ContentsDisclaimerPrefaceDedicationHow to Use this BookVulnerabilityPossibilitiesPerseveranceZealIncubationUncertaintyRitualsSpontaneityParadoxDeep ListeningI don’t knowHumorUnplugResistanceKindnessCommunityRebirthHopeNerveSpunkBuoyancyCollaborationRefreshIntentYes!About the Author

How to Use this Book

This book was compiled together from a series of ongoing blog posts about creativity tools. They are aimed for use in your life as well as with your creativity.

Some of them will seem familiar as they are pretty standard and accepted ideas among those who work with creativity, but some will seem unconventional or challenge your perception. In order to make this book more useful, I’ve added more exercises at the end of several tools and have expanded some of the original written materials. Some information that was dependent on web links have been omitted.

I’ve arranged this book so it can be read in an order that I feel it will be best received. However, I think this book is best used sporadically and intuitively. Some tools will seem to overlap and reincorporate similar exercises and ideas. It’s just really another way of looking at things and while one tool might work for you another one might work better for someone else. It’s all about perspective and emotional connection.

There are also some tools that will refer to other ones. Take special note of those because reading the tools it refers to will help you to better understand and incorporate the overall idea.

DisclaimerThis is a work of creative nonfiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Blue pencil with doodles image from tanewpix, courtesy of ShutterstockBook design and production by Jocelyn Paige Kelly

Realizing Your Creative Life

All Rights Reserved. Copyright © 2014

PrefaceThis free ebook is put together from a series of blog posts from Realizing Your Creative Life, a creativity coaching practice run by certified creativity coach Jocelyn Paige Kelly.

Dedication

This book is dedicated to Melissa Weikel who encourages me everyday and inspired me to move forward with my life.

The making of the original posts from this book was inspired a lot by Gretchen Miller and her ongoing work and inspiration with the Art Therapy Alliance.

I also want to acknowledge and thank the following people for their continued support of my creative endeavors: Jeni Miller, Eileen Bordy, Jill Singer, Kari O’Connor, Beverly Down, Dolly Muzer, Leilani Square, Lilah Wild, Grace Mendez, Corie Weaver, Deb Lund, Erin Bybee Belanger, Barbara Olsson, Lori Howard, Chris Rosepapa, Roz Clarke, Sarah King, Cordell McCurdy, Claudio Olivos, Stephanie Anderson Ladd, Tracy Guzeman and Diane Latimer.!

VulnerabilityWhen we allow ourselves to be vulnerable, we open many new and exciting doors.We even open windows to our very own soul.But, how does vulnerability help one with creativity?A willingness to be vulnerable expands our hearts. We become emotionally

available and that allows for in-depth and authentic characterization, which is essential for any writer. It also allows us to see and appreciate colors more deeply because we see them through an emotionally evocative filter, something very important for an artist and for any kind of visual storytelling.

Being able to be vulnerable opens our minds. When we allow our rational minds to tune out our doubts and our fears, we tune into our real strengths, our courage, our values. All of these things make us who we are and, if we're able to be open to listening to our core of our truths, we're able to open up to all kinds of possibilities.

Being able is the door. Being willing is the window.To open the door, one might use meditation or self-hypnosis techniques to allow

the mind to quiet down and focus. When we use these techniques, they help to create useful brainwave patterns that enable us to be receptive to ideas and be curious, both are essential in creativity.

To go through the window, one might work with a variety of tools to help open our heart centers. For the spiritually-minded person, focusing on the heart chakra is one possibility. Laughter meditation is also another for laughter opens up our emotional centers to both joy and sorrow rather easily and quickly. Another way is to journal daily. Journaling can be both written and art expressive. 

The best way to be willing and able is to try a variety of techniques and tools to see what works for you. These may change over time as life brings you different challenges. 

Exercises:✴Start a vulnerability journal. In your journal, celebrate your imperfections.✴Write letters to and from yourself about vulnerable moments.✴Spend time observing others in a public place and see if you can notice

vulnerability.✴Create a motto regarding vulnerability and its value in your life.✴Make up your own personal superhero of vulnerability.

Possibilities

Have you ever asked yourself the question "What if ?"

What if .... I had gone on that trip?What if .... I had gotten that scholarship?What if ... I had taken a different road?

Asking yourself "what if ?" can be a bit of a Pandora's box of regret and anxiety. The trick is not to let the question unwind you, but to stir up excitement towards possibilities. Let it lead you into future thinking and not into rewriting the past.

Here are some examples:

What if ... I did go to Spain next year?What if ... I applied for another grant?What if ... I made a decision now to take a different road?

Now, here, we are doing the directing. We are answering questions that can create actual actions. We are thinking of possibilities.

And here is the interesting thing about possibility thinking:

Possibility thinking is a strong asset in creativity especially in designing narrative. In writing a story, a writer needs to think of both sides of possible stories: the story that could be and the story it could have been. In real life, we don't want to get caught up in downward spirals of regrets, but often good characterization comes out of downward spiral thinking. This is where we as creators can channel our own anxieties and fears into creating something that leads us (as well as our readers) into creating new possibilities for ourselves. Our art, our creation, becomes in a sense a type of reinvention, one that is larger than we can originally imagine or intend.

So, take your regrets, your fears, your anxieties and turn them into stories. Ask yourself "what if" and let the story lead you into possibilities ... and possibly into your own healing.

And there is added value in possibility thinking because it allows you to prepare before you take action. Preparation is the number one step people lack when trying to achieve their goals and it’s the most important for success. Use the power of possibility thinking to get you from A to Z.

Exercises:

✴Write a list of “what if ’s” and then shift into asking questions that start with the Socratic Method: who, what, where, how and when.

✴Create a table with three columns. In the first column list include all the things you’d like to do someday. Your dream list. In the second column write out the words “Yeah, but” and then write out your reply. Next, write in the third column a response to your “Yeah, but” and see if it opens up possibilities. Write more rebuttals if you need to.

✴Brainstorm ways in which you can work smarter, not harder in your life.

Perseverance

When it comes to creativity, perseverance can carry you further than self-discipline or talent can even imagine.

How?Perseverance involves self-compassion. It requires the need to grow and push

through and to do so in such a way that involves forgiveness and resilience. It forces us sometimes to slow down, in those hard times, to really think about our choices. It calls upon us to dig deep within ourselves and ask what is truly important. 

When we persevere, we ask ourselves the ultimate question:

Is it worth it?

If the answer is yes, and we've gone off track ... we re-commit.If the answer is yes, and we've lost sight of the end goal ... we re-connect.If the answer is yes, we forgive ourselves for taking time off.We dust ourselves off, look at the lessons we've learned and move forward.Perseverance is the greatest gift. Perseverance allows us to embrace what it means

to fully be human and make mistakes. 

Exercises: ✴Take stock of your strides. When have you persevered? Keep a list in a place by

where you create to remind you from time to time about how far you've come. ✴Before committing to a project, write yourself a letter explaining why you’re

doing it. Be passionate and specific about it. And include a piece of motivational advice that you know you will listen to and keep it in a safe place to re-read for when you have doubts.

✴Create a poster or plaque with a word, phrase, affirmation, or quote that you find lifts you up and keeps you going during hard times. Put it up somewhere you can see it everyday.

✴Write or create a picture that in one scene can define what you feel perseverance looks like. Try experimenting with different ages, genders, sexual preferences, and ethnicities.

Zeal

Have you felt a strong, sudden drive to get something done?It's almost like giddiness mixed with passion and a steam engine of purpose.That's zeal.Even the word zeal has a certain energy to it. One that is filled with fire and

momentum. Don't you agree?Zeal is the cornerstone market of power and ingenuity. 

How to add zeal to your creative endeavors?

I'll let you in on a little secret: zeal can be the proactive transformation of anger. Take what angers you and reverse it. Use it as fuel. Brainstorm and figure out a solution and let that drive your ideas. 

Think of all the people who've changed history by turning their anger into zeal.So when you're stuck, feeling like you can't move forward in your work, make a

list of what angers you and see if you can come from the other side and use your possibility thinking to set you on a purposeful path ... one zooming with zeal.

Exercises:✴Write out five little things that make you angry. Come up with three metaphors

for each and then transform those metaphors into something contrasting.✴Go to a sports bar while a game is on and observe people’s reactions. Notice

how moments of anger can create a lot of energy. How does it add to the experience? What would happen if people didn’t react wildly to missed plays?

✴Read a memoir or biography of someone who you see as angry. Study how anger affected their lives in both negative and positive ways.

✴Visit a museum that is either historical or celebratory (or perhaps both) of people who have been underserved or oppressed. How were people motivated to create change? What role did anger play in their lives and how did their enthusiasm to create a better life transform themselves and others?

IncubationHow often do you allow your ideas to develop inside your subconscious mind

before turning them into reality?This is a vital question to ask.Gestation is a real and valuable part of the creative process. In our impatient

world, sometimes we confuse this necessary time as procrastination or worse, a creative block. Just because you need time to think before doing doesn't mean you're blocked or lazy. It means you might need to sit with your idea for awhile before moving forward.

How do you know when the time is right?This is the greatest creative struggle. The bottom line is that you need to learn to

live with uncertainty, know when to follow your intuition and how to be flexible with any mistakes you might make. Whatever happens, you'll learn. You may even discover what rhythm of gestation and creation is right for you.

What to do?In the meantime ...Work on a smaller project. Read. Look at other people's work. Visit a museum.

Take a walk in the park. Learn a new skill. Make a new friend.You can also try and incubate your ideas with self-hypnosis or dreamwork.

Uncertainty

How comfortable are you with the idea of uncertainty?

Very few people really are, but it's in embracing and flowing with our feelings about uncertainty that we discover who we truly are and what we're really capable of doing. Living with uncertainty isn't easy, but learning to can help your creativity blossom.

When we start a new project, we might have an end set in mind. But, what if somewhere along in our process we realize that how we planned to finish it isn't really how it's supposed to take shape? Does knowing this stop us from finishing? Does feeling this make us revise our plans? Does understanding this open us up to the possibility of a new direction or help us to stay on target to our original plan? 

All of this is uncertainty and becoming at one with our feelings, thoughts, and intentions regarding uncertainty can help us move forward with powerful decisions and actions. The key is being mindful and centered in our beliefs, strengths, and values. If you can stay centered internally, uncertainty about where you're going and where you've been won't throw you off track. In fact, it might even help you thrive.

Three Tools to Help You Gain Comfort with Uncertainty:

1. Start a creative ritual. Rituals help us stay centered and give our passions meaning and purpose. By establishing a ritual we also increase our stamina and ability to persevere. Rituals can also help us focus in times of stress.

2. Take small risks. Make a list of small tasks or projects you'd like to work on, but haven't for various reasons. Pick one that feels like a small risk. By taking on a small risk, you help to build your confidence and comfort level gradually in working with uncertainty.

3. Practice meditation or a centering practice that resonates with you. This is separate from a ritual because this is about you taking care of your wellbeing, not just your creativity. Find a way to regularly ground yourself on a daily basis and you will find that you will be able to manage with uncertainty much more effectively.

RitualsLast year I wrote a guest post for Linda Ursin’s blog about ways to use rituals for

establishing a creative habit. I believe that rituals are very useful in helping spark and tune ourselves into our unique creative rhythm. They can be incredibly useful for people who resist the idea of creating a routine or a daily habit and are more called to the idea of spontaneity. 

What is a ritual?A ritual is a series of habits that are connected to one specific celebration of an

event or thing. In creativity, a ritual is generally the series of actions you do before hand, during and/or after. 

How can a ritual benefit me?It can help you to find your purpose. Rituals are a way to allow you to feel a more

profound connection to life. They will help give you a balanced perspective about your uniqueness and your place in the universe.

It can help to create access to your flow. The act of creating a ritual is a way of developing a link to your own creativity. By creating a ritual you are showing yourself and the universe that you are intending to honor your creative rhythm.

It can help you to gain insights into how your creative rhythm works. As you work with rituals, you will find what works for you and what doesn't. The key to using rituals is to view them as something that isn’t necessarily set in stone, but as a tool that changes with the flow of the seasons of your life. By giving yourself permission to be flexible with your rituals, you will learn what practices work best for you.

Exercises:✴Interview someone you feel is creative and ask them if they have any rituals

they practice. ✴Read Eric Maisel’s book “Coaching the Artist Within” for suggestions on

creating rituals.✴Speak with spiritual advisors on a ritual you can adapt or use for your creativity.✴Start taking a daily walk in the park.✴Take up meditation, yoga, self-hypnosis, or any other physical or mental exercise

that helps ground you and clear your thoughts.✴Learn and practice the art of the Zentangle method.

Spontaneity

It seems against the very idea of spontaneity to considering building a habit out of being spontaneous. 

But, if spontaneity is not a part of your creative toolbox, you will find that adding it will add more flavor and layers to your creations.

Why?Spontaneity breaks routine and encourages a fresh perspective. Sometimes all you

need is a new outlook to feel your creative energy surge and finish the project you've yet to complete.

Spontaneity involves the subconscious mind, the fertile environment for gestating ideas and working through problems creatively. A regular practice of spontaneity will bridge a deeper connection between your subconscious mind and conscious mind, allowing you to work with a consistent rhythm between the two.

Spontaneity reminds you that you're alive. It's a key part of wellness and an aspect that comes out of mindfulness. Learn to be spontaneous and you will also learn to be mindful as well.

And the most important part of spontaneity: it is on the opposite spectrum of feeling guilt and shame. Developing a practice of spontaneity will move you away from focusing and dwelling on feelings of guilt and shame, an issue that many artists and writers struggle with during their creative process.

Three Easy Ways to Build Your Spontaneity:

1. Learn to appreciate. Appreciation is at the heart of spontaneity. Start a regular practice of appreciation by expressing thanks at the moment you feel appreciation. Consider creating an appreciation journal.

2. Make a list of all the hobbies or recreational activities you'd like to do, but never seem to get around doing. Schedule an hour each week for spontaneous activities. Do one thing on your list at a time, adding new things as they come to mind.

3. Journal and celebrate your spontaneous moments. Focus only on the successes you've had with being spontaneous. Consider having an art journal for spontaneous inspiration.

ParadoxHave you ever wondered about how sometimes people jump to conclusions?They're logic seems flawed, impossible, yet they persist on seeing it as truth.Have you ever felt like someone was also not being entirely honest with you about

something, but you had no truth. No evidence, and yet the only rational conclusion you could jump to was something that didn't make any sense to you.

What about those moments that you've seen something you couldn't believe with your own eyes let alone hear about those moments from others?

Sometimes what we feel may be absurd might actually be true. And what we feel may be the truth might even be far from it.

Consider this: at one time we thought the world was flat.When we use the concept of paradox for creative thinking, we expand the

possibilities of what can and can't be true. We open new doorways, new insights and we may originally jump to faulty conclusions, but who knows where we might land.

And that’s the beauty in jumping to conclusions.

Exercises: ✴Make two lists. The first list is of things, concepts or ideas you feel you know to

be true. The second list is of things, concepts or ideas you feel you know to be false. Take one item from the first list and draw a line to one of the items on the second list. See if it inspires a new story, work of art or just gives you a good laugh.

✴Create a collage with images that conflict and/or contrast with one another. ✴Write down on scrap pieces of paper moments, observations, or ideas you have

that are paradoxical. Place them in a jar and save them for a rainy day exercise for ideas.

Deep ListeningListening deeply requires 7 things:

1. Removal of the ego2. Allowing distractions to happen without judgment3. Recognizing our own triggers and weaknesses4. Understanding our strengths5. Empathy6. Curiosity7. The ability to sit still and not give advice

How does deep listening help your creativity?Deep listening allows you to follow the undercurrents of what's going on

underneath the surface. When we listen deeply, we're not just listening to the words. We're listening for the tone, the patterns and choices of words, the symbolism, the imagery, how body language is used, and also what's been omitted. All of these things can be even more revealing than what we hear. 

Deep listening enables you to connect to people on a more universal level. We're not focused on our own inner worlds when we listen deeply. We become more expanded and begin to understand how our actions and reactions affect one another.

Deep listening cultivates your curiosity. When you listen deeply to someone, you begin to wonder about a person's world and choices in a nonjudgmental way. You begin to understand how someone's perspective and life choices are different than yours and gain an appreciation for the differences. 

Exercises:✴Go to a public place and put on headphones, but don’t listen to any music.

Instead, listen attentively to the people around you and notice tone, body language, and omissions.

✴Interview someone you don’t know about a topic you’re interested in learning. Take with you a list of questions that are both about the topic and are personal (not invasive). Document your experience by writing a personal essay, journaling, blogging, or even the whole interview itself (with permission, of course.).

✴Engage in a conversation with someone and let them do 90% of the talking. Only speak to ask questions and listen for their answers. (If you’re more inclined to listen more than speak, take note of your thoughts and when you seem to be drift away in your attention.)

✴Journal daily.

✴Practice SoulCollage and dialogue with yourself using cards you create.

I don’t knowHave you ever considered how absolutely freeing it might be to just let go and say

"I don't know."When we sink into the possibility of not knowing something, we open our minds

to new ways of thinking, doing and being. When we admit that we don't know something, we dive into exploration. 

We begin to discover.But admitting you don't know something can be a very scary place to be so ...Let's sink together into the unknown. Let's listen deeply. Let's gather. Let's learn

and watch the world and our hearts and minds expand together.Falling softly into the idea of what's unknown is like falling in love with curiosity.To be infinitely curious is a way to always have ideas. Curiosity is an extremely

important part of being creativity. Who doesn't want to be curious?

How to sink and when to dive in:

In order to sink, we need to do three things:

1. Let go of control. When we feel the need to control things, people, ideas and events, we disallow for authentic learning and true knowing. A lot of times our external beliefs become obstacles that disconnect us from reality. Let go and see where that expansion takes you.

2. Become comfortable with uncertainty. One of the hardest things for a person to do is to give themselves room and space for uncertainty. To wrestle with uncertainty is to deny that life is impermanent. We view uncertainty with a lack of safety. The irony is that when we become comfortable with uncertainty, we actually give ourselves more stability because we are grounded in ourselves.

3. Practice having a beginner's mind.

In order to dive in, we need to do only one thing: believe in ourselves.

Believing in yourself is the only certainty you need when diving into the unknown. Once you realize what you're capable of accomplishing, you will find that life will become a joyous flow of waves rather than a struggle of swimming upstream.

Humor

There is nothing more attractive in a person than a good sense of humor.When a person has a good sense of humor, they've achieved a sense of balance

about themselves. They're at peace with who they are and the events and circumstances of their lives. They can laugh at themselves and the absurdity of life.

When we use humor in creativity, it doesn't always come from a sense of balance. It generally comes from a need to break the tension or make light of a specific situation. Humor in creativity can be very dark or it can very light, but it often inspires movement and change.

But, humor is very selective and always involves judgment. It's our attachment to situations, people, things, ideas that create our need for humor. Whether it’s rising us up or bringing us down, humor helps us to restore the status quo.

How to use humor for your creativity:Make conscious notes of what types of humor inspire you and what types of

humor you find humorous. The two may not be the same. For example, intellectual humor might jumpstart your creative juices while slapstick might just give you a good belly laugh and stress relief.

When you're working on a project that has dark subject matter, take time to decompress with humor. This will help restore your own personal status quo so that you can return to the work with vibrance and enthusiasm.

Consider incorporating humor into your creative ritual. Begin your process with a laughter meditation or watching your favorite funny skit. 

UnplugOne time I had plans to work through my vacation, but the Universe had other

ideas.Sometimes we have grand ideas about how much we can manage to juggle. We

think we can do more than what we can. We believe we have all the right technology in place to help us. 

And then reality sets in.It sets in right as you're actually on vacation.This was when I started to have a huge epiphany about the value of rest and what

it really does for your creativity.It's impossible to keep going all the time. Even cars need to rest their engines and

refuel. While on vacation this past week, I was reminded why this was important for me too. Rest is key in refueling my creative energy as well as for my peace of mind.

The weekends, for most people, are a great time to rest especially on Sunday. We can slow down, kick our heels up, take a nap and let the chores slide for a day.

But, many of us are juggling a lot of activities and priorities. It's hard to give ourselves that downtime we so desperately need. And for most of us a weekend really isn't enough downtime. So, take time off. Schedule it if you have to. You’ll be glad you did.

Five Ways Unplugging Helps Revive Your Creativity:

1. Helps you to be mindful. Slowing down is a great way to ease into mindfulness. When we slow down, we readily, and almost effortlessly, become more aware in a way that is relaxing and not stressful.

2. Re-ignites your ability to appreciate beauty and solitude. Being with nature or just being still helps you to slow down and see the world much more clearly than when you're rushing through life.

3. Reminds you of what to be grateful for in life. A little time away makes you naturally feel gratitude for all the good things in your life.

4. Allows you time to take stock about what's important. Taking time away will help you to take a look at your habits and patterns and see what's helping you and what isn't.

5. Expands your subconscious mind. When you allow your mind to rest, it works out creative problems and plants seeds for ideas for future work.

Resistance

What do you resist?Just the very question brings up discomfort.When we resist, it's because there is something we don't want to change even

though change is the very thing that needs to happen.What do you avoid?I think of this as a sideways question. Instead of pushing the answer, it's being

pulled out of you. Gently. We all avoid things.And we're more willing to admit what we avoid rather than what we resist.Why? Simply put, avoidance is inaction. Resistance is the very essence of action.

To resist is to cease progress where progress is going to happen. We're just in the way of the momentum that is already there. 

Resistance can be a rich vein of creative inspiration. When we create out of facing what we resist, we lean into the anxiety of creating itself and actually grow as a person. We learn things about ourselves and about the world, but only if and when we're willing and able. 

Set the intention to mindfully explore what you resist without judgment and without expectations. When you do this you may find yourself diving into the deep, but coming out lighter in the end all because you were willing to go along with the journey.

Exercises:✴Make a list of your favorite stories involving people who overcame a belief they

resisted to accept. Take time to revisit those stories and analyze what you enjoy and appreciate about the character and story arc. How did they work through their discomfort?

✴Consider things that you feel very certain about and are unwilling to compromise. In what situations does it cause conflict? How can you remain firm in your beliefs and still respect others for their beliefs?

Kindness

Have you ever considered how kindness can help your creativity?For starters, kindness is a key ingredient in any relationship. It's the building block

and glue that bonds people together. Adding kindness to your relationship with creativity will strengthen your ideas and projects as well as your attitude towards what and how you create.

A genuine relationship with kindness is also a step-by-step process. A little bit builds up over time and isn't grandiose. True kindness is based on a firm belief in who you are and not obligations to others. In the end, kindness teaches us patience and perseverance.

How to add kindness to your creative life:

✴First, practice self-kindness. Being kind to yourself first is the best and most important action to take. Whether you realize it or not, your relationship with yourself will reflect in your relationship with others. When you are kind to yourself, you express gratitude and worth for who you are rather than living up to other people's expectations and ideals. The better relationship you have with yourself, the better and more consistent you will be with your creativity as well as relationship with others. Self-kindness fuels your creative energy. Henrik Edberg has some tips on his blog here.

✴Second, find a way to practice random acts of kindness. Engaging in random acts of kindness for people will ultimately spark your creativity and will help free your mindset from expectations. It enlivens your connection to your community and increases your mood for doing a good deed. Unexpected and random side benefits can range from connecting and making new friends to finding inspiration for projects. 

✴Last, but not least, appreciate how kindness can teach boundaries and respect. This is key! Many people mistake kindness for being a doormat. It's not. True kindness is being kind to yourself first, and you can't be kind to yourself if you're a doormat. The same goes in your relationship with your creativity. Show respect for your creations and give yourself the gift of discipline to enable your gift to flourish.

Community

What does community really mean to you?For some a community is all about involvement with group projects, profit and

nonprofit alike. It can also mean being involved with politics and the structure of a city. Taking a stand, for or against, certain issues. Opinions and disagreements will vary, but progress in this area is likely generate because of conflict and thrives in it too.

For others community stems from involvement with a local church group and/or volunteering. Community here comes from a place of likeness. A need for belonging and safety is strong within groups of this nature. People grow close and it's easy to see how there's community here.

Neighborhoods are the most natural of all communities, and yet typically the ones lacking the most involvement. People living in the same development or street have similar interests, but most likely will not share the same values unless it's a place where generations have lived in the same place. How often in our day and age can people claim we know our neighbors? 

Community can also result from a shared work environment. If there's passion or a need to persevere, people will come together. Emotions might run high sometimes with a strong need for connection. I believe the workplace is the one place we eagerly seek community and leave when that need is never fully realized for us.

But, there is a growing opinion that community is more than just our local tribes, but reaching far and wide and global. The connections we make through the internet on various social media platforms is one way we're seeing community in a broader sense.

How can community help you with creativity?It will teach you the value in collaboration. Working with various personalities can

help you grow as a person and bring synergy to ideas that create social change. People who embrace collaboration help a community thrive. Thriving allows people to be emotionally supportive of the work of others, which might even lead to greater financial opportunities.

It will increase capacity to learn. When we seek knowledge and wisdom from our communities, we learn from people of different backgrounds and experiences. We expand our minds while we expand others. 

It will help you to gain empathy. We become more able to listen to both like-minded and different minded people. Redefining our sense of community allows us to shift our capacities to feel for others and gives them the same opportunities.

It will give you inspiration. Growing our community enables the role models to become more clear and highlights the moments they're able to help lead the way for others. Sharing their experiences with others help us become better people.

It will open you up to different opportunities. Creativity is all about possibilities and communities are full of limitless possibilities within each individual. Bring all of them together under one community and social change begins to happen.

Rebirth

When is it time to let go? Start over and move onto something different? Or perhaps revisit an old project to begin anew?

There's really no way of knowing. In this instance it's more a matter of doing rather than being. When our energies become low and we become frustrated and need to walk away for awhile, it's hard to really truly know if it's meant to be temporary or for good.

These are questions and anxieties that fuel every creative endeavor. They come and go at those trying moments where our faith in our abilities and our vision are tested. They also come to us when tragedy strikes us and our creative energies are shifted from thriving to surviving.

The best way to rebirth an old project is to first cultivate the skill of deep listening. It is when we deeply listen that we can begin to move past what's been holding us back. It is when we deeply listen that we begin to recover and forgive. It is when we deeply listen that our compassion and our empathy give us the wisdom to move forward in our lives.

The next step is to add the appreciation process to our way of thinking. Developed by the US military to aid in critical thinking skills, the appreciation process helps us to create forward momentum in our choices in the hopes of making that creative leap to a useful decision. 

Adding zeal next will help you in maintaining the momentum required for rebirth. Every endeavor of reinvention needs the power of zeal.

But, what's the most essential ingredient?Rituals.We need rituals to establish habits and discipline. On those days when we don't

feel we have any zeal, when we have trouble listening and can't appreciate the questions we need to ask ourselves, an established ritual will give us the strength to push forward. 

Are you ready to push forward? 

HopeHow can hope help us be more creative?Let's look at the story of Pandora's Box.Hope is what keeps us going when all the evils are let out into the world.

Metaphorically, we can view the box as a metaphor for our own mind and the evils as our thoughts that hold us back and keep us from being present in our daily lives.

Hope is what pushes us forward, motivates us and soothes us when our lives feel overwhelming and dark. Hope brings us out of the darkness and into the light and hope is there when we feel there is no light.

Hope is vital for every creative person because it is the one thing needed to help you move away from a creative block.

How do we find hope when hope feels lost?

Wait.Read.Dream.Look for hope in other places.Remember.Ask others where they've found hope.Keep a gratitude or appreciation journal.Look into a child's eyes.Rebirth.

To use hope as a creative tool is to find that part of yourself that's sacred, raw and vulnerable. Hope heals. It is the best therapy, the best way to connect. 

And it is vital.So, think of that one moment. That one defining moment that you had hope, felt

hope, knew hope was real. Hold onto it. That's your gold mine of creativity. Let that hope fuel you. 

Let that hope fuel you because that hope belongs to you.

NerveOh, the nerve! We've all said it at one time or another. It's that spot we all have

that is triggered by some action or behavior. Oh, the nerve. It riles us up. Keeps us up at night. But mostly, it motivates us to

do something.Ah, yes ... the nerve!Nerve is exactly what you need at the midway point. It's that point where you're

feeling like giving up. The point that Seth Godin calls "The Dip."When you hit that midway point, the dip, what you need is a second wind.Nerve is that wind.It's that pinch. That lightning strike that gets you when you're not looking. It

reignites your momentum and reminds you of all the reasons why you're on this specific path.

The Nerve is always emotional and it's always tied to your soft goal. The Nerve is the reason. It's the heartstrings pulling you at the core of your

motivation.How do you find your Nerve?Dig deep. Ask the hard questions. The "why." 

Exercise:When starting a project or new venture, write a letter to yourself. Include in it the

reasons why you’re on this path and why you should carry on especially when you have moments of doubts. Put it in an envelope and keep it close to you. Whenever you have doubts, when you feel like giving up, read the letter. It will remind you of your nerve. In fact, if you've written it well enough the letter will hit your nerve and get you right back on track.

Spunk

Spunk is the spark that never goes out.It is courage + determination + unrealized potential. It is the kindred spirit of Nerve, but Spunk will fuel you when you feel you don't

have enough Nerve.

Allow me to explain.While Nerve is personality, Spunk is character. Spunk is that feeling inside your

belly that persuades you to push through your fears and anxieties. In fact, Spunk is what helps you transform them into creative fuel.

Think of it in terms of The Wizard of Oz. Dorothy is the protagonist. She represents our own personal journey of self-discovery as we play through the corridors of our mind. She enters Oz to confront her fears and anxieties like we would entering a dream state. The Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Cowardly Lion are all projections, parts of her personality that she needs to reconcile and come to terms. Basically, they all function as part of her nerve. So, where is her spunk? What pushed her through to face her fears in the first place?

Toto. Yep, that small spunky dog. Spunk is more than intuition. More than courage. It's more than the force that

drives you. It's a primal urge to move you towards transformation. And it's willing to go behind the curtain and face what's driving your character.

How do you discover your Spunk?✴Find your Spunk role models. Ask yourself who defines what Spunk means.

How does that connect to you and the behavioral choices you make?✴Write your own ode or tribute to Spunk. What role has it served in your life?

Make this your theme song.✴Create your own portrait of what spunk means to you. Does it take the form of

an animal? A person? A feeling?  ✴Take an inventory of all the defining moments of your life. Ask yourself where

was your Toto in those memories?

Buoyancy

Trust yourself. That is the baseline for buoyancy. How does one float in a sea of uncertainty? How does one rise to the surface? How does one simply trust the process? All of these are good questions.

The answer:To be buoyant is to let go of control. It's to allow yourself the freedom to

experience your creativity and emotions without judgment. It's to allow yourself to receive the gift of awareness and perception. It's to accept the dual idea of calmness and movement as an encouraging possibility to your way of being.

There's a saying: go with the flow. Buoyancy is about embracing that concept, metaphorically as well as literally.

We all experience ebbs and flow in life. We rise and fall. We fall and rise. The moment we decide to trust, our ability to be buoyant strengthens. We feel

lighter. People notice the bounce in our walk. They hear a lift in our voice. Buoyancy makes us rise in more ways than one.

We all have buoyancy. The secret is in learning to tap into it and to expand our use of it.

Close your eyes and look back upon your life and think of all the moments in which you suddenly felt lighter. Something made you feel buoyant. Tap into that moment, write about it, draw it, think of a metaphor for it. Look back into the themes associated with this feeling, with these moments. Take the positive themes and outcomes and journal about them. Consider ways you can bring that into your life consistently. Build up to it if you need to do so. 

Collaboration

We've all heard the saying before: no one is an island. But, when we think of creativity, we often think of images of being alone. This is somewhat misleading.

There are times when creativity is best practiced in solitude. Often, especially when we begin, the journey to create can be a solo venture. The entire process itself can also be solitary, but there are times when working with others during our creative process can benefit us and our projects.

Creative collaboration is not an easy task for some. In order to collaborate one must be willing to do what's best for the project and not for one's ego. If the two of you aren't on the same page, it can be a tug of war. It can also be a great growth experience if you're open to it.

Deep listening is essential with collaboration. Without it, one doesn't give or take much from the experience. Mastering listening skills will assist you in any collaboration. It'll also heighten your creative thinking skills as well.

Benefits of Creative Collaboration:

Teaches us about ourselves.When we work with others, we become more familiar with our own processes

that we may not have been aware of from working alone. A partner may give us crucial insight into our working patterns, good and bad. They might also help us to see our strengths more clearly and help us to develop skills that are weaknesses.

Learn new things and perspectives.Often times we become used to seeing things from our own vantage point, but

when we collaborate we are forced to be more open-minded and view ideas from different perspectives. If we have the opportunity to work with someone who's thinking is radically difference from ours, we will develop an edge and deepen our creative thinking skills. We may even be able to return to "stuck" projects with a new perspective that removed barriers in ways we couldn't have imagined before.

Make valuable connections and friends.There is something magical and moving when creative minds come together.

Regardless of the project, people are brought together and value has been added to the relationship. Sometimes these connections impact us with change immediately and sometimes they develop into lifelong friendships helping us evolve over time.

We give and receive value.

When we come together and work creatively, we become part of something bigger than ourselves and our own individual creativity. We add value to what we're doing with our own uniqueness and we receive value from working with others. The process is very often reciprocal.

Deepens our appreciation of the opinions of others.As we deepen our listening skills, we begin to appreciate more readily other

people's perspectives. This appreciation leads to a heightened sense of empathy and discernment. Through appreciation we begin to understand the value of empowerment, a crucial element in being an inspiration to others.

Refresh

Close your eyes and refresh. That sounds easy, doesn't it? It's easy to refresh our browser, delete all the cookies. Get rid of what no longer

serves us, sorta speak.Easy on the computer, harder on the brain to do.To refresh our perspectives we need to be willing to let go of our preconceived

notions, the ones holding us back. To refresh we need to give ourselves permission to let go and to just let it be. To refresh we must give up our stubbornness and our righteousness and allow new perspectives and ideas into our consciousness.

Refresh requires us to disconnect in order to reconnect. We have to let go of our any and all current anxious thoughts in order to tune into nature and be with the moment. A simple walk in the park won't do, but it's a decent starting point.

Refresh requires allowance and grounding. We have to be present fully as we move throughout our day and not allow ourselves to be pulled into our fears, and better yet, the fear and anxieties of others. Boundaries are essential.

Refresh is vital in maintaining our creative rhythms and keeping us from experiencing burnout.

The best way to take advantage of refresh in your Creative Toolbox is to take an actual day away from your real life. Too often we get caught up in patterns that we take for granted and don't see. Too often we become part of the cog in the wheel that's pulling us away from our passions and our joys. So, make a choice, take a mental health day and do something very different and grounding to refresh yourself. You'll be glad you did.

Suggestions:✴Go on a day trip.✴Visit a museum or park you've never been to before. ✴Check into a hotel for a day or two for a staycation.✴Have a meal by yourself at a restaurant where you know no one and enjoy your

meal in solitude.✴Read a book in a relaxing setting away from others.

Intent

Intent is one of the strongest creative tools you can use. When you set forth an intention, you're making a promise to yourself as well as to

others. You may not announce this promise, but others will become aware of it through your behavior and actions. Our beliefs always reveal our intentions.

Intent requires resolve. One must have a direction in mind, an end sight. Intent manifests determination. Courage. When one sets out in a focused

direction, one dedicates their strength of character to finishing what they set out to do. It becomes its' own force of nature and a part of your daily routine.

Intent blooms from a wish or desire. It is an emotionally charged idea, one that has been blended and sanctioned by the mind. It is the coming together of consciousness and subconsciousness. Abstract and concrete. 

Intent is surrounded in meaning and purpose. When you have intent, you have a solid foundation. You can build a lot with intent. You can create a life.

3 Ways to Use the Power of Intent in Your Creativity

1. Create a daily creative intention log. Set small daily goals or use the power of intent to create an emotional one that will motivate you throughout the day.

2. When you sit down to create a new work, write down your intention for the end result. You can even add what intention you have for what it will bring you during the creative process and what it will give to others as the end result.

3. Brainstorm what intent means to you and what it looks like. Bring forth whatever imagery and colors into your working space to assist you in everything you create.

Yes!

Sometimes all it takes is one word to give you the ability to be open.Yes!When we're open, we're in the special place called Beginner's Mind, something

treasured in many Eastern philosophies and practices.Yes.It brings us to that moment of clarity and insight. It expands our mind. We're

receptive. Aware. Alive.YES!The value in saying yes is found in our willingness to work with others. When we

say yes, we open doors. We collaborate. We commune. We create.

When do we say yes?Say yes to opportunities that push you out of your comfort zone without

compromising your values and depleting your time and energy.Say yes to meeting diverse people who will expand your views on life especially

when there's reciprocity involved. Say yes to reconnecting with old friends and old ideas. You never know how they

might reinvent themselves and refresh your life.Say yes to learning new things that add value to your life.Say yes to exploring creativity in new projects and possibilities.

About the AuthorJocelyn Paige Kelly is a creativity coach and short story writer living in Las Vegas, Nevada. Her short stories and poems have been published in several literary journals and magazines. She is the founding editor of “Helen,” a literary magazine based in Las Vegas.

Visit her website: http://www.jocelynpaigekelly.com