My kind of film fest… and a first for Winnipeg. 
Winnipeg’s First Architecture + Design Film Festival  runs April 18 -21, with films showing at the Winnipeg Art Gallery and Cinematheque. Topics range from architecture, urban and graphic design, and the rise of a few star architects. I’m going to check out a few films, starting tonight with one call “Urbanized” – all about cities and how we shape them. More info at http://www.adff.ca/

We’ve all heard of writer’s block, but most (all?) artists face times when their creative juices just aren’t flowing.

This week I had the opportunity to hear an interview with the queen of creativity, Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity – and the quintessential guide to moving through anything that’s blocking your artistic (or any other) genius. In addition to the Artist’s Way, Cameron has written 30 other books. Wow.

When asked what’s at the heart of her ‘brand’ Cameron replied “optimism and compassion.”The Artist’s Way emerged from her desire to help others, and is grounded in her own experience of how to overcome her own blocks and connect to what she calls “that holy place,” where creativity and spirituality fuse as one.

Here are a few tips and tools, from Cameron and others, on how you can reconnect to your creativity and let the magic begin.

1)  Write morning pages.
Writing three pages, by hand, in free flow form every morning is one of Cameron’s key tools to fueling creativity. In what could be considered a “divine download,” morning pages are a potent form of prayer and meditation. Says Cameron, “Hand-writing puts us in touch with our emotions. We learn how we feel about what we say. Writing by computer is a more shallow practice. It yields us speed and distance, but not the depth.”
 
2)  Make “artist’s dates.” 
This is another of Cameron’s keys to unlocking – and unleashing – creativity. Once a week, take a solo excursion to pursue something that interests you. I call these “Inspiration days.” It could be a trip to an art gallery, checking out a new restaurant or just taking photos in the park. These short journeys of the soul don’t have to be expensive or complicated, but they can foster conscious connect with a higher power.
 
3)  Go for a walk or take a break. 
Walking integrates our creative thoughts and helps us make conscious connections to new ideas and possibilities.
 
4)  Be present. Focus on one project. 
Multi-tasking adds confusion and distraction, and interferes with the creative channels. Choose a project that inspires or motivates you, and work on just that one. Even small amounts of progress add to a sense of accomplishment. And small victories make us happy… and want to continue creating.
 
5)  Trust in yourself, and the process.
In order to create, you have to trust in the authenticity of your own impulses and originality. When you set out to create something, have faith and believe in what you’re doing. Step away from any inner censors or critics. If you listen to them, they’ll stop you in your tracks.
 
6)   Embrace imperfection. 
There is great power in taking action, even imperfect action. Perfectionism is the kiss of death for creativity. Begin by taking small steps, cooperate your creative impulses, and be open to whatever happens. Be willing to be bad.
 
7)  Pursue it and do it.
In the end, in order to create anything we have to be willing to make a good attempt… to persevere… and to send it out there. As Tim O’Reilly so brilliantly says: “Pursue something so important that even if you fail, the world is better off with you having tried.”
 
How do you fuel your creativity or overcome blocks? 

Today’s post was inspired by Danielle LaPorte’s Burning Questions Series where the passionate author asks a question, answers it and invites others to respond.

While there’s already a new “Burning Question” this week, my responses below are to Danielle’s inaugural Burning Question in the series: “How do you want to feel?”

As Danielle so aptly points out, feelings create an emotional magnetism that help us attract and manifest our desires or goals much more rapidly.

And speaking of feelings, how do you want to feel about your life’s work, biography or business? If you need help injecting a little more emotional magnetism into your stories, message or offerings, download my “10 Ways to Create Hot Copy” on this site.

Also in the near future, I will be offering an online workshop on How To Write Your Signature Story, so you can tell the world (with feeling) WHY you do the good work that you do.

Stay tuned…

I want to feel…

I want my day to feel like a lucid dream.

I want kissing to feel like dark chocolate melting in my mouth with a Shiraz finish.

I want my next success to feel like Adele rolling in the Grammys.

I want my body to feel like a lioness – lean, powerful and soft to the touch.

I want smiling to feel like sunlight on your face.

I want my friendships to feel like road trips without a map, to places I love and those yet to be discovered.

I want my nervous system to feel like the sea on a calm day.

I want my neighborhood to feel like a new Jack Johnson song.

I want my integrity to feel like quartz crystal.

I want my money-making to feel like an exotic garden where things are planted, nourished and blossom into beauty and abundance.

I want my word to feel like inspired alchemy.

I want my laughter to feel like rolling thunder.

I want the end of the day to feel like a relaxing meditation.

I want being of service to feel like a goddess just doing her job.

I want my philanthropy to feel like unconditional love for the masses.

I want my challenges to feel how an athlete feels after victory.

I want my love to feel Eternal. Infinite. Multi-dimensional.

I want my writing to feel like a scene from Midnight in Paris, but in a café with Oscar Wilde, Ernest Hemingway and Mark Twain on vacation.

I want my ideas to feel like light through a stained-glass window.

How do YOU want to feel?

February is the month we (officially) celebrate love.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, we are awash with ideas – for dates, dinners and destinations – to amp up the romance and find the lo-o-o-ve.

This week I read that Winnipeg placed No. 15 among Canada’s 20 most romantic cities, in an annual list compiled by Amazon.ca.  According to the report, Amazon ranks the cities by comparing sales figures (since Jan. 1) of romance novels, sex and relationship books, rom-com movies and Michael Bublé discs. Seriously?

Apparently just reading (watching or listening to) all things romantic can put you in the mood… and your city on the love map.

Which got me thinking… novelists, screenwriters and songwriters all know how to turn up the heat with a few good lines. So this week here are a few hot tips to instill a little more passion in your writing.

Consider it the joy of text.

“When genuine passion moves you, say what you’ve got and say it hot.”

– D. H. Lawrence

5 Ways to Write with Passion

1) Add some emotional rescue.

People everywhere, from your loved ones to friends and colleagues, are wanting to embrace emotion. Give it to them.  Speak it with words, paint it with pictures and say it like you feel it. Injecting emotion into your story, letter or speech, connects you and your passion to your audience –- whether it’s an audience of one… or thousands.

2) Open with your best line (s).

In journalism, after the headline, the most important line is the first sentence. From the top, you have to engage the audience and let them know why they should keep reading. Experts say you have three seconds to make a first, and often lasting, impression. That’s three seconds to connect and make them fall in love with what you have to say.

Literary agent Noah Lukeman says that what you say in the first five pages of a book is critical. The same can be said for your first five lines… of a love letter, business letter or cover letter.

3) Tap into the senses.

Use sight, sound, smell, touch and taste to enliven any copy. Writing is a form of visual art. Describing what you see (or sense) pulls the reader into the story. Good writing doesn’t talk “about” feelings; it uses words and imagination to connect with the reader and “bring him to his senses.”

4) Keep it real.

Recall, tell and retell true tales, hilarious anecdotes or life-changing testimonials. Passionate writing is infused with evocative, powerful stories — whether it’s about your business, adventures or life’s great moments. Good storytelling adds luster, meaning and connection. Few things are more inspiring than real stories (quips or quotes) from real people. As writer Kelly Diels says, “To write great dialogue, steal from your life. And the lips of everyone around you.”

5) Involve the reader.

Will you still read me tomorrow? Authors and readers are partners in the experience.  By involving the reader, writers show that they care about the content, storyline or information they are delivering.

In short, good writing is like good sex; technique matters but emotion, connection and attention to detail are what make it unforgettable.

So here’s to adding a little passion to your pen… and sharing the love.

I love rituals around the new year that help me focus and look forward to the coming months with new energy, dreams and aspirations. Rather than make resolutions, which for me often lack excitement and originality, and have a limited chance of succeeding beyond January 15, in the last few years I’ve taken a simple and effective approach – choosing 3 words for the new year. With careful consideration (and meditation) I select 3 words that will shape my plans, inform my decisions, and guide my actions for the next 12 months.

While many people select a “Word of the Year” to guide their course in the coming months, I like the asymmetry, flexibility and added power of a 3-word theme. And I’ve discovered others like the 3-word approach as well.

My colleague and employee engagement specialist David Zinger uses the 3-word theme as a great planning tool to focus on how to ‘engage’ the year ahead while allowing for room on how those themes are realized… in the workplace or in life.

Social media expert Chris Brogan focuses on 3 words in the new year as a model to improve both himself and his business. He suggests summing up an entire perspective into these words, and using them not only as guideposts for actions in the new year but also as “lighthouses” to direct you through stormy places.

OK, so what are my 3 words and how does this work?

Well, for example, in 2011 my 3 words were: Commitment. Connection. Confidence.  Here’s what happened last year: I joined a business mastermind group of 12 powerful women entrepreneurs, found new clients and new work; met some amazing people and made life-long connections both personally and professionally; took 3 “Avatar” courses that advanced my spiritual and personal growth; and spent a lot of time with my father in the last year of his life, including being with him when he passed on.

My 3 words for 2012 are: Inspire. Ask. Receive. And here’s why I chose them.

Inspire: The word inspire is derived from “in-spirit,” and I believe living with spirit, energy and harmony in our environments, work and relationships will create a much more beautiful world. Stayed tuned for a project I’m working on this year that’s all about my “desire to inspire.”

Ask: As a fiercely independent woman who prides herself on being self-sufficient, I used to think asking for help (or anything else) was ‘weak.” Well, I’m sooo over that. It is only when we are supported, that we can support our selves or others. I’m increasingly learning how to delegate tasks, and ask for help both in business and in life. I’ve learned that the first step in creating what you want is asking for what you need. Look out world…

Receive: As selfish as this might sound, I’m working on my ability to be a better “receiver” and accept help, kindness, money, love and more, with ease and grace. Again, similar to my challenge in learning to ask, I’ve often said “no” (consciously and unconsciously) to receiving things from others. Well, no more! I’ve realized only by being able to receive more, am I able to give more and serve the world in a bigger way. So in 2012, I am open to receive – love, money, creativity, work, fun, help, free coffee — whatever life serves up, with deep gratitude.

So there you have it, my “trifecta of transformation” for 2012 and the 3 words this year that, for me, will change everything.

What 3 words would you choose for 2012?

I’d love to hear about them, share in the comment section below.

It’s the end of the year, and we’ve just come through a season that for many is one of consumerism, gifts and acquisitions. And hey, I like good ‘stuff’ as much as anyone, but I’ve always preferred quality over quantity …  in possessions, surroundings, experiences, and especially, in life.

I’ve just finished reading, The Not So Big Life by Sarah Susanka, a book that really spoke to me and one I would recommend to anyone looking to create more ‘space’ and meaning in his or her life. As another year draws to a close, it’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on what’s working in our lives, what we’d like to adjust, and what we’d like to create in the future. Read more below.

Sarah Susanka, an architect who created the bestselling Not So Big House series of books, believes “big” is not necessarily better, in our physical spaces or our lives, and quality is more important than quantity. In The Not So Big Life, she uses architectural metaphors and design principles that apply as much to building a life as a home, and drafts a “blueprint for a new way of living.”

Susanka suggests the way to change (and enhance) the way we live is by being fully present and engaged in each moment, and every area, of our lives. Citing influences such as Joseph Campbell, Carl Jung, Eckhart Tolle, Rumi and others, she takes a spiritual approach to demonstrating that form and function serve not only architectural design, but life goals, processes and experiences as well.

Just as we can makeover and remodel our physical interiors, The Not So Big Life shows us that we can also adjust and align thoughts, actions and beliefs to open up the interior walls of our selves and our souls. In doing so, we reveal new possibilities so we can start living more passionately and effectively by engaging in the things we love to do and, as the book’s tagline says, “making room for what really matters.”

At the end of The Not So Big Life, Susanka includes an exercise for a year-end ritual, which she describes as a process similar to ‘sowing seeds’ to bring to fruition intentions, goals and projects for the new year. She lists a series of questions about the past year, present existence and future, and at the end of December she sets aside several hours to respond to these queries. When completed, she rereads the previous year’s answers.

Some of the questions about the past year include how she has spent her time, the results of the actions taken, what has inspired her, and what accomplishments, creations or disappointments have changed her. In reflecting on the past year, she also examines conditioned patterns, hidden beliefs and habits, and the effects they have had.

In her questions about the present she asks: “How am I different now from the way I was last year at this time? How can I integrate the key lessons of the past year of my life? “ Other important queries include: “What am I becoming? Who am I really?” and “Has my experience of time changed at all since last year?”

Lastly, in her questions about the future, she poses: “What is it that I wish to focus on or experience in the coming year? Looking far into the future, what wishes, longings or creations will I be bringing into being or engaging in some way?”

And finally, she ponders: “If I could sum up all my desires and longings in one simple statement spoken from the highest aspect of myself … what would it be?” (This is my favorite question.)

Susanka’s year-end ritual is provocative and insightful, and one I am putting in to practice. And this time next year, I can’t wait to review the results of what I have ‘planted.’

As December wraps up, a review of the year’s news and events, and making resolutions for the coming months are common traditions.

Do you have any year-end rituals that you practice? And do they make a difference in how the New Year, and your life, unfolds?

However you celebrate the passing of one year and the arrival of another, here’s to a happy, meaningful 2012.

Wow. After a long fall, and not much snow on the ground it’s hard to believe Christmas is only 10 days away, and another year is drawing to a close.

I love this time of year because as I look back over the past 12 months, it’s the perfect time for reflection, celebration and appreciation of for all that was, is, and is yet to be. As one year departs another arrives, with excited anticipation and fresh possibilities.

The holidays are also a great time to connect – or reconnect – with family, friends, colleagues and clients.

So, in the spirit of the season and in the spirit of connecting, I’d like to send you a holiday e-gift – an ebook I created called “12 gifts for 2012.” In it 12 entrepreneurs of purpose and passion (including myself) offer a gift we feel the world could use in 2012. And in my opinion, they are the best kind of gifts …gifts of insight, images and inspiration.

I hope you enjoy the gift package…and are inspired to think about your own gift(s) to bring forth in the new year.

Happy holidays … of both giving and receiving!

To download your “12 gifts for 2012” ebook click here.

Happy season’s readings.

I wrote this en route home from Atlanta, after another inspiring three-day retreat with my business coach Christine Kane, and hundreds of women (and a few men) entrepreneurs. With a blend of holistic wellness meets new ways of marketing, we were takin’ care of business with soul and strategy. By examining and challenging our beliefs, thoughts and actions – those that serve us or defeat us – combined with learning about strategic systems, technology, social media and more, upleveling our businesses became “mission possible.”

Here are 10 things I learned about connecting mind, business and soul.

1) Mindset first: skill set second.

This is one of Christine Kane’s mantras. A person’s inner work and state of being always affects outer success. As Christine tells her clients: the reason we set goals at all is because of who we become as we’re reaching them. Anyone in business, particularly entrepreneurs, must continually deal with their mindset, intention and actions. Thoughts become things, so it’s critical to choose good ones.

2) Soul AND strategy create desired outcomes.

You can’t be all “love” and no action. We can amp up our businesses (and our lives) with just the right combination of spiritual mojo, left-brain strategy and new approaches to marketing that promote authenticity and connection.

3)    Every profession is a service profession. (To quote Harrison Ford)

Businesses are here to serve people. Without clients, customers or ”peeps” to pay for your product or service, you don’t have a business – you have a hobby.

4) Setbacks are keys to solutions.

If we view problems differently, obstacles faced in business often become portals to finding ways to overcome them and serve clients better.

5) Honor where you are and what you need.

In business and in life, old models, ideas and benchmarks must be released, before you can identify new possibilities, and the support you need to get there.

6) More conversation, less presentation.

The new way of marketing is all about personal connection, resonance and being real. Your website, blog, business letters, products and services etc. should all speak to and with the people you serve.

7) Success is never on sale.

When we discount or devalue our skills and expertise, it causes our business (and our selves) to contract rather than to expand.

8)    A big dream without a roadmap is a dangerous thing.

Without a clear vision, structure and plan, fear and doubt easily enter in and take you – and your business – off course.

9)    You must exit your comfort zone. We’ve heard this before, but growth often requires risk, and moving through fear, discomfort and unfamiliar territory. The sweetest fruit is always out on a limb.

10) When you’re interested you’ll do what’s convenient, when you’re committed you’ll do what it takes.

Success requires commitment. What more is there to say?

What ways do you add a little soul to your success or business?

I do a lot of writing for CancerCare Manitoba, an organization doing life-saving work, research and health care in our community, and the writing includes many stories about people who are dealing with cancer every day. Recently, I wrote a piece about an inspiring two year old, diagnosed with leukemia, who is leading his family through the whole experience with his high-energy and positive attitude… sometimes it’s the children who teach the adults.

On both sides of the story – from the perspective of those who give (individuals, groups or organizations) and those who receive – these tales of transformation can inspire and inform, and it’s important to tell them.

To read more about the story I wrote for CancerCare Manitoba click here

What a powerful story can achieve…

Stories capture moments that define a life, or a lifetime.
Stories inspire, challenge and sustain us.
Stories test our imaginations, and our truths.

Stories illuminate our world and our hearts.
Stories mirror what we fear and what we love.
Stories expose our vulnerability, and our strength.

Stories create space for the light to get in.
Stories build connection, community and creativity.
Stories take us on roads of the earth and roads of the spirit.

Stories are merchants of ideas and agents of possibility.
Stories transmit beauty and transformation.
Stories offer deep diving for the soul.

Stories change lives.

This week has been an eventful and insightful one. My dad passed away last week, after a long life (85 years) and a relatively short stay in hospital.  Now, with Dad at peace, the funeral and celebration of his life over, and my family having returned to their homes far and wide, there’s time for reflection.

Death, or even near death, always offers new perspective – on what we can and cannot control in life, on what truly matters… and what is simply irrelevant or insignificant.

As someone who has had a few brushes with death, I am always grateful for the reminder of how precious life is, and the opportunity to ask myself: Am I living in the present? Do the people I love know that I love them? And if this was my moment to “exit” would I leave the world a better place? In other words, am I doing what matters – to me and to others?

At my dad’s funeral, his granddaughter (my niece) read this poem by Michael Josephson.  It was a fitting and beautiful tribute to my father, who led a life of authenticity, kindness and generosity that mattered to so many. In this poem, Josephson truly captures what in the end will be the measure of one’s life.

What will it matter?

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.

So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.

It won’t even matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built,

Not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s not a matter of circumstances but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters.