Why do we write? It’s an age-old question, but I found a good answer recently. “The purpose of being a serious writer is to keep people from despair,” says Sarah Manguso. “If people read your work and, as a result, choose life, then you are doing your job.” When you think of it, whether reading for entertainment or ... continue reading
What Creative Season Are You In?
I feel a bit like a hermit. I have closed the doors, sealed the windows, and hung an “out to lunch” sign, which is likely to remain until early January. I’m not trying to be difficult. I’m simply honoring the creative season I’m in – winter. Others are in spring, summer or fall -- right here in Austin, Texas. It’s not ... continue reading
Losing Our GPS, Finding Ourselves
Several years ago, I did something I’ve never done before. I got in my car and headed West. I had no set plan or timetable. There were no major catastrophes happening in my life. But I was still transitioning between an old me with kids at home to a new empty nest me, and I had no idea how that looked. Also, I had been kind ... continue reading
Gifting Yourself with Blissful Space
“What makes a fire burn Is space between the logs, A breathing space. Too much of a good thing, Too many logs Packed in too tight Can douse the flames Almost as surely As a pail of water would.” How many logs are you packing in this holiday season? In my recent mini-retreat, women shared some of the things they ... continue reading
Creative Courage… and how to Strengthen It
It’s hard being a Creative. Yes, it’s also fulfilling, enlivening and essential. But some days it’s dang tough to put yourself out there… again. There’s the tight feeling in your chest when you present something and don’t know if people will be more mesmerized by the fly on the wall than your words. Or when you write a ... continue reading
Finding Creative Joy This Summer
"Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time." ― John Lubbock Recently, twenty-two women came to my home for my Summer Women’s Circles. The theme of the two ... continue reading
Creative Reluctance
Creative projects are messy. They ooze and flow outside the lines, bubble out of the pot and get sticky goo all over everything. They do not respect boundaries. They do not stay in the lines of linear thinking or time. They are sooooo inconvenient. Let’s face it, there’s a part of us, maybe the biggest part, that ... continue reading
Five Ways to Crush Creativity
I love learning unexpected lessons. A few months ago I decided to try my hand at painting – something I hadn’t done in years but secretly hoped I could become decent at or at least enjoy, even if nothing was frame-worthy. By the end of the day indeed I did learn something. But it wasn’t how to paint or enjoy the process. ... continue reading
Tending the Neglected Creative Side Yard
The neglected side yard... Sometimes you catch it in your peripheral vision. You might be scurrying between appointments or checking off your to-do list when you glimpse a scraggly bush. You don’t look too long or hard. You race ahead, pretending that you really didn’t see it. It’s easy to do. There are a ... continue reading
How to do a Creative STOP (and how not to)
We all get to the point where we just need to STOP. That could look like anything from a 10-minute meditation to a year’s sabbatical. Often we are feeling a little out of alignment, weary, stagnant. This summer has been my personal Stop. For me, that meant putting aside the new website I’d been working on, letting my ... continue reading