It’s the vibration, sweetie!

April 24, 2013 by 6 Comments

A long while ago, one of my lovely private clients asked me to write a post about food again. It’s been an even longer time since I’ve written anything about food, but the last time I did everyone ended up contributing all kinds of fabulous food ideas in the comments on the article. It was called “Eat your veggies, raise your vibration.”

Here are a few excerpts from that article:

“As sensitive souls, we are deeply affected by what we take in. This includes information, sensory input, the energy and emotions of other people, what we drink, and what we eat. How we might be affected negatively by what we eat is obvious when it comes to foods we have allergies too, foods that include chemicals (like MSG), or things like alcohol, sugar, highly processed foods, and caffeine, but we can be affected by food positively as well. In fact, what we eat makes a huge difference in our ability to function masterfully. This is because there is a vibration to everything we eat, and it affects our own personal vibration in turn.

“High-vibration foods carry a natural, positive, uplifting energy. You can feel it when you eat them. They are fresh, whole, natural, organic, “sunlight” foods, grown with sustainable, clean farming practices. Vegetables and fruits in particular are naturally high-vibration foods.”

Eating high-vibration foods

Here are my tricks for HOW I check the vibration of what I’m eating.

#1 Color

When we make our son’s lunch or prepare our family’s dinner plates, I look at the array of colors.

If I see a full spectrum of colors — and always something green — I know I’m on the right track. I feel nervous when I see a “brown dinner” on my plate, because I’ve learned that afterward I’ll feel flat and ugh-y.

So even if my plate is filled with yummy broiled organic chicken, roasted organic cauliflower, and organic gluten-free pasta, I’m not comfortable until I’ve added sliced red bell peppers, a green salad, some broccoli, green peas, or even some fresh strawberries. Mostly likely at least three of those.

Other colorful items I love to see on my plate: dark greens like kale and chard (especially when they’re “dressed up” with a special dressing or nuts) and broccoli; vibrant orange sweet potatoes, carrots, persimmons, and oranges; lighter greens like peas, zucchini, asparagus, lettuces, Brussels sprouts; and reds like red bells, strawberries, and beets.

Ideally I like to see at least two to three other colors besides brown on my plate.

#2 Freshness

On top of that, I like to make sure I have something very fresh — like barely steamed broccoli or snap peas that are still deliciously crunchy, fresh strawberries, red bell peppers, etc. served with whatever we’re eating. It doesn’t always happen (we’re busy people with a small child), but we do our best. We shop weekly and really put the focus on the vegetables when we do, so that there’s always something quick to steam, chop, or pan cook.

#3 Origin, Quality, & Care

Where our food comes from and the quality and care that’s put into the farming of it makes a difference too.

We’ve started getting a produce box from a nearby farm, and I love the adventure of it — figuring out what to do with all the odd vegetables that arrive (which is often roasted a chicken in a pan strewn with a veggie medley).

The deliciousness of the carrots from that box far surpasses anything I can buy in the store. And that is hugely motivating when it comes to eating well.

#4 Heaviness

I also like to look at the weight or heaviness of what I’m eating. If I eat a bunch of carbs (pasta, potatoes, breads, etc), I’m tired, sluggish, and less effective afterward.

I’ve given up gluten except rarely, and I generally just try to avoid grains and breads as a result. But I do find that if I really want something more substantial, I’m better off with lentils or beans than other “whiter” carbs. Then I have some substance without being dragged down by it afterward.

#5 Protein

I also make a point to prioritize protein. As a sensitive person easily affected by blood sugar swings, I’m much more stable and focused when I regularly consume protein. I lean toward organic when I can get it, plus free range or “pastured” poultry and meats if I can. (If you’re a vegetarian, this can be trickier, but I do like organic non-GMO tofu on occasion).

Again, I believe the quality of the source does affect us, but consuming protein for me also has a direct effect on MY vibration. If I junk food or lots of carb-focused foods, I just feel weighted down and heavy. If I focus on protein and veggies, I feel lighter and clearer headed.

Why this matters for sensitives and writers — and sensitive writers

Part of being able to write and create on a regular basis is functioning well. If we’re not taking good care of ourselves, our “creative well” gets depleted. Paying attention to our own energy as well as the energy of the food we eat makes a huge difference in our physical well-being, which in turn affects our ability to create and be our best selves in the world. What we eat matters.

Your turn

How are you eating these days? What tricks and tips do you have for eating well? Share them in the comments below.

Warmly,

 Jenna

p.s. If you are on the sensitive side of the spectrum, you may also be interested in my Energy Skills classes for sensitive souls. You can check them out here: https://calledtowrite.com/shop, but don’t buy them now, because they’ll be on sale next week!

 

Coming Attractions

~> Next week. Special Spring Sale on my energy skills classes. Stay tuned for details coming soon.

~> Thursday, May 16th. Register by May 16th for the next session of my Writer’s Circle (starts May 20th). Build a solid habit of daily writing and finish all your writing projects: http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Writing. Progeny, my sci-fi action script with a spiritual twist, is done! At least for this round. :) I’ve just submitted it to my mentor and once he sends me notes back, I’ll be submitting it to a contest. I’m just thrilled to have reached this major milestone and I’m planning a day off to play hooky from everything in the very near future to celebrate.

~> Unplugging. Friday sundown to Saturday sundown. Join me!

~> Reading. Reading A Boy and His Bot* by Daniel H. Wilson with my son. Still read The Empath and the Archetypal Drama Triangle* by Elaine La Joie (also a good friend and colleague). I’ll get back to Adventures in the Screen Trade* by William Goldman eventually. :) I’m all caught up on Game Of Thrones now, it’s just terrific.

 

Thanks for reading.

* Affiliate link
Filed Under: Sensitivity, Writing Tagged With: , , ,

Creating amid chaos

April 10, 2013 by 4 Comments

One of the things writers mention often in the Writer’s Circle is their physical environments. Particularly clutter — how to deal with all the paper and more. I’ve promised to have a guest post soon from one of my favorite clutter experts, so stay tuned for that.

In the meantime though, I wanted to bring up this question of clutter from a couple of different meta angles: sensitivity, energy, and life purpose.

Craving the relief from chaos

For a sensitive person, clutter is an energy drain because it’s overstimulating (one of the biggest challenges for a sensitive person). It affects your energy to work in a messy room because there’s so much more to pay attention to.

Mind you, that doesn’t stop me from doing it when push comes to shove, and in fact, my office is messier than I’d like it to be right now. At least on the surface. Underneath though, it’s fairly well-organized, so it’ll be a quick trick to whip it into shape.

Avila Beach Master Plan

One of my “huge” drawings from back in the day. :)

When I create in chaos, I’m reminded of my old urban design days, where I used shuffle piles of huge drawings late into the night, struggling to meet whatever deadline I was targeting. My office mate used to say she loved to watch me “clean up” when I finished a project, because no matter what was coming down the pike (even if there was another deadline looming), I had to stop and put everything away before I could continue.

And I do find that I can work in a cluttered space for a time, but then I crave a certain kind of relief for it, a spaciousness that leaves room for my brain and my creativity to operate more optimally.

The energy of clutter

On an energetic level, sensitive people are more tuned into the stuff around them. I’ve always felt that we “carry” the stuff that’s around us, and as it stacks up, we begin to feel more and more burdened by it. And why wouldn’t we, if we’re carrying such a heavy load?

The cool thing about dealing with clutter is that we can work with it on a couple of different levels — both the practical mundane level and the energetic level. For instance, on the practical level, you can sweep it into a box and hide it temporarily (you’re only allowed to do this if you schedule time on your calendar to deal with it :) ) or you can stop what you’re doing and take the time to put it away.

Or you can approach your clutter on an energetic level and use energy clearing techniques to get the stuck energy broken up around the stuff so that it becomes easier to put it away. Someday I may teach my “space clearing energy skills” class again, but for now, try clapping your hands over the piles of clutter and see if you can dissipate the stuck energy that way.

Are you writing or speaking enough?

Many of the clients I work with have a “Lines of Genius” gift marking, which means they are called to be a “gifted author and speaker with a special message for a large audience,” or they have a “Messenger” life purpose. Very often, people with this gift marking or purpose will be cursed with piles of paper and endlessly shuffling them around, feeling like they’re spinning in circles.

The solution? Write and speak.

Put the clutter away, clear the decks, and start writing. Schedule the time on your calendar to deal with the clutter incrementally, but don’t let it stop you from writing, or it’ll just get worse. :)

diamonds2

writerscirclepostOne of the things we love about the Writer’s Circle is that it really helps you put the focus on your writing, first. If you need a little nudge in that regard, the next session starts soon, and we’d love to have you join us. You can find out more and register at http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

diamonds2

Your turn

We’d love to hear from you in the comments. Is clutter holding you back? How does it feel to you energetically? Is there anything it’s getting in the way of you doing?

Warmly,

 Jenna

 

Filed Under: Creativity, Life Purpose, Sensitivity, Writing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

When you feel like you don’t belong

October 31, 2012 by 8 Comments

Something that often comes up for introverts and sensitives is a feeling of not belonging.

I’ve noticed that this feeling of not belonging often comes up in higher stakes social situations, like conferences (whether for work or for pleasure) and parties.

I suspect that this feeling of not belonging is primarily triggered by feeling overstimulated and overwhelmed by the energy of all the different people in the room, as well as by the intensity of our own hopes and expectations about the event.

Not belonging is a kind of rejection

Of particular interest to me is that most sensitives (including me) will go through some kind of rejection process as part of dealing with their belonging issues.

Often this looks like telling ourselves, “I don’t belong here. There’s something wrong with me, I don’t fit in, I’m not as good as so-and-so at this, what was I even thinking to be here in the first place?”

But it can also look like this, “These people are horrible, what are they doing/thinking/saying that for? I can’t believe how [fill in the blank] they are being. I don’t have these problems, I don’t belong here, I’m better than they are.”

It’s a clear pattern of rejection.

In the first case, we reject ourselves.

In the second case, we reject “them.”

Rejection like this is a form of judging

Inherent in this way of thinking is judgment.

We’re either judging ourselves or judging other people.

And why?

I notice that I’m much more likely to get into this kind of pattern when I’m feeling insecure about something.

“Compare and despair”

(Martha Beck’s phrase)

It also feels a lot like comparison.

Remember what we say about comparison? Someone always loses.

I think the same thing goes for judging.

I lose when I judge, whether I’m judging myself, which is so painful, or when I’m judging someone else, because I rob myself of the opportunity to see someone as human, flawed, and imperfect, just like I am.

Judgment versus discernment

As a counterpoint to my own argument, I feel compelled to add that judgment can be a useful tool when applied as discernment. We can and should be discerning about how we invest our time, energy, and money in the world, and who we spend it with. It strikes me that judgment (at least the kind of judgment we’re talking about here) is healthy discernment run amok.

Judgment makes it personal. Discernment makes choices.

Connecting at the level of humanity

A few weeks ago, I talked about how looking from the outside in never gives us the full story about other people, so we need to be careful not to make assumptions about things like how successful other people are or not, what they really think or believe or feel about something, or what their businesses, habits, homes, or relationships are actually like.

I’ve also been observing how much pain and struggle so many of us are experiencing right now, and while I don’t like to focus on the struggle, it’s real and true.

At conferences and parties everyone tries so hard to “BE SOMEONE” they are not, it’s much more difficult to connect to the truth of their humanity, just like it’s harder to connect to our own humanity when we’re focused on the image of who we are trying to be.

The painful beauty of events like Hurricane Sandy is that they connect us together through the simple truth of being alive, something I remember all too well from the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and the 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm.

When we can find that place of connection, by staying grounded and connected with our own bodies and looking to see the deeper souls through the eyes of the people around us, we are always safe, we always belong, and there is no need to judge.

Share your thoughts

I always love to hear what you think on the blog.

Warmly,

Jenna

 

Coming Attractions

~> November 15th. Mark your calendar to join my free Writer’s Chat on Vokle.com. I’ll be sending registration details soon.

~> November 21st. Register by WEDNESDAY November 21st (a day early because of American Thanksgiving) for the next 4-week session of my “Just Do The Writing” Accountability Circle (starts November 26th). Build a solid habit of daily writing and finish all your writing projects: http://JustDoTheWriting.com

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Working on rewriting my script, Progeny, with my mentor Chris Soth after finishing the ProSeries.* I’m currently editing “mini-movie 3” of my script before moving on to complete “mini-movie 4” and hit the midpoint of my script. I’m thrilled with the progress I’ve been making.

~> Sacred writing time. My schedule is in flux right now but I’m still writing.

~> Reading: How to Train Your Dragon and still bits of Eragon with my son. Loving Homeland, though now that I’ve caught up to the current season it’s taking waaaaayyyy too long between episodes. I’m making do by catching up on Big Love and Sports Night. I saw someone call Joss Whedon “your parents’ Aaron Sorkin” and I couldn’t agree more.

 

* Affiliate link

 

 

Filed Under: Sensitivity Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Stop your tomato fears from stopping you

April 11, 2012 by 8 Comments

When you’re venturing out into the world to be seen by an audience — into the spotlight — your fears of ridicule and judgment are apt to rise quite high.

It’s enough to keep you in perpetual procrastination mode, never quite finishing your book, website, screenplay, speech, or ________ so you can truly put yourself out there.

Change your underlying story

The path to the spotlight requires changing your underlying story about your “tomato fears” so you don’t feel held back by them.

Among the many tomato fears, like creative apathy, creative confusion, and creative blocks, you’ll likely face fears like these two:

The “It’s all been said before” syndrome

This comes up when you think you have nothing new to say, there’s nothing new under the sun, and hasn’t it all been said before?

These messages and questions will keep you quivering in silence unless you adopt a new mindset.

Try these ideas on for size:

  • Remember that YOUR audience is waiting to hear from you.
  • They may never “get” what it is that you’re here to share unless YOU share it.
  • Even if you’re sharing something that’s not “new,” your unique take on it may be exactly how they need to hear it to finally “get” it.

The “Who do you think you are” syndrome

This is fear rearing its ugly head in the form of, “You’re not special. Who do you think you are?”

Try this on instead:

  • Understand that this is your divine contract to deliver and take your ego out of the equation.
  • Recognize that interacting with your audience is a sacred exchange of energy. Treat it respectfully and reverently.

(These are excerpts from my Sensitives in the Spotlight class which will be available in my shop later this year as a self-study class.)

Change your questions, change your life

One of my favorite quotes from Tony Robbins is, “To change your life, you have to change the questions you ask yourself.”

Your philosophy and the questions you ask yourself about being in the spotlight and sharing your creative work profoundly shape your experience.

Change them, and change your life.

Your turn

I’d love to hear what you think! Your comments are always welcome.

Warmly,

 Jenna

Expand your Spotlight Comfort Zone
With practical and spiritual tools to help you get there
In a safe, sensitive-friendly 6-week study group

If you want to summon your courage and step into YOUR spotlight, join my upcoming Spotlight Study Group, where we’ll have a safe, sensitive-friendly, small, intimate coaching group to clear up the fears, doubts, old wounds, and other obstacles to claiming your place in front of your audience — where you belong.
 
Starts May 1. Early registration ends Sunday, April 15th. Details are here.
 
 
Questions? Email my team.
 

 

Coming Attractions

~> FRIDAY, April 13th, 2012. (Extended an extra day!) Last day to register for the next session of my Writer’s Circle session starting on April 16th. Sign up here.

~> April 19th, 2012. Last day to register for my next Life Purpose Breakthrough Group on May 17th. Only 3 spots remaining. These groups consistently sell out, so if you’d like to join me, reserve your spot ASAP. Register here.

~> April 19th, 2012. Teaching a live webinar for Writer’s Digest, “10 Practical Tips for More Consistent, Productive Writing.” Register here.

~> May 1st to June 5th. My new Spotlight Study Group for sensitives, artists and hermit types who are ready to take their call to the spotlight more seriously and clear up the obstacles getting in their way. Register by 4/15 and save $100. Details.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Writing in the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. Starting the marketing module today!

~> Sacred writing time. Early mornings and Fridays.

~> Now reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with my boy. I’m thinking I’m going to have to knock off after that for a while because they do take a turn toward the darker side and he’s still just a little one. We’ll see. I’m also thoroughly enjoying watching Downton Abbey and Enlightened. Great shows, both.

 

 

 

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

Creating requires a leap of faith, every day

March 14, 2012 by 4 Comments

Writing, creating, making changes.

All of them require a leap of faith.

I’ve been making a series of leaps over time.

I left my “great” job as an urban designer to become a coach. I put myself out there as a coach for sensitive souls. I’ve grown a business out of nothing.

I’ve claimed my dream of being a writer, and I’m making it happen. One word at a time.

Each of these mega leaps has required many mini leaps.

And I’ve realized that every day when I sit down to write, or put myself out there to be seen in some way, I am taking a leap of faith again.

With every single word I put on the page or on the web, I’m taking a risk that I’ll be seen as wrong, foolish, or stupid. I’m also taking the risk that my work will be valued and well-received. Often when I push the publish button, I DON’T KNOW which of those it will be.

It’s scary.

It requires a leap of faith to see it through.

I believe that all creating is like this. It is terrifying to make ourselves vulnerable in this way. To be seen, heard, and read by people we don’t know who may judge us or not like what we have to say.

In fact, I know there are people out there who do not like what I have to say. And there are probably people who won’t like what you have to say either.

Is that a good reason not to say it?

What about all the other people who want to hear it?

What if?

What if there isn’t anyone who is interested? What if you offend everyone?

First, I doubt that there isn’t anyone who is interested.

But secondly, if it were true that you did offend everyone, what if it was a good thing? What if you pissed us all off enough to wake us up out of the stupor we walk around in? What if it made us fight back against things we don’t like?

Art is a powerful catalyst and it deserves to be treated with reverence.

Treat your art with the fierce and reverent commitment required to bring it to the world. It’s a powerful antidote to the doubt and fear you’re likely to experience along the way.

Your turn

Sparks? Share them.

Warmly,

 Jenna

Expand your Spotlight Comfort Zone
With practical and spiritual tools to help you get there
In a safe, sensitive-friendly 6-week study group

If you want to summon your courage and step into YOUR spotlight, join my upcoming Spotlight Study Group, where we’ll have a safe, sensitive-friendly, small, intimate coaching group to clear up the fears, doubts, old wounds, and other obstacles to claiming your place in front of your audience — where you belong.
 
Starts May 1. Early registration ends Sunday, April 15th. Details are here.
 
 
Questions? Email my team.
 

 

Coming Attractions

~> March 15th, 2012. Last day to register for the next session of my Writer’s Circle session starting on March 19th. Get my Free Writing Tips series too, and receive a coupon for a savings on your first 4 week session. Sign up here.

~> March 27th, 2012. My teleclass, “Sensitives in the Spotlight: How Artists, Writers, Hermits & Introverts can Navigate a Call to the Public Eye,” will be held on March 27th at 3 p.m Pacific Time (4 Mountain, 5 Central, 6 Eastern, Midnight GMT). Find out more and register here. 

~> March 27th, 2012. Last day to register for my next Life Purpose Breakthrough Group on April 24th. Only 4 spots are available and these groups consistently sell out, so if you’d like to join me, reserve your spot ASAP. Register here.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Writing in the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU, which was recently named the #1 screenwriting class by InkTip. We just started a new module called “First Ten Pages.”

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

~> OMG Super Eight! Why didn’t you tell me it was so good? I also watched In The Bedroom. Not for the faint of heart to be sure. The fun reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to my son continues. I asked him if he was going to play soccer like his cousin and he said, “Well…., I’d rather play Quidditch.” A regular chip off the old block.

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

What does it mean to be called to the spotlight?

March 7, 2012 by 4 Comments

Being in the spotlight means having your creative work witnessed and responded to by an audience.

It means being read, seen, heard.

Being in the spotlight means having an audience.

Whenever our work is seen, we are seen.

  • If you’re a novelist, you’re in the spotlight when you publish your work, whether you publish it online or in print. Writers are in the spotlight through their books, articles, on their websites, at public readings, and in interviews.
  • If you’re a blogger, you’re in the spotlight every time you hit the publish button. People are reading your words, thinking about them, and responding to them.
  • Artists are in the spotlight whenever you share your creative work, and receive feedback on it. Think of gallery showings, exhibits, and studio tours. Or website galleries online.
  • Actors are in the spotlight when you are on stage, on the big screen, or on television. And celebrity actors are in the spotlight anytime they are in public.
  • Screenwriters are in the spotlight when the movies you’ve written play on the big screen or when someone reviews your writing publicly.
  • Poets, journalists, public speakers, radio broadcasters, and many more professions are seen, heard, and read.

Are you called to the spotlight?

Being called to the spotlight means feeling drawn to being seen. To expressing yourself in some public forum.

You can be “called” to the spotlight by an inner draw to it, but you may not realize you have the call — at least not consciously — until you see it written in your hands.

Are you a “hermit” in the spotlight?

I’m surprised to discover how many people have “Spotlight” markings in their hands when I analyze them, often in direct contradiction to their earthy, “hermit” heart lines; watery, sensitive hands, and their personality traits that have them strongly preferring peace, quiet, home, and solitude as a general rule.

Many artists, actors, introverts, sensitives, empaths, and writers much prefer the solitary life, but still feel some pull to sharing their work and being seen, read or heard in some way.

Having contradictory feelings about it does not mean you don’t have the call.

Until I was told I had an Apollo Star gift marking, I was never able to totally reconcile the appeal of being seen by audience and my desire to cocoon myself. I’ve come to think of myself as a “Hermit in the Spotlight,” writing away to my audience of over 4000 readers, and sometimes speaking to them as well.

Does audience size matter?

If only one person reads, sees, or hears it, is that being in the spotlight? Is that an audience?

It’s a good question.

I think the answer is, not yet. Not quite. But soon. With your next witness, yes, it’s starting to grow.

What fascinates me is the low level of frustration I can experience if my audience “isn’t big enough,” and by that I mean, it doesn’t satisfy my inner barometer of enough people.

(This is partially connected to my “Impatient Visionary” streak — more on this in a future post.)

When it has truly felt like “enough” have been the times I’ve spoken to over 100 people at a given time on a conference call, at a speaking event, or over a live streaming broadcast.

Do you feel reluctant to be seen, heard, or read, but know you want to or are supposed to be in the spotlight?

Despite having the call to the spotlight, and maybe even having a passion for it, we have to be conscious of not allowing our sensitive selves to always run the show and keep us playing it safe. Sometimes we need to stretch ourselves by reaching for more and a greater connection with our audiences.

As my teacher Sonia Choquette always says, “Don’t let your big Buts stop you.” :)

Your Turn

Are you called to the spotlight? How do you feel about it? What are your biggest challenges? I’d love to hear from you in the comments on this post.

Warmly,

 Jenna

As sensitives, how can we be more comfortable being seen, heard, and read in the spotlight?

It isn’t always easy, but we can learn to be more comfortable in the spotlight. That said, being 100% comfortable isn’t the ultimate goal — it’s about being comfortable enough to take the risk of being seen.

Here’s what you need to understand:

  • The pitfalls empathic sensitives tend to fall into when engaging with others, especially an audience.
  • How an introvert’s brain works, which can make you feel intimidated about speaking in public.
  • Why sensitives may not perform well under pressure, and what we can do about it.
  • The hand analysis gift marking that points to being “in the spotlight” and how to identify it.
  • How to deal with “tomato fears” (the fear of having rotten tomatoes thrown at you) and other creative expression challenges.

I’ll be teaching these solutions and answering your questions on this topic in my upcoming teleclass on March 27th at 3 p.m. Pacific Time (4 Mountain, 5 Central, 6 Eastern, Midnight GMT), called “Sensitives in the Spotlight: How Artists, Writers, Hermits & Introverts Can Navigate a Call to the Public Eye.”

The fee for the class is $39. When you register, you’ll have an opportunity to submit your questions for the live session, so I’ll be sure to answer them for you. Register here, or find out more here.

 

Coming Attractions

~> March 15th, 2012. Last day to register for the next session of my Writer’s Circle session starting on March 19th. Get my Free Writing Tips series too, and receive a coupon for a savings on your first 4 week session. Sign up here.

~> March 27th, 2012. My teleclass, “Sensitives in the Spotlight: How Artists, Writers, Hermits & Introverts can Navigate a Call to the Public Eye,” will be held on March 27th at 3 p.m Pacific Time (4 Mountain, 5 Central, 6 Eastern, Midnight GMT). Find out more and register here. 

~> March 27th, 2012. Last day to register for my next Life Purpose Breakthrough Group on April 24th. Only 4 spots are available and these groups consistently sell out, so if you’d like to join me, reserve your spot ASAP. Register here.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Writing in the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU, which was recently named the #1 screenwriting class by InkTip. Right now we’re working on “Writing Great Endings.”

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

~> Still haven’t watched Super Eight! Goodness. But I’m having tons of fun reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets to my son. The other day he said, “Does he look like me?” I thought that was so sweet!

Filed Under: Sensitivity Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Are you a sensitive called to the spotlight?

March 5, 2012 by 7 Comments

Several weeks ago I wrote about the link between sensitivity and creativity.

I commented that the challenges of sensitivity and creativity seem to come primarily from the audience side of things, and that ironically, I frequently I analyze hands for creative, sensitive types who have “Spotlight” in their hands — it’s astonishing how common it is.

What I’ve noticed is that for some of us who are more introverted or sensitive and have a tendency to want to be a hermit, it doesn’t stop us from wanting to or feeling called to the public eye — even though it can feel terrifying…

For people who’ve made an art form out of avoiding over stimulation, it can feel like a downright contradiction in terms to be “called to the spotlight.”

Here are some of the common concerns I hear from clients and sensitive types called to the spotlight:

  1. Fearing criticism of what we have to offer.
  2. Feeling uncomfortable receiving praise.
  3. Thinking there is some “right way” to be visible — and we don’t know what it is.
  4. Trying to fit in with a certain image or public persona.
  5. Doubting the value of what we have to offer.
  6. A fear of having to perform and not measuring up.
  7. Being overwhelmed, drained or exhausted being in the public eye.
  8. Feeling like we won’t be able to handle what comes up.

For sensitive, introverted types, there are some surprising pieces of information that can help you feel more comfortable about being in the spotlight and understanding yourself, like:

  • Pitfalls empathic sensitives tend to fall into when engaging with others, especially an audience.
  • How an introvert’s brain works, which can make you feel intimidated about speaking in public.
  • Why sensitives may not perform well under pressure, and what we can do about it.
  • The hand analysis gift marking that points to being “in the spotlight” and how to identify it.
  • How to deal with “tomato fears” (the fear of having rotten tomatoes thrown at you) and other creative expression challenges.

On April 10th at 3 p.m. Pacific Time (4 Mountain, 5 Central, 6 Eastern, Midnight GMT), I’m leading a teleclass (a class held over the telephone) called “Sensitives in the Spotlight: How Artists, Writers, Hermits & Introverts Can Navigate a Call to the Public Eye.“ The fee for the class is $39.

When you register, you’ll have an opportunity to submit your questions for the live session, so I’ll be sure to answer them for you.

Register

$39

 Join me!

 

If you have questions about how the class works or any other logistical details, please post them in the comments section below and I’ll be sure to answer them.

If you have questions FOR the class about being in the spotlight, you’ll be given an opportunity to submit them immediately upon registration. And I can’t wait to see them.

 

FAQ

Q: When are you offering this class again?

A: This is a one-time offering. I expect to record this class and make it available in my shop, but I do not expect to offer it again live. That may change, but as of right now, this is it.

Q: How does a teleclass work?

A: A teleclass is a class held over a telephone conference line. You will have to pay normal long distance fees in order to participate. In this class, participants will be muted until the Q&A period at the end of the class. That portion of the class will not be made available in the shop.

Q: Do I have to have had my hand analyzed in order to participate in the class?

A: No. You do not need to have had your hands analyzed to participate in this class, though I will be referring to some gift markings and other hand analysis markings during the session. To be clear: Being called to the spotlight by your hand markings is only PART of the story here. You may FEEL called to the spotlight and benefit that way. You may also benefit in terms of learning about being more comfortable in other public experiences whether you are called to the spotlight or not.

Q: What does “Spotlight” mean from a hand analysis perspective?

A: “Spotlight” is a shortened version of the expression, “Creative Expression in the Spotlight” for someone with a Right Ring Finger life purpose, and for the term, “Fame and Fortune in the Arts” for someone with an Apollo Star gift marking. However, anyone who feels a “calling” to be in the public eye may feel called to the spotlight.

Q: How long will the class run? Will the recorded version be available to the participants as well? Will it include the Q&A?  Will there be any written info I can use to supplement the class?

A: The class will run approximately 45 to 60 minutes, not including the Q&A. The recording will definitely be included for people paying for the class now, including the Q&A portion of the class. At this point in time, I am planning to have a simple PDF I send in advance for people to follow along with, though I may also offer it online via a visual slideshow. 
Filed Under: Sensitivity Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

What do you do when the going gets tough?

February 1, 2012 by 4 Comments

Yesterday was a tough one.

It was a dark, drizzly day after a bad night of sleep, followed by a bit of bad news. And it was on the heels of a wicked cold that had me laid up Wednesday through Sunday. Not a good cocktail for a sensitive soul with work to be done.

Needless to say, I came home after dropping off my son to feeling rather adrift.

I didn’t know what I wanted to work on. None of the many items on my idea list or to do list was the least bit appealing. Even though I had come up with some nifty ideas on the way home in the car, when I sat down at my desk and confronted my computer screen, a strong feeling of despondency — and resistance — came up.

I didn’t want to do anything.

Or did I?

I checked in with my heart.

I checked in with my spirit.

I asked, “Is there anything I DO want to work on?“

The answer came back, “Yes. My script.”

(And this was even after doing my first round of writing first thing in the morning.)

So I did. I got out my latest set of assignments, turned on my timer, and dug in.

An hour later, I felt like myself again. I even went on to have a happy, productive day working with my clients and revamping my website (you can see the evidence on my Shop and Home pages).

By doing my work, by turning to my calling rather than away from it, I found myself.

Your Turn

What works for you?

When you’ve fallen off the wagon of clarity and productivity, how do you find your way back to taking action?

And by the way, I’m not intending to say that action is the only solution here. There are times when for me the right “action” is clearly nothing work-related, like rest, reflection, exercise, or taking a break. But I think I’m talking about something different here — that Thing that happens when you know getting back on path is just what’s called for but it’s feeling elusive. I’d love to hear what works for you.

Tell us about it in the comments.

Warmly,

 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.

~> 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.

~> February 20th, 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.

 

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.

~> Now onto Castle, Season 4. So good!

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

Is there a link between sensitivity and creativity?

January 26, 2012 by 15 Comments

Elaine Aron, author of The Highly Sensitive Person, says that “almost all HSPs have an artistic side they enjoy expressing … or they deeply appreciate some form of art.” She also says that, “almost all studies of the personalities of prominent artists insist that sensitivity is central.”

Todd Henry, author of The Accidental Creative: How to Be Brilliant at a Moment’s Notice, notes, “It’s not a rule by any means, but many creatively gifted people tend to display a natural tendency toward introversion. Perhaps the isolated nature of a lot of creative work is what calls many of us to our chosen profession to begin with. We love to get lost in the process of moving big conceptual rocks…”

(To be clear, while not all introverts are sensitives, all sensitives are introverts in the classic sense of the word “introversion”: meaning that we recharge our energy by having time alone.)

I think there’s a link between creativity and sensitivity due to the deep, rich, and imaginative inner life sensitives experience. While our vivid imaginations can run amok from time to time, it’s a powerful tool for venturing into new creative territory.

Similarly, our tendency to empathy gives us a great resource when it comes to exploring the emotional depths, which can also be a boon when it comes to creative expression.

Just the other day on Twitter, I joked about my screenwriting:

The challenges of sensitivity and creativity

I notice that the challenging aspect of both being sensitive and creative comes primarily on the audience side of things.

And ironically, I can’t tell you how frequently I analyze hands for creative, sensitive types who have “Spotlight” in their hands — it’s astonishing. So much so that I’m seriously considering doing a one-time class on “Sensitives in the Spotlight.”

(“Spotlight” is a shortened version of the expression, “Creative Expression in the Spotlight” for someone with a Right Ring Finger life purpose, and for the term, “Fame and Fortune in the Arts” for someone with an Apollo Star gift marking.)

As Elaine Aron puts it, “The difficulty, I believe, is that normally we artists work alone, refining our craft and our subtle creative vision. But withdrawl of any kind increases sensitivity — that is part of why one withdraws. So we are extra sensitive when the time comes to show our work, perform it, explain it, sell it, read reviews of it, and accept rejection or acclaim.”

Some of my private clients and I recently did some work on this topic of “being seen” and discovered the importance of being willing to fully receive acclaim and trying not to block the massive flow of energy that comes with attention from an audience, but rather allowing it to flow through us and around us.

I was also recently reminded through my screenwriting class of the power and importance of intelligent, quality feedback to help us to improve our work.

As Artists in the Spotlight, we must be engaged in the exchange of our artistic expression for applause, approval, and appreciation from our audience. It is exhilarating, and while it may appear to be purely ego-driven, it is a necessary part of the equation for artistic fulfillment, at least from a life purpose perspective.

So yes, Virginia, I do see a link between sensitivity and creativity, and I think it brings challenges all of its own.

Your Turn

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

 

 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.

~> 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.

~> February 20th, 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.

 

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. Loving it!

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

Sensitivity 3.0

August 10, 2011 by 9 Comments

I’ve worked with highly sensitive souls since I started my coaching practice in 2002. As I evolve, and as we evolve as a tribe of sensitive people, I see more for us than I was able to see before.

I began with one model — let’s call it Sensitivity 2.0 — and now my approach has evolved to a new one — let’s call it Sensitivity 3.0.

Sensitivity 2.0

In the Sensitivity 2.0 model, my focus was on helping sensitives move from a place of struggling with being highly sensitive to thriving with it, essentially learning how to “deal” with being highly sensitive in a not-so-sensitive world.

This has been tremendously important work, in my humble opinion, because I’ve seen so many people move from being frustrated, embarrassed, and deeply unhappy with themselves to feeling uplifted and inspired by their own abilities and their own innate gifts.

My mission statement throughout that time was to “help people find a deep sense of inner rightness so that everything else would just drop away, and they would feel inspired to step forward and shine.”

In the end, much of my deepest work was and will continue to be about that deep sense of inner rightness.

And there’s more…

Sensitivity 3.0

In the new Sensitivity 3.0 model, I want to help you step your dreams up into the next level of their expression.

It’s time to say, “Okay, so we’re sensitive, now that we know how to manage that, what’s next?”

My new mission is to help you “upgrade” from the Sensitivity 2.0 model to Sensitivity 3.0, where not only are you thriving as a sensitive person, you are also getting your deep work into the world.

I want you to bring that powerful, deep art, message or movement you have out and share it with your audience, no matter what pain, ecstasy, doubt, joy, terror, or delicious dilemma you experience in the process.

The world’s deepest hunger is waiting to be fed by your deep gladness, to paraphrase theologian Frederick Buechner.

And I want to help you get there.

Your Turn

I’d love to hear from you about this subject:

  • How have you evolved with your sensitivity?
  • What’s next for you?
  • Where do you see us going as a “tribe”?

Jenna

 

Coming Attractions

~> August. Doing Creative Destiny Assessments with visionary creatives ready to claim their creative destiny. Interested? Email me here to request a session.

~> September 6th. Beta-testing my new writer’s accountability system with a select group. Want to participate? Email me here to request the details.

~> September 29th. My next Life Purpose Breakthrough ‘Big Vision’ Group. Details. Only 4 spots available.

 


~> Alternate MONDAYS. Right Brain Business Planning with my buddy Kris Carey.

~> FRIDAYS. Sacred writing days. The Do Not Disturb sign is up.

~> Vacationing with my family in August (at least part of it!).

 

 

Filed Under: Sensitivity, Vision Tagged With: , , , , , ,