Creative Zen Transitions

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January 1 ... Magical day of new beginnings! 
Every year we feel the allure of the fresh start that this day
brings. 
Whether we succeed or fail in our creative projects may not depend
on how strict we can be with ourselves and our New Year's
resolutions, but how forgiving. The truth is that the best of us
will likely not fulfill a vow to create daily. Why? Because life is
delightfully unpredictable and quirky ... and so are we! 
The ability to reach our creative goals this year depends primarily
on our ability to fall short one day, and begin again the next.
Rather than thinking of January 1 as a new beginning, maybe we
should think of it as a year full of new beginnings. 
It doesn't matter how many consecutive days we manage to create
before hitting that day when we don't, what matters is how many
times we are willing to begin again, as if nothing had happened.
What matters is not the occasional day when we don't create, but
increasing the number of days we do. The only way we can do that is
to release our vows, forgive ourselves, and begin creating again
the next day. 
What we need is a New Year's resolution that will allow us to
create sustainably, and with joy, not a sledgehammer to pound
ourselves with when life shows up in an unexpected way ... as it
always does from time to time! 

Creativity Spark:
Are you setting the bar so high on your New Year's resolution that
you are nearly guaranteed failure? 
Is there a way to introduce flexibility into this promise to
yourself, so that as your schedule changes you have the opportunity
to begin again without feeling like you've failed? 
Can you structure your commitment to your creative dreams in a way
that guarantees you will feel good about beginning again each day? 
Write up your creative intention for the new year today, and make
sure to include a way to feel good about using those new
beginnings. 
Then just ... begin, in some small way that feels good, that feels
sustainable. Create just a bit today, and feel wonderful about it.
Then, begin again tomorrow.
No stress, no expectations, just play around and enjoy your
creative time, even if it is only a few minutes on your lunch hour,
at night before bed, or first thing in the morning.
When the day comes when you don't create, don't beat yourself up.
Just begin creating again the next day. That's what new beginnings
are for!

About Caroline ...
Caroline coaches people who want to incorporate creativity into
their daily lives. By working on our creative projects, we are able
to transform our lives, and bring about a sense of peace and joy.
Creativity is also a wonderful way to navigate life's transitions.
For more information on individual and group coaching programs,
live and virtual retreats, and more resources to help you get going
on your creative projects with comfort and sustainability, please
visit our website at www.creativezentransitions.com
For insights on creativity and life in general, please visit the
blog, accessible through the website.

Zenspiration!
Caroline's podcast of creativity meditations will get you in the
right frame of mind to begin creating. They change every week, and
provide focused inspiration related to the current newsletter topic
... usually! Click on the link to listen ...
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/Wn6VGr6s