up!

~> Ongoing. Writing in 10 day stretches for the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. Amazing!

~> FRIDAYS & now mornings too. Sacred writing time. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

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