Cynthia Morris's Blog, page 44
July 30, 2014
31 Benefits of Free-Writing
Since I began teaching the online writing class Free-Write Fling in 2007, hundreds of writers from around the world have gathered in the Free-Write Fling classroom.
For a month at a time, we all write for at least 15 minutes a day. It is awe-inspiring to watch all kinds of transformation unfold. I’m always blown away by how much can change from such a simple practice.
A peek at some of our free-writing zones around the world.
What can free-writing do for writers of all genres and all levels? Here’s what Flingers reported consistent free-writing did for them. Make a star next to the things you would like to experience now.
With consistent free-writing, we:
1. Release fear of what others think.
2. Easily find 15 minutes for writing every day.
3. Get out of our own way.
4. Make real progress on writing we can publish.
5. Finally have a reliable way to access and tell our truth.
6. Access inspiration, anytime, anywhere.
7. Develop and enjoy a consistent writing routine.
8. Appreciate that the time we spend on our writing as a gift we give to ourselves again and again.
9. Discover more about ourselves.
10. Release emotions that are holding us back.
11. Connect with a supportive writing tribe, finally.
12. Glean useful insights about our writing process.
13. Untangle sticky life issues.
14. Come back to our truth.
15. Recognize and claim our authentic voice
16. Play with new genres and styles.
17. Clear away the internal clutter preventing us from our good work.
18. Gain confidence.
19. Understand what’s truly important.
20. Make amends with the past.
21. Recognize new possibilities.
22. Eliminate distractions.
23. Build our butt-in-chair muscle.
24. Enjoy a daily no-calorie treat.
25. Become more courageous with our writing.
26. Extend that courage to the rest of life.
27. Learn how to show up even when it’s difficult.
28. Discover that we can create even when life gets busy.
29. Become more present to the simple wonders of the moment.
30. Finally befriend the inner critic so he no longer stifles our creativity.
31. Drop all expectations and just show up for our words.
Wow. I didn’t have to invent any of these gifts. These are all things that writers in the Free-Write Fling experience every single time. How many of these did you choose for yourself?
Frankly, even just one of these prizes makes the Free-Write Fling an investment of a lifetime. But all of them? And I know that this is only the beginning of the wonderful things that await you in our classroom. These kind of results are powerful and lasting.
I want every single person who wants to write to have access to their creative powers like this.
We start writing together this Friday, August 1st. Please don’t put off your words, and the many benefits that accompany them, any longer. Join us in the Free-Write Fling here.
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July 18, 2014
World Domination Summit 2014, Captured in Color
My fourth year at the World Domination Summit, captured in color in my Moleskine Japanese album. I won’t share all the pages, but here are a few scenes from WDS 2014. More Portland notes to follow.
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July 16, 2014
What books are in your beach bag this summer?
On my recent birthday trip, I had zoomed past the beach turn-off, and slamming on the brakes, took a quick turn into the next place. Guess what? I had come upon a little bookstore, Titcombs Bookshop in Sandwich, MA. Of course I had to delay the beach for books!
Inside, the tiny shop was full of people browsing. I was delighted to see so many people getting books for their beach jaunts.
I try to buy something from every independent bookstore I visit, so this time I picked up The Quotable Book Lover, edited by Ben Jacobs and Helene Hjalmarsson.
I opened it at random and found the perfect quotation to share with you today. It’s so true for me, it made me laugh out loud.
“There are two motives for reading a book: one, that you enjoy it; the other, that you can boast about it.” Bertrand Russell, The Conquest of Happiness, 1930
The perfect setting for a bookish afternoon.
Recent reads (all novels this time) I’ll boast about:
Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple – Weirdo or genius? I am sure many of us will relate to Bernadette in this book.
My Wish List by Gregoire Delacourt – A short, sweet and deep book about how winning the lottery could change everything, but not how you imagine.
Loving Frank – Nancy Horan – a great historical novel about Frank Lloyd Wright and the love of his life, Mamah Borthwick.
The Art of Hearing Heartbeats by Jan-Philipp Sendker – A sweet and lyrical novel set in Burma.
Current fiction reads include:
Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Lovers at the Chameleon Club by Francine Prose
What books are in your beach bag? Boast away in a comment below.
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June 26, 2014
How to Enjoy Your Talents
I love making art and writing things. I made this poster to celebrate Original Impulse’s 15-year anniversary and to share a gift with you. I also wanted to practice the hand lettering I am learning in Sean Wes’ online lettering course. So I was happy to do about 12 drafts of this. That’s how it goes with making and learning – you have to practice. A lot.
Every single time I create something, I cycle through the wild and wooly creative process, as I know you do, too.
But near the end of the project I experienced what I know many of us face: dwindling interest in completing it. I saw my interest flagging and called on my creative pal Kristoffer Carter to hold my toes to the fire. Getting this thing over the finish line and here on the blog wasn’t easy.
All the usual crap – it’s not perfect, it’s not good enough, it’s amateurish…blah, blah, blah. Luckily I know better than to listen to that. Luckily I am willing to put imperfect things out there. Because I believe that our enthusiasm trumps perfection every time.
I am enthusiastic about learning. About hand lettering. About what we are called forth to as creative people. That making and sharing impulse is caring and daring, and that is what I and Original Impulse are all about.
I hope this inspires you to love what you love. To make things because it is so damn fun. And to share it even if you feel critical about it.
Download Poster
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June 20, 2014
How Does Paris Make Us Feel Sexier? Interview with Author of Naughty Paris
Heather Stimmler-Hall of Secrets of Paris is bringing out a new edition of her elegant Paris guidebook, Naughty Paris. I had the chance to interview Heather about some of the concepts in the book. I was curious about some of the Frenchwoman’s secrets, and Heather was happy to share what she knows in an email interview.
You’ve talked about how Paris women have a ‘secret garden’. What is this and how might we cultivate our own secret gardens?
A Parisian woman don’t feel it’s necessary to share every aspect of her personal life with those closest to her, not even with her husband. She doesn’t always say where she goes, who she’s with, what she ate, where she shopped. Not that she’s doing anything sneaky or that would upset her partner. She simply maintains a bit of mystery and privacy that she cherishes. Her own private garden.
This might be going to watch cheesy Hollywood films with a pint of ice cream on her own, getting her legs waxed and her hair highlighted at a local beauty parlor, or spending an afternoon alone at an art exhibition that moved her.
Your secret garden can be anything you want it to be, but it has to be private, not shared with others. We’re so transparent these days, just the idea of doing something wonderful for yourself without posting photos of it all over social media is a rebellious idea.
I love that. This is a great way to think about how we can cultivate a relationship with ourselves and to access our true desires. Privacy! What a concept!
How common do you think it is for women to want to feel sexier while in Paris?
In my own experience as a travel writer and tour guide, I find that American women tend to be very conscious of Parisian women and their historic reputation for being mysterious, seductive, fashionable, and sexy. For some visitors this can be intimidating, but for others it becomes a challenge and an inspiration.
First, American women don’t want to appear like frumpy slobs in comparison, there’s our national pride to protect! And then there’s the desire to discover their secrets so we can use them ourselves. After all, the Parisians aren’t all super models. Au contraire. They simply know how to make the best of what they’ve got, and they have (or fake) enough self confidence to pull it off without looking like they’re even trying.
That idea alone can be quite liberating for women who are used to trying to force themselves into an American cookie-cutter version of beauty and sexiness that is hardly attainable by the average person.
Despite (or maybe thanks to) the language and cultural barriers, feeling sexier in Paris is almost effortless for women once they relax and allow themselves to enjoy all the wonderful pleasures the city has to offer.
It’s true; I’ve seen this for myself and the women in my Paris workshops. You almost can’t come to Paris and not want to add a little feminine flair.
What gets in the way of women being able to access this side of themselves either in Paris or at home?
Not being able to relax and enjoy themselves, lol! Seriously, it’s not part of our culture to indulge in our own pleasure. Even on vacation we’re too goal oriented, with long “to do” lists and built-in guilt for doing anything that we might actually enjoy. A lot of women see the title “Naughty Paris” and say, “Oh, I’m not naughty!”
But when we deny ourselves pastries and chocolates because we’re on a diet, beautiful clothes and fancy heels because they’re not practical, and a day of simply people-watching on a café terrace with a bottle of wine because we think we “should” be visiting the Top Ten Tourist Sites, we’re telling ourselves that even the simple joys in life are bad.
Pleasure is the new Naughty, without even needing to go anywhere near anything blatantly sexual. Sometimes it’s easier when we’re on vacation to let loose a little bit, but once we’re back home and back to work…that’s a whole different book!
I love that ‘pleasure is the new naughty’! What surprised you while researching and writing this book?
I’m a travel writer, not a “naughty expert”, so doing the research was quite eye opening, but I would say it was more surprising to discover who was interested in reading “Naughty Paris”.
Let’s just say that I got the most Puritanical reactions from American women under 40 (but usually under the disclaimer of “I have no problem with it, but my friends are very conservative”), while older women were usually more enthusiastic and open-minded.
It’s encouraging to see how so many women really do come into their own after 50 and stop caring so much about what other people think of them. They’re more likely to “get” Parisian sexiness than the women in their 30s.
That’s fascinating, and also great to see how women develop as we age. What do you want most for readers of Naughty Paris?
Most people dive right into the “Naughty Nightlife” chapter or focus on the dining and hotel recommendations to start planning the logistics of their vacation, but I do hope everyone takes the time to read the first chapter* to better understand – and perhaps even step into – the Parisian state of mind.
*downloadable for free on the Kickstarter page
The post How Does Paris Make Us Feel Sexier? Interview with Author of Naughty Paris appeared first on Original Impulse Blog.
June 18, 2014
Celebrating 15 Years as a Creativity Coach for Creatives and Writers
It’s with a grateful heart and a deep bow of thanks that I share this post. This month marks my 15-year anniversary as a coach for people who want to write and create with joy.
There’s so much I want to say about running a business, being a healthy creative person and what I want for you. I will keep it brief, because I know you have work to do.
Celebrate with gratitude
I’m so grateful to have a business that allows me to do good work and have time to do my creative projects. I’m grateful for my parents’ genes and their model of how to work hard and which are the right sacrifices to make.
Early professional shot of me, 2003
I’m grateful that I have earned the trust of my readers, students and clients. This is important to me and something I treasure with great respect. It means a lot to me to be invited into someone’s world and creative process.
I’m so grateful for all the coaches, mastermind buddies, teachers and consultants who have helped me grow my business. Without them, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Fifteen years ago, I would never have imagined what I am doing now. I didn’t know I would be able to bring my teaching online. I didn’t know I would realize my dream of frequent work travel. I didn’t know the field of coaching would explode, and I certainly had no idea how much work goes into making a thriving business.
I don’t know where the next fifteen years will lead me. I do know that here, in June 2014, I am full of wonder for life and for the mysteries of the creative process. I am full of awe for the people who show up to do the real work of making something new. I marvel at the courage and have great respect for their commitment.
You may not see the work ahead in bringing your book to light. You may not recognize the impact your work will have in the world. You blissfully do not know how much effort it will take to complete your big project. And that’s okay.
One of the biggest insights I have gleaned over 15 years of studying the creative process is that we are never fully in charge. Our big idea for our book, our blog, our business venture – we are only a small part of its evolution. Many other factors come into play. Timing. Support. Real-world constraints. The art of bringing something from an idea to an actual thing calls us to our highest expression.
It’s in the process of making things that we grow. All our ideas add nothing to our real power. Making, writing, publishing, sharing – stepping out into the world to share our hearts and our creativity – that’s a bold act, and one I salute with a big smile.
Here’s to all of us who show up to heed our original impulse – to create, to write, to express and share the things that mean the most to us. As Helen Keller said, life is a daring adventure and it’s my great privilege to be on this adventure with you as a creativity coach.
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June 6, 2014
Book Giveaway: Writing Wild by Tina Welling
Many of my clients share my value of nature. Being in nature – a park, mountain, stream, garden – can bring us back to center. For me, being surrounded by green calms and energizes me at the same time. I love cities, and I always seek out the parks and little gardens that make the concrete jungles bearable.
So it’s no surprise to me when people tell me that nature inspires them. That they enjoy being outside and even seek places outside to write and create. I am happy to know that we value screen-free time in nature.
Novelist Tina Welling has written a book for people like us who cherish the gifts the natural world gives to our creativity. Writing Wild: Forming a Creative Partnership with Nature, delves into this relationship that gives us so much.
Writing Wild is a wonderful guide not only to the outside world, but to the world inside us. Tina writes about the body and how we must have a deep awareness of our own physical, mental and emotional responses in order to write truthfully. A deeper connection to nature fosters this deeper connection to ourselves.
As we head into summer, know that all that time you’ll spend camping, hiking, swimming and otherwise enjoying this planet’s green goodies is fueling your creativity.
I’m giving away a copy of Tina’s book, Writing Wild. To enter the drawing, please leave a comment here about how you experience nature’s benefits to your creativity. What’s one thing you do regularly in nature that makes a difference to you?
Leave a comment by Monday June 9th. A winner will be chosen at random.
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June 4, 2014
Summer Hours for Creative Sanity
A coach colleague of mine practices something she calls ‘summer hours’. For her, this means that she takes Fridays off – no clients, no other work. She does this so she can spend more time with her grandson and savor the life she’s created for herself.
It might not be that easy for all of us to take an extra day off. Our bosses might resent that we are getting a break while everyone else is working!
Layering in pleasure: my summer work ‘office’ at the Denver Botanic Gardens, with fresh vegetable juice.
But there are still ways you can ease off in the summer for the sake of enjoying the treats of the season. I’m going to try my version of summer hours. You can, too, with these three practices:
1) List your activities. Which ones can be put on hold for the next three months? Which priorities could be put on the back burner so you can have a little summer fun?
2) Layer in the pleasure. What would add an extra layer of summer pleasure to your work? Perhaps you make your favorite summer beverage to sip while working. Maybe you take your writing outside to the backyard or a park.
3) Define your fun. What is summer fun for you, anyway? Make a list of at 12 summer pleasures that you will enjoy this year. My list includes:
picnics
beach time
visiting other cities
filling notebooks with memories
watermelon and other fresh fruit
Here are more tips on how to make summer more receptive and free.
In the next issue of Impulses, I’ll share my summer art plans with tips on how to focus on your art, too.
One of the ways I’m practicing summer hours is by taking a blogabbatical. I’m focused on a major renovation project at Original Impulse, and aside from my clients, that’s taking all my work focus. I’ll still be writing about how the creative life in my newsletter, Impulses. Subscribe in the upper right corner to stay in touch with your life as a creative adventure.
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May 9, 2014
Book Giveaway: Jill Berry’s Map Art Lab Book
Do you love maps as much as I do? If so, you’ll love this new book Map Art Lab.
I’m very excited to be part of the blog hop forLinden McNeilly and Jill Berry‘s new book, Map Art Lab. When I got my copy the other day I flipped the pages with great enthusiasm. Here we have the basics of a map – the fun things like a cartouche and a compass rose and a legend – don’t all those words evoke such mystery and adventure?
As part of the blog hop, Jill’s publisher will be giving away a copy of the book to a reader of my blog. All you need to do is leave a comment below before May 16th. A winner will be announced by May 19th and the book will be sent to you.
To enter the drawing for the book, simply answer this question in a comment below: What is appealing to you about map art?
To visit the other bloggers on the blog hop, see below.
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April 25, 2014
Interview with Jennifer Lee of Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way
I love Jennifer Lee’s work that helps creative entrepreneurs get their business sense on. Her new book, Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way continues where The Right-Brain Business Plan leaves off. Full of practical, actionable advice for how to build a business that works in all ways, this book is a great asset for creative people.
I had the chance to interview Jenn, fellow CTI coach and author. I had a million questions, but decided to focus on what helped her write the book and how she wants the book to change the world. Plus one question about money.
Jennifer, thank you for your work helping creative people feel healthy and happy both in the creative and the business realms. I love your books and am happy to share it with my readers. Thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions about your process.
First, why do you say moola instead of money?
Well, it’s just more fun to say moola! 
When I wrote my first book The Right-Brain Business Plan, I gave all of the traditional “left-brain” sections of a business plan more creative and friendly names for my peeps. I know many creatives cringe when they think of finances or money, but when they think of or say even moola, they can’t help but have a hint of a smile and I think that helps make looking at the numbers more approachable.
What has surprised you about writing this book?
The creative process is always full of surprises! I share below in another response how I was struggling with the structure of the second book. But the cool thing is things totally came together in the end. I love when that happens. There were two elements of the book that helped to anchor the structure. One was the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem exercise that helps you assess the different parts that make up your business and the other is the Embracing Ease play sheet.
Both of those concepts came to me organically as ideas and models I tested during a couple of video classes I led earlier that year. I didn’t realize that they would be a part of the book or help to confirm the book’s structure.
The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem helps readers assess which parts of their business might need more attention and helps point them to specific chapters in the book. And the Embracing Ease play sheet just so happened to align perfectly with the chapters that make up Part IV “Sustaining Your Success.”
I remember feeling so frustrated because I couldn’t “figure out” the flow and then I had those light-bulb moments of “Oh! The structure has actually been here all along.” I just needed to loosen my grip and take a step back to see it.
What helped you focus enough to write the book? What did you have to set aside?
I wrote the book during an especially tumultuous time (including 2 family members being sent to the emergency room and my husband and I moving, not once, but twice!) so I really had to make conscious choices to stay focused enough to finish writing.
Fortunately, I had some stable moola-making methods in place already and I was able to have those sustain me while I scaled back on taking on new clients or new opportunities.
I also learned to delegate more and started to look for someone to help me with business development for my licensing program since we were getting requests that I couldn’t handle myself. I kept my life pretty simple during what I called my “urban writing retreat” – I did most of my writing while we were living temporarily in a condo in San Francisco.
Even though I would’ve loved to just hang out and explore the city, I hunkered down and blocked out stretches of days for just writing (and had days designated for coaching calls). I also cut out a lot of social activities. I’m not terribly social anyway, but the only people I saw during that time where friends or family who happened to be visiting from out of town (it’s funny how many people travel to the city in the summer!).
The other cool thing about being in the city while I was writing was that things were very convenient – like getting groceries delivered or being able to just head out the door with my dog and walk along the water to clear my head.
You have a great chapter about launches that shares a lot about how to manage a launch. What helps you post-launch? How do you manage and respond to all the emotions that come after a launch?
I love that you’re asking this question and pointing to the post-launch emotions that can come up (did you spy me hiding out under my covers the other day??!! Haha!). After you put your offer out there it can feel very vulnerable because you’ve shared a part of yourself.
There are several things that are helpful to me post-launch. One is I know I do a lot better when I actually have things already in place for any of the follow-up tasks or communications that need to happen. There’s nothing worse than feeling tired or drained and then having to write up more e-mails or marketing from scratch. So, it definitely helps to have those kinds of things set up ahead of time as part of the overall launch planning.
I also like to give myself a buffer in my schedule so I can refuel my tank. That means blocking off my calendar at least a day or two after a big event and maybe just hanging out in my PJs. And also having an out-of-office reply set for before, during, and a few days after a big launch so I don’t feel the guilty about not responding to all of my e-mails right away.
I keep a “Kudos and Feel Good” folder in my e-mail and file all the lovely messages we receive from folks who were positively impacted by my work or message and that helps me remember that I am making a difference.
I debrief with my team to talk about what went well and what we could do differently next time. And I also have my coach who helps me reflect on my accomplishments and also what to do moving forward. Having support is so important!
Dreaming of a more colorful, authentic world
Your book is so practical and focused for creative people. If readers took action on the exercises in Building Your Business the Right-Brain Way, what do you imagine will be different in the world? What is your vision for a world with empowered right-brainers?
What a cool question. I imagine that we would have more creative souls out there confidently sharing their gifts with the world and making a good living from doing what they love. And when we have more empowered right-brainers like that who are contributing their gifts in significant and sustainable ways, I believe that the world will be filled with more beauty, color, creativity, joy, self-expression, and meaning.
I envision more heart-centered connection, soulful communication, and authentic leadership. And all that sounds pretty amazing (and much needed) to me!
Anything else you want to share about the book or your process writing it?
One of the most challenging parts of the process for me with writing this book was figuring out the structure and flow. With the first book it felt easier because I was able to mirror the structure of a business plan. With this one, I had to find my own way and that took a lot of trial and error.
What was super-helpful during that process though was asking for feedback and help. I reached out to the participants in my mentorship program and asked for their insights and perspectives since they had been working with early versions of the material already. It was great because they were my “beta testers” and were able to offer valuable suggestions. I also had a small group of reviewers who provided feedback on the draft manuscript, and I relied on my husband and assistant to bounce ideas off of.
Also, I used all of the “right-brain tools for idea generation” that I shared on page 97 of the book to help me get my thoughts on paper and in a rough draft. Gotta practice what I preach! 
Thanks, Jennifer! What a rich conversation. I loved hearing about your process and how this book is part of your own Entrepreneurial Ecosystem!
Find out more about Jenn’s books and work here.
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