Creativity Calling
The Newsletter of the Creativity Coaching Association

Dear Friends

Welcome to the January issue of Creativity Calling!
Happy New Year and Happy New Decade! We don't get to use that greeting every day, do we? Have you written down your goals yet, so that you can focus on:

1. what you want
2. an action plan, the map for getting what you want, and
3. setting up your support team to help you achieve your dreams & goals?

If not, have no fear...this is why we are here! You never have to go it alone, as our CCA Creativity Coaches are always here to support you. This month, Melissa, Steve and Quinn share bright thoughts, powerful exercises and affirmative tools. I am so blessed to work with the CCA's caring and talented Creativity Coaches.

Did you know the etymological root of the word "creativity" comes from the Latin "creatus", which literally means "to have grown"? As all of us at the CCA welcome this new year and decade, we also are thrilled to unveil the CCA Creativity Marketplace, a one-stop shopping site filled with coach products and services that are dedicated to your creative growth. Be sure to drop in often for the CCA Creativity Marketplace offerings will grow and change each month. And think of it...each product or service is aimed at enhancing and expanding your creative potential! Access the CCA Creativity Marketplace at the link included within this newsletter.

Finally, because this month is monumental-I'd like to share a personal goal that I have set for myself for this month, year and decade. I'll phrase my intention/goal in a way that applies to us all. With all my heart, I believe: If each one of us will make it a priority to focus on the things that create optimal quality of life for ourselves (on a daily basis) and if each one of us will honor and take action on what it is that truly makes our own heart sing (on a daily basis)-in doing so, each of us will automatically and organically be giving the very best of who we are to others and to the world. All of our successes help one another!

Please feel free to forward our newsletter on to your friends, family and colleagues. And as always, if you have comments or suggestions for future newsletter topics, we really do want to hear from you. Keep sending that great feedback!

Enjoy yourself!
Bev


Beverly Down , President & CEO, Creativity Coaching Association

The Courage to Be

By Melissa Rosatti

Tomorrow is a promise; it's not a guarantee," as a minister/friend reminds me on occasion. With each New Year, we hold on to the optimistic promise that the best is possible for those who set goals, change priorities, and practice more self discipline. In other words, we all need to do more, better and faster than last year, if we want satisfaction guaranteed.

Yet tomorrow's promise is not about the prescriptive boundaries and rules we self impose on our creative work in order to guarantee a result. It is about fulfilling the promise to create our world view by standing firm in what we believe is true, even though we cannot prove it. There is no guarantee that we will be understood or appreciated. The opposite is more likely. Being a creator is being on the edge of uncertainty, where real change happens.

According to Roman mythology, January is named after Janus, the Roman god of the doorway. Passing through a new door is an act of courage, one that is shaped by three elements.According to Roman mythology, January is named after Janus, the Roman god of the doorway. Passing through a new door is an act of courage, one that is shaped by three elements.

1. Self Acceptance. When you hold yourself as naturally creative, resourceful and whole, nothing about you needs to be improved or fixed. The more you value your work, the more the changes you seek begin to feel effortless. You open the door for others to connect with your passion.
2. Affirmation of Self Acceptance. An affirmation is a courageous act of faith. It opens the door to the impossible. Complete this affirmation. "I am a writer/artist who believes that ______________________, even though I cannot prove it." Forgiveness. Often, a creative block is a wound in need of healing. Healing begins with forgiveness of oneself or of another. For example, has someone close to you made the suggestion that you should get a "real job" or that no one will take you seriously? These comments are not about you. These comments are about the speaker.
3. Forgive and forget is the ultimate doorway we pass through in the service of our best creative selves.
   
   The courage to be who we are is the call of 2010. Janus opens the door. Pass through the doorway and you are guaranteed to find the opportunity to fulfill your promise. What you create from it is entirely up to you. Safe passage.
   
   ~Melissa A. Rosati, CPCC, is a graduate of the Coaches Training Institute and accredited with the International Coach Federation. She coaches writers and artists. www.melissascoachingstudio.com

Create More Good Days in 2010

By Steve Harper

One of the creative challenges I face each day is creating a good day. Logically, a string of good, satisfying days will lead to a good and satisfying life. Recently, while working with a client, I asked, "What's a good day to you?" My client had no answer.

In response I developed this exercise as a way to get at those positive qualities a single good day might have. The following visualization can take 5 minutes or longer. Take whatever time you need in order to move through it completely. Use it to create your own Good Day Checklist.

Find a quiet space. (Or play your favorite meditative music.) Sit and breathe deeply. Imagine yourself moving through your ideal day. Follow yourself from the moment you wake up through each activity to the moment you go to sleep. Observe yourself doing what you normally do (eating for example), and observe yourself doing fun and special things (exercise, artistic tasks) that you don't yet do, but would like to experience. Make a mental note of what sights, sounds and sensations are present for you.

After you've imagined your ideal day, write down the most important things you did in your visualization. It's helpful to choose a manageable number of key items (for example the top ten things) you enjoyed most. Did you love playing tennis, dancing, drawing? Jot it down. When you've finished, put a check box next to each item. You've got a Good Day Checklist. The next step is simple, but requires commitment. Make several copies of your list. Put your checklist somewhere you'll see it every day (on your refrigerator might be a good place). Over the next several days/weeks simply observe how many of those things you accomplish in a given day. Do what you can to include more and more of the Good Day items on your list, setting a goal to hit each item (even for a few minutes) each day. Be gentle with yourself as you progress. Develop your day so that you prioritize the things you love to do. Spend 2010 creating good days and create an extraordinary and fulfilling year.

~ Steve Harper is a creativity coach as well as an award winning actor and writer. He is dedicated to helping people use their creative gifts. http://yourcreativelife.net/

Journal Your Way Through 2010

By Quinn McDonald

Keeping a journal is a versatile, simple, and effective way to keep track of your inner journey. So many myths scare people away from this powerful tool, it's worth taking a close look at five myths and replace them with facts.

Myth: You need a special book to journal in
Fact: You can certainly buy a special journal, but a spiral notebook, loose-leaf notebook or index cards is effective. The important thing is to date the pages. After that, everything is optional.

Myth: One journal is all you need
Fact: Many artists keep an art journal, a daily event journal, and a calendar that tracks appointments. What works best for you is the right way for you to journal.

Myth: You need to write every day.
Fact: You can write daily if you want, but writing occasionally can be effective if you are watching for change or setting goals.

Myth: You need to write three pages every time you write
Fact: Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way does talk about morning pages-3 pages of writing to clear your mind every day-but there is no rule about how much to write. One sentence a day can be a perfect length if you are following an idea thread or are recording progress, gratitude or ideas.

Myth: A journal is like a diary
Fact: A journal's purpose is to help you make meaning in life. How you make meaning determines how you keep a journal-writing, collage, music, even video. Some people are comfortable writing by hand, others on a computer. A journal is a GPS system for your internal journey. Journaling is a fascinating way to remember what you need to remember and let's you forget what you don't want to hold onto. If you are interested in changing your life in 2010, try journaling. Experiment with different styles to see what works for you.

~ Quinn McDonald is a Certified Creativity Coach who teaches raw-art-journaling. She has a website at raw-art-journals.com © Quinn McDonald, 2009. All rights reserved.

New CCA Creativity Coaching Classes
Begin in 2010!

" Life is not about finding yourself... Life is about Creating yourself. ~ E.W. Wilcox

If you've been thinking about becoming a creativity coach, or adding creativity coaching to your existing life coaching, consulting, or therapy practice, we invite you to explore CCA's Certification Program. Our program includes a variety of basic and advanced coaching courses that can be done online or through telecourses in a reasonable period of time. The knowledge and skills you will develop in this program will serve your own work and open up opportunities for you to professionally coach others.

For details, please visit our Certification Program web page for a full explanation of the courses offered and requirements.

CCA Creativity Marketplace is now open!

Click here to learn more
Tap into Our Database of Creativity Coaches

Twenty years from now you will be more dissapointed by the things you didn't do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. " --Mark Twain

Are you:

• just starting out in exploring your creative desires?
• a working artist who is stuck on a creative project?
• looking for something new to juice up your creative work?
• going into midlife and feeling that now is finally the time to do the art you always wanted to do?
• already a known artist but interested in taking your success to the next level?

For any of these situations, why not hire a creativity coach? Check out our database of nearly 70 coaches who are ready to work with you and propel you forward. CCA-member coaches specialize in nearly 100 different specialties.

CCA Creativity Coaching Success Stories E-book


Click here to learn more

Special Book Offer

If you have not yet purchased your own copy of Inspiring Creativity, why not take advantage of this special offer today? An anthology of 22 powerful essays by professional creativity coaches, the book will get your creative juices flowing and make you feel more confident, excited, and ready to tackle your creative work.

Special Offer: $12.75 + $4.00 Shipping = $16.75 (Note: This offer is good only for copies to be mailed within the United States. It does not apply to copies to be mailed to Canada or overseas. If you live outside the United States, please email rickbenzel@msn.com to find out how much your postage costs will be.)

Click here to purchase a copy now.

Hope You Enjoyed Our Newsletter!

This is the end of the January 2010 issue.Send us an email and let us know your thoughts and suggestions.

Note: If you are a life coach, executive coach, literary agent, therapist or any other profession involved with creative people, and you are interested in joining the Creativity Coaching Association, please drop me a note at join@creativitycoachingassociation.com for information.