Category: Art

Related to visual or fine art.

5 Ways Others Sabotage Your Creative Mojo

sky painter Sam Javanrouh via Compfight

When you’re doing a project, starting something creative, or otherwise trying to upgrade your life, sabotage comes at you from many angles.

Think of it as a sign that you’re on the right track.

A little prep work can serve to inoculate you from intentional or unintentional sabotage.

5 Ways Others Sabotage Your Creative Mojo

1. Diversion. Fun opportunities, a needy spouse or friend, or a buzz of busyness will pervade your surroundings splitting your energies, and stretching you too far. Sometimes your focus and determination will draw others to you like a magnet. But instead of giving useable support,  they’ll be agents of distraction. Strict boundaries are the best defense.

2. Guilt-trips. Phrases like,
“You don’t seem to have time for me.”
“I never see you anymore.” 
“You seem so busy.” give you the sense that you’re not being a good person as you pursue your project. Reassure these saboteurs while claiming ground. Tell them you have to balance your life differently now.

3. Bargain-makers. “If you do “this” for me, I’ll do “this” for you,” type phrases signal that your creative energy or determination is being met with a subtle attack. It’s a way to be manipulated away from your task at hand, too. You might need to clarify you needs succinctly and repeatedly: “I’m sorry I can’y get off-task right now. I’ll be able to do more in a month (or whatever time you decide).

Just in writing this very post, I’ll had to say this to my two children 8 times in the last 15 minutes. The “broken record” tactic sends a solid message like only repetition can. But, you must persist!

4. Punitive Words and Deeds. Be it the “cold shoulder”, the passive aggressive responses, yelling and confrontation, or subtle bullying, when others pushback at what you’re doing you must muster the mental toughness to soldier on. Do it before the punishment comes from them.

5. Threats.
 When others say, “If you do that, this will happen.” Or, “I don’t think I can support you if you go in this direction,” they may be trying to manipulate your creative mojo off-task for selfish reasons. If/then statements offer a tipoff that all or nothing attitudes pervade your interactions and risk derailing you. Minimize threats with a calm resolved response and carry on.

 

Surely there are others. What trips you up?

Official Launch of “Game For Adventure” @Kickstarter

Snail Mail gets an upgrade.

It’s official. I have an genuine Kickstarted project accepted and LIVE.
Backers make this creative project happen and get rewarded in the process.
Or click image for promo video:
LAUNCH PAGE

Drum Circles with Gene Anderson

The Gene Anderson joins us today. Gene is a supportive friend, pastor, poet, and percussionist who blogs as he wanders along the Way at Rucksack Revolution and today is enjoying his 49 birthday at the beach with friends. Happy Birthday, Gene.

 

 What if churches were more like drum circles?

 

What if churches were more like drum circles? What if the Spirit of Liturgy came from within the common heartbeat of those present, what if dancing and community became the norm, what if diversity became the rule and not the exception, what if there were a…

If churches were more like drum circles, an organic ritual of worship, a natural liturgy would arise from the hearts of those participating, rather than imposing a liturgy on those present.

One love, a common beat composed of individual rhythms, a truly organic worship of unity in diversity would rule the day and rock the house with the Holy Spirit dancing to the sound of heartbeats musically expressed.

Together, individual breath and pulse become common, coming together with the vibration of God’s good creation, culminating in koinonia, communitas, and the sacred meal of God’s encircling love.

What if churches were more like drum circles?

What if, because the spirit of liturgy and action came from within the hearts and souls of those gathered, actualizing community became present? Imagine a church where worship became dance, a dance of the body, mind, and spirit, a circle dance like the mystical Trinity of Three-in-One and One-in-Three.

Consider “as above, so below”.

Contemplate the holy sound and actions of deep bass and strong rimshot combining into wholeness, atonement, shalom, and God’s mission to the world through the healing hands of God and the caring human disciples of The Way.

Creation of rhythm as motion and motion as community, community in motion, ordinary radicals, resident aliens of the Kingdom-Life seeking a “better country”.

What if churches were more like drum circles?

Imagine a place where diversity is the norm and not the exception.

Conceive community and not corruption.

Give birth to a world of movement through the hands and feet of all people.

Realize the moment of worship and service to God and others.

Heartbeats together in Holy Rhythm.

Play your drum.

– Gene Anderson

“You teach best what you most need to learn.” – Richard Bach


News from a Hostel Environment

I just got some postcard love from across the country. Lara lives in this amazing hostel near the Golden Gate bridge. I haven’t been to the West Coast yet, but now I know where I’d love to visit! I’ll take that Hostel Environment any day!

Reaching out though my creative experiment Super Snail Mail has brought new friends into my world. It’s been far more fun than I even imagined with surprises almost everyday. The power of shiny stickers, some creativity, and generosity has a Pay It Forward vibe, and I’m feeling the love.

If you want in, check out this page.
Or you may get your postcard featured here
if you send it to me:
Superb Snail Mail, PO BOX 10 Cressona, PA 17929.
 Create your own 4″x6″ card and send it my way.

Peace out.

-Sparky

Huge Creativity Booster: Don’t Read Cranky Bloggers

So, I have this story to tell you…

I enjoy reading blogs. I read dozens regularly, and this summer I stumbled on a discovery that has really changed how my day goes.

I stopped reading cranky bloggers. It sounds simple, right?

Hang in here with me for a moment, because there’s more.

I didn’t set out to read cranky bloggers, but since I’ve subtracted them from my reading diet things have improved in amazing ways.

• For one, I  feel more hopeful on many levels.

• I have more creative energy.

• I can think more clearly about my goals.

• And, best of all I don’t feel so dragged down, overall, you know in that way that’s hard to pinpoint what exactly what could be wrong. You just feel restless or bothered on an emotional subterranean level. 

Granted, lots of cranky bloggers can be interesting, entertaining, or provocative, and I have enjoyed reading them … but I also discovered that more is at stake as I write, create, and interact.

Grouchy people (bloggers or whoever) stifle my creative energy flow:
The fall out comes in terms of…

• problem solving,

• idea generation,

• interpersonal interaction,

• and the resolve to finish ideas all the way through.

It’s all become the higher priority for me rather than staying with the latest controversy or who-done-it tongue wagging.

A captive no more!

So, I unsubscribed to a bunch of writers who were routinely griping or negative. Sadly, I’ve found a number of Christian bloggers had to be cut from my list. They’re just not the cheery bunch you’d expect really. Some of them are quite popular, but oh well. It was a tough decision actually, but a good one…for me. Life-giving really.

I realize that maybe you’re different. Maybe the tit-for-tat cranky bloggers complete with their fiery commenters spark and enthuse your creative Muse. Do they? Maybe it’s their passion gives you a boost that you need to problem solve or unearth new ideas and projects, and carry them out.

But, does it? Really think about it:
After you read a rant post, or someone’s beef or complaint, and the string of ensuing comments, do you feel energized for your own work or creating your own unique art, or do you feel drained?

See, my creative Muse gets peeved. She distances herself from me, it seems. She finds a huff and leaves in it. Maybe out of embarrassment? Maybe out of frustration frustration? Maybe because it’s all so empty to be even a small part of what is ultimately fleeting and hallow. It’s beneath her. “She”…yeah sure…I suppose that might seem silly to personify my creativity… (and pull a classic Steven Pressfield).

Nevertheless, I just know full well now that a diet of reading that includes grouchiness creates a dead weight I’m not willing to drag along anymore.

Incidentally, I’ve found the same thing holds true regarding viewing cable news shows (humorous, provocative, or otherwise), political pundits, or too many advertisements. Again, that’s my experience. The return on investment (of my time) doesn’t warrant a close tie.

Cynicism puts a machete to the roots of your creative Source. 

 

Here’s the surprise ending:

Originally, I thought to myself,

“Okay. I’ll just unsubscribe to this and that, and then in the mornings when I read my email I won’t see the latest and I won’t get sucked in to read them. Sure, that’s the ticket. Then I won’t creatively derail. Yeah! I’ll just find them later, or check after a week, and see what I missed, if anything.”

You know what happened?

I didn’t even miss it. I stopped caring about the hype. I hardly ever went back. I stopped wondering if I was missing a controversy or some buzz about the interwebs. It didn’t matter. It was chaff. I just felt better and had more to give. Perhaps I felt “cured” of that honey trap.

TRY THIS:
Try a diet of without cranky bloggers for just one week. Don’t open the email, or unsubscribe for just a week, and see if it makes a difference in your life. See if it increases your ability to be creative and amazing.

I think it will, and I wish you all the best!

Thanks for reading.

I’d love to hear from you on the topic.