Change These 3 Things for a Happier, Creative Life

This is a repost from my friend Sally Evans' newsletter. I can't say enough good things about Sally! She is a wonderful creativity coach and helped me during a very difficult time in my life. Links to reach her are: http://www.embracingcreativity.com/ and Sally@EmbracingCreativity.com

Change These 3 Things for a Happier, Creative Life
Do you ever feel like you are on a roller coaster ride? One minute you feel like you have things figured out and are excited to start. And the next minute you lose focus or momentum and feel frustrated and unsure about what you want.

I notice that with myself, clients, and friends, that you usually do know what would make you happy.

The answers to what would make you happy and why are usually consistent with your values and the things that matter to you, which typically don’t change too much.

Most of the problems and challenges are in the HOW and THE WAY you go about getting what you want.

3 Blocks to Your Creativity, Success, and Happiness

I Don’t Know How, So There.
You may know what you want to accomplish but you don’t know how and it stops you in your tracks. End of story.

Another variation of this is to say, “I can’t because….” without exploring the possibilities.

Everyone has a learning process in figuring out how to do something and there is plenty of help out there.

Here are just a few ideas of where to start:

• Read a How to Book
• Research the Internet
• Take a Class
• Join a Group
• Get a Coach
• Find a Mentor
• Find someone who is doing something similar and study what they do.

There is never only one way to do things. You may come up with a creative solution if you give yourself a chance.

All or Nothing Thinking 
 Do you ever get caught up in feeling like there is only one way to be happy?

For example, some may feel like they will ONLY be happy if they make their living doing what they love.

It usually takes time and patience to make a full time living at what you love so you may want to start on the side until you get things going.

The way achieve your goal doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Do the things that you love in your life in various ways. You might do them for a living full time or part time, you might volunteer your expertise, you might do something just for fun.

Figure out ways to add more of what you love into your every day life.

The Only Thing that Matters is the End
Have you ever worked on something with such tunnel vision that when it was over, you only had a brief moment of happiness that you achieved your goal but realized you put the rest of your life on hold while you did it?

Your quality of life depends on how you spend your moments and days. It is important to have time for play, exploration, and fun. And who says you can’t do that and focus at the same time?

How can you make things easier? How can you make things more fun or enjoyable? Ask these questions over and over.


Sally Evans is a Creativity Coach, Artist, and Author. She inspires you to let go of your inner critic and to create the life you want by using your creativity.

Get your free copy of 9 Tips to Create a Life You Love, at http://EmbracingCreativity.com