Tag: Creativity

Creativity, Self Empowerment

One hundred days of scaring away fear

Jen Morris

I’m starting something new. I have signed up to do something called the 100 Days Project. Basically all I have to do is choose one action then do it for the next 100 days. Sounds easy enough, right?

Um, no.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, I have trouble starting new ventures. My good old friends fear and procrastination are right here with me, making me question my every move. I’m trying my best to tune them out, and I guess that’s what the next 100 days will be about.

My plan is to journal every day in some form, although I’m using the word ‘journaling’ pretty loosely: I will write in my journal, create in my art journal, do work in my visioning journal(s), create found poetry or practise my handwritten typography. I guess I count these things as journaling in some sense because I do them all in some sort of journal. Some days I might use a prompt, other days I will just go where my creativity takes me.

Then, I will share what I have done here: what I learn, an image, a quote, an insight, or just something to (hopefully) inspire you for the day. Some days I may have a lot to say, others very little. But the main thing is to show up every day.*

There are a few things I’m hoping to achieve, or make some progress towards, over the next 100 days:

  • Get comfortable with blogging (yes, it still terrifies me each time I press ‘publish’)
  • Vary the way I blog – some longer posts, some shorter posts, some mostly photographs, some lists, etc
  • Get into the habit of blogging regularly
  • Overcome perfectionism and procrastination around blogging
  • Build a following of readers
  • Challenge myself to be vulnerable, to stick with something, to take risks and push myself
  • Challenge myself to find inspiration each day

I guess the idea of blogging each day is quite simple to some, and it probably seems like I’m making a big deal out of nothing. But for me, it is a big deal. I’m not a blogger. Not yet anyway.

I’m excited and terrified. But I guess that’s the point. Seth Godin said,

In the long run, the enemy of fear is creativity. I’m sure of it.

Here’s hoping I can scare fear away using creativity. I guess that is my true goal for the next 100 days.

*The irony is that as soon as I’ve posted this I have to pack for a trip I’m taking this weekend where there is no internet… But, I will still type up posts and share them when I am home on Sunday – I promise!

Creativity

Listen to the little voice inside (despite the fear)

Jen Morris

Every day I find myself being more and more drawn to creativity, to opening up to what the world has to offer.

And I’m terrified.

I can’t quite articulate why. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent so long denying this side of myself. It’s new and strange. I worry about how my life is going to change once I follow this thread.

But how can I not? I see all these amazing things that other people are doing – their own journaling, writing, art, businesses, their own creative self-expression. And my soul cries out – I WANT THAT! I want to see myself unfold and create and inspire.

It’s scary because it means that my life is going to change in so many ways. But that’s a good thing, because it’s not filling me up as it is. I may be in a comfortable spot, but is comfort really what I want?

No.

I want creativity. Risks. Learning, growth. Inspiration. Freedom.

I want to express who I really am and say, world, this is me and I am great and how can I help others to be – no, celebrate – themselves? How can I use my own uniqueness to inspire others? How can my creativity help me to help others find their creativity, their bliss?

I love that saying by Fabienne Fredrickson:

The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.

whats-stopping-you

I am so passionate about being creative, about growing and inspiring others. And despite the fear, I need to keep listening to the little voice inside. I need to keep following the thread, see where it pulls me.

Will you come along for the ride?

Creativity

Connect with yourself every day

Jen Morris

thomas edison

Doing something every day can be hard. Especially if you are an all-or-nothing, black and white thinker, like me. There’s too much pressure not to ‘mess up’.

But when I started journaling every day, things felt different. I wanted to do it, and I missed it if I didn’t.

Edison famously said ‘genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration’. I think he was onto something.

I used to only journal when I was upset aboutsomething, or when I felt some sudden and random inspiration. And that was fine, because it brought me some satisfaction in the moment.

When I made journaling part of my daily routine, it brought me so much more. Now, rather than just using my journal as a therapist in times of desperation, it is a creativity coach, a business partner, a connection to myself – my own inner wisdom – and a connection to the divine.

Each day that I journal I foster a relationship with myself that I’ve never before had. I understand myself. I know myself. I like myself.

I want to see and talk to my partner every day, so why not create the same intimate relationship with myself?

The other thing is, creativity and inspiration find me. I don’t have to wait to feel inspired, to feel creative – by sitting down to journal every day I open that channel for inspiration to find me. Which means that I feel inspired quite often – a lot more than I used to. And that fuels me for all my other creative projects. I do so much more because I feel inspired.

Not everyone will feel inspired by journaling every day. For some it will be drawing, or gardening, or playing music. And I’m not perfect – I certainly miss the odd day. But that’s ok because I always want to do it again the next day. I miss it if I don’t do it. It keeps me sane.

What do you do every day to keep the creative fire lit and stay connected to yourself?

What Inspires Me

My inspiration this week…

Jen Morris

pink flower

Here are some of the things that have inspired me this week:

Have a fantastic weekend and take time out to rest and create.

Creativity, Self Empowerment

Fear and the art of starting something new

Jen Morris

fear

I’ve only just recently realised how much of my life is influenced by fear.

I don’t mean the I-can’t-leave-the-house-because-the-world-will-end kind, but just a general background hum that rears its head when it’s time to try something new or different, when I dare to think about taking some sort of risk.

In a way, this fear is more destructive because it isn’t as obvious. It took me a long time to recognise it for what it actually is, because it has many disguises: discomfort, procrastination, perfectionism, busyness, uncertainty… these are just fancy names for fear.

I recently saw John Marsden speak at the Auckland Writers Festival, and he said:

What you are afraid to look at has power over you. What you confront loses its power.

So I decided to examine my fears in more detail through journaling. Turns out I’m afraid of a lot of things, but one thing that kept coming up was regret. I’m afraid of feeling regret for things I’ve done – or, more so, not done. Which of course ties into the famous words of Mark Twain:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do.

So, yes, fearful of regretting not doing things with my life. But, ironically, also very fearful about trying new things and ‘sailing away from the safe harbour’. Just fearful all round, it would seem.

Creativity is often accompanied by fear. It’s the feeling of being exposed, vulnerable. It’s doing something new. It’s taking a risk. Starting this blog has been a slow process. Often, I’ve let fear get the better of me. I’ve been fighting my old enemies of perfectionism and procrastination the whole way.

But a friend of mine once told me to think of the feelings of discomfort when doing something new as a good sign – a sign you’re on the right track. If it didn’t feel a bit uncomfortable then it wouldn’t be new, I wouldn’t be growing. So I must really be stretching myself here! And some days, of course, I just stay in bed with a cup of tea.