[In this series of posts that I’m calling “Your Creative Life,” I want to paint a picture of how you can become more everyday creative and how you can sustain a creative life. If this series intrigues you, you might think about becoming a creativity coach. If you’re interested in that, please visit my new certificate and diploma program or read my latest book The Coach’s Way.]
In my last post, I described a simple exercise that will help you think thoughts that serve you. Here is how some of my creativity coaching clients completed this exercise:
Carol: “I say that making art and selling my art work matter to me. But I often follow that thought up with the thought that my artwork is not good enough to be considered attractive to buyers, a thought that does not serve me. I no longer want to entertain that thought. I will be open to opportunities to create and market my art and I will make an effort to gain the support of art patrons.”
Louise: “I say that being organized matters to me. But I often follow that thought up with the thought that I will take time to organize my work space some time in the future, a thought that does not serve me. I no longer want to entertain that thought. I am taking the time to organize every day so that my studio feels peaceful and spacious, with a good energy flow.”
Janet: “I say that writing my screenplay and revising my novel and sending out articles are important to me. But I often follow up that thought with what does any of it really matter? In the last few years, I’ve come up against so many roadblocks. It doesn’t feel like I matter to anyone. My husband is sick and needs my attention. Maybe concentrating on more basic needs is the most important thing to do–cleaning, gardening, exercising, etc. But I realize that the only way I can fail at my writing is if I stop. The thought about quitting doesn’t serve me because it prevents any success from ever happening. I no longer want to entertain the thought of stopping.”
Larry: ”I say that making and marketing my art matters to me. But I often follow that thought up with thoughts that I don’t have anything important to say, that I can’t decide which ideas to work on, that I’m too unoriginal, and that if I were to succeed I would have to be too social. These thoughts don’t serve me. I no longer want to countenance these thoughts.”
Nancy: “I say that fibercraft matters to me, but I often follow that thought up with the following thoughts, that I’m too tired to knit, that it’s too troublesome to gather up the materials, that I don’t know what I’m doing, that I’m not making art, I’m just following instructions, that I don’t have the right tools, that I’m a poser and a pretender, and that I’ll do it wrong. These thoughts do not serve me and I no longer want to countenance those thoughts.”
Adam: “I say that music matters to me. But I often follow that thought up with the thought that I can’t afford to dedicate myself to it, that there are more important things in life, that I’m not good enough anyway, and that there are a lot of other things I’m interested and almost anything pays better than music, which generally pays close to nothing. I no longer want to countenance those thoughts.”
I’m sure you can see how this process of telling thoughts that do not serve you that they do not serve you will help you create more often and more deeply and will improve your relationship to the art marketplace. Complete this exercise and then put the results into practice!
“The Coach’s Way is possibly the finest resource available for anyone who wants to develop or enrich their coaching abilities. This new book is designed to give coaches the confidence and structure in their practice that will generate real results for their clients. Any- one who makes a living in the coaching arena will benefit from Dr. Maisel’s tremendous experience and training as a therapist, coach, and human. I’m so glad to have this book as a guide for my own coaching work and will recommend it to many others in the helping professions.”— Jacob Nordby, author of The Creative Cure: How Finding and Freeing Your Inner Artist Can Heal Your Life
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This Post is republished on Medium.
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Photo credit: iStock
