Week 9 – Judge Judy Creative Courage Challenge

“I think fish is nice, but then I think that rain is wet, so who am I to judge?”   ― Douglas Adams

I have heard others say that they are convinced that suffering comes from judgment; not simply self-judgement, but from all judgment.  Judgment is evil at its best, its passive aggressive and often goes unnoticed when we keep it in our minds. To gain strength, to work our courage muscle, we must learn to listen without judgment so that we can see things the way they are, not the way we perceive them.

“I ask you to judge me by the enemies I have made.”  ― Franklin D. Roosevelt

Most often people think that they are listening, but in their minds they are judging what the other person is saying, crafting a response in their minds, and waiting for their turn to talk.  So full disclosure, we are actually NOT listening, we are judging what is being said, and how we hear it.  What we need to do is to this week is to be strong and disciplined enough to listen, really truly listen, to EVERYONE who speaks to us.  It is not required to have an instant response to shoot out as soon as someone is done talking.  Don’t be afraid to take a pause when the person is done talking, to wait a moment to process all that you HEARD while you were listening before you respond.  This practice will not only strengthen your courage, it will enhance your intuition, empower the people you are engaging, as well as yourself, and it will truly enhance the present moment.

“The excitable observer will pass judgment first and then make knowledge conform to judgement; the prudent observer will first learn to know and then judge according to knowledge.”  ― Thomas F. Cleary

I can honestly state that I, in fact, know people who do this. At first I thought it was strange to see them pause before answering questions or debating an issue, but in experiencing the relationship within those conversations with these people is an amazing thing. These are the people who remember specific details about me, about my life, and about what we’ve discussed.  Sometimes they remind me of topics we’ve discussed…that I don’t recall – because they were listening to me, but I clearly wasn’t listening well enough to them. Let’s try to truly listen to others this week.

“The highest form of human intelligence is to observe yourself without judgement.”  ― Jiddu Krishnamurti

As Artists and Creatives we are especially susceptible to self-judgement, so this week we must also try not to judge ourselves. Most of us often hear that parental voice in our head that says “Your friends aren’t going to like your cake”, or “You need to spend more time writing” or “No one is going to buy that piece you just created”…do you actually understand what happens in response to this inner voice?

We believe that listening to this voice will motivate us to take action, to do what the voice says, or prove it wrong..and therefore protect ourselves from failure and rejection.  We have probably been judging ourselves from the time we were children, hoping to keep ourselves in line and doing things ‘right’ to gain the approval of the adults in our lives.  And we keep doing it, because we believe it works…this is not true…it does not work…it only makes us feel bad when we do not accomplish what the voice is telling us. We judge ourselves by how we converse with these thoughts. It may seem silly, but remember what we were constantly told as a child? “Treat others like you want to be treated.”

We need this week to not judge ourselves either…we cannot stop judging ourselves with these voices until we are conscious of doing it. As long as you are doing it on auto pilot you have no choice.  So firstly, do not try to change it, just take notice, be aware of it…LISTEN to the voice.  The more consciously aware of it you are, the sooner you have the choice to change it!  You will have the choice to be caring and loving towards yourself instead of judgmental. So for ourselves this week, we are going to listen to our inner voices, pause, and answer them…so we can be non-judgmental at the very least to ourselves.

“By judging others, you make yourself easy to judge.”    ― Ashly Lorenzana 

I found a wonderful blog this week about being non-judgmental and non-judgmental beings, it’s called: Being Without Judgement…Conversations with My Dog… it states:  “We can be quick to judge. We’re wired to judge. Just a quick look and we size up other people-friend, foe, neutral – what’s their value to us, we’re asking.  And what’s more, we’re quick to blame and to lay a judgement on.  Judgement blocks compassion and empathy. It kills silence, creative thinking and what can be.  On the other hand when we keep judgement at bay, are mindful, check out assumptions, appreciate our diversity… and respond appropriately to what’s in front of us, we are on the right track.”  Please check out his list of reasons for his conversations with his dog, it’s a lovely blog!

 “It’s okay to disagree with the thoughts or opinions expressed by other people. That doesn’t give you the right to deny any sense they might make. Nor does it give you a right to accuse someone of poorly expressing their beliefs just because you don’t like what they are saying. Learn to recognize good writing when you read it, even if it means overcoming your pride and opening your mind beyond what is comfortable.”   ― Ashly Lorenzana

You may be wondering then.. what are the qualities of being non-judgmental…well, this is what I’ve found:  Being nonjudgmental is about being open-minded enough to understand that other people have different points of view, and that in their worldview, they may be correct. For many issues, there is no absolute truth. However, it still leaves us open to stating our own opinions, and acting in ways that some might call judgmental. To be personally non-judgmental you need to practice listening, introspection, humility, and being secure in who you are. And I know you all possess some of these things, or you wouldn’t be working on your Creative Courage

“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping them up.” 
― Jesse Jackson

So this week, we are learning to be non-judgmental!  We will work on really listening to the people who are talking to you, without judging what they are saying, or about what your response is going to be. We are going to listen without judgement!   Also, learn to be non-judgmental with yourself, especially with regard to your creativity, regardless of what level you are at, or what medium that you use, you are perfect just the way you are! Become aware of the judgmental voices in our own heads, and learn how to ignore them or respond positively to them! You will be more calm, more confident, more positive, more courageous and more creative!! GO, and shun the Judge Judy that may be lurking inside of you…but please temper it with the fact that it’s important to make a better self for your life! (No I didn’t say that backwards! )

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

• www.shimmerlings.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/shimmerlings
• www.facebook.com/shimmerlings
• www.twitter.com/shimmerlings

Week 8 – Walking Tall Creative Courage Challenge

“A good stance and posture reflect a proper state of mind.” ~Morihei Ueshiba

No, I’m not talking about The Rock, but that certainly is a good place to start isn’t it? He unquestionably has excellent posture!

One of the easiest ways to tell how a person feels about themselves is to examine their walk. Is it slow, quick, tired, painful, energetic, purposeful? People with confidence generally walk quickly; they have places to go, people to see and important work to do! Just walking 25% faster than you do now will make you look and feel more important and improve your confidence! Which of course will build your Creative Courage! Yep, just that one change could have that big of an impact.

Similarly the way a person carries themselves tells a story. People with slumped shoulders and lethargic movements display a lack of self-confidence. They aren’t enthusiastic about what they are doing and they don’t generally consider themselves important- it shows in the manner in which they present themselves. This is not how we want to be seen, or perceived is it?

By practicing good posture, you will automatically look and feel more confident! So stand up straight, keep your head level, and make eye contact. By doing this you will make a positive impression on others and instantly feel more alert and empowered.

“I’m really critical of my posture, it makes a big difference. And I try to suck my belly in. Everyone should do that whether you’re on a red carpet or not. Even if you’re just going out to dinner with your boyfriend you should try and suck it in.”  ~Katy Perry

The truth is, you are far more attractive when you have good posture as well.  My daughter and a few of her friends were in her room one afternoon talking about how they need to lose some weight and how their bellies stuck out… I asked my daughter to stand sideways in front of the full length mirror, and made sure everyone was looking, then I said to my daughter “now stand up straight”…the whole room was in total awe at how it instantly changed the way she appeared! She immediately looked 5lbs. lighter, and her belly no longer ‘stuck out’.  She even felt as if her hair looked longer because she was holding her head in the correct position. I showed all of the girls proper posture, they decided they did not need to lose weight, and they immediately felt more confident.  It’s an amazing transformation for such a small action.

We often will self correct our postures throughout the day, unfortunately once the mind begins to wander, we revert to our lazy, incorrect, unhealthy posture.  Having good posture does in fact take some conscious thought and effort. Everything worth anything generally does. So let’s get to it!

What exactly is good posture? There is a fitness site that has some good information on these topics: What is Good Posture and Head Posture and Your Body. On the site they state:

Correct posture results in the derriere being tucked in, the chest/breasts more prominent, shoulders and head back, and more gradual lumbar thoracic and cervical spinal curves. Your tummy will tighten and you will stand taller.

Now if you only read that last sentence and try to correct yourself, you may be quite uncomfortable…it’s important to be more curious and delve deeper into it so that you are doing it properly, because stressed or over-correction, is poor posture as well.

I have found that learning the yoga “Mountain Pose” or Tadasana, helps me to get into the proper position. The Yoga Basics website is a wonderful resource for any level of practice, and a good place to start. If you practice the Mountain Pose, eventually you will be able to plant your feet and quickly settle into proper posture without the arm movements. I might suggest that practicing yoga regularly will make quite and improvement on your posture in general.

Southern California Orthopedic Institute (SCIO) explains, “Whether we are standing, sitting or lying down gravity exerts a force on our joints, ligaments and muscles. Good posture entails distributing the force of gravity through our body so no one structure is overstressed.”  Making sure no one part is overstressed is what makes posture so important.

CORRECT posture distributes your weight evenly on both hips, avoids slouching forward or overextending your chin. It will align your ears, shoulders, hips and ankles to form a straight line, and your general movements will become easier and less stressful on your muscles and joints. Correct postures will not only spare you from health problems, such as back and shoulder pain, but it will improve your breathing, increase your alertness, develop concentration and self-confidence as well as make you look taller, slimmer….how does that NOT help you build Confidence & Creative Courage?!

“With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world.”  ~ Daliai Lama

As Artists and Creatives, building courage is essential; working on our posture will improve our general courage and self-confidence, which in turn amplifies our creative courage!  Maintaining correct posture is a mandatory requirement for an effective confident personality. Until and unless you stand tall, sit straight, and bend with grace, your confidence will not be reflected from your personality.  Let’s look at the reasons that correct posture is important and what exactly makes good posture.

Contrary to popular belief, good posture does NOT mean keeping your spine totally straight. Many people used to hold to this belief, including myself, until I began practicing yoga…I was amazed at how simple it actually is to correct and maintain good posture and what a big difference it made.  So, if you are attempting to maintain proper posture, and it seems like a great effort, you are probably doing it wrong!  Good posture maintains the two natural curves in your back at a comfortable stance. When you are in the right position, it should feel almost effortless…I say almost, because it will take a bit of effort until you and your muscles become comfortable with the habit.

“Never bend your head. Always hold it high. Look the world straight in the face.”  ~Helen Keller

What Correct Posture do for YOU??

1. Improve your Creativity:  Poor breathing problems can actually develop from bad posture. Good posture naturally enables you to breathe properly. The correct posture will open airways, and makes room for your lungs to function at their best, and healthy lung function will have a positive impact on all aspects of the body’s functions. When you are breathing properly, you increase your brain activity. Our brains require about 20% of our oxygen intake to do its job properly, thus more air, more oxygen, more oxygen more brain food, more brain food leads to more thoughts and creative ideas! Hello….just breathing better will cultivate and develop our creativity!!
2. Improve your Health:  Good posture is actually a wonderful subtle exercise for your abs and your back; holding the proper stance makes you use and strengthen your core muscles with very little effort. Poor posture may result in several complications over time: increased risk of slipped disc, back pain, pressure in your chest, and poor circulation. Proper posture reduces abnormal wear and tear on joint surfaces that lead to arthritis, it reduces stress on ligaments that connect spinal joints, which can cause spinal disk problems and constricted blood vessels and nerves, which can cause chronic pain in muscles and joints.  Correct posture will help you use your muscles more efficiently, because your bones and joints will be in proper alignment, as a result you will feel more energetic, because your body will require less energy to move.
3. Improve your Image:   Correct posture will improve your image, your appearance and the way you feel about yourself. People with good postures simply look smarter and more attractive! True story.  Proper posture will send out a better first impression. A person with good posture naturally exudes an aura of assertiveness and appeal. When people hold themselves in correct posture, they send signals to their brain that makes them feel happier and more confident. The power and appearance of your posture is quite potent.

So…to get acquire more Creative Thoughts, Creative Courage and Self Confidence, how do we improve our posture? How do we know if our posture is indeed correct or incorrect? Well, we could first do a Posture Assessment, which I found on another site, but I believe we are each of us aware of whether or not we are practicing proper postures…

A quick note to the gals out there with large…gals. One thing that will actually help you with your posture is to make certain your “girls” are correctly corralled and supported.  The wrong size bra can be detrimental not only to the health of your breasts, but also to your entire body, and the larger the breast the more important it is to be correctly supported.  There is a wonderful woman who has been dubbed the Boob Whisperer who states she can measure better than anyone else; but most higher end stores also have someone that can fit your properly. Once you have the proper size and type of support, not only will correct posture be easier to maintain, the correct bra will instantly make you look slimmer and more confident!  Break Out Bras is a fantastic website for information and to help you make sure you are fitted properly!

Here are a few ways in which we can ALL move towards the correct posture position, some we can begin to put into practice immediately, and others which you may or may not want to invest in…but there is not a bad idea among them!

1. Identify your Key Motivation for having good posture. Why do you want to have good posture? To improve your creativity, your breathing, other’s perception of you, avoid health issues, build your confidence, or all of the above?  I say go with “All of the Above” because correct posture will give you all of that. The point is to keep the motivation clear in your mind so that when you are feeling lazy about your posture, you can remind yourself why you are doing it at all, it will help you keep on task.
2. Set a Reminder to Check your Posture. Most of us will have the intention to keep correct posture, but we will generally forget about it five minutes later! I remind in the form of a post it, calendar alarm, when you are doing certain tasks…whatever indicator and frequency works for you, but in the beginning it would be better to have a frequency of every 15 minutes or so.
3. Imagine your Body is Held by A String. It may sound strange, but effective none the less. Imagine your spine and head are held up by a string attached to the ceiling at all times. If you are lying down, imagine the string is held in a direction parallel to the ground. Focus on keeping the ears, spine, hips and heels are aligned with the string. Usually people end up tensing the other parts of the body when keeping correct posture, you need to remind yourself to relax, this string imagery will help you keep focused on keeping your back straight and loosening your other muscles, this will actually make it easier to keep proper posture.
4. Plant Your Feet, when standing or sitting. Meaning to have both feet planted flat on the floor, with weight evenly distributed. Do not rest your weight on a particular foot, don’t cross your legs, or even your ankles if you can manage it. This helps to keep your upper body straight an in proper posture.
5. Plant Your Butt when sitting. Place your bum at the innermost edge of the chair you are sitting on, although seemingly benign action, it helps set the right base for your posture.  If you set your butt in the middle or edge end of the chair, this causes you to lean or slouch forward and hunch since there is no support behind that back to press against.
6. Eliminate Bad Posture Habits Including but not limited to watching tv or reading while lying down, working under dim light (which results in slouching believe it or not), sleeping on your belly, and crossing your legs while sitting.
7. Avoid Carrying Heavy Items Just the act of carrying heavy items is bad for our back and shoulders, attempting to carry heavy loads over long periods of time gradually leads to hunched shoulders and backs. This is especially prevalent in students with backpacks or professionals that might carry laptops and work materials to and fro from work. If it is not possible to reduce the load you carry around, consider a roller bag. Remember your posture, health, and creativity is at stake here!
8. Exercise Your Posture  There are several exercises to improve your posture, and in general all types of pilates, yoga, and any exercise that strengthens your back will be beneficial. You must make sure you are doing the exercises correctly though or you may in fact hurt your back instead. You could purchase/borrow a DVD, join a class, or practice at home from written instructions…however you choose to do it, just do it!
9. Go to a Professional  You might wish to have a chiropractor or physical therapist to give you a professional assessment if you have extremely poor posture or a history of back injuries. You might also like to get a professional shoulder and back massage. A massage loosens up your muscles and joints which may allow you to more easily improve your posture, especially if it is quite poor.
10. Challenge Your Chair  You may need to invest in a good quality chair, or even a “chair alternative” like a ball or other ergonomic choice. A good chair will run up to your shoulders to support them when you lean back. You may wish to simply purchase a chair cushion to improve the chair you already have. If you choose this route, use one that does not attach to the chair, as each time you move forward it will become displaced and remind you to realign your posture.
11. Battle Your Bed  Invest in a goldilocks bed, a mattress that is not too firm and not too soft. Soft may make you feel nice and comfy at first, but it’s not good for your posture and neither is one that is too hard. Even if you aren’t able to invest in a new mattress, you might start with a better pillow.  The contour pillows support your head and are probably the best for sleeping, although the horseshoe travel pillow used in your bed may also give you an improvement.

I have found three extra difficult times in which to make certain I have proper posture: driving the car, watching television and while walking in heels, I have discovered a few solutions…but more on that later…

Hence forth this week’s challenge! BE “The Rock”, and Walk Tall!  Sit Tall! Stand Tall!  Work the steps, change your habits, be more aware, improve your body. Stand correctly, improve your posture, improve your breathing, and oxygenate your brain.  Look more attractive, construct your confidence, crank your creativity and build your creative courage!!  You can do it, I know you can!!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

• www.shimmerlings.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/shimmerlings
• www.facebook.com/shimmerlings
• www.twitter.com/shimmerlings

Week 7 – Your Creative Universe Creative Courage Challenge

“In order to be open to creativity, one must have the capacity for constructive use of solitude. One must overcome the fear of being alone.”
~May

Here I sit, exhausted, after working our challenge for the last few days. Exhausted but energized, and ready to go!  We have all read so many articles, stories and blogs about the early bird getting the worm, and people being most productive early in the day, and how getting up straight away will make your day go faster and more productively. Truth be told, the entire purpose of this blog when I began, was in fact to talk about how the early bird gets the worm, and to tout the benefits getting up at the butt crack of dawn to find time to be creative….well, in working those steps I can report this:

1. I am not so much of a morning person, and waking up early has never really been my thing.
2. Most of my life I have HAD to get up early to get to school, get to work, or to care for children.
3. I now relish the fact that I do NOT have to get up early, but often I’m worse off for sleeping in.

Part of me firmly believes that waking earlier does not necessarily have a direct effect on our creative productivity.  Some folks are early risers, some are late. Some folks get to bed early, some are night owls. I believe that the key is to find the time that works for you and learn to use it the best way you know how!

“The early bird gets the worm.”  ~Camden

My better half is up before 5:00 a.m., to find time to work out prior to work. I admire his fortitude, he rarely misses a day, and I’m often felt compelled to join him in this morning function.  When I was getting out of bed and jumping in the shower – to get the FIRST one of the day, before he, and each of my three children use the very last drop of even lukewarm water…I did find that I got a great deal more accomplished during the course of my day. It wasn’t just because I got up early though…as I originally thought.

My day, like most other folks, is generally dictated by certain tasks that need to be accomplished, and is broken down into blocks of time. My morning time was completely undisturbed, unhurried, and all my own…which is why I was able to be more productive initially, then when my “regular” day began I was already prepped and ready to go.  As well, if we wake up one hour early each of the 365 days of the year, that would be an additional 365 waking hours, which equals 15 full days of being fully awake per year…of COURSE we could get more done! But is rising early the only option?

Of the challenges artists share about being creative, finding the time to do so is over all the largest issue. How do we take time for our own creativity when we have so many other demands made upon us such as outside jobs, family, schedules, errands, chores, responsibilities? How do we sit down with tools, paint, paper & pen or cameras when there are lunches to be made, dishes to be done, bills to be paid? Especially, because truth be told, I must admit that I am a bit of an all or nothing kind of person, which of course works into my art as well… I feel as if I am not able to finish a whole project at once, then I do not want to begin it, until I can find an adequate block of time. Which of course, rarely happens if I am not diligent.

Here are a few facts that we ALL know, but must often be reminded of:

• There will always be other things to be done, important other things. If you wait until everything has settled and all the other to-dos are finished, you will be waiting for a very long time…maybe forever.
• That 24 hours per day is more than enough time to meet the demands on your daily life, you simply need to work out the details.
• The Universe WANTS you to be creative or you would not possess the gifts that it has given you, and the Universe also expects you do the work…the world is waiting for your works!
• You have more control over how you spend your precious time and energy than you truly would like to admit to yourself. Sounds harsh, but deep down, you know it’s true!
• You possess the intelligence and desire to reclaim your creativity and your lost time, so that you can have a more creative life. Often change is the only way to make that transformation, because doing the same thing again, is clearly not working.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  ~Einstein

If we begin with the full belief in those facts…and they are facts, then we can move on to the next piece of work and on to our challenge!!

Let’s begin with a very core belief, a belief that is the foundation of almost all traditions of wisdom. This core belief is that we are all hungry for fulfillment; and there is nothing you can buy, own, or rent that will fill up that hunger for a sense of wonder and fulfillment. Nothing.

The good news is that creative expression, regardless of the type: writing, dancing, cooking, bird watching, jewelry making, painting, quilting, etc. can give any person almost everything he or she has been searching for: peace, meaning, enlightenment, beauty. Everything.

The bad news is that well, you must make time for the creative expression to reap the rewards.

This is why is it critical to figure out how to integrate your creativity and self-expression into your life right now.  Doing that may not look like a three-day workshop or even a whole day of creating with hours on end of uninterrupted time.  But it can in fact be something that will bring you to life, nourish your heart and sustain your creative soul. It can.

I would like once again to remind you that we are working on our Creative Courage, and that the only way to grow our courage is to do what we are afraid of first, and then the courage comes.  So when you read further please do so with an open mind, think about making change, and helping yourself be who you really are. Build your courage. Fulfill your wonder. Bring yourself to life!

 “One can be instructed in society, one is inspired only in solitude.” ~ Goethe

There are only THREE creative habits that you need to cultivate to create the world you love. Sounds simple, but as we all know…it’s never THAT easy right?!  I’m going to help us figure out just how easy it can be, working it so that it becomes easy, natural, and part of our lives. We need to listen to our hunger, and follow where it leads. To do that we will learn how to:

1. Find Solitude   2. Find Time With Others   3. Create A Universe

Finding Solitude…

To most Artists and Creatives this is the largest block in our creativity….it is a block because we can not seem to find it. But in fact, we must. If you do not believe me then please read what some of the creative masters throughout time have said:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: “When I am, as it were, completely myself, entirely alone, and of good cheer–say, traveling in a carriage or walking after a good meal or during the night when I cannot sleep–it is on such occasions that my ideas flow best and most abundantly.”

Pablo Picasso: “Without great solitude no serious work is possible.”

Albert Einstein: “On the other hand, although I have a regular work schedule, I take time to go for long walks on the beach so that I can listen to what is going on inside my head. If my work isn’t going well, I lie down in the middle of a workday and gaze at the ceiling while I listen and visualize what goes on in my imagination.”

Carl Sandburg: “One of the greatest necessities in America is to discover creative solitude.”

Franz Kafka: “You need not leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. You need not even listen, simply wait, just learn to become quiet, and still, and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked. It has no choice; it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.”

Nikola Tesla: “The mind is sharper and keener in seclusion and uninterrupted solitude. Originality thrives in seclusion free of outside influences beating upon us to cripple the creative mind. Be alone—that is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born.”

Solitude doesn’t need to mean being completely alone, for those who have small children, or large families, or virtually no time to themselves, can still find solitude.  When I was home with five children under the age of six, my husband leaving at 5:30 a.m., arriving home at 6:30 p.m.., kindergarten, pre-school, naps and everything else; there was no set daily time for me to be alone. There were small pocket so time for me to grab for myself, but they were generally spent, cleaning, cooking, making phone calls or other acts that were for everyone else. I was slowly losing my creative mind…literally and figuratively.

So, to find my solitude, I ate while I was cooking dinner for everyone else. I made sure everything was on the table or within reach; and when it was time for dinner – I left.  I went into the bathroom, with an iPod, I turned on the fan and I locked bathroom door. So even if someone did knock, I didn’t hear them. Sounds silly but if that’s what needs to be done, then for the sake of your creative spirit…cultivate the habit. Teach the people around you how to treat you, and part of that is your time alone. Even if it’s only 15 mins a day, stuck in your bathroom, with an iPod sitting on the commode!

Whatever must be done. Must be done. Period. Without solitude, there is no creativity.

Finding Time with Others….  

While this may sound completely contradictory to the first habit, when it comes to nurturing your creativity, participation is also key.  This can come in many ways and forms, but it does require connecting with, being inspired by, and collaborating with others.  But how does one balance both solitude and participation?  First they must obviously come at different times, and that take conscious effort. Although we are more often more quick to find time with others than we are to find solitude for ourselves we must make certain we do both.  We need inspiration from without, but we need creation from within.

Chase Jarvis says: “Devour Popular Culture.  Consuming the works of others inspires me. And it’s not just museums and the “establishment”. I devour magazines, books, street art, performances, music, etc. All things that make me think critically (and whimsically) about the world. You get the picture. Inspiration can come from anywhere.”

Ali Edwards states: “Take notes. I am a really good note-taker. It’s essential for me to write down my ideas when they come to mind…otherwise, poof, they disappear way too quickly as I move on to the next task (diaper changes, wiping noses, tending to the stuff of life). I use my phone, my computer, and a notebook to jot down thoughts and ideas.”

Finding time with others can include just about anything, from a night out with friends, to a class in anything at all, to simply perusing an art show of some kind! The purpose is, and we must remember this…is not to go out alone and spend time alone in an activity. It is to interact with others, to talk, connect, collaborate, learn and live. I’ve said a thousand times, I could easily be a shut in, especially in the Wisconsin winters….but it is imperative to get out, be social, be involved, and be alive! (Yes, I’m trying!!)

Create Your Universe…

This includes both finding time and finding space that you feel comfortable creating in. There are literally a million and a half ways to do this, and you will have to work on your own to figure out how to create that specifically for yourself.  If you are a writer, you may need but a pen and notebook.  I am lucky enough to have carved out a studio in my home where I can close the door and do my works. I understand not everyone has that, but there are ways to make it happen for you. The key is that when we feel the need to be creative we need to do it NOW, and if our Universe is not available, our creative hunger is not satisfied. If we feel deprived for too long, our need for creative expression can become deep, intense and painful. And when our needs seem to be unattainable we become frustrated, overwhelmed, depressed and angry. So create your universe, and use it! Create when you feel hungry to create, and you will stay satiated, and your life will blossom.

So, when I say make space, I mean make just the space you need for now…then allow it grow over time. But if space is the block, please moderate your expectations. Just like the “iPod Potty” trick I used to use; I used to have a bag of tools, another bag of supplies and a small blanket.  When I wanted to create, the blanket was my studio. I would lie it on the floor, or on the counter, or table…and I would unpack all my supplies, and I would work. I graduated from that to a small tale in a closet, then a larger table in the laundry room, to an unfinished room in the basement, to a finished room in the basement, then to a studio in our FROG room….we don’t always get what we want, but I can guarantee that the Universe wants you to create, and the Universe will give you what you need! You  just need to want it bad enough, to think outside the box and then find it! So a corner behind a room screen, a coat closet not really used, a basket with a sketchbook and pencils…open your mind, find your space, it’s the first step in creating your universe.

Next, we address finding time. This actually coincides with finding space, which is why they are one and the same rule.  Depending on the type of Creative or Artist you are, what type of time you can find, also vacillates with what time of time you can find! So let’s think about this outside the box, like we talked about last week in Evil Creative Genius. Finding time to be creative is different then finding time for solitude or time with others. It’s a different manner of creative thinking.

I am both a procrastinator and a time management junkie, a hippie bohemian artists as well as a type A, Martha protégé …although it seems contraditory, it actually helps me to think more creatively. Try to think in this same manner..on Sunday craft a general plan for the week, so your to-do items get done, but you have time that can be planned or un-planned. It actually feels great to give up an evening of watching t.v., cleaning the house, or an hour of websurfing to allow ourselves to regain creative time. Time to write one page, time to garden, time to cook a gourmet meal, time to create, time we need to build our creativity.

Create while you wait! We spend so many hours waiting. We wait in traffic, at restaurants, airports, trains, planes, at the grocery…instead of cussing and hoping you are casting the correct voodoo spell, try using this time to collect ideas for your next project, or even work on your project if it is that kind of portable!  Keep your sketchbook in your car, in your bag, with you at all times, and doodle away, as much as you can as often as you can.  Keep a notebook with you for ideas and thoughts that come through your mind, or simply use this dead time to get your mind to work in a more creative fashion!

While waiting at a restaurant, scrutinize menus and displays, how could they improve on the colors, the seating, music and lighting to affect the restaurants mood and energy.

If you take a train as part of your commute or are flying, invest in a good pair of noise reduction earplugs or headphones, and instead of reading, sketch your ideas, do some free association writing, start your novel….your trip will go faster, and you will be working the creative part of your brain which is very satisfying.

Now, when you’ve decide to enter your Creative Universe…remember to turn off your phone, your computer, your PDA, think only about being creative, and the task at hand. Being creative requires commitment and staying on task, we may all want to be right brained hippies, but if we only create when we really feel like it and when the circumstances are perfect, we won’t get much done.

Also, don’t be afraid to work on more than one project at a time! Especially if you work in more than one medium, that way if you are stuck on one project then you can work on the other one! In your universe you are also not a perfectionist, you are a Creative, so just create, mediate your expectations, don’t judge yourself, just create. Organize your space/tools so that you can clean up when you are finished, which it will make it easier to start up again (sounds contradictory but it in fact is not) being able to begin again is key to keeping your Creative Universe…creative!

Challenge then:

Find ways to work creativity into every day of your life as it is right now.  How can you express yourself today? What can you do to make something more beautiful? Where can you allow your mind to wander and explore? How Curious have you been? What words might you choose? Have you been Complimentary?  What outfit will you put together? Are you Dressing Like a Genius? What is on your mind? Are you looking into your Eyes? Write one sentence. Take one picture. Draw for five minutes. Dance to one song. Sing to one tune….something…anything…everything. Just do it!

I challenge everyone to wake up a half hour (an hour would be better) early each day this week OR stay up a half hour later OR use your lunch hour, and start on the steps…find solitude, meditate, or get creative, depending on what you need to work on! Wander around your home and determine where your will plant your universe, write, draw, paint, sew, dance, string, glue, play, cook…whatever! Find your solitude and enjoy it. Plan on when you can spend time with others. Do what you are comfortable and happy doing, but take that time each and every day, experience it with a good attitude and have fun with it! Let’s see what one full week of that extra time will bring us this week!

You are a creative spirit every single day…bring yourself to life…these are the things we will remember, the true riches of life, so don’t just find time to be creative….actually BE creative!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen
(that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

• www.shimmerlings.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/shimmerlings
• www.facebook.com/shimmerlings
• www.twitter.com/shimmerlings

Week 6 – Creative Evil Genius Creative Courage Challenge

Well, I was stuck….not creatively, not emotionally, I was actually literally physically stuck – or more specifically my car was stuck.  My front wheels firmly secured in a muddy ditch after my car swirled around several times in the icy road. I’m a tad disoriented yet happy I wasn’t smashed into a pole, so I got out of the car, and I walked around it, I got down on my hands and knees and looked under it….yup. Just as I thought. Stuck.

Now what are my options, I think to myself….I can either try to get it out myself or call for help.  Being that I was in the middle of nowhere and it would take time to find help anyway, I chose to try myself!  Now I’ve been stuck before, and I’ve ‘rocked’ my car out of holes, small ditches and such…but that clearly wasn’t going to work in this situation.  I had to think outside the box, be creative.  The ditch was too steep to back the car up, and it was at a precarious angle, so if it began to slide further, it may very well roll over.  So I stood for a moment in the cold and wondered what else might work. My mind went blank.

Now I was in fact figuratively stuck. I could think of nothing that might not make the situation worse.  A tad bit defeated, I decided to simply get back in the car and calm my mind for a moment….I began to doodle, clear my mind and to look around… and while I was opening my eyes and my mind…it suddenly it hit me!  Drive forward! No, it didn’t really seem to make sense, but it looked like just what needed to happen!  Drive forward and a bit further down the road (still in the ditch), and with some luck I could ease my car up onto a nearby driveway on the yard side of the drainage pipe!  Seemed to go completely against all common sense….but I did it anyway! And guess what – it worked!! I spent the rest of the day basking in the glory of my creative genius – I even inadvertently developed an evil genius laugh before the day was through!!

“It’s kind of fun to do the impossible.” ~Walt Disney

Creative Genius is courageous in action and in thought. A Creative Genius is always ready to attempt new things, break the rules, and boundaries that limit the average mind! It is due to this courage and creative thinking that often the impossible becomes more than possible within the perspective of the Creative Genius reality!

When we truly think creatively, we tend to be open to opportunities and possibilities that we might normally filter out of our personal experience. Our Creative Evil Genius allows us to think outside the box, around the box, on top of the box, through the box in a free flowing and imaginative manner!

The Creative Evil Genius has a unique set of qualities, of beliefs, methods of speaking to themselves, listening to the voices in the heads, asking the right questions and taking strategic actions that rest naturally within the recesses of their minds.  All Creatives are Creative Evil Geniuses, just waiting to be explored!  By consistently and persistently instilling these unique traits into our psyche, we will be able to supercharge our minds and unlock our full capacity for creative work and thought!

“We think too small. Like the frog at the bottom of the well. He thinks the sky is only as big as the top of the well. If he surfaced, he would have an entirely different view.”
~Mao Tse-Tung

If you truly want to find the Creative Evil Genius inside of you, you must believe….clap three times if you believe!! Then remember how strong your BELIEF is in the three following things:

Belief in Yourself … The Creative Evil Genius has full belief in themselves, and their abilities.  They may not be totally confident in those beliefs, but we do have full belief in our SELF.  This belief supports every aspect of our personality, helping us to approach our problems with excitement and passion instead of fear.

Belief in a Higher Power… The Creative Evil Genius is fully aware that their gift works through them, it comes from Higher Power and it is given to use to bring to the world, and if we don’t bring it, that gift will move to the next creative genius. We often feel like frauds because we innately sense that our creative genius isn’t ours to own, it is given to us with a glad hand. We know that this Higher Power (whatever you believe that to be) helps to spark the creative forces in our bodies and our minds so that our Creative Evil Genius can do the work we were given.

Belief in Learning… from Both Success and Failure! A Creative Evil Genius does not actually distinguish between success and failure; they only acknowledge what is to be learned from each. We learn from the feedback of personal experience, from the outside environment, and from our inner knowing. Each piece of feedback works to transform our creative genius approach when confronting similar circumstances in the future!

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”  ~Thomas Edison

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.” ~Michael Jordan

“Don’t take anyone else’s definition of success as your own.”  ~Jacqueline Briskin 

Now that we know how to recognize the Creative Evil Genius inside of us….how do we go about luring them out?!!  Muuuhhhahahahaha, I thought you would never ask!! : )  At the risk of an overuse of a cliché that runs the gamut of the business and educational as well as the creative world…. we must THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX!!!

“The key to success is to risk thinking unconventional thoughts. Convention is the enemy of progress. If you go down just one corridor of thought you never get to see what’s in the rooms leading off it. “ ~Trevor Baylis

The following is a list of ideas to help you to start thinking outside the box, and to get your Creative Evil Genius to jump out and get going on bringing you the joy you sometimes find yourself missing, especially when you are “stuck”. Artists and Creatives surprisingly often have difficulty with this, but we are working on our courage, we are working on growing and changing…so this week let’s practice a little change!  If you incorporate some of these tasks this week, your challenge should be a breeze!!

Have an Opposite Day at Lunch:  If you eat lunch at your desk/studio/kitchen/bench…then eat out, even if it’s just in your car! If you eat out, then eat in! If you go to the lunch room, then eat at your desk, or if you want to really be daring, eat your lunch a little at a time for about an hour before your break, and on your lunch break, read a book!

Listen to the Voices In Your Head:  Listen to the huge, crazy, big ideas that pop into your head, write them down, trust in them, believe in them…usually we ignore those voices, but they often are guiding us! So go against your normal response to ignore the awesomeness in your head, and listen to the voices!!  If they are saying bad things, shut them up immediately!!

Change Your Appearance: if you usually wear your hair down, wear it up. Wear a hat if you don’t generally.  If you usually wear jeans, try on a pair of slacks, or a skirt. Wear boots, high heels, flats…whatever it is that you don’t usually do!

Make a Not Now List: Instead of a To Do list, make at Not Now list! Make a list of all the things you would like to do, but know it’s okay to do them Not Now! Then relish in your non pressure list of things you are NOT going to do right now!! Later you may look at it and think “Wow! I thought of that?!” and do them when you can!

Change Your Transportation:  If you walk to work, then catch a bus, if you take a taxi, try walking. If you drive, change your route. If  (like me) your studio or office is in your home, instead of going straight in, sit quietly for a half an hour before you do. Not thinking about what needs to be done, but just sitting quietly to open up your mind.

Listen to Your Inner Child: When adults are asked a question, the answers are generally logical based on our life’s experience. How do you get to heaven would elicit a myriad of answers depending on each particular persons personal beliefs, life experiences and vocabulary. The same question asked of a child might elicit “Go to hell and turn left.”  To return to this childlike state of mind, ask yourself some fanciful questions, like “What if dogs could fly?” then come up with a half a dozen consequences of that…we would need much longer leashes, would they still need to be walked, how would we keep them in the yard, how do we teach them to fly and land when they are puppies…do you see where this is going? How about “What if I was allergic to water?” now answer like a child might, and have fun with it!

“To cease to think creatively is but little different from ceasing to live.” ~Benjamin Franklin

If you are still having difficulty thinking a bit outside the box, there is a fabulous book called A Whack on the Side of the Head… give that a try!

As Artists and Creatives we all know that we are original; this week though, don’t just be original, be first without thought of how it will be received. Sound out your idea first instead of waiting and building on someone else’s idea.  This is often difficult, but it is only when we stretch ourselves outside of our comfort zone that we ever come up with newer ideas.  They needn’t be astounding revelations or inventions that no one has considered yet, just ideas kept true to yourself. Push your old ideas in new directions; take a way of working your process and start over with it. You may think that you are already doing it the most productive way possible…but hey, what if you aren’t??

This week to lure out our Creative Evil Genius, we are going to be original in a completely different medium than we are used to! Here is our challenge….

If you are a Studio Artist, use a different medium….painters-try jewelry, mixed media-try woodworking, metal workers-try working with glass…you get the idea!  If you are a Writer, don’t write…illustrate instead!  If you work in textiles-try painting! Anyone who doesn’t cook a great deal, try to work outside the box…and Cook something!  If your creative outlet is cooking, try scrapbooking, or bake. If you work in an office all day, create a new way to accomplish a daily task or trade tasks with a co-worker for the week, use your non-dominant hand as often as possible. The goal here is to retrain your brain, only for one week….so whatever medium you decide to work it, truly work in it. No need to purchase all types of new products and tools, just do what your mind isn’t expecting!

I am a jewelry artist…and I spent last week reorganizing my entire studio to help me work through a creative slump I’ve been in…this week, I’m going to work with reclaimed mixed media…I’m not going to make jewelry, I’m going to make everything I can think of that ISN’T jewelry! I’m pretty excited, but I’m also a little scared. I’m going to make little tooth fairy boxes, and keepsake jars, I am going to attempt to do what my other artist friend does, on a completely different canvas!  When I am finished with this challenge, I fully expect that I will have a completely different outlook on my jewelry, a new way of thinking about how my process works…and I’ll probably likely have a little evil genius laughing inside my head! Mmmmuurrrhahahahaa!!!

What are YOU going to do to lure out your Creative Evil Genius?!

JeaneMargherite Meria Murray McMahon Schintgen (that’s my name, don’t wear it out!)

• www.shimmerlings.com
• www.linkedin.com/in/shimmerlings
• www.facebook.com/shimmerlings
• www.twitter.com/shimmerlings