CREATIVE SUCCESS NEWSLETTER NUMBER 29 - January 15, 2003

CREATIVE SUCCESS NEWSLETTER
Gail McMeekin, LICSW
Career/Creativity Coach and Author
Mailto:gail@creativesuccess.com
http://www.CreativeSuccess.com
NUMBER 29 - January 15, 2003

SUCCESS STRATEGIES FOR CREATIVE SOULS SERIES

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WELCOME

We are now a community of 16, 000 subscribers and continuing to
grow. Welcome to our new series called Success Strategies for
Creative Souls. Each month we will engage with the dynamics of one
of 10 Creative Success strategies to help you to both vision and
achieve your creative goals and live a fulfilling life nurtured by
positive life choices that reflect your true essence!

To supplement your learning in this series, be sure and shop at
our webstore at http://www.creativesuccess.com. Our offerings are
the perfect choices to give you valuable insights, keep you
motivated, resolve chronic issues, de-stress your life, and
support your creativity and positive living. Treat yourself to a
New Year's present, as well as your friends and loved ones with
birthdays coming up.

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!!!!CREATIVE SUCCESS STORE PRODUCTS!!!! Check them out today!
http://www.creativesuccess.com/store/store.html
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The Power of Positive Choices Book

Positive Choices: From Stress to Serenity Audiotape Workshop with
Mini-Workbook

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women Book

The Kali Guide: A Directory of Resources for Women

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SUCCESS STRATEGY #2: SETTING AND EXECUTING PRIORITIES
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Last month, I asked you to define Personal and Heartfelt Success
and to come up with a symbol of what you are seeking in your life.
(If you are a new subscriber and missed this issue, go to the
newsletter archives at my website http://www.creativesuccess.com).
Many of us who are drawn to creativity have a gift for thinking of
a myriad of ideas. While this is an amazing talent, it can also be
incredibly overwhelming and lead to confusion and lack of focus.
Therefore, learning to let go of possibilities and PRIORITIZE what
is most important as well as realistic for that time-frame is an
essential Success Strategy. As a coach, helping people to vision
and prioritize is one of my primary roles. For example, how many
of you made a long list of New Years Resolutions? The stats are
not in your favor for accomplishing these resolutions. Most people
have failed by March.

Take a look at that resolution list again and your fantasies about
what you will accomplish this year and compare it to your Personal
and Heartfelt Success vision. What is most important for you in
terms of life fulfillment or your rendition of success for you
this year? Pick the top 3 goals and put the rest aside. I know
it's hard, but too much change at once compromises our ability to
achieve what we intend. Successful people know that pacing,
prioritizing, and clear decisions make all the difference in
results.

Can you write and sell a symphony, start a business, remodel your
entire downstairs, fix your marriage, start working with a
personal trainer, learn to fund-raise for a community
organization, and work on a remedial program for your struggling
ADD child all at once? Most likely not, unless you subtract sleep
and peace of mind from your days. You have to pick one recipeone
path and give it your all. Think of the year in 3 month quarters
of 12 week blocks and schedule your plan. If you don't actively
select a set of priorities, you will be writing down the same
goals next year. Commitment and focus are essential to support
your dreams.

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CHALLENGE
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1) For the next 30 days (until the next newsletter) select your 3
priorities and post them on your computer so you can see them
daily. For each priority, outline 3 steps and schedule them into
a specific time slot. For example, if your priority is to create a
new product, then step one may be to research similar products,
step two may be to build a prototype, and step three may be to
show it to five friends for feedback. This may not sound
glamorous, but it works.

2) As the month unfolds, notice if the priorities you have
selected to experiment with fit your Personal and Heartfelt
Success Plan. Do you have the right priorities or do you need to
change your action plan? Are you excited about what you are doing
or not? If you need to re-direct, that's okayit's all part of the
process. If you hadn't tried your first plan, then you wouldn't be
able to develop the second. Celebrate your learnings and begin
again. Don't quitkeep moving. The truth about your real
priorities will emerge!

3) What kind of support do you need to stay in the game when the
going gets tough? Share your plan with someone you trust and keep
yourself accountable.

FOR A COMPREHENSIVE ARTICLE ON TIME MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES, GO TO
MY WEBSITE AT http://www.creativesuccess.com AND CLICK ON ARTICLES
AND SELECT THE ARTICLE ENTITLED "SETTING AND EXECUTING
PRIORITIES". LEARN HOW TO BANISH TIME WASTERS, SET UP A TIME
MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, AND MANAGE A JOB SEARCH OR CAREER CHANGE.

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CREATIVE ACTS AND RESOURCES
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CALLING ALL WOMEN SCULPTORS

A Room of Her Own Foundation is offering a very generous grant for
woman sculptors to support their career goals and a specific
project. The application deadline is February 1st. For
information, go to their website at
http://www.aroomofherownfoundation.org . Good luck! I am honored
to be on their Advisory Council and will be presenting a workshop
at their summer retreat at Ghost Ranch in NM this summer.

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COOKING CAN BE FUN
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My friend and fellow Conari author Margie Lapanja has a new book
out called Romancing the Stove: Celebrated Recipes and Delicious
Fun for Every Kitchen Goddess. In this upbeat book , Margie
encourages you to "eat dessert first", create "charmed holidays,
and savor the entire experience. She is a fabulous story-teller
and a culinary wizard. Enjoy! You can order this book by calling
Red Wheel Weiser at 800-423-7087 or by email at
mailto:orders@redwheelweiser.com

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SHARE YOUR GRATITUDE
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Talented artist Rae Luskin has created a wonderful set of BLESSING
CARDS with the following instructions: "When you offer words of
gratitude or encouragement, you are giving a gift to that person,
the universe, and yourself. Share your BLESSING CARDS when someone
goes out of their way for you, does a great job, or helps you with
a smile. Make their day and your day special." Each card has a
message on it like "thank you for caring" and is adorned with gold
ribbon and Rae's lovely artwork. Order some and pass them out.
You can contact Rae at mailto:artandsoul1@yahoo.com to order your
set.

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FUEL YOUR CREATIVITY
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My creativity coaching colleague, Eric Maisel, has written a new
book called The Van Gogh Blues: The Creative Person's Path Through
Depression which is a finalist for the 2002 Books for a Better
Life Award. Eric has written prolifically about creativity,
including Fearless Creating and The Creativity Book, two of my
favorites. He also has a new 16-week email training for new
creativity coaches and a free monthly email newsletter which you
can subscribe to at his site http://www.ericmaisel.com. His email
address is mailto:ericmaisel@hotmail.com

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COME OUT OF HIDING
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Two other inspiring colleagues Jennifer Louden and Suzanne Falter-
Burns have created a 10 week tele-course called Coming Out of
Hiding which begins on Feb. 27th. They offer this quiz and a free
sample Coming Out of Hiding Field Guide:

"If you think you might be hiding from your full power in life,
take this simple quiz and check those that apply:

* There are things I want to do in life and I'll get to them. In
my nineties.

* I'd probably write the great American novel if I didn't have
television.

* I barely have time to feed my family, let alone my soul."

If this resonates for you, check out the Guide at
http://www.howmuchjoy.com/cohscreen.html and you can register for
the class at http://www.howmuchjoy.com/comeoutofhiding.html

Enjoy the momentum of possibilities in this new year, but
concentrate your energy!

Creatively yours,
Gail McMeekin