Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Get Inspired in 2009

I thought I would share some of my old coaching and training advice to help you set, meet and excel in your creative goals for 2009.

1. Reflect and Review on your creative highlights and low lights of 2009. What did you achieve? What would you have liked to achieve. In order to move forward, it is really important to learn from the past. So take the good and improve on it in 2009 and take the disappointments and start afresh with them in 2009.

2. Set goals which are S.M.A.R.T (Specific, measurable, attainable, realistically and timely). Don't set too many but be realistic. Start at creating goals to have achieved by the end of the year and break these down into monthly, weekly and daily goals to make them more achievable.

3. Start at least one new thing which you always wanted do. It does not have to be a specific creative skill like paining in oils for example but it could be taking walks in new locations - beaches, country houses, forests etc. You may not always find inspiration in a tube of paint but in a wave or a branch of a tree.

4. Write, write, write. I cannot express loud enough how much writing can unblock you and set your mind off in directions you may not have thought possible. Mind mapping is a wonderful way to brainstorm (look up Tony Buzan) or just plain doodling. Write in different colours and techniques. Its always a good idea to dump down everything that is on your mind in the first couple of minutes to free your mind up for more inspiration.

5. Learn from others. Read and view the works of others. Read inspiring books, blog and forums ( have listed some of my favourites at the end). Go to galleries, exhibitions, craft fairs.

6. Have fun, do not take it too seriously and if you don't achieve what you want when you first try, put it away and try again a a day or two!

Good luck and happy creating

Some inspiring reads....

Danny Gregory - The Creative License
Julia Cameron - The Artist Way
Any art and craft book which teaches new techniques
Tony Buzan - The Mind Map Book
Edward De Bono - How to Have a Beautiful Mind

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