Procrastinate or Percolate

Every time I look at the picture about I think about how I could use it as a reference photo for something that I create.  I could use it as a scene in a story.  It could be a reference photo for something that I paint or it could bcome part of a collage that shows many of the beautiful islands that we have visited over the years.  Am I procrastinating or percolating?  It really helps to know the difference.

I always thought that I was a procrastinator.  My husband would often ask in frustration, "Why do you wait until the last minute?"  And he was right.  I did wait until the last minute.  But I knew that was when I did my best work.  If I finished early, I would go over and over my project, until I was finally finished - yes, that's right - right before the project was due.  Now, I know that I was percolating an idea which for me is an important part of my creative process.  I like to think about the project.  I like to imagine what it will look like and what steps I will take to complete the story or painting.  I love to do research before I begin and to talk to others about what I am planning.  Then when the time is right, I begin, I work, I create, I revise and I celebrate the completion of something that I have been thinking about for a long time.

Procrastination is normal for many people.  I procrastinate sometimes.  Usually, it is when I am afraid I don't know what I am doing.  Instead of working, I call friends, browse through blogs, go for coffee, walk the dog, etc.  I'm not thinking about what I am going to work on when I am procrastinating but rather avoiding what I know I have to do.  There is a big difference in the two.  Procrastination is avoiding the creative process, percolating  is thinking about and visualizing what your are going to do before you do it. 

There are many simple ways to overcome procrastination.  Next Wednesday we will explore some of them.  But this week it is important to recognize whether you are percolating or procrastinating.  Awareness is always key to making changes in anything that is standing in your way of building a creative life.  You cannot change something that you are not aware is happening.

Do you procrastinate or percolate?  I would love to hear your thoughts either by leaving a comment or by emailing me at ginny.lennox@comcast.net.  Hope to hear from you soon!

    Remember:  When you share your dreams and talent with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!

Experience the Unexpected

This morning as I sat down to type I automatically looked at my visionboard which is on the wall in front of me.  I usually start the week with a quote that inspires me but the words on the visionboard seemed to be speaking directly to me.  Experience the Unexpected.  How often are we reminded to Expect the Unexpected?  But I am not sure I have ever been invited to Experience the Unexpected.  Life is always filled with twists and turns but I have decided that this week I will look for and celebrate the unexpected.  It could be a call from a friend I had not heard from in awhile or finding a place to paint that is perfect.  It could be the food I hadn't expected to enjoy or the walk I hadn't expected to take. I want to be fully immersed in the day and see what happens that makes me laugh, or think, or enjoy what I may have overlooked as a really special moment because I wasn't expecting it and than failed to notice it or fully enjoy it.

 I invite you to join me this week as I Experience the Unexpected.  On both Wednesday and Friday I will write about some of the simple things I have experienced this week as a result of not only noticing the unexpected but actually experiencing and enjoying it.  I would love to know what unexpected experiences you are having throughout the week.

Each Wednesday I share a creativity coaching tip.  This Wednesday besides sharing the unexpected experiences I am celebrating, I am going to write about the difference between procrastinating and the percolation of an idea.  I will share tips on when to tell yourself it is time to "Just  do it."    I hope your will stop by for a visit.

           Remember:  When you share your dreams and talents with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!

Why

"To ask, "How do you do it?" is already starting off on the wrong foot.  When reaching for the stars, there does not have to be a how if there is a big enough why."  Criss Jami


I had breakfast the other day with a good friend and we spent a lot of time talking about the importance of knowing why we do something.  We often know what we want to do, or how we are going to do it, but understanding why we are doing it is also very important.  So today I asked myself why I paint and why it is so important to me that I share my work on Paint Party Friday each week.  The answers are really very simple.  I paint because I love to paint.  When I am painting I am in my own little world.  There is nothing to worry about and nowhere to go. It's just me and the canvas.  Time goes quickly and when I am finished I feel good.  I love the feel of putting the paint on the paper and because my work is all about the experience and not the final product I am usually happy with what I have created. 

Now, why is it so important to post on Paint Party Friday each week?  It is all about the connections I have made.  I've met people from all over the world.  I have learned so much because of their willingness to share their work and their process.  I've been encouraged and supported by people I have never met but who I consider friends. It's fun and something I look forward to each week.

The answers to these two questions came quickly and easily but there are other questions that may arise that will not be so easy to answer.  I do think it is important to take a moment to reflect from time to time and ask yourself the question why.  You may be surprised at the answer.

Each Friday I write just a line or two about what I am grateful for each week.  I am so grateful for the conversations I have with friends whether they be online or in person.  These conversations make me laugh, make me think, and help me to understand the everchanging world through someone else's eyes.

How about you?  Why do you paint?

When you share your dreams and talents with the world magic happens.  Let the magic begin!

                                                                                                                                    Ginny

Introducing Creativity Principle - Lull

For the next eight weeks on Wednesday, I am going to introduce a principle of creativity as I learned it while going through my KMCC training last year.  I've decided to randomly pick a principle (or muse as we called them) and see where my thoughts lead me.  This week I picked the principle of Lull.  There are times in the creative practice when we all need to take a break.  This might mean taking a break from the creative projects you are currently working on or thinking about. Or it could be a time to focus on the power of gratitude to help you recognize all that you have accomplished.  It may be a time to rest and to become inspired again by the people and the world around you.

  When I visualize this quiet time in my creative process,I am usually sitting in my backyard reading and listening to the birds.  I am looking up at the sky and losing myself in the clouds.  If I had a hammock, I would be enjoying it. 

Some ways to spend time in lull are:  daydreaming, doodling, taking a walk lull style, writing down your dreams and sitting and watching the world go by. 

Rather than beginning my post with a quote I thought I would finish by sharing a quote from Rumi.  "You wander from room to room, hunting for the diamond necklace that is already around your neck."  Spending quiet time resting, daydreaming, and just enjoying the quiet will give you the opportunity to find the necklace that has always been there just waiting for you to notice it.

When you share your talent and dreams with the world, magic happens.  Let the magic begin!