CP's Unleash Your Power of Creativity Workshop!

I'm so excited. I'm doing my Unleash Your Power of Creativity workshop Saturday, Sept. 21 at the Center for Spiritual Living - Lewis Clark Valley (Clarkston, Washington, on the border with Lewiston, Idaho). I've boiled down an 8-hour class into 3 hours .. quite the creative challenge!

It's going to be so memorable - Reverend David Robinson is inviting his parishioners and the townsfolk from Clarkston and Lewiston to come have fun tapping into and freeing themselves to discover just how creative they can be; to find their passion and actually start allowing themselves to pursue it, because mine is not a religious class.

I especially love working with people who come in insisting they are not at all creative, they just want to see how creative people do it, then leave knowing how to start doing what they've always secretly yearned to, but were afraid or didn't know quite how to approach it.

In addition to meeting and inspiring all the terrific people I'll be with - I'm also looking forward to spending quality time with the breathless scenery that area offers - oh, AND enjoying Reverend David's cooking!

Success and Failure

"I've learned that there is no such thing as success or failure - people actually fear both.

"If I do what I do with integrity and passion, whatever happens happens and it all leads to the next step.

"I tell the people I coach there's no such thing as good or bad, right or wrong when it comes to creativity in any endeavor. It either works or it doesn't work. If it doesn't work, figure out another way to get or do what you want. If it works? Build on that!" -- Colleen Patrick

To be creative, spill milk!

People afraid to make mistakes are frequently chastised as children for doing something "wrong" that is actually a normal activity.

When we're little, our bodies change daily.

Actually the body changes daily no matter what age we are.

But for young kids, an arm might be ten inches one day, and eleven the next. Thus, they must adjust to their appendage extension, but don't know it until they do something like spill a glass of milk.

Which can excite adults unnecessarily, causing them to raise their voices and make the kid feel as if he or she has done something bad, wrong, or frightening.

The result of this is that it can make the teenagers and adults they become leery of reaching out, of trying something for fear they would make a mistake for which they would be scolded or even punished.

So I have folks I coach spill milk.

I set a glass with a little milk in it on the floor in front of them. They sit in front of the plastic container as I announce I want them to push, punch, kick or topple the glass in some way.

They are *horrified.* Grown men, accomplished women, rebellious teenagers are all aghast at the thought of spilling something on purpose. All the times they were reprimanded for such actions that happened accidentally rush back to them with nightmarish speed.

I tell them, "Time to break out of anything that holds you back from breaking through your creative barriers. This is where it starts. Slam that glass to the floor, spill the milk. Because ... you can always clean up the milk after you've spilled it. That's the way to fix mistakes. You can clean up after yourself. You can learn from them.

But nothing should stop you from trying something you believe necessary to reach your goal. Remember Thomas Edison did not consider the previous 5,999 experiments "failures" before he finally broke through and created a working light bulb after experiment 6,000. He just considered them 5,999 experiments - each of which led to the next, that's all.

After they knock their glass over, the light pours in! "I feel so liberated!"

Then they clean the milk up, the floor is restored to pristine conditions, the glasses washed and put back in the cupboard.

They feel accomplished. Lighter. Ready to dig in and keep at it until they reach their creative or personal goals. They know if they go awry anywhere along the way, they can always clean it up, try again or do something else.

It's such a simple gesture, but carries with it amazing power to propel you forward and expand your horizons.

Spill away! Then, of course, clean it up.

(photo by radarxlove)

Getaway to arrive

I'm off to a writers' retreat for the weekend with members of my Master Writers' group.

We're going to our mentor's cabin out in the boonies (that's US slang for in the country, far from the city), hosting a large garden featuring a plethora of flowers and fruits and vegetables and other paraphernalia boasting beauty and great taste.

We're bringing bedding, food, drink, partners, children, dogs and .. writing.

I'm bringing my wee Pomeranian pup JR, who at 5 pounds needs to stick with me as closely as he normally does so the wildlife in the neighborhood doesn't consider him a tasty morsel.

Our group is significant, uncommon and exceptional. There are five members - each a gifted artist with a very different background, personality, goals and writing style. None of us is *anything* alike.

We meet every week, bringing something we've written, created, or a discovery about writing to share with the group for feedback or, more than likely, sheer enjoyment.

Interestingly, it was initially suggested that we invite several more people than just us because informal writers' groups are notorious for their dropout rates.

New people were, in fact, included. But for whatever reason, it seems to come down to us five. And for some reason, inexplicably, we always show up. Maybe it's just a habit, now.

With each meeting, our writing becomes sharper, keener; our artistic voices noticeably unique and increasingly clear.

There is no real "leader." Our original mentor is busy teaching another group at the same time, but he drops in on us at his break since we commandeered an empty room nearby to assemble. We consider ourselves, um, an "extension" self-study course.

One thing about writers. We tend to tell our truth. That's what it's all about for all artists, isn't it? Maybe that's what draws us to our gatherings. To hear what those truths are this week. What we have to share.

Sharing is the nature of the weekend. Sharing our families - whom we'll meet for the first time. Sharing food, fun, frivolity, festivities, fostering good will and creativity, mixed with a sip or two of humanity.

The sky will be clear, stars flickering, a new moon glowing.

Alone time. In The Zone time.

It's already memorable - at least in my mind. I can hardly wait to experience the real deal.