Life is too crazy to focus on my creativity. …Insert Kaizen Muse here.

Hello reader, and welcome to my first blog post. Let me start by saying I’m not a fan of structure. For some reason it doesn’t mesh well with my brain, which likes to be all over the place and nowhere simultaneously. My lack of structure tends to bite me in my rather ample bottom when I “let shit go” till the last minute (again) or am faced with an “I have no idea what to do right now” moment. Luckily for me, when I hit those two examples simultaneously during this past week, I was scheduled to show up for a group creativity coaching circle. As you most likely know, I am a Kaizen Muse Creativity Coach, trained by none other than creativity expert Jill Badonsky herself, writer of many books about creativity and woman with letters following her name. I forget the letters right now but will add them at the end when I’m not on a writing roll. Suffice it to say, by now I know how creativity works.

Anyway. So here I am, smack in the middle of a crazy week where I, woman who generally dislikes children other than my own, am running my annual kid’s week-long art camp, when I realize that the plans I made aren’t going to jive well with this particular group of kids. I had some planning done, but not enough to just pick up a “plan B” and roll with it. So every day after a fun but exhausting day at camp, I was getting my own daughters lunch, taking them to the pool, making dinner, and trying to figure out what the heck I was going to do with these kids the next day. I was totally exhausted. And on this particular day, I also had my coaching “mastermind circle.” Now, I love everything creativity coaching, but with my stress level and obligations, I was not in the right frame of mind for this one. Especially because I know all this creativity stuff already; what I needed was more time to work, nothing else.

I showed upanyway, and got into it, telling everyone my woes and current challenge. The direction of the session was a little predictable at first, because yes, I knew I wasn’t rested enough to function optimally. But then -I have to say it- the magic of being in the presence of like-minded creative people came into play. First they gave me kudos for realizing my plans needed adjusting and not forcing the kids into a plan they wouldn’t enjoy. Then we talked about my waning energy levels. Clearly I couldn’t take time off right in the middle of camp week to refocus, but I could steal 10-15 minutes for some in-depth recharging, maybe via guided meditation videos on YouTube. Then one member of the group mentioned how fun and lively my art seems and couldn’t I just have fun with the kids, since it would lessen the stress and energize me naturally? That got me thinking about my art, and the techniques and supplies I had available for the kids. I knew we hadn’t touched on printmaking yet, and I had examples of my own work to show. Suddenly it was all clear. I thanked the group, and during “Parallel Universe Time” (email me if you’re curious) I googled some known artists who worked in woodblock prints, and had a new plan in place for an excellent day at art camp!

I literally showed up to that circle with an “ok, let me get through this so I can go back to hustling for ideas and make dinner” mindset, but left it completely altered. I was energized, enthused, amazed by the alchemy I’d just witnessed, and proud of myself- for what I had done for the kids, my own artwork, and especially because I get to be part of this kind of magical work! Sure, there’s a science involved in how the brain works and what tricks turn on our creativity, but it feels like friggin pixie dust. I just love it.

So there you go, first-hand experience of creativity unblocked by Kaizen Muse technology.  If you think it could help you or anyone you know, get in touch! Email me at: serendipitycoaching@mail.com

*The letters that follow Jill Badonsky’s name are M.Ed. …you can read all about her big bad brilliance at http://www.themuseisin.com

*The Mastermind Circle I took part in was The Purple Ink Cafe, http://www.thepurpleinkcafe.com and its run by Kaizen Muse Creativity Coaches Mary McDowall and Kathy Kane. Special thanks also to Eileen Caroscio and Tracy Wallace for adding fuel to the creative fires!

Small steps, big results. Awwwww yeah. (Cue Isaac Hayes “theme from Shaft,” picture me riding my awesome bike off into the sunset, wearing my handmade tiara  & fairy wings, carrying art supplies in my bike basket, and fade out.)

That was an epic first blog post.