Motivation for Mondays: The Artist's Way

It's official. I started another 12 weeks of working with Julia Cameron's masterpiece, The Artist's Way, today. It's a book that's been on my reading list for years, probably since the first time I read it in 1999. I've read it at least four more times since.

I especially encourage it for personal growth--and not just what it was written for--to unblock your creative energy.

The book and all that you do because of it becomes a great outside motivational force that transforms into an internal motivational force during the 12 weeks of reading it. But it's not just a book you read. As I mentioned, you do things because of it. It's 12 weeks of DIY therapy.

First, you learn about the benefits of journaling. Only Cameron calls this the act of writing your Morning Pages. You write three pages every morning for the full 12 weeks--and then hopefully continue the process once you've finished the book.

You are also required to take an Artist Date with yourself. This is the kind of date that you do alone, no one else allowed, to help open your mind to see and acknowledge new insights, inspirations, and guidance. Sometimes, we have to be reminded we need to be open to that. These special dates help unblock a stagnant life. And this is the main reason I was drawn back to Cameron's book--I knew I needed to revisit the Artist Date. I've been starved of this kind of self-nurturing. Without it, creativity is stymied, and you don't know what to do exactly with the creativity you have. My creative self has been in need of nourishment for quite some time, in very specific ways. And I am finally acknowledging my Killer instincts, which apparently were not as honed in as they needed to be. So I'm correcting that by working this book and scheduling the Artist Dates. Cameron calls this "filling the well."

After each chapter, for the next 12 weeks, Cameron has her readers doing exercises. There are several listed, but you don't have to do them all. You may spend approximately 10 hours a week with the book and its processes for the next 12 weeks, but it's worth it.

You see results: You'll gain clarity. You'll find solutions to inner challenges you knew you had but didn't know what to do about. You'll free your mind to think more creatively. And you'll get work done. I've doubled my productivity and my income each time I've committed fully to the process.

If you are in need of this kind of motivation and are willing to set aside the time to work this process, you will see positive results. Julia Cameron will change the way you think. And you don't have to be an artist to benefit from her wisdom. Lawyers, teachers, engineers, and artists of all kinds have experienced positive growth because of The Artist's Way.

If you've already heard of this book and have benefited from it, share with us your success story. If you're interested in going through the process with me, I'll be publishing a weekly check-in and would be happy to include you in on the process. We can work the program together for added motivation. Just let me know by posting a comment below.

Motivation for Mondays is a part of a weekly Twitter party called #MotivatedMondays initiated by Lorrie Shaw, a professional pet sitter, a regular pets contributor at annarbor.com, and pet blogger in Dexter Township, MI. Together, we post a combination of inspirational notes, links to motivational blog posts, and tips to help kickstart your week ahead. Look for us online every Monday morning--and throughout the day--if you need to kick start your week or want to share your own motivational thoughts.

Serendipity at work

When someone stops to talk with you about something that seems benign at first but then turns into something of substance, do you take note of that?



I'm referring to something that happened to me after a breakfast meeting this morning. After the meeting ended, I had planned to meeting with another member of this group, to chat with her about some possible work I might do for her. We were interrupted by another member who seemed anxious to talk. She wanted to ask about something she'd purchased. She wanted to know if it was a good purchase. She was second-guessing herself. It didn't seem like an important thing to interrupt a private conversation about, but it was important to her, so we agreed to take a look at her purchase.



She went out to her car and brought back a big department store bag, taking out another bag. Inside of that one was this huge, beautiful black bag. She'd purchased it at a significant bargain. It was shiny and huge and matched her outfit nicely. My colleague said it was definitely worth it. Even though I'm not much of a shopper, I agreed. If you can afford it, and it's something that you'll use, why not buy it? She seemed pleased.



Then the conversation quickly turned to a dance class she's been taking with another member of this group. She told us how it was changing her life in very spiritual ways, allowing her to give herself time that she needs to take care of herself. Her outlook on life, she told us, is much improved. Her story reminded me of the work I do with my BIKE. But I've not been able to take the time I need for myself lately. I've been so consumed with the work I'm doing on my book project. The deadline is getting closer and closer. As I listened, my mind turned to her testimonial. It affected me. I realized, right then, that I haven't been giving myself the time I need to take care of my body as I should. Her message came to me at just the right moment. I can write AND take care of myself, too. Otherwise, how can my work not suffer?!



That interruption turned out to include information that I actually needed, and, as it turned out, the other person as well. So it wasn't an interruption after all. Was it serendipity? I think so. This third party needed help but it turned out that she helped us as well--even though she didn't know she was doing that. Things happen for a reason, and they usually happen at the exact moment you need it to happen. But you have to be open to accept it into your life.



Have you ever experienced moments like these, where, what you think might be an interruption, instead, turns out to be exactly what you needed to know, to hear, to see, or to do...but weren't? For whatever reason.



Are you open to welcoming such interruptions, such serendipitous acts? If you stay tuned in to what your body needs, if you keep your eyes and ears open, if you acknowledge that others might have something worth sharing with you, you can be. You can teach yourself to pay attention, to tune in. Serendipity doesn't just happen; you have to be waiting for it, in a sense. You have to be willing and open to the opportunities.



Are you?

Enlightening visit

I've been having very successful BIKE coaching sessions with a client who I am so impressed with right now.

She's been making progress each week, and we're in our third month right now. She did feel the usual resistance coming into the fourth or fifth week. But despite that, what really strikes me is her eagerness to achieve. She'll get stuck on something, but she'll still persevere. She's not fully aware of her strengths and weaknesses yet, but she's picking up on them--and mostly on her own, which I love to see happen.

We are all given tools to continue our personal growth, but we don't always use them, or know how to use them or where to find them. But once all of that becomes clear, I say, "Watch out world! This is going to be a person who makes a difference."

That's what I think is going to happen very soon with my client.

Then again, there are those of us who stick with the status quo and are okay with that. They should be--it's a personal choice.

On the other hand, when you do seek assistance--and we all need assistance in some way or another at some point in our lives--it's good to embrace it, to be patient and see what happens, to find out if there's something in the learning that can benefit us.

Ultimately, this will prove to be true.

For those people who think they are not coachable, I say, "Not so." To me, that implies you cannot learn. I don't believe that's correct. What I believe, instead, is that perhaps you're just not ready or may not feel the need for the growth you have may have attempted to seek. Or, maybe the "fit" isn't quite right. Whatever the reason for continued resistance, it is good to listen to it, to pay attention. That is the healthy thing to do.

And there's never anything wrong with changing your mind. I like a person who can decide on something and realize later that it's not quite what he or she wanted and decide to make another choice, instead. That's personal empowerment, taking care of yourself, seeking what will work best in your life.

So I'm really impressed with my client. She's a doll. She's funny. She's smart. She's got great ideas. What I want for her is to be able to appreciate all that she has to offer herself. I think that's always the goal with this BIKE philosophy of mine.

There's so much to learn when you look within. That's what the BIKE is there for, to remind you of your gifts, that everyone has the capacity to be their Best self, that they can access their Inner strength, that when they pay attention to their thoughts, words and actions, their Killer instinct will kick in, and that when they need help of any kind, our own Expressive voice waits for the call.

I absolutely believe in this. If I didn't, I wouldn't be able to share it with others, nor share it with you.

Have a great day. And if you get the chance, visit me also at The Phoenix Traveler.

All my best,
Jackie "The BIKE Lady" Dishner