If this was your wake up call, what would it be?

April 3, 2013 by 17 Comments

Seems like every time I turn around, someone I know is going through something big:

… Friends with cancer.

… My father facing health challenges.

… A neighbor’s house catching on fire.

… My cousin’s husband dying.

… Even my own roll-over car accident a few years back now.

The circle of those affected feels like it’s getting closer to me, like a tightening loop.

And it’s got me to thinking…

 

…Is there anything I’m not paying attention to that I want to be?

Am I going to wait for my next wake-up call, or what if I just paid attention now?

 

Change the rules that keep you in the dark.

Last night, we saw The Croods. I loved the message at the end: “We changed the rules that kept us in the dark.” (I love that they really spelled it out; it’s a kid’s movie after all.)

And that got me to thinking even more.

How am I keeping myself in the dark, operating out of fear rather than reaching out for tomorrow? Or living for today for that matter?

As writers and creatives, one of the biggest challenges we face every day is our fear. No wonder we act like we’re confronting our own mortality. On some level we are.

But I don’t like this question.

I’ve never liked how people say, “If you knew were going to die tomorrow, what would you do today?”

Maybe there’s something too cynical about me to fully appreciate that question, but there are things I commit to doing on a regular basis that I’m darn sure I wouldn’t do if I knew I’d be dying tomorrow, but I can’t live like that on an ongoing basis. Things like exercising and flossing and making sure my kid’s lunch is made, that yeah, I don’t think I’d pay attention to if the world was going to end.

On the other hand, I’m okay with it in the big picture.

But what about the big picture of our lives? I’m down with looking at that and making sure that what we’re doing matches with where we want to be now and where we want to end up.

Writing.

It wasn’t too long ago that I got the message, “Write like your life depends on it.”

And I’m writing every day now, which is a heck of a lot more than I was doing at the time. Which was rarely, if at all.

But am I writing like my life depends on it?

Not yet.

So am I going to wait for the next cosmic two-by-four, or am I going to do something about it?

Well, you already know the answer, right?

Do something.

Saturday I got out a pad of paper and started redesigning my schedule to put the focus on more writing. It’s not quite where I want it to be, so I’m going to do some more work on it today. And then I’m going to begin the process of shifting my schedule more and more in that direction. It’s okay with me if it takes a little while to shift; it’s a kind of gradual herding things into the right corrals. But it works.

Having fun.

The other persistent message that I simply have to do something about is FUN.

I’m good at working hard, you probably know that about me by now.

And I’m fairly good at really luxuriating when I give myself the chance. (I just love taking days off and putting my feet up and watching movies and eating great food and treats.)

But I just don’t give myself the chance very often.

I come from a long line of self-sacrificers and workaholics and the buck is going to have to stop here, now.

The funny thing is, I’m still not sure what I truly want it to look like, this fun thing. Writing is fun, but it’s also work.

I think it’s more about lightness of spirit and regular adventures. I hesitate to schedule time for fun. But I also used to hesitate to schedule time for writing, and look where that got me!

What if fun was worth making time for?

That sounds like a ridiculous question even as I write it.

But sometimes my brain needs an excuse to think of things in a new way.

Being appreciative and being present.

And last, I think my perhaps my biggest one, is about appreciation and presence. I’m so good at appreciating things in other people, but not so good at appreciating them in my own life. This is huge, and hard to admit. I’ve got more work to do here.

My recent tech shabbats have shown me about the power of being present and not checked out into my own little world. So I’m getting there. And there’s more. There always is.

What about you?

If this was your wake-up call, what would it be?

What is the voice of your spirit asking you to pay attention to right now?

What have you been neglecting but you know, deep down, you want to attend to?

If the Universe was going to give you a whack upside the head with a cosmic two-by-four, what would it be trying to tell you?

Your turn

We’d love to hear from you in the comments. Anything you’re tolerating? Ignoring? Things you know you want to do but aren’t? What if you chose to tackle them head-on? I’m sure I’ve got a few more of them. Seems like it’s time for an inventory.

Warmly,

 Jenna

Coming Attractions

~> Monday, April 8th. Through April 8th, my OnDemand webinar, “10 Practical Tips for More Consistent Productive Writing“* with the Writer’s Store is on sale. Use the code ONDEMAND413 at checkout to save 50%.

~> Thursday, April 18th. Register by April 18th for the next session of my Writer’s Circle (starts April 22nd). Build a solid habit of daily writing and finish all your writing projects: http://JustDoTheWriting.com.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Writing. I’ve finished my read-through of Progeny and now I’m starting in on the editing and polishing in earnest. I’m also beginning to outline my next project, tentatively called Do Over, which will be a sweet little time travel romance. Can’t you just see it already?

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

~> Reading. Finished How to Train Your Dragon: How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse* with my son. Now we’ve started in on A Boy and His Bot* by Daniel H. Wilson. I also finished Crucible of Gold* by Naomi Novik (loved it!) and then plowed through a re-read of Do The Work* by Steven Pressfield in one afternoon. Next up is finishing Adventures in the Screen Trade* by William Goldman and then tackling Making a Literary Life* by Carolyn See. Or maybe the other way around. I never do like rules. :)

 

Thanks for reading.

 

* Affiliate link
Filed Under: Creativity, Intuition, Life Purpose, Vision, Writing Tagged With: , , , , ,

Ready, set, new year

December 12, 2012 by 9 Comments

If you have a dream to write or create, you probably have your sights set on the new year as a good time to recommit to your goal.

You probably also believe that once we’ve passed through the holiday ring of fire, you’ll have cleared a lot of new space, time, and energy that has otherwise been occupied with shopping, events, and clearing your desk for the holidays.

Glorious guilt and procrastination

And, surprise, surprise, there do tend to be a few glorious days in January of peace and quiet… but usually with the essence of guilt and procrastination swirling around the edges.

Because even though you’ve promised yourself you’ll get started right away on your writing or art or dream, you don’t.

It’s not what you think it is

But don’t feel guilty. It’s completely normal. You see, once you actually have that big block of time you’ve been longing for, the raw, naked fear comes bounding in and masquerades as wanting to sleep in or take some time off after all the hubbub. What’s wrong with that? “Yeah, I know I said I would write today but it’s new year’s day and I just want to get a little more sleep. I just want to spend the day relaxing for a change.”

It looks like needing time off (and you probably do actually need it) but it’s really fear.

Here’s the thing

(And, yes, we’ve talked about this before.)

Resistance comes up around anything worth doing.

We tend to recommit — at least mentally — to the concept of doing those things in the form of new year’s resolutions.

Guess what?

Those resolutions trigger even more resistance.

Which leads to more distractions, and smokescreens, and procrastination. And stress. And self-doubt.

No more stories

There’s ALWAYS something.

Always.

So.

How about instead of making resolutions, we decide to make new life decisions about setting ourselves up for a long-term, sustainable, regular practice of our art? No more grand sweeping gestures and big talk but instead an actual realistic, attainable plan to take small, daily actions to move you toward your goal?

For instance:

  • If you want to write, commit to writing for 15 minutes a day. (We’re offering a “Start The New Year Off Write” special for my Writer’s Circle to help with that. Code: WRITENOW to save $20.)
  • If you want to move your business forward, commit to doing the hardest tasks first (usually marketing, right?), for 15 minutes a day, every day.
  • If you want to paint, set yourself up so that you can paint a little bit every day. Use the two-second rule to make sure your watercolors and sketchbook are close to hand.

Find the smallest increment of absolutely do-able, sustainable, accomplishment you know you can meet, and commit only to that, nothing more. If you find yourself not doing it, make it smaller. And let me know how it goes.

Your turn

Click here to share your thoughts. I love reading your comments and insights.

Build your writing habit

Join the Writer's CircleIf you’re a writer looking for community and support on your writing journey, join our next session of the Writer’s Circle, which starts soon. It’s like a giant sandbox where you get to experiment with your writing habit, see what works, see what doesn’t, and have fun playing alongside other writers committed to showing up and doing the work. Find out more and register here: http://JustDoTheWriting.com

 

Warmly,

 Jenna

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

How to find your calling as an artist

April 18, 2012 by 4 Comments

Several people have mentioned recently that they know they have a calling in a creative direction but that they aren’t sure where to start to figure out what it is.

This is something I specialize in — helping you get clear not only about your life purpose, but also honing in on the specific expression of your life purpose that you can do in your daily life.

Life purpose versus the specific “thing” you do

For example, if your life purpose is to be a “Messenger” or “Mass Communicator,” the specific expression of that might involve being a broadcast radio announcer, a book author, a keynote speaker, or a journalist.

Similarly, if your life purpose involved “Creative Expression in the Spotlight,” we’d want to get clear about whether you’d rather be a stage or movie actor, a painter doing studio exhibits, a creative writer, or a dancer, for instance.

Most coaches will tell you that the way to do — once you know your broader life purpose — is to figure out what you are passionate about.

The problem with starting with what you are passionate about

The question of getting clear on what you are passionate about is one that fascinates me.

Why don’t we just know what we are passionate about? Is it simply that it’s been drained out of us by our cultural programming? Are we numb to the world because of the pressures we face and the constant onslaught of choices and information?

A while back I said that I think we might be asking the wrong question, to ask what we are passionate about. I say that because — particularly in the business coaching industry — there’s a kind of “well, all you have to do is what you are passionate about and all your problems will be solved” mentality. *blinks brightly*

No pressure there.

I mean, people come to coaching to find their life’s direction — if they knew what they were passionate about they’d already be doing it. And just point blank asking, “What are you passionate about?” triggers a bunch of remote answers that don’t have a lot to do with anything meaningful and makes people feel like they’re just stupid or blocked.

Which they are.

Blocked, I mean, not stupid.

Here’s the funny thing.

Deep down, some part of you that you’re not tapped in to — your soul — does know.

And it’s your job — just like it is for each one of us — to learn how to connect with that deeper inner wisdom and guidance that’s available to you and listen to it.

Listen to it like your life depends on it.

It does.

But wait a minute, Jenna, I can’t hear that voice!

I know. It’s hard to find, right?

It takes practice. Patience. Quiet time.

Journaling.

Listening.

Make space in your life for that deeper voice of wisdom to speak, and you will hear it.

And yes, you are avoiding it by numbing out, being so busy you can’t think, and constantly being online. Those things don’t help.

Go outside. Touch the ground. Make something REAL. Put your hands in that big planter filled with mint and breathe the scent.

Look at the sky and let your soul touch the clouds.

And do it again.

And again.

Then tell me what you found out.

xx

Your turn

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

Warmly,

 Jenna

 

Coming Attractions

 

~> April 19th, 2012. Last day to register for my next Life Purpose Breakthrough Group on May 17th. Only 1 spot 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.

~> April 25th, 2012. Second date, same class, different graphic, different venue! A live webinar for The Writer’s Store, “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. Details.

 

What I'm Up To

~> Ongoing. Writing in the ProSeries class at ScreenwritingU. I have a fancy marketing campaign printed out and on my wall now. It’s a thing of beauty!

~> Sacred writing time. Early mornings and Fridays.

~> Still reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with my boy. Can’t watch Downton Abbey right now since it’s backlogged on Netflix. Up to other things in the meantime.

 

 

Filed Under: Creativity 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: , , , , ,

Do You “Believe Beyond Reason?”

October 26, 2011 by 12 Comments

When Joss Whedon’s sci-fi western television series, “Firefly,” was cancelled by the Fox network in 2002, the fans of the show were devastated. But Joss told his actors that he wouldn’t give up and that he would find the show a new home.

Eventually, he found that place with Universal Studios in 2005, where they made a feature length movie called Serenity and resurrected the “Firefly“ story.

Joss says about his movie making, “It’s not to make things people like. It’s never to make things people like. It’s only to make things that they love.”

Refusing to Let It Go

What I love about this story (in addition to loving the show unabashedly), is that Joss was so committed to vision and believed in it so much, that he refused to give up. And his fans and cast did too. Joss says about the experience, “[People] fell in love with it a little bit too much to let it go, too much to lay down arms when the battle looked pretty much lost. In Hollywood, people like that are called ‘unrealistic’ … ‘quixotic’ … ‘obsessive’.”

He seems to be totally okay with that. :)

When he presented the first footage of the movie at San Diego Comic Con, he said to the assembled masses of fans, “This movie should not exist. Failed TV shows don’t get made into major motion pictures unless the creator, the cast, and the fans believe beyond reason.”

Isn’t that the most beautiful turn of phrase?

What Do You Believe Beyond Reason?

What are you so ridiculously over the moon about that it makes you giddy just to think about?

The word passion has become so overused in our culture today, I’m not even sure we know what it means anymore.

To most of us it apparently means something like, “What do you think is a realistic way to make money that you would enjoy doing?”

And while that is a useful question when one is paying one’s bills, it is NOT really the same question as “What are you passionate about?”

Seems to me it’s time to change the question.

Let’s start asking, “What do you BELIEVE BEYOND REASON?”

“What do you believe in so deeply, so permanently, so passionately that you can hardly keep yourself in your skin because you are exploding with joy when you consider it?”

“What brings tears to your eyes when you allow yourself to even just consider the possibility that you might be lucky enough to do it for a single minute of your life?”

Do that. And do it as quick as you can.

Because really, why would we do anything else?

Time’s a wastin.’

Watch Joss’ Introduction Here

Your Turn

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

 

Jenna

 

Filed Under: Authentic True Work, Creative Visionaries, Creativity, Loving Life, Vision Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

I Can See Clearly Now, The Rain Is Gone

April 14, 2011 by 3 Comments

One of my Life Lessons is confusion. I can easily fall into confusion and uncertainty about what I want to Do or how I want to do It or if I even want to do It at all.

I can end up spinning in circles pretty easily. So I thought I’d remind us all about what confusion looks like and how to get out of it.

Confusion shows up when:

  • You aren’t listening to your deeper self.
  • You aren’t speaking the highest truth you know.
  • You’ve lost touch with your Big Dream or Big Idea.
  • You aren’t taking Right Action on making your Big Dreams real.
  • You aren’t in connection with your Big Dream Believers — the people that believe in you even when you can’t believe in yourself.
  • You’ve bumped into an unexpected obstacle and you aren’t sure what to do next.
  • You have lots of ideas and you don’t know where to start.
  • Your creative fears are masquerading as confusion or apathy (jackpot!).

Here’s what you can do to find your way out of the fog to the rainbow of clarity you’re looking for:

  • Tap into your deeper self — visualizations, coaching with a spiritual coach, or automatic writing are all powerful tools to help you get there.
  • Speak your truth until you can’t think of a single other thing to say. 
  • Write like your life depends on it. Write morning pages, write words, write articles.
  • Remind yourself of your Big Idea and what it is that you were put here to do. I have my clients craft Vision Intention statements so they can go back to their ideas when they lose their way. Get your hands analyzed if you haven’t already so you know your life purpose.
  • Take action. “Sometimes you have to make the right decision and sometimes you have to make the decision right,” as Dr. Phil likes to say. If you find out you’ve taken the wrong action, try something else.
  • Put yourself in a safe situation where like minded folks (other Big Dream Believers) can truly support you to find your clarity (come to my Voice Your Vision retreat in 2 weeks if you’re wanting this kind of support).
  • Take an objective look at your obstacles. Is there a way around them you haven’t already considered? Some radical or risky step you’ve not allowed yourself to consider but might actually be the exact solution you need? (Sell the house. Move to another area. Quit the crappy job. Ask for a loan. Tell off your grouchy cousin. Find a way to forgive yourself.)
  • Pick a place to start. You can always change your mind. If you had to pick one idea to start with right now, what would it be?
  • Core dump your fears onto paper until they lose their power.

One of the funny things I’ve noticed is that deeper down inside the quiet that is my higher, Essential Self, the truth is consistently there, reminding me of what I really want despite all my head spinning to the contrary. My deeper self ALWAYS knows what the Real Plan is, even when I’m thinking I’m I have no idea what to do. And if I just give her a chance to show up, she does.

Then I find out that I’m a lot less confused than I thought I was.

What about you?

 

~~~~~

What’s Jenna Up To?

~> April 19th, 2011. My Artist’s Way Accountability & Support Group continues. Details.

~> April 20, 2011. Speaking at the Thriving Practice Workshop Series in Berkeley, California on creating a web presence and using social media to reach clients.

~>April 23, 2011. Next broadcast of my Radio Lightworker radio show “Dreamification” on “Visioning and Moving Ahead With Your Dreams Even in the Face of Fear.” Details. Listen from anywhere in the world to this Internet radio show.

~> April 29th & 30th, 2011. My next Voice Your Vision retreat in Berkeley, California. Registration CLOSES APRIL 18th . Special savings if you’ve already had your hands analyzed. Check out this video to get a sense of what it’s like to work with me in this way.

~> May 26th, 2011. My first Life Purpose Breakthrough Group. The special focus is: Intuition & Inner Wisdom — discover how your intuition shows up in the gifts markings in your hands. Registration CLOSES APRIL 28th .

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

Visionaries: You Must Be a Leader and You Must Have a Plan

February 22, 2011 by 6 Comments

I love science fiction with a passion that is beyond reason. It delights me utterly.

I love it because it expands our limited thinking in the most unbelievable ways. And since I espouse and delight in such expansive, biggifying thinking, well, sci-fi pretty much always makes my day.

Can’t Stop the Signal?

This weekend, one of my all-time favorite sci-fi shows — Firefly — experienced a fascinating resurgence. It was cancelled shortly into production in 2002 after a short-sighted move on the part of a big network (Fox). The fans of the show have been pining for more ever since.

On Twitter last week, in response to the news that the show will be airing again on the Science Channel, the lead actor, Nathan Fillion, mentioned that if he were to win the lottery, he’d buy the rights to the show, make new episodes, and release them on the internet.

The fans of the show have gone wild with tweets, comments, and speculation ever since, and have even kicked a fund raising campaign idea into gear to try to get the show back on the air, again (apparently there have been other past attempts with unfortunate outcomes).

Why am I telling you all this?

What fascinates me about this is that while an anonymous fan has jumped into action to set up a fund raising website, the project doesn’t seem to be gaining much momentum. I think this is true for a few key reasons:

1. There is no clear leader on the project. The person who has set up the website has chosen to remain anonymous. I think this undermines his or her credibility.

On the other hand, I personally think this project would have a much better chance of success with leadership from the visionary series creator, Joss Whedon, or at very least the lead actor, Nathan Fillion. If they were taking the lead on this, with a good team to help them implement it, I think nothing in the ‘verse could stop it.

2. There is no clear plan for the project. The basic idea floated on the fan website is this: We’ll figure it out once we get the go-ahead from Fillion. The issue I have with this is that there isn’t enough for him or other leaders to respond to. Lots of good ideas but no clear plan. I think the folks behind the scheme might want to consider laying out a serious campaign and a serious approach so that the Powers That Be have something tangible and real to respond to.

3. The role of the followers is muddy. As fans, do “we” have the power to take on a project like this? I’ve been asking myself that question pretty seriously over the last few days, and thinking closely about whether or not I want jump on board and make a proposal to make this project happen.

On the one hand, it’s a perfect “Browncoat Rebellion” against the evil (Network) Alliance — a more show-paralleling campaign could not have been better designed.

On the other hand, even in the show, they still had the captain to lead the charge. :)

Visionaries Take Note

What can we learn from this? We visionaries who want to deeply impact the world with our ideas, art, messages, and insights…

1. If you want to see your vision come to fruition, you have to be the leader — be someone other people can follow. Sure, you can empower people to take action on your behalf or even design a plan. But your followers need clear vision, leadership, and sense of direction before they can get started. That’s going to come from you, the leader.

(Joss? Nathan? Anonymous fan website guy? Anyone?)

2. You must have a clear, actionable plan in order to make your vision real. With details, strategies, and purpose. Personally, I’d LOVE to see Firefly get back on the air. In this case, designing a powerful, clear, decisive campaign is in order, with time lines, a crowd funding platform, and promotion strategies.

When contemplating our own vision, think about how you can design a practical, real, step-by-step plan to make it so.

3. It’s not enough to just have a good idea and a plan — you also have be passionate enough about it to get into action with it AND see it through. Someone — ideally you — has to take the reins, be a leader, and get into action making your vision real. The passion will carry it forward from there. Right now, this Firefly project is a brilliant idea filled with passion — but no clear leadership and no real plan.

~~~~~

Your Turn

  • Where are you with your vision? What is it about?
  • What is your plan to bring it into being?
  • Is your passion in place to help you see it through?
  • Or — what does this article spark in your thinking about your vision?

Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.

(Browncoats — your comments, opinions, and debates are welcome too.)

~~~~~

What’s Jenna Up To?

~> February 25, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. Pacific Time. Special call with guest Isabel Parlett on “How to Say What You Do, When What You Do is Deep, Powerful, and Hard to Describe.” Register here.

~> March 1, 2011. My Artist’s Way Accountability & Support Group starts. For details send a blank email here.

~> May 2011. My next Voice Your Vision retreat will be held in Berkeley, California. Specific dates and registration details to be announced. A special savings will be available if you’ve already had your hands analyzed.

~~~~~


Filed Under: Vision Tagged With: ,

The First Step to Finding Your Audience Is A Leap Of Faith

January 4, 2011 by 33 Comments

Someone wrote in recently to ask for advice about doing intuitive work to fulfill her calling. She mentioned that people might think she was crazy to do such work. I remembered when I first started coaching and I was terrified to call myself a “spiritual coach” for fear of what people would think.

The good news is that when you get yourself aligned with what you want to do, and start doing it, there ARE people who are excited, interested, and looking for just what you have to offer. You have to be willing to take the leap of faith to believe in your dream and put it out there so that your people can find you. So,

  • Start writing the book (or blog or screenplay).
  • Start making the art, the jewelry, the clothes.
  • Take a stab at a new way of doing things.
  • Start offering the service you know you really want to offer, no matter how crazy it will seem to some people (the key word is some).
  • Start sharing YOUR perspective on what’s working and what’s not and what we can do about it.
  • Be a little reckless about putting yourself out there the way YOU want to be seen.
  • Don’t be afraid of what so-and-so will think, focus instead on the people who ARE your business — the ones who will say, “I want that!”
  • Pick the odd, quirky, unusual, and specific thing that makes you YOU and gets you all hopped up to do.
  • And GO FOR IT!

On the other hand, there will ALSO be people who will NOT like what you are doing. They will be the naysayers and doubters. Sometimes they will give you useful feedback to help you refine your vision and dream, but more often than not, they will shoot down your efforts because they are afraid to make their own. Naysayers often are too afraid to take action themselves, and instead find negative things to point out about what you’re doing. They project their fear right onto you.

So it’s up to you to choose wisely who you listen to, to be your own biggest fan and greatest supporter, and to surround yourself with people who are not just “yes men” but who honestly, truly, and deeply believe that you are here to do something powerful, to create something amazing, and to change the world.

First you have to take the leap of faith yourself.

I believe in your vision.

Welcome to 2011.


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If this sparked anything for you, please share it in the comments section below. I always love to hear from you.


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What’s Jenna Up To?

~> January 21st & 22nd, 2011. Voice Your Vision Mastermind Retreat. In-Person Workshop in Berkeley, California. Clarify your unique vision to implement your Life Purpose in a specific, step-by-step plan. TWO SPOTS remaining. This small group retreat is perfect for you if you know your purpose but you’re wondering, “What’s next?” Details: www.VoiceYourVisionWithJenna.com

~> January 27th & 28th, 2011. “Powerful Strategies to Slay Your Inner Critic Demons So You Can Leap Into the Creative Spotlight.” Appearing as a guest expert at Baeth Davis’s “Claim Your Spotlight” program in Los Angeles, California.

~> February 10, 2011. Virtual Workshop: Claim Your Calling: 5 Steps To Get You Back On Track With What You Were Put Here To Do. Details. Early registration ends January 13th.

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

Isolation Is a Dream Killer

November 16, 2010 by 12 Comments

One of the participants at my recent Voice Your Vision retreat shared this powerful quote from Barbara Sher, “Isolation is a dream killer.”

Similarly, my teacher Sonia Choquette says, “You cannot do it alone.”

How true!

As a sensitive woman, mother, home-based business owner, spiritual coach, intuitive, hand analyst, and ready-to-take-the-world-by-storm creative writer, I can tell you that the hardest days are when I feel like I have no one to turn to and there’s no one else out there who gets who or where I am. Luckily, I’ve learned a few things about this along the way.

When it comes to making your dreams real, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Your nascent vision is like a tiny seedling. Plant it in fertile soil, water it, nurture it, and protect it. Don’t put it somewhere it could be trampled on. Share it only with your best supporters.

2. Get the right support from the right people. You must have “believing eyes” to witness your project into wholeness. Do not allow the naysayers and doubters to topple your tiny creation before it learns to stand on its own two feet.Get in touch with your supporters when you need them, and do the same for them. Make sure you have a balanced, equal exchange with people who are emotionally whole enough to truly be there for you.

3. Dream big or stay at home. Don’t hold back from your vision — go all the way with it. Push yourself to your creative edge. Ask, “How can I take this to its next greatest level of expression?” If you need help pushing yourself to that precipice,  you’re in the right place. You’ll be seeing more from me modeling this very, very soon (stay tuned!).

4. Don’t take your critics too seriously. Like most of us, you probably make the mistake of listening to criticism (from yourself or from other people) far too early in your creative process. Your inner critics are speaking from fear and doubt, and your outer critics are doing the same. Very often, your outer critics are simply projecting their own fear and excuses onto you. So take it with a grain of salt. And turn to your supporters to get you back on track when you make the mistake of listening to the wrong voice.

5. Trust yourself, first. So often you dismiss your greatest, deepest truths because you think they are too simple, too complicated, too unrealistic, etc. But if you simply allow yourself the permission to explore what your inner voice is telling you, miraculous things can happen. You may want and need to have your inner truths heard and witnessed before you’re willing to give ourselves that permission.

That’s where your supporters or coach come into play. Either way, sometimes allowing yourself to voice your vision to the right listeners is just the powerful kick-start you need to make your dream become a reality.



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Did this spark anything for you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.



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What’s Jenna Up To?

~> November 22nd, 2010. Leading a private in-person half-day retreat in Berkeley, California.

~> November 29th, 2010. Mark Your Calendar! My annual birthday sale is coming up — one day only. Details to be announced soon.

~> November 29th, 2010. Also on my birthday: Doing a photo shoot for my new website photos with the fabulous Lindsay Miller.

~> January 21st & 22nd, 2011. Voice Your Vision Mastermind Retreat. In-Person Workshop in Berkeley, California. Clarify your unique vision to implement your Life Purpose in a specific, step-by-step plan. FOUR SPOTS remaining. This small group retreat is perfect for you if you know your purpose but you’re wondering, “What’s next?” For details, send a blank email to: coach115-557948@autocontactor.com. Early registration ends November 26th.

~> January 27th & 28th, 2011. “Powerful Strategies to Slay Your Inner Critic Demons So You Can Leap Into the Creative Spotlight.” Appearing as a guest expert at Baeth Davis’s “Claim Your Spotlight” program in Los Angeles, California.

~> Spring 2011. Virtual Workshop: Claim Your Calling: 5 Steps To Get You Back On Track With What You Were Put Here To Do. Dates to be announced shortly. Details: www.ClaimYourCallingWithJenna.com.


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