#creatingchallenge day 23 / creative confidence busters

Four fears that block many people from taking creative steps forward, according to Tom Kelley and David Kelley in their book Creative Confidence, are:

1. Fear of the messy unknown,
2. Fear of being judged,
3. Fear of the first step, and
4. Fear of losing control.

Which one(s) get in your way the most? 

What is one, small, creative step you can take right now to move you towards your desired direction or goal? 

#creatingchallenge day 22 / opening story

Robert McKee, a renown script writer and story expert, knows how to use stories to create impact with an audience. He was interviewed by the National Speaker Association's Speaker Magazine in the July/August 2013 issue and one of the topics was on using signature stories. McKee recommended not defaulting to the same signature story every time you speak, but to have multiple stories that can be tailored to each audience. And even better...begin each speaking engagement with a story that you made up that morning using current events that effect the lives in the audience. How's that for keeping us on our toes?

I'm going to use the current event approach when I teach my next class at Concordia University in February. The Organizational Communication course covers seven major types of communication in organizational settings. I'd say there is a lot in the news that could provide fodder for an opening story each class.

How might you use current events to spice up your presentations or other speaking engagements?

#creatingchallenge day 21 / start here

"Always start by 'attending to the crack.' Where do we meet the future first? 'Seek it with your hands, don't think about it, feel it' is the essential instruction that Bagger Vance gives to Junah in the Robert Redford movie Bagger Vance. The future shows up first in our feelings and through our hands, not in our abstract analysis. 'Attend to the crack' means attend to the openings, the challenges, and the disruptions where you feel the past ending, and the future wanting to begin." Presencing Institute, Principle #6

One area I'm seeing cracks in is my business brand. It's exciting and also uncomfortable at times. I'm attending to these cracks through study, collaboration and intentional movement to cooperate with the emerging future.  

What cracks are showing up in your life? What are you noticing or feeling that is different? What will you do about it?

#creatingchallenge day 20 / declutter your brain...everyday

A very simple yet profound method for daily clearing out that clutter in your brain is "morning pages." Morning pages is a simple exercise of writing three pages, in longhand, every morning, first thing. The goal is to just write out whatever stream of consciousness you have and get it on paper. The exercise activates your brain to declutter and get all those ideas, lists, worries, inner critic voices, reflections, and random thoughts out of your head and onto paper where you can either let it go, or do something with it.

Today I decided to do morning pages and add it into my daily morning ritual. I had read about this exercise a few years ago in Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way, but had not adopted the practice as a part of my ongoing morning ritual...until now. Honestly, I was challenged today as I read a few pages in Learning to Listen Learning to Teach by Jane Vella. She wrote that "Carl Jung insisted that all those who wish to be clinical analysts (counselors) should themselves undertake a long, arduous program of analysis...The same holds true for the adult learning process. We teachers have to honor our own need to learn. We must talk about that honestly." These words reminded me, yet again, the need to "walk the talk" and do what I need to do to be my best self even as I support others in doing the same...and morning pages are a practical way to declutter my own brain.

So what happened? I put on paper what was on my mind this morning (I have to admit that I finished page three during the afternoon) and then launched into another task I had been putting off for weeks. Hmmm...if this is a sign of things to come it is so worth it.

I also found several articles and posts about this exercise online. One of those was on Inc.com called Why It’s Worth Making Time for This Lengthy Morning Ritual by Jessica Stillman. From business owners to creatives...we all want to have the best access to our creative selves throughout the day and this practice can help clear the mental clutter for a more focused day.

I'm going to keep going on this one as part of my "write every day" challenge. 

Want to join me? If you do, I'd like to hear how it goes for you. And I'll share the same. 

#creatingchallenge day 15 / baby steps OR taking a vacation from your problems

One of my favorite movies is "What About Bob?" and one of my favorite lines was Bob's when declared "I'm taking a vacation from my problems!" But I digress. This post on Entrepreneur.com entitled "Forget Big Goals. Take Baby Steps for Small, Daily Wins." is about taking baby steps (another allusion to the movie) to accomplish your goals.

I've heard this concept countless times...but what does it really mean? 

Today I tried it out in a new way. I had some tasks on my list for today that I wasn't sure if I could complete. Instead of getting stressed, I decided to take a baby step towards completing one of the tasks by writing out my thoughts and unanswered questions about the project. This action alone moved me forward and actually helped provide some clarity that I can use tomorrow when I take the next step. 

What do baby steps mean to you? Are you an all or nothing type worker? How might a baby step keep you moving forward on a project or task that seems overwhelming or too complicated? 

OR...do you just need to take a vacation from your problems today? 

#creatingchallenge day 14 / brand = walk the talk

Entrepreneur magazine posted a great article this week on branding called "A Month-by-Month Strategy to Reinvent Your Personal Brand" by Lida Citroen...it caught my eye since I have dedicated the first quarter of 2015 to clarifying and unifying my brand. Citroen's approach is to focus the branding process in three month increments throughout the year. I think there is something to this as I've heard more than once about the importance of setting attainable, short term time goals (60-90 days). See my post on "be the 8%."

Here are a couple elements that stuck out for me for January - March:

1. "Your desired brand is the cornerstone for all reputation strategies."
2. "The only way to build credibility is to articulate your values and then walk the talk."

So really, at the end of the day, it's about expressing your values and using that as the basis for everything you do. Our brand is more than what colors are on our website...it's about how we walk out our values and stay true to what we say is important.

What a great challenge. My hope is to be able to do this with my own brand more fully this year.

What does walking the talk mean for your brand this year?

#creatingchallenge day 13 / flexible focus

According to Edward M. Hallowell, author of "Driven to Distraction at Work: How to Focus and Be More Productive" there is a place between focus and flow called "flexible focus." I recently discovered Hallowell's work through the Fast Company article "10 Unconventional Ways to Find Your Optimal Level of Focus" posted on January 6, 2015. Here is an excerpt: 

"According to Csikszentmihalyi’s research, corroborated by many people I’ve interviewed as well as my own experience, in flow a person experiences life at its peak, its most joyful, its most intensely fulfilling. It is also the state in which people exceed their personal best, often achieving much better work than they’ve ever done before.

Short of flow, there is focus. We all know what focus is. It is the standard term for a concentrated, clear state of mind, focused on one target. Between focus and flow lies what I call "flexible focus." It differs from flow in that it’s not the high that flow is; it’s a way of tapping into some of the qualities of flow without being so absorbed that you can’t attend to anything else. In a state of flexible focus, you retain the ability to concentrate on a task, while at the same time remaining open to new input."

The article goes on to give 10 ways to increase your "flexible focus" throughout the day. Interestingly enough, these 10 ways may not be new ideas to many. They were not necessarily new ideas to me. 

BUT, which ones have I actually adopted? I have read and heard about enough brain science to be convinced that these suggestions could make a difference...but there seems to be a gap between the knowledge and the implementation for many of us, including me. 

One reason I think this is true for me is that when I'm in flow...I don't want to stop to take a break. I'm on a roll and lose track of time and want to leverage the energy and attention and focus that is present. 

On the other hand, I don't take a break when I'm stressed either. I keep trying to reason my way through a challenge and keep thinking that if I stick with it just a little while longer the answer will emerge. 

In both scenarios, it feels counter-intuitive to stop and take a breather. Its truly articles like this one and other resources that have helped me to choose to stop and refresh my brain and energy. The times when I do stop and take a break, breathe, stretch, drink some water, etc. my brain is much happier and my body feels better too. 

So my challenge this year is to take the knowledge of optimal focus and put it into practice. I'm starting with #3...time to take a break!

How about you? 

#creatingchallenge day 12 / sound relationships

Today I was reading Jane Vella's book "Learning to Listen Learning to Teach" on the chapter of Sound Relationships. Jane does such a good job of speaking to the importance of the relationship between the teacher/facilitator/professor and student. When both are on a learning journey it magnifies the richness of the dialogue and learning.

Building sound relationships is one of my favorite topics of dialogue and practice as an executive and organizational team coach, coach trainer, and college professor. I love connecting with resources that inspire and challenge me to grow and deepen this expertise.

What expertise do you bring to your workplace? What kind of relationship do you have with those you lead, teach, partner with, or work with? What would make these connections richer and more satisfying and productive?

#creatingchallenge day 9 / storyboard your life

Another great resource I found recently is a write up on storyboarding and how you can use it to identify and give substance to goals, destinations, and plans for 2015! Here is the link: Storyboard Your Life

I sent this link to a client this week so she could use it to prepare for an important meeting.

How might you use the storyboard over this next week?

#creatingchallenge day 8 / pair design

For those of you who liked the Life Audit exercise, here is the next iteration as a way to get to know someone you care about - it's called Pair Designing our Relationship. This could be used in both personal and professional settings. 

Enjoy! (I was excited to find these treasures and my hope is that you may find these exercises helpful to create better relationships with self and others in 2015.)

#creatingchallenge day 7 / life audit

Today I happened upon the most exciting resource called a "life audit." I wanted to share it here for
those of you who may also be interested in doing one: How and Why to do a Life Audit: Architecting a life in 100 post-its & 1 Saturday Afternoon

If you do it, will you let me know? I'd really like to hear what worked, what didn't work, etc. as I'd like to use this resource with clients. Thank you! (I'll post my own experience of going through the resource as well.)

#creatingchallenge day 6 / kristin's cancer treatment fund

My running partner, Kristin, was recently diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer and is having to do a fundraising campaign to raise funds for her cancer treatment. Would you consider contributing to her treatment since it is not covered by insurance?

Here is the open letter she sent to our run club for details on how to contribute:

"Hello Unstoppables (our run club),

Many of you know that I was diagnosed this fall with stage 3 breast cancer. What you may not know is that after much research I have decided to follow an alternative treatment approach.  Unfortunately, this approach is not covered by insurance and I am responsible for the full cost of treatment. Therefore, I have started a fundraising campaign.  I can't start treatment until I have the funds in place.  It's my goal to have the funds and start treatment by January 31st.

Would you consider helping  me out?  Here's how you can help:
 1     Go to my page and read my story:
http://www.gofundme.com/kristinscancerfund.   

2.    Share my site with your friends and family and write an endorsement
for my cause?  The more I can get the word out the better.
http://www.gofundme.com/kristinscancerfund

3.    Consider making a financial gift to my fund? Any amount is greatly
appreciated. http://www.gofundme.com/kristinscancerfund

4.    Continue to pray for me!  I covet your prayers and words of
encouragement

Thank you so much for your help!

With so much gratitude and love,
Kristin Sauer
Certified Health Coach
Take Shape for Life
www.coachkristin.tsfl.com/explore"

Who would have thought that crowd funding would become a place for community support and contribution?

Check out http://www.gofundme.com/kristinscancerfund for more details and to contribute. 

#creatingchallenge day 5 / authenticity paradox

Wow! Thank you HBR and Herminia Ibarra for an awesome article on the authenticity paradox and what it means to be "adaptively authentic." Here is the link to the full article: The Authenticity Paradox 

And here is a summary for your quick reference:

"Authenticity has become the gold standard for leadership. But as INSEAD professor Herminia Ibarra argues, a simplistic understanding of what authenticity means can limit leaders’ growth and impact.

All too often, we tend to latch on to authenticity as an excuse for sticking with what’s comfortable. But few jobs allow us to do that for long. In this article, Ibarra explains how leaders can develop an “adaptively authentic” style by experimenting with many different leadership approaches. It’s OK to change tactics from one day to the next, she says. That’s not being fake; it’s how we figure out what’s right for the challenges and circumstances we face.

Three strategies can help you break free from a self-concept that’s too rigid:

1. Learn from diverse role models.Growth necessarily involves some form of imitation, but don’t copy just one person’s leadership style. Borrow selectively from various people to create your own collage.

2. Work on getting better.Set learning goals—not just performance targets—to focus on the value of experimentation. Stretch the limits of who you are by doing new things that make you uncomfortable but help you discover by direct experience whom you want to become.

3. Don’t stick to “your story.”Jettison outdated self-concepts and draw on personal narratives that fit your circumstances as you’re taking on new challenges."

Number three (3) is the strategy that I'm currently working on this first quarter of 2015.

Which one of these three strategies most speaks to you today?

#creatingchallenge day 4 / be the 8%

I heard today that according to Forbes Magazine "40% of Americans make New Year’s Resolutions and only 8% of those Americans actually accomplish their resolution." Although I'm not a big proponent of New Year's Resolutions, I have to admit that New Years is my favorite holiday. I love starting a new year that is a completely clean slate.

I want to be in the 8% this year that actually accomplishes the hopes and dreams I have for this year. How about you? 

Here are some further thoughts on how to make that happen:

• Set a stretch goal - outside of your comfort zone
• Be specific on what you want
• Keep it simple
• Focus on 60 day chunks of time
• Pay attention to how you will execute the plan
• Determine what spiritual practices will help you get there

And here are a couple more I'd add to the list:

• Use short term or long term #creatingchallenges to stay motivated 
• Hire a coach to support you in making it happen

It's easy to forget that we do not have to go it alone. We are built to be in relationship and live in community...how might a friend, family member or coach help us have the most fulfilling and joy filled 2015? 

I have learned that #creatingchallenges are very motivating for me. And I have utilized coaches to support my forward momentum consistently over the last seven years. 

What works for you? 

#creatingchallenge day 3 / real rest

Guidepost recently posted this meme on their Facebook wall:

I love the dedication and sense of raw commitment it expresses...which is backed up by Jimmy's hand's on work with Habitat Humanity.

Having grown up being challenged to live my life to the fullest while making a difference in the world, I now reflect on what that means to me today. I've gone the route of "martyr" and "accommodator" and can now confirm that neither of these routes have led to a life of contribution and joyful abandon that is sustainable.

What was missing? Rest.

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. 

Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how 

to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how 

I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything 

heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn 

to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:28-30 The Message Bible

What an awesome invitation to walk and work with God and learn from him the unforced rhythms of grace! Yes! THAT is what I want for 2015.

What do you want for 2015? What difference would "real rest" make in your life this year? 

#creatingchallenge day 2 / all in

It's the strangest thing...when I commit to fully be "all in" and really go for it , I end up getting what I want in multiple arenas of life, not just the one directly related to my decision.

The following quote describes this phenomenon so well...

The following passage occurs

near the beginning of W.H. Murray's

The Scottish Himalayan Expedition (1951):

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance

to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts

of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth the

ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence 

moves too. A whole stream of events issues from the

decision, raising in one's favor all manner of unforeseen

incidents, meetings and material assistance, which no man

could have dreamt would have come his way. I learned a

deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets:

Whatever you can do

or dream you can, begin it.

Boldness has genius,

power and magic in it!”

I experienced this today! For the new year, I said "yes" to a whole new level of commitment to my business...and today I received unexpected support to build my professional wardrobe...it was like having my own personal fashion consultant (thanks Shanna!). I am so grateful!

#creatingchallenge day 1 / write every day

This year's creating challenge is to write every day! What this means will become more clear as the year progresses, but for now I know that it means I am to post every day this year. 

"We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we're curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."  -Walt Disney

Do you have a word or phrase that will focus your creative energy and time in 2015? My word for 2015 is PRAYER. This year prayer will be at the forefront of each day as the life blood of my creative energies as well as my relationship with God. At the beginning of her book The Artist Way, Julia Cameron does such a great job of expressing who God is as Creator and I have every intention to lean in to God as I create my way through 2015. 

Fun Fact: I signed up for The Sketchbook Project today! This will keep me focused on getting my ideas and creativity onto paper through the first quarter of 2015 and will provide a forum to publish my first book! BTW - you can sign up too up till January 5th!