"I realize more and more what it takes to be a really good photographer. You go in over your head, not just up to your neck."

- Dorothea Lange

Source: google.com via Lee on Pinterest

Taking on a New Challenge

Life would be boring if we simply did the same things over and over again. We grow by taking on new projects, attempting new activities and tackling new challenges. Yet, as we all know, a good stretch is often accompanied by at least some degree of uncertainty or fear: Can I really do it? Rather than letting that fear consume you, allow it to energize you and propel you forward. Here are a few guidelines to help you take on a new project or challenge:

Know why you’re doing it. Make a list of the positive reasons to pursue it, as well as its potentials or what it might lead to. Try completing these sentences: I want to do _______ because _______. If I do _______, then _______ will happen. This could lead to ________. Write it down and save it. Refer back to your reasons often; they'll help keep you motivated and on track.

Confront your concerns. What are you worried about? State any concerns, then turn them into questions beginning with “How might I….?” And then answer those questions--listing ideas for tackling them. This will provide you with both confidence and strategies for moving forward.

Have a goal and set target date. Goals and deadlines are great motivators, whether we like to begin work on them immediately or prefer to wait until the last minute. But if we don’t have a specific goal or deadline, we may simply never get started.

Prepare. Do you need resources, support from others, approvals or training? Then get out there and find it.

Divide and Conquer. All projects are easier to tackle if you break them down into smaller, more manageable pieces. For big projects, I use sticky notes to brainstorm every detail I can think of that needs to be handled (one per note). Then I organize them by when they need to happen (immediate, short term, mid-range, or last minute). That way, I can stay focused on what needs attention at any particular time rather than becoming overwhelmed by the entire project. Yet, there is a plan laid out for the entire project so that I know how I'm going to get there.

Just do it. Work out what details you can and then simply dive in. Often, if you wait until you know everything, you miss your window of opportunity or never get started. Many details can be worked out along the way.

Trust the process. Realize that you will learn, improve, and feel more comfortable as you go. You can also tweak your goals and plans as you need to. It’s a natural part of the process.

See it through. Why put so much energy into something if you’re not going to see it through? If you feel you’re beginning to falter, go back to your list of reasons for taking on the project to begin with. Let those reasons inspire you all over again!

"What goes next to what? How many of these with how many of those will make the picture perfect? And why did I put that there, what was I thinking? Oh, why didn't I draw a plan, the way I tell others to do, and then stick to it? If only it were a jigsaw puzzle of cut-up cardboard pieces, and there was in each plant a clue--an interlocking edge that fit it into place and let you know you'd got it right. But that is not how it is, as anyone who has tried designing even a single flower bed will certainly confirm. The purple asters look good with the purple-leaved heuchera, and the allium is good spiking up through the artemisia, but those were merely good guesses--there are plenty of bad guesses, too. No wonder gardening is accomplished on one's knees."

- Margaret Roach, from A Way to Garden

Write to Find Out What You Know

Freewriting, also called stream-of-consciousness writing, is where you simply allow your thoughts to flow onto the page or into the computer while keeping your internal editor at bay. It’s a concept I first encountered about 20 years ago when reading Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. She calls it “writing practice,” and says that you should give yourself permission to write “the worst junk in the world” and includes guidelines such as keep your hand moving, don’t cross out words or worry about spelling and punctuation, don’t think too hard about whether or not your writing makes sense, be willing to lose control, and dive into those thoughts that feel scary. It’s a great way to loosen up and get over writer’s block, and you need to go at it for a set period of time—at least 10 minutes, ideally longer. Julia Cameron also popularized this concept with her “morning pages” in The Artist’s Way.

But freewriting isn’t just for writers. It’s a great way for anyone to explore their thoughts, to discover what they know or feel about a subject, and to tap their intuition. Many have been quoted as saying they “write to find out what they know.” Or, as I like to say, I “think through my fingers.” Indeed, I’m constantly surprised by the many things I discover I know about subjects I thought I knew little or nothing about.

I’ve also discovered that freewriting is a great tool for generating ideas and tapping my creativity. In addition to keeping a journal where I record ideas, I like to explore ideas that are on the edge of my consciousness—when I’m sort of playing with something but don’t quite know what it is or where it is going yet. I just sit down and start writing whatever flows into my mind on the subject and see where it leads. What tends to happen is that I begin to connect the thought to other thoughts or ideas that I’ve had, and eventually end up with something new and potentially useful to play around with.

Some make freewriting a daily practice. Others use it as needed. Why not give it a try the next time you need a good idea; are trying to get started on that term paper, short story or magazine article; or are working through some personal challenges. More often than not, the answers lie within us and we just need a tool, such as freewriting, to tap that insight. So just sit down, relax and start writing. Let it flow, unedited and uncensored. It’s that simple.

Three Good Things About Today

As far as moods go, mine tend to be fairly steady and optimistic. Don’t get me wrong, I have my ups and downs. But there are generally more ups than downs and it’s rare that you see me either jumping up and down with excitement or drowning in despair. Still, when one of my professors gave a glowing review of The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor, it piqued my curiosity. So I downloaded the book onto my Kindle and started reading.

There is some wonderful information in this book. It is steeped in research, but written in a casual and even humorous tone. There are seven principles of positive psychology that he explores. And within these principles, there are many simple ideas you can put to use immediately in your life. I decided to give one a try right off the bat. It has to do with writing down “three good things about today,” every day.

I’ve done this for 14 days straight so far—every night before I go to bed. And my list greets me each morning when I wake up my computer. I’ve had a few challenging days over the past two weeks, but this exercise helped me look for the positive in even those days—to find that silver lining. Sometimes they were little things—a kind word or smile. Other times they were very helpful things—a larger than expected check from one of my clients. There were small celebrations, like when UPS delivered a copy of my latest book. And the mailman showed up with a handwritten letter. And some dear moments with people who are special to me, which I’m holding near to my heart. What I’ve found is that this exercise helps turn my attention to looking for the good in things, even on difficult days. That in itself brightens my day and improves my attitude. I look forward to writing down my three things each night. Sometimes, I even have to write down more than three.

And so I challenge you. Yes you. Sit down tonight and make a list of three good things about today. It only takes a minute or two. And then do it again tomorrow, and the day after. See if it doesn’t help create a positive shift in your attitude, brighten your days, and maybe even make you more productive, as well.

"It is vital to live fully every day. Today is the day! The minute something has happened, it is gone. It is memory: a story. We invent and reinvent ourselves, turning events of our lives into the story of our life. If in creating ourselves we have to throw in extras to amuse others, so much the better. All is illusion. Such is the work of the artist who lives with a full imagination. Maybe life is itself the ultimate work of art."

- Ruth Bernhard, photographer, from Ruth Bernhard: Between Art & Life by Margaretta K. Mitchell

Where do You Work or Learn Best?

I have two offices. One has four large desks or tables for spreading out, and I can easily cover them all. The other is a small room with a comfy chair where I can prop up my feet and think. When processing digital images, I need my desk and its two large monitors. For big projects, I like being able to spread out on all four tables. But when it comes to writing, planning, online research, responding to correspondence or even talking on the phone, I prefer my chair--partly because I think well there and partly because it looks out over my garden.

Although you’d never know it from most classrooms or offices, we each have different preferences when it comes to working and learning environments. The color of a room and whether it is open or cozy, quiet or filled with music, cluttered or clear, warm or cool, and bright or dim all impact our productivity and ability to learn. We also differ in terms of what time of day we are most productive. There is even a measure, the Productivity Environmental Preferences Survey (PEPS), to help us identify our preferences.

I read a post by a fellow Buffalo State grad who said she is most productive when working on a couch, so she purchased a storage ottoman in which she can stash some basic office supplies and upon which she can prop her feet. Inside the lid, she added corkboard where she could tack up notes and reminders. It keeps supplies where she needs them without cluttering the room. What would your ideal work or study environment look like? How can you adapt your existing environment so that you can be more productive?

And yes, I’m sitting in my chair.

"Anytime I could save a little money from the sale of photographs, I set off alone in search of more pictures, always craving freedom, the space of solitude. Days, sometimes weeks, passed when I spoke to no one but gas station attendants or grocery store clerks in the pausing places along the road. I was drugged by my own concentration, my mind enveloped in silence yet swarming with visions. Endless horizons burned through my eyes and into my soul."

- Deborah DeWit Marchant, from Traveling Light: A Photographer's Journey

Joni Mitchell Through the Years

So many musicians come and go. I'm always intrigued by those with staying power who continue to produce new music and even reinvent themselves as musicians over the years. Joni Mitchell is one of those individuals, with a career spanning more than 40 years as one of the most influential songwriters of her time. She has proven herself as a visual artist as well, and even painted most of her album covers. In fact, she often cites art as her first love: "I have always thought of myself as a painter derailed by circumstance."

Here she is in 1968 singing one of my favorites, Chelsea Morning.

Skip forward 32 years to 2000, when Mitchell appears on the Rosie O'Donnel show, performing two songs from her Grammy Award-winning album, Both Sides Now. Sandwiched between the songs is a delightful interview in which she talks about her inspiration for working with an orchestra and how the album came together.

"We all need space; unless we have it we cannot reach that sense of quiet in which whispers of better things come to us gently [and we need] places to sit in, places to play in, places to stroll in, and places to spend a day in."

- Octavia Hill, pioneer environmentalist who campaigned tirelessly for green spaces and saving land; a founder of the National Trust in Great Britian

What We Can Learn From Children

Adora Svitak describes herself as a writer, poet and humanitarian.  She is 12 years old. Adora has been blogging and writing books since the age of seven. One of those books, Flying Fingers, has been published (plus, she has co-authored a second published book). Good Morning America's Diane Sawyer calls her "a tiny literary giant." In this TED Talk, she speaks rather than writes--doing so eloquently and with a sense of humor. I believe her message is three-fold: First, that adults have much to learn from children, and education should be a two-way street. Second, that adults could benefit from maintaining a childlike mind, as this could lead to greater creativity and innovation. And third, that we should not raise children to be just like us. We should, instead, understand and expect that they will build upon the foundation we leave behind and take things to greater heights. Enjoy!

Everyone can Dance

Don’t tell anyone, but I love to dance. Those who know me are probably shocked by this admission. After all, I have difficulty learning “dances.” I’ve always avoided dance classes of any kind. The college women I work with laugh when I dance in their presence. And my husband claims to have a three-beer minimum before he’ll get anywhere near a dance floor with me. (Although I’d like to think that has more to do with his dancing abilities and inhibitions than mine.)

Maybe it’s more appropriate to say that I like to move to music. And feel most comfortable doing so when no one is looking. But interpretive dancer Arisika Razak, in the book On Women Turning Forty, says, “Everyone can dance, everyone can find a place where they not only feel comfortable, but find grace.” I hope she’s right. 

My grandmother loved to dance—not professionally or even publicly, just around the house. She moved from room to room, lightly, sometimes twirling as she went, with some unknown tune playing in her head. I had a teacher once who, after an intensely focused class session, would say, “Dance it out.” And then she’d do her own little jig across the classroom floor, not unlike my grandmother.

To me, dancing is a form of creativity in which the entire body participates. You make it up as you go. You interpret what you are hearing and feeling and respond in a way that no one else can. We each have our own moves and nuances. Although I know little about dance, I believe it may be one of the greatest forms of self-expression. And although I am not a dancer, I can dance. In my own little way.

And now, for a twirl about the house.

Yes, there really is a writing disease

I've been known to write on Post-It Notes at all hours of the day and night. You'll find them in my office, tossed around my car, on the kitchen counter and next to my bed. I also love to write, frequently feel compelled to do so, and take advantage of that often enough that it pays the bills. I even have occasional "brain dumps" when the clutter (along with a few interesting ideas, if I'm lucky) comes tumbling uncontrollably out of my head. But I have never suffered from hypergraphia--a medical condition in which one has an overpowering desire to write...constantly...on everything from Post-It Notes to clothing to one's body. 

Alice Flaherty, a neurologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, does, or at least did following the death of her two infant sons. And she put that compulsion to good use--churning out medical books, children's books, and The Midnight Disease: The Drive to Write, Writer’s Block, and the Creative Brain (Houghton Mifflin, 2004). I find her story and her disease fascinating. If you have any interest in writing, creativity or psychology, you might, too. Reading "The Incurable Disease of Writing: A neurologist considers the compulsions and frustrations of literary creativity" in the Harvard Medical Review made me wish I were taking a college abnormal psychology class just so I could research this disease for a paper. 

Although Flaherty explores the connection between mental illness and creativity in her book, she notes, "Clearly, though, you don’t have to be sick to be creative. It may be that engaging in creative work not only is a sign of health, but also makes you healthy."

"In essence, this is what it takes to be authentic: know what you believe and why you believe it. If you do, your world won’t fall apart when the unexpected shows up."

- LaRae Que

Read her entire guest post on "5 Ways to Become a More Authentic Leader" on Michael Hyatt's Intentional Leadership blog.

29 Ways to Stay Creative

Here's a great little (as in "short") video by TO-FU that reminds us of the simple things we can do every day to stay creative. Enjoy! And have a creative day.

"Don’t let anyone tell you that you have to be a certain way. Be unique. Be what you feel."

- Melissa Etheridge 

Humor: A Creative Way to Tackle Tough Topics

Liza Donnelly, a cartoonist for the New Yorker, tackles women's relationship with their bodies. She does so in a brilliant and creative way, making this one of the best Ted Talks I've seen yet.

Donnelly joined the New Yorker in 1982. At the time, she was both the youngest cartoonist on staff and one of only three women holding that position. Her work isn't just about being funny. It's about tackling global issues. She just does so in a lighthearted way that not only makes people laugh, but makes them stop and think. Currently, she is traveling around the world to speak about and promote world peace as part of the United Nations initiative Cartooning for Peace.

Her cartoons have been widely published, appearing in such places as The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Huffington Post, Glamour, Good Housekeeping, Cosmopolitan, National Lampoon and CNN. She has also written and illustrated numerous books for both adults and children. Her most recent is When Do They Serve The Wine?: The Folly, Flexibility and Fun of Being a Woman. She is also the author of Funny Ladies: The New Yorker's Greatest Women Cartoonists and Their Cartoons and Sex and Sensibility: Ten Women Examine the Lunacy of Modern Love in 200 Cartoons. 

Donnelly serves on the faculty at Vassar College and lives in New York with her husband, New Yorker cartoonist Michael Maslin, and their two daughters.

Give Yourself a Break

I went to the beach for a week in December. I went alone. Disconnecting is just something I have to do from time to time. It’s also why we have weekends, holidays and vacations—because we all need to take a break and get some rest from time to time. Why?

• Our bodies need it. Few of us get the sleep and downtime we really require to function at our best during the week.
• It’s a chance to reconnect with what’s important in our lives.
• It provides time for reflection. And it is through reflection that we grow.
• Also, it provides that much needed time for incubation so that new ideas can formulate in our minds.

Even if you're not one to "disconnect," I hope each of you had a chance to rest during the holidays—that you feel refreshed, have had time to reflect on what you’ve accomplished and learned in the past year, and are anxious to get to work on new ideas. Wishing you all the best in 2012!

"You can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you."  

- Barbara Sher