In this article, Creative Consultant to The Conscious Professional, David Benjamin Tomlinson lays out 5 inspiring ways in which you can keep your January resolutions conscious all year round!
January is a very popular time to start something new – the whole year lies ahead unblemished, ripe with possibility. With all the newness in the air we often get new ideas; we think: “This is who I want to be this year.” So, new habits are started, new choices are made… and, often, frustration soon sets in. Landings don’t get stuck, pervasive old patterns come back to haunt us, success isn’t immediate and ideas are abandoned.
A New Year is a lot like a blank page: both require a creative process. These days it has become increasingly intimidating to express creativity in the world because we’ve become fixated on results. Be the best or be voted out. Write a book that sells millions or it doesn’t matter. Have a huge opening weekend or be considered an immediate flop. The expression of creativity has become reduced to a game show. We have all but eliminated the idea of source work — the creative process tied to the path of creation that involves trying things out, making mistakes, trying new ways, and finding the route that works for you to get to the end. We expect everything now, BAM! in a flash of immediate and gratifying manifestation.
This year as you are creating the New You, don’t despair if results aren’t immediate. Be prepared to do the work and to let yourself be a creation in progress. The paths you think you need to take may unexpectedly change along the way. Look upon the New You in 2014 as a constant act of creation. To that end, here are a few creative tools you can use to aid in your process.
1) Lean on The Yeses
We get offered things, we get invited places, and we say no because we don’t see how it goes with the current plan. Say yes. Discretion is key here, but sometimes saying yes can take you remarkable places. When I’m writing and an odd idea comes into my head I usually jump on it and see where it takes me. Sometimes it’s a dead end, sometimes it leads me to a new fantastic idea, and sometimes it takes me to a wholly wonderful and unexpected place. I can’t anticipate where the ideas will take me, but I have to say yes in order to find out.
2) Listen
It’s amazing how the universe can speak to you: the snippets of conversation you hear as you walk down the street, the signs you notice, and the unexpected ideas that get brought up in conversation by friends. Keep your eyes and ears open. Ideas to help support and inspire you are everywhere.
3) Step Away From The Desk
There are times that no amount of staring at my computer screen will get me anywhere. It’s important to walk away. Shake my head. Regroup. Get perspective. If you hit a wall of frustration and feel crippled, don’t be afraid to back off. Figure out what’s going on, look for new inspiration, assess other directions… and then go for it.
4) Accept failure
It’s going to go wrong at some point and that’s fantastic. Things going wrong help us identify ill-thought-out approaches and bad ideas, and lead us to better ideas and how to make things right. For every page of writing there are three pages of trial and error. Be patient with yourself. Work hard, yes. However, understand that failure is part of the game, and how you react to it is what turns failure into success.
5) Sync up With The Avocado Clock
I love guacamole. LOVE it. There are days when I am craving guacamole ferociously, but there isn’t a ripe avocado to be found. Other days I’m not even thinking about guacamole and suddenly I discover a pile of perfect avocados. Things may not happen on your preferred timeline. There are events and forces that operate as part of the universal machine, which has it’s own idea of time and can be very different than yours. Seize the moment (sometimes, avocados know best).
Creating a new you isn’t about blowing the bank on new clothes or fancy gym memberships: it’s being mindful about what matters to you, identifying who you are, and working unfailingly towards it from the inside out. There will be frustration along the way. Do not give up. It may take you the entire year, it may take trying a variety of paths, making mistakes and taking detours along the way. Believe in your ideas; be open to inspiration and work towards what it is you want. Create yourself. Embrace the power of living a conscious and creative life.
In 2014, be patient. Stay conscious. Be a bold creator of a remarkable you. Have a fantastic year!
David leads workshops on creativity and provides skype coaching to professionals and artists from all walks of life on how to better identify, understand, and embrace their individual creative processes and re-ignite their artist’s heart.
To enquire or book a session please click here.
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