CREATIVE SUCCESS NEWSLETTER

Creative Success Newsletter, Number 53--March 2005

Welcome Subscribers

This free monthly newsletter goes to subscribers only. To be sure
that you receive it, please enter gail@creativesuccess.com into
your email address book.

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Survey Says...

If you have not yet filled out our brief Creative Results Survey,
we would love to have your input. As a thank you, we will send
you the article 14 Tips to Get You Unstuck, Unblocked, and Newly
Focused and Passionate About Your Creative Project or Process for
F*R*E*E*. This is the perfect article to jolt you out of
inaction! We will share the results in the next newsletter.

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Spring Store Sale

To celebrate the wonder of Springtime, we are having a sale on
Books, Tapes, and CD's until April 5th at Midnight! Many of these
products are limited editions and when they are gone, that's it.
If you've been waiting to buy yourself and your creative buddies
an action-oriented gift to help you and them to vision and
achieve goals and dreams, overcome self-doubt, or commit the time
and energy to a creative project or a desired change, now is the
time to do it! Buy a few and start a support group of like-minded
folks and do the self-awareness exercises together and celebrate
each other's progress!

Click on: http://www.creativesuccess.com/products/index.html

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A new Out on a Limb Creativity Club Teleclass in April

Join our new class with a brand-new mini-workbook and
visualizations beginning on April 5th. There are only 6 spaces
left and if you sign up and also sign-up a friend, we will give
you a 25% refund.

Click on: http://www.creativesuccess.com/specialprograms.html

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Success Strategy for Creative Souls #28: Creativity Improves your Health and Wellbeing

I met Nancy Monson a number of years ago when she interviewed me for an article in Woman's Day on creativity. She has since interviewed me for several major magazine articles and we have become great friends. Nancy is a very successful free-lance writer and has just published a new book called Craft to Heal: Soothing Your Soul with Sewing, Painting, and Other Pastimes (Hats Off Publishing, 2005). Crafting is a multibillion dollar business in America and over three-quarters of American households have at least one family member who spends an average of 7.5 hours weekly engaged in crafting or hobbies. Nancy's research highlights the fact that pursuing a hobby or craft can help relieve stress just as well as meditation, deep breathing, or other relaxation techniques. Unfortunately, many of us push creativity to the bottom of our To Do list, feeling guilty about doing something for ourselves or just relaxing. Mind-body research confirms that the creative arts are good for our hea
lth and our relationships, and that we no longer need to view leisure pursuits as self-indulgences. Nancy is an avid quilter and shares the story of her infamous "My Divorce Quilt: Through the Wringer" and its transformative healing power in her life.

According to Nancy, the psychological benefits of crafting
are that it:

*Relieves stress

*Helps you relax

*Distracts you from worries

*Gives you a feeling of achievement

*Raises your self-esteem

*Provides an opportunity to examine your inner feelings and
express them

*Boosts your mood

*Can be shared with others, like friends or children

America's most popular pastimes, as reported by the Hobby
Industry Association are, in order:

1) Cross stitch/embroidery

2) Crocheting

3) Apparel/fashion sewing

4) Home decor painting/accessories

5) Craft sewing

6) Cake decorating/cake making (my 7 year old niece loves
this one!)

7) Needlepoint/plastic canvas

Art/drawing

9) Floral arranging

10) Home decor sewing

11) Scrapbooking/memory crafts

In my work with clients, crafts are also a wonderful gateway to
new careers and businesses as well as a profound way to visually
work through personal and professional issues of risk-taking and
fear. As a painter, I know that I often use art to highlight
factors in a business decision or release toxic emotions. So, the
time you spend on your crafts can not only be joyful but a
catalyst for growth and illumination, as well as a stress-
reducer. If you've been putting off beginning or developing a
craft,or other creative pursuit, Nancy's book will spur you on!

Order the book from: http://www.nancymonson.com

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Creative Acts and Resources

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Women's History Month

I had the opportunity recently to sit next to Eve LaPlante at a French Tourist luncheon. Eve is the author of the acclaimed book American Jezebel: The Uncommon Life of Anne Hutchinson, The Woman Who Defied the Puritans (HarperSanFrancisco, 2004), which the Christian Science Monitor calls a best non-fiction book of 2004. Eve is a direct descendant of Anne, as is George W. Bush. In this fascinating biography, Eve illuminates some of the obstacles powerful women face if they threaten the established order. Anne was America's first feminist, career woman, and equal marital partner. This book is extremely well-written and most inspiring.

http://www.evelaplante.com

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Invaluable Business Info

Do you need help figuring out what your clients/customers want
and need from your business? Check out Beeliner Surveys, created
by my web designer, Amanda Trombley and team. It's easy to use
and will help you to target your market effectively. They offer a
free 30 day trial.

http://www.beeliner.com

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Creatively yours,

Gail McMeekin

Career, Creativity, and Life Choices Coaching, Consulting, and
Writing--Author of "The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women" and
"The Power of Positive Choices Package" and other inspiring
products and courses