Discover easy ways to spark your creativity

I hope the summer is off to a great start for you.

I had the great pleasure of speaking to the Frankfurt Germany chapter of HBA (Healthcare Business Women’s Association) last week. I guided the attendees through a set of steps to take to embrace their bold and amplify their voices. I love shedding light on this topic, and love helping people activate boldness in their lives.

One attendee felt she understood most of what I shared, but said she was simply unable to envision herself creating. (Creating is one of 4 key steps that can help you find your authentic way to be bold.)

She asked how she might begin.

I get it! The idea of creating can feel intimidating, and even scary, to lots of people.

Here are ideas to consider, if you are willing to try something new that can have a big impact on your life.

Simple ways to start getting creative

Contrary to the common belief that creating requires that you be a virtuoso performer, artist, writer, dancer or actor, there are delightful, fun, small, ways to activate creativity. 

Try something like:

• singing in the shower, or in your car

• planning and preparing a meal with foods that have beautiful colors, that will look amazing on a platter

• doodling with colored pencils, or try an adult coloring book

• digging in a garden, or arranging flowers

• doing a fun craft project

• playing with clay

• taking photos of things you love (could be birds, landscapes at sunset, something you collect)

• wearing clothes or jewelry that will show friends a side of you they may never have seen

Anyone can find a small way to create that is easy and fun!

And when you create in small ways on a frequent basis, great things happen.

You light up your spirit. You experience delight, and that delight sparks new insights and creates joy. You feel freer to play and experiment. You are happier.

And all of that good feeling generalizes to impact the full spectrum of your life! 

Try another big way to create, too 

In tandem with awakening your spirit by creating expressively in small, fun ways, consider this way to create:

What new idea can you generate now?

• It could be a new approach instead of the usual way you do things. 

• It could be a fresh way to resolve a challenge in front of you. 

• It could be a new response to someone’s request.

What new opportunity can you imagine?

What new possibility can you create?

The key to creating in this way — as you adopt the mindset of being a creator! — is to take a moment to ask yourself the question:

”What can I create right now?“

rather than quickly taking action and rushing to attend to the next thing on your mind.

When you make it a practice to pause and consider the possibilities before you take action, you will realize that this way of creating can be a new, ongoing approach to everything in your life.

Remarkable things are sure to happen!

Why not try both ways to create this week?

I would love for you to let me know what happens for you. You are always welcome to email me and be in touch.

Creative Ideas to Help You Thrive

There are so many ways we can lead a fulfilling life. 

In my Thriving Now blog series, discover valuable tips and strategies to empower you to live your best life. From fostering resilience to nurturing well-being and meaningful connections, these insights can be a trusty compass to navigate the intricacies of your daily experience with grace and ease.

You can walk this path to authentically thrive in every aspect of your life and Live Big!

Creative ideas for thriving now.

Create to Cope

Whenever you feel overwhelmed, sad, angry, frustrated, or any other difficult emotion, you have the opportunity to use it as fuel for something creative. Why is that a good idea? Because when you “exercise” the emotion through creativity, it has a place to go. You get to use it, move it, and ease it out of your system. And, sometimes you can actually transform it.

For example, you might like doing something with your hands, like a craft project or needlework. You can get absorbed in the activity, choosing colors and materials. When you get into flow as you create, the emotion can ease off.You might want to vigorously chop vegetables and then create an interesting dish. Or you might dance to music with the volume turned up high. You might want to dig in the garden. You might want to draw or paint a hideous picture to wring out the emotion. You might pour your emotion into writing a poem.Experiment and see how this works best for you. You will discover the ways of creating that satisfy you most when you are dealing with challenging emotions, in varying situations.Will it clear the troubling emotion forever? No. But you can experience real relief, and as you continue to create the emotion will have less hold on you.

Enjoy an adult coloring book.

There are lovely adult coloring books that you can order online and many artists are generously making their work available for download for free. Here’s a page with nice options, and if you do a google search you will find many others. If you do not have a set of colored pencils order a set of 24 and you’ll be all set.

Coloring is a delightful way to create, as you choose colors and watch the page come to life. You may find this calming, and a way to move into a meditative state, as well as a way to feel inspired.

An invitation to create your best life

Do you, like so many people, replay past events with regret?

It is tempting and easy to think about a decision you made, a conversation you had, a response made quickly, and wish it had been different.

When you feel the pull to question, reexamine, or suffer about things in the past, you cheat yourself.

How?

You cheat yourself out of being present now, and when that happens you lose precious opportunities to create what is possible in this moment.

What you are able to create in every moment (a new idea, a meaningful conversation, a new boundary, something you never dared to explore before) can actually shift your trajectory.

And that one small shift can lead you to a future that is more satisfying and fulfilling.

That’s an incredible possibility.

What are you creating now?

What are you thinking about and taking action on to create the life you truly want to live?

Are your thoughts and actions propelling you in a direction that excites you, or are they limiting you?

Perhaps you are dwelling on negativity and worry, which is common and may feel reasonable. A conscious shift to gratitude and positive possibility can bring inspiring energy to your next efforts.

Perhaps you feel unsure or timid. A shift to exploring with someone you trust can provide insight and inspiration to take a step you might otherwise not have tried.

Each moment of your day offers the opportunity to create a new thought, take a new step, be a bit bolder.

You may not have considered that these are acts of creation!

What happens when you consciously create 

When you create from a place of belief, clarity and trust, you can move ahead with optimism and willingness to experiment, knowing that you can continue to create in each moment.

When you try new things, course-correct if necessary, and create a new next step forward — over and over again — your life can change in remarkable ways.

This can become a new way of operating. A new way of living.

Take a small, meaningful step now

I invite you to make one small commitment to yourself today — to create something just beyond your habitual way of operating, or just outside of your comfort zone.

It may be to say “no,” if you know deep down that that response is called for.

It might be to say “yes” to your heart, if you feel it’s time to try something new.

And if that “something new” is to to say “yes” to you — to make space for yourself, to look deep into your heart and find true clarity about what you want, and to have a guide to begin creating that reality — you may want to say “yes!” to a once-a-year opportunity that’s just round the corner.

Start creating the future you dream of

Each spring I lead the Live Big Live! retreat in Boston, and this opportunity is only happening once in 2024.

On June 6, 7, and 8, 2024, an intimate group of incredible women — like you! — will come together to move though a life-changing experience together. And we start in a virtual format together before the retreat, so you will have a solid foundation for everything that happens in our beautiful space together.

Here’s what you can expect:

• You will be guided to crystalize a vision that is rooted in deeply knowing yourself.

• You will experience creativity in inspiring, fun, and surprising ways — and no special talent or experience is needed!

• You will receive tools to use, again and again, whenever you feel doubtful or stuck, to keep moving toward your dreams. 

• You will learn from and be supported by other great women, and in turn you will bring your gifts to them.

• You will create a concrete plan for how you will live into your vision for the next 90 days — so the inspiration and insights will be specifically actionable for you.

• You will amaze yourself and feel excited about your life as never before.

I have witnessed remarkable outcomes at Live Big Live! in the past, and it would be an honor to speak to you to see if this opportunity is a match for you.

My life’s work is to guide and inspire great women to tap all of their potential by activating the transformative power of creativity to live their best lives — to live big!

If you are ready to step into an amazing future, let’s talk soon. We kick off in advance of the retreat, so let’s get a date on the calendar soon! 

Schedule a call here. (There's never a cost or obligation for us to chat.)

Here are a few photos taken at past Live Big Live! retreats

The magic I watched unfold

Have you witnessed magic lately?

I am delighted to say that I have.

Not only has it been magical to be in Paris for nearly 3 weeks, a few days ago I reveled in the joy of witnessing real magic unfold.

This is what I was privileged to see.

A group of remarkable women spent three days with me (virtually) at the winter Live Big Live! retreat, shaping their personal visions. Each faced the doubts and fears that cropped up for her, and each made concrete plans for how she will make her vision real.

The truly exciting thing was seeing how each woman found profound and deep insight about herself as we moved through the retreat.

Their discoveries not only helped them shape their visions clearly, they helped them commit to creating the futures they dream of.

Why the women came to Live Big Live!

Some of the women are launching new businesses, reshaping existing businesses, or envisioning new possibilities for their work. 

Some have recently embarked on a new professional journey. Some are focused on how they will simultaneously pursue two significant interests with ease.

All got clear about what they will do to propel their endeavors forward.

And excitingly, each is now aiming higher than she ever dared before, and each is excited to have a new level of impact.

This ambition is grounded in a solid foundation of belief in all that is possible.

And as each woman mapped out how she will actually make her vision real in the coming months, she was guided to focus on and value more than just her work.

Each is also considering the ways her relationships, her care for her physical health and well-being, attending to an environment that will support her, nurturing her spirit, and considering her legacy will help her enjoy the best quality of life.

The creation I saw unfold

All of the magic I witnessed at the retreat was fueled in significant ways as the women had a big creative experience each day.

(It’s likely, as a reader of my Big Ideas, that you are aware of how strongly I believe in the creative power we all possess, and that I advocate for both expressive creativity — think singing, drawing, writing and lots more — and appreciating and adopting the mindset of a creator.

With the mindset of a creator, you are able to create all day, every day. As you make each decision, and as you consider your response to each new possibility, challenge and opportunity, you stop reacting and are able to generate new ideas for what is possible.)

On each day of Live Big Live! I introduced a specific creative experience to support the focus of our day.

These experiences facilitated deep access to emotion, resulting in new insights and perspectives for all.

And the visual power of everything they expressed was remarkable!

Check out the images below to see some of what emerged.

What are you ready to create now?

If you are thinking about the truly fulfilling life you yearn to live — whether you have had a setback, are at a crossroads, yearn for something to change, or have a burning desire or dream you want to make real — let’s talk about it.

I believe in the power of a great conversation. I can share more about the ways Creative Core Coaching leverages the power of creation, and we can explore whether the next Live Big Live! (or other support) may be a good fit for you.

Whatever the outcome, I will be happy for us to connect. 

I invite you to email me, or find a date on my calendar.

Here are two wonderful collages (each with the front of the collage on the left and the back of the collage next to it), that were created at the Live Big Live retreat last week.

How to connect to your magic and light up your life

Something interesting happens when I mention the title of my book, Live Big: A Manifesto for a Creative Life in a conversation with someone I have just met.

More often than not, people look me in the eye and say, “Oh, I'm not creative.”

I am on a mission to dispel that common belief.

I want to help people understand, and experience, that they are filled with creativity. I also want them to know how powerful their creativity is.

We all came into the world filled with creativity

Yes, creativity is in all of us. It’s a kind of magic we all possess.

When we are small, and given some crayons and paper, we do not fret at a blank page. We do not worry about what to draw. We pick up a color that appeals to us and start making marks.

When I observe my 3-year-old granddaughter as she draws, and ask what she’s drawing, she tells me incredible stories about the scenes (that look to me like excited scribbles).

Whether she is serious and focused, or laughing, she is fully engaged in expressing herself. And it is clear that she loves it.

When we, as adults, tap that creative energy — or expand and accelerate it, for those who do feel creative — we give ourselves a huge gift. We connect to the magic inside.

Creating is not just for “special people”

The opportunities to create are vast.

While many feel intimidated because they think they are not “talented”, I’m here to bust that myth. You do not need to be a virtuoso musician, a great actor, a brilliant writer, or a gifted dancer to create!

All forms of self-expression are terrific.

Do you love to putter in a garden or build in a workshop? Do you like to cook or make things with your hands? Are you a visionary thinker, or love embarking on adventures to explore in nature? Do you like to play with paint or clay?

Any and all of these ways of creating are fantastic.

What happens when you create

When you create in any way with a feeling of curiosity and freedom, when you are able to to play and be surprised, you connect to your desire and something incredible happens.

Your spirit opens.

You get out of your head (where most of us spend most of our time) and connect to your heart and your intuition.

And you make discoveries.

The discovery may be about new ways to produce a result that pleases you. Or you may discover that something you thought you’d enjoy was not that great, and move on to new ways to explore.

The most important discovery?

Connecting to new parts of yourself and experiencing more of who you are.

And when that happens, your expanded, lit-up spirit can show up in other parts of your life.

I witness this phenomenon all the time with my clients. They show up differently at work, and great things happen. They navigate relationships with more insight and less reactivity. They look and feel alive in remarkable ways!

I rejoice with them as they open to and share more and more of their greatness.

You can start today

I invite you to do one thing (or one new thing) today to express yourself.

It may be simple and you may do it for a mere few minutes, but choose one thing and go for it.

Maybe you will share it, or you may choose to have a private experience. Maybe it will be exciting, or comfortable, or perhaps it will feel awkward.

In any case, take a moment to think about how it felt to create.

Consider how it felt to experiment with new flavors rather than following a recipe. Or put a small arrangement of objects on a shelf in a pleasing way. Or pull out an instrument you haven’t played in ages, and your response to the sounds you made.

Then commit to creating in some way again tomorrow.

In time, you will not have to plan to create. You will find your creative spirit showing up all over the place!

The more that you create in these ways, the more you will come to understand the power of creativity to support you to show up fully. In time, this expansive magical feeling can be a regular part of your daily experience.

And it is a game-changer to show up fully in the world.

Do it for yourself, and do it for all of us. We need the gifts, the fully expressed genius, that only you can contribute.

Imagine the impact we will have when we all live big.

(I would be delighted for you to share the ways you love to create, and new ways you bring creativity into your life. And please share the impact it has for you. Leave a comment or email me.)

Looking for fresh inspiration? Check out these 3 big ideas.

The glory of spring is palpable, and getting most of us excited — excited to be outdoors in warmer temperatures, excited to see colors blooming, excited to begin to see people in person. I enjoyed a wonderful walk with a colleague on Friday afternoon, and look forward to more opportunities to see people, ideally outdoors.

Getting outside is one of many great ways to get inspired. We’ve been cooped up for so long, and while video calls have kept us connected, the chance to be together for real feels great.

How to create inspiration when it goes AWOL

No matter the time of year or the external constraints (the pandemic having been a huge one for the last two years), we all have times when we feel uninspired, or experience a dip in energy and enthusiasm.

When that happens, it can help to have a short cheat-sheet for ways to find a spark.

Here are three great ways to light up your spirits.

These approaches can build enthusiasm for a task at hand, get you excited about taking on a big new project, can help you overcome doubt, and can generally get you feeling more alive and excited.

1. Invite a great conversation

I often say that everything good happens in a conversation. Sure, email is great, and texting has its place, but an actual conversation offers so much more possibility.

And if that conversation happens in person, all the better! (The walk with my colleague on Friday was richer because we spent time together on a circuit around a gorgeous reservoir and had a far-reaching conversation.)

The key is to invite people who think positively, who are curious, maybe funny, and in whose company you feel happy.

2. Look for wonder

I wrote a chapter titled See Wonder, in my book.

Why?

Because wonder lights us up. It inspires us and connects us to our hearts. And most of us miss it as we rush through our days.

When we tune in to the wonder that is all around us — beauty in nature; a shadow created by light streaming through a window; the colors, textures and tastes of lovely food, for example — our outlook about everything is buoyed.

We all have a camera on hand! Why not look for wonder and capture that moment with the camera on your phone. You can pause to savor wonder in the moment, and reconnect to the wonder any time as you pursue the photos in your library.

3. Play!

I also wrote a chapter on Play in my book.

And, this topic is still a work-in progress for me. I think it is for many adults.

The more I have learned about play, the more impressed I am about the power that plays has for us. We can all benefit from returning to the power of play that most of us experienced as kids.

When we play things don’t feel so serious. Fear drops away. When we get silly and experiment, we stop worrying about mistakes and are more focused on possibilities. We are in the moment, present and excited.

When we play and feel joy, life feels expansive. We create with ease!

I know that the possibility of letting go to play with abandon can feel risky for some. Maybe you were “good at” play as a kid, and maybe not. At some point nearly all of us were told it was time to get serious, we played less, and we are out of practice.

Why not look for opportunities to bring play into your life, and practice it?

Inspiration fuels creativity

And creativity is the key to making the life you deeply desire a reality.

Life is precious. Each day counts.

When you stay inspired, when you are truly self-aware and focused, when you learn to bring all of your best self into the world and are able to navigate the inevitable challenges (big and small) as they show up, you can create an inspired, fulfilling life.

Many accomplished, thoughtful women want that life, and yet don’t know how to get there, or struggle to do it on their own.

Perhaps some of these thought have occurred to you:

I am ready to stop settling for less than what’s possible.
I feel there is something more I want to explore or do.
I know I am ready to take a bold step in my life, but I don’t know what it is.
I know it's time for me to stop living small.

If thoughts like these feel familiar, and you want to explore what is possible for you, let’s talk.

The Spring 2022 Live Big Live! program is kicking off soon. If you are ready to light up your spirit, get clear about your vision, and create an inspired future with intention, email me and we’ll see if this program is a fit for you.

Stay safe and well, and create your life with joy.

A life-changing gift you can give yourself now

As we move through the final days of 2021 we have a great opportunity — to look back and reap the rewards of the past year (try the process I shared last week), and to look ahead to a new year full of possibility.

Harness the power of creativity in 2022 — it’s available to all of us!

I invite you to embrace yourself as a powerful creator as you head into the new year. It’s easy to do when you focus on activating creative expression.

You can create expressively in a multitude of ways

Any way you choose to create will enrich your day-to-day life. Think about what delights you.

Maybe you love to dance up a storm, or draw or write. You may feel free and enjoy experimenting as you cook, playing with new flavor combinations or ingredients. Maybe you love to research and plan your garden, and get your hands into the dirt as you plant and tend it. Do you play an instrument or want to try learning a new one? Maybe you collect things that fascinate you, or find joy when you sing, or keep a camera on hand to take photos throughout your day. Maybe you love to tinker and build things, or learn new craft techniques.

Allowing yourself to play and explore in any of these ways lights you up and fuels enthusiasm for everything in your life.

When you are lit up, new ideas show up. You feel excited about exploring them. This positive energy not only carries you forward, it supports you at those times when you need to be resilient.

Your creative journey can be a great teacher

While I rarely share my personal creative journey, my studio time has been a great teacher for me, especially this past year.

I began painting in 2015 after a lifetime of feeling challenged to create for myself. As a graphic designer (my first career), I could create to solve my clients’ problems, but personal expression (like painting or sculpting) felt impossible.

Knowing what I know today, I look back and see that in those years I indulged in creative expression, though not in ways I thought “counted.” I loved (and still love) to create beauty in my home, sharing beauty with others, using color in interesting ways, and more.

But I did not dare to make art until 2015, when I took my first painting class. It was intimidating, but I had the opportunity and decided to go for it.

And it changed my life — really! I have continued to paint, studying with an amazing teacher, ever since.

As frustrating as it was to be a beginner, needing to master technique and decide what I wanted to paint, this journey has enriched me in enormous ways.

Each time I stand in front of my easel, I meet myself in a way that is different from the rest of my life. I tap into my intuition and I connect to my desire — what color calls to me? What kind of gesture or mark do I want to make?

Finding my way in the studio has been a great journey. I have had times when the work flowed and I was having fun. And I have had times — especially early in COVID, and after my mother died in August 2020 — when I felt completely lost and unsure about what I was doing.

With the encouragement of my teacher, I simply let myself not know, make a mess, and see where I found myself. Allowing myself to explore this way, without caring about making a “good painting” has led me to new places that have surprised me — and sometimes delighted me.

I have learned to trust myself and experiment. I have slowly been able to let go of the perfectionism that’s been a struggle for so much of my life. My heart has expanded in ways it never had before.

(If you are curious about my art, you can take a look at my work, from 2015 up to the present, here.)

What will you discover when you create?

The new year beckons. Think about the gifts you can give yourself in 2022 when you allow yourself to step into creating in new and bigger ways.

If getting creative is new for you, start by playing and see where it takes you. Ask someone to join you and make regular dates to create. And celebrate the outcomes of everything you explore!

And consider this:

Whether you choose to activate creativity or not, the new year will be full of change.

Why not light yourself up, feel inspired, and bring that positive energy into your life?

Wishing you a new year filled with joy, vibrant health and abundant creative energy.