The sea, the sea and a West Cork Calling..

‘I want to live by the sea, not die by the sea’.Sometimes you’ve just got to dive in. In diving you can’t but go under.It’s not what I had been expecting, the radio silence on my writing and creative output but that is exactly what’s happened. You see, I have been literally swimming in a world of newness.For years I have been talking about a vision of mine- to live in the countryside while running a creative school or venture. I always saw the sea and a dog by my side, yet it always seemed in the future. But as the years move on, I realise the future is now, and the future is not coming any sooner unless I act upon my dreams.It is such a hard thing to give up something that is going well for the risk of something better, deeper, that may or may not work. The questions and doubts are hard too- How will I sustain myself? Will I be lonely? What about my yoga classes? What about my friends? What if that dream was all but an illusion and I will come out the other end with no other dream.But my body knew. Back in January while on a retreat in the UK, it became clear to me that, for the sake of my very being, it was time to move and the time was soon. I did not feel ready but I knew intrinsically I had to immediately take action. There was a particular part of Ireland calling too; a place I knew well as a teenager, and a place which over the last few years had re-planted itself deep in my heart. West Cork.Once I made the decision it all happened pretty fast, which is often the case with these things.The day I returned from the UK I sent a message to one of the few people I knew living in West Cork, asking if she knew of any housesits available. She told me that they are hard to come by but then said that her mother was actually looking for a someone. So I immediately contacted her Mum, and yes, I could bring my dog, and yes I could borrow her car.It only took one email.Flow is a sign of the right course of action. This almost seemed too easy.But what about my room in Dublin? I sent an email to my friends wondering if anyone would be interested in subletting while I tested the Cork waters. Immediately I found someone.That only took one email too.So, ten weeks ago I found myself in Schull, West Cork, with a sea view and a dog by my side. This had been the dream for so long there were days I had to pinch myself. Has it really been that easy?Sometimes we can be led to believe that what we really are called to do is not the right thing unless it is hard and challenging. Yet this whole experience shows me that the ease is a signpost too. The ease is permission and a gateway. ‘Follow’, it says.Ten weeks ago I took that housesit in Schull, really knowing only one person in town. Now, ten weeks on, I find myself walking down the street constantly stopping to chat. One day I went out for milk and came home seven hours later- there was the milk, and then the many many many conversations I had with people along the way. They stop to say hello to Milly and then the conversation opens. It is that kind of place. People have time and space and it is leading to very interesting connections. I am not sure where they are heading, but what’s important is the time and space.There have been many surprises. I had thought in moving that I would have so much more time for writing, painting and new creative projects, but instead, the silence. Over these weeks there has been a lot of quite and a lot of listening. I have walked and walked and walked the coastline. I have listened to Spring turn into Summer and watched the clouds shift in an instant. The landscape offers its daily gifts. It is a landscape which thrills and embraces and it is a landscape which is alive and supportive. Even when the weather is bad it offers its wild intimacies and the unexpected turns of its stormy ways. The sea is in constant dialogue, the birds and wildlife too. It’s never a dull moment out there. The aliveness of it all envelopes and invites me into a deeper conversation too with my own particular wildness and aliveness. I indeed feel I am living by the sea.When I first left Dublin I knew it was a trial run of a bigger and more substantial move. Ten weeks on, the housesit is over but I’m still here. I’ve a new friend has kindly offered to let me stay with her from the summer and am looking for a longer term house, trusting that the right one is out there for me. I gave notice on my house in Dublin and packed my bags last week. I’ll miss my yoga classes, and my friends, and all the good things that Dublin has to offer, but I knew I just had to leap.And so in the time and space, another aspect of that long held dream has evolved, with relative ease too. I launched Thrive School, and with a bit of marketing effort and conversations with people interested, it is now up and running and fully subscribed. The flow was there, telling me to keep on moving and developing it.  And so, with such gladness, I can say that my vision of the school is alive and evolving too. My plan is to launch Thrive School again in Dublin in the Autumn and a new class in Cork too. How exciting is that!Diving in, I’m sinking deeper into beingness, into an exploration of what it means to track a dream. I feel lucky, so very lucky, to have the sea and my little dog by my side, and how can I ever be lonely with the wildness outside and the bit of wildness I am rediscovering inside too.To be continued… 

Thrive School is here!

 From the age of about 12 I've had notions to set up an alternative kind of school. It would be a place of learning, but not traditionally. It would be a place where we could bring our whole selves- our head, hearts and hopes. It would be a place of skill building, and a place of strong community. That dream has taken several iterations over the years and now is emerging in real time, big time. It is a dream which is born from experience and born with the deep desire to serve others on their own creative and entrepreneurial paths.And so, with this message I welcome Thrive School into the world. (I am launching this on my birthday too- a day I have always cherished as I shared it with my father's birthday also- so it feels extra special!)Thrive school is a different kind of school- one for dreamers, creatives, entrepreneurs, start-up-ers or people who really want to make a difference. It is about doing business, and life as unusual and giving us the support we need along our undulating journey.I have been a freelancer/ soletrader for over 8 years now. It has been a journey full of learning, adventure, failure, progress and challenge. I have had huge highs and huge lows through it all and there have been so many times when I have wanted to give up because it felt too lonely or too difficult.  One thing I know for sure is that I would not be doing what I am doing without the support of friends and a network of other creative and entrepreneurs globally who lend support and advice. Their input has been invaluable.The kind of learning which we need to create a life we thrive through I know can be accelerated with the right structure, people, resources and community around us. Thrive School is that- a place to connect and learn from others on their entrepreneurial journey, and hone valuable personal and professional skills along the way.Before Christmas I reached out to my network and asked what they were seeking.  Above all, people wanted a place to gather, connect, learn and find in-person support, which I know is so necessary and vital when working alone. And so I realised it was time for Thrive School to emerge.We start on 17th May! Thrive School Dublin will take place from May- Oct (with a summer break built in).  It combines an in-person gathering once a month with an online learning component packed full of resources and tools. There will be an internal accountability support as part of the programme and it includes a private one to one coaching package for each individual who unrolls.This is going to be very very special…I am delighted to be teaming up with Emmet Condon from Homebeat and Cafe Thirty Four, who has offered his beautiful cafe space to be our Dublin HQ, and also very excited to welcome to the team Claire Faithorn, a fellow coach and current programme manager for the Suas Volunteer and Leadership programme- she is a bright star and brings such fresh energy and insight to the process.Want to join? Read more over here, come along to our open evening on May 3rd or drop me a message.Know you are ready you apply? Application form is here and applications are now open. Application deadline is Tues 10th May.It's time to Thrive!  

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Let go to let come

 Expectations aren’t always met. What we think we need can be rattled into what we actually need, and this weekend I was rattled.There were five of us. A small but potent elixir, gathered around a fire, to convene with our business ideas, unravel a problem or challenge and see if our collective mind can shed some light on the issues.The cottage was the essence of quaint, buried in the Cotswolds, complete with adjacent stream and interior design straight out of a country living magazine.  Outside horses trotted by and a flurry of springer spaniels had the look of pheasant in their eyes. This was hunting territory and I too had entered with my hunter mantle on. I was in search of direction, focus and answers- clear, direct and fast ones.We were all women, each with our own businesses who wants the best for ourselves and those around us. There was a very healthy dose of entrepreneurialism in the mix, but what surprised me, a raw, rich and at times a radically cutting honesty also. It is so easy to hide our true selves from each other but somehow that was not available this weekend. Good thing though that giggles helped to ease the edges. We called it #ladybossretreat but in so many ways we weren’t retreating from anything. When we take some time out and when the questions are right and the conditions are safe, what we need to see gets amplified.For all of us, our choice to run our own businesses is a choice too to plot our own path, but being the boss of ‘moi’ is not without its challenges. When working alone we don’t always see what we need to see and we need need others to help us look around the corners.Over the weekend, Sas was driving one of those hybrid cars with a fancy rear camera which beebs when you are about to hit something or are close to a corner. The closer you are, the louder the beep. The metaphor strikes me as apt. Without the rear view, you can do the manoeuvring but it is tricker and the risk is higher. It can take more time and be more frustrating. But while the beep can be annoying at times, it can speed up the process. The things around you tend to say intact too. Which in a way is what coaching is like- someone who has ‘got your back’, offers an appropriate beep and guides you to a safe and faster path. We sat around the fire and visioned. We called in the future and questioned how were are in alignment now with that vision. Then the was the literal, ritualistic burning of some limiting beliefs and then the calling in of the things we need to take us there. Over the course of the weekend my own buttons were pressed on several occasions. I did not want to hear the beeps, especially the warning ones. But I know they were offered with love.As I returned home, the hunter in me lies dormant. I did not hunt down anything in fact, because in the way the realisations were in me all along, my body knows and it just took some space and beeping to get me to listen. I come away like a spaniel though, with a different wag in my tail, a slighted altered course and an insight into myself which I had not expected just a few days ago. As for strategic plans and financial maps? Well.. they will have to evolve, but now on a slightly different track. And as for my dawning it was a deep sense that I need to let go in order to let come. We exhale to inhale. We ebb to flow again. It is all part of the cycle and the unfolding. It is all part of the real hunt. (Thank you to Sas, Tamsyn, Dee and Shauna who were my #ladyboss companions, fellow beepers and retreaters. Onwards, to us all… ) 

Learning to Ringmaster.

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Being a creative or social entrepreneur is akin to circus performance. You are learning to balance on tightropes as you juggle all your plates. Sometimes you feel like a bit of a clown as you put ideas out into the world not knowing if people will laugh or cry. Then there is the jumping through loops and hoops as you preform miraculous acts holding on by the skin of your teeth. Not to mention battling all the lions and tigers which enter the arena and the acrobatics you have to do with limited resources. And there you find yourself as ringmaster learning to co-ordinate it all with flair while selling tickets at the same time. Yes, a circus.Am I mad, I ask myself? There are frequent moments when I wonder why I ran away with the circus. Shouldn’t I just get a proper job and when did lion taming become part of my remit? But once in the arena there is a charm and a huge sense of gratification which keeps you showing up again and again.Brene Brown speaks about the power of being in the arena in her recent book, Daring Greatly and hinges inspiration on this quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man*who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

(*or woman, obviously)The arena, I have learned, while a place of daring and rich learning, can also be a lonely and a hard place too. There are so many times I have wanted to leave but only with the support of friends, mentors, coaches and leadership training have I been able to stick it out. And I am glad I am here.  It is through the strength of support and having people to bounce ideas around and who offer insights into my blind spots that I have been able evolve and keep learning. Which is how my own coaching offerings have grown and why I am doing the work I am doing. I believe in the arena and I believe it doesn't have to be such a lonely place. Creative coaching is a whole array of tools and processes I have developed and use for working in the circus (metaphorically of course). From visioning exercises, to branding and communications strategy I offer one to one support to keep you thriving in the arena. It is like having an accountability buddy to keep you on track and a fellow ringmaster to help co-ordinate a masterful performance. I’ve been working with a wonderful woman recently called Sharon Green, who runs a company called Queens of Neon. Sharon shared some words recently which captures some of the creative coaching process:

I have been feeling my way along for a very long time, taking creative projects that come to me through word of mouth and throwing myself into them whole heartedly.But I always wonder how I can get more of the projects that I love, how do I word my website properly to reach out to clients that have the projects that really make me tick. I was recommended Clare by a friend and she all at once made sense of my confusion. She made me see that it is a waste of my energy always trying to change the copy on my website until I understand what my dream and my vision is. To start back at the beginning feels very freeing and exciting.She asks the right questions and listens intently picking out the words and phrases that make sense and always paying attention on an energy level so notices when things excite you. She helps you see your dream scenario and gives you structure and homework to help manifest it. In my case she is also bringing me out from the shadows to feature prominently on my website, honing in to what it is that makes my business unique and that is me. Its true therapy for the creative business person. I would highly recommend Clare to anyone, who like me, feels like they are close to filling their true potential but for reasons just can't seem to just get there.

Pow! Thank you Sharon.So if, like Sharon, you have big visions, creative goals, dreams of possibility but you would like some support to help clarify your direction, perhaps some creative coaching is for you. I offer a number of tailored packages. You can find out more over here. If this sparks interest, I offer a free 20 minute Skype call where we can figure if we are a fit for each other and what areas of the arena to focus on so that 2016 will bring you closer to it all.May the games commence… (*insert circus theme tune!)END of circus analogy now, I promise!..The above photo was taken in Cambodia at a circus I went to. I had totally forgotten about this image until I used the new 'Camera Roll' feature on flickr. AMAZING. Any flickr users still out there? This tool is amazing...

Creative Islander: Charmaine Kenny

 The Creative Islanders is a new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively, Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

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I first met Charmaine Kenny about 10 years ago when she volunteered for Suas in India (I was working with the charity at the time). She stood out then, as she stands out now; with a brilliant mind (she was a Scholar in Trinity), fiery ambition, and a big and beautiful heart which warms any encounter. One of her targets back then was to raise 3k for Suas. Charmaine raised at least 12k through a clever auction in her hometown of Athy, and by enlisting all the help she could from friends and family-  in abundance. For Charmaine is someone you just really want to support because no matter what she does, she does it with passion, intellect, charm, humour and a fine innate grace.When her boyfriend, now husband, entered her into the Rose of Tralee a few years ago we all knew she would win. How could she not? And so she did, which led to a wild year of travel around the world representing Ireland. It was then that the seeds of her current project were planted. Since then she has coupled her experience with an MBA from Standford University and has now been led back to Ireland to develop her own business- The Irish Workshop, a new online marketplace to showcase, promote and sell Irish art and craft internationally in collaboration with her business partner Fearghal Mulvihill.By her own admission Charmaine does not term herself ‘creative’. But if creativity is innovation, and if creativity is having an idea, surmounting challenges, finding ways around obstacles, and seeing that idea through to fruition, then Charmaine epitomises it. And I think it is so brilliant to see people like Charmaine taking root in Ireland. She is ridiculously smart and with a strong business focus and rooted values, I have no doubt her new venture will be successful and will open international doors for many more of the traditionally deemed ‘creatives’ in Ireland. It is early days yet for them (they just launched last month), but so great to see such platforms being developed and who knows where it may lead too...As you can see, I am a huge Charmaine fan and so am delighted to introduce you to Creative Islander, Charmaine Kenny…What keeps you in Ireland? My grandfather calls me the wild bird. I fly off for periods of time but always find my way home. I’ve lived abroad in London and California, but Ireland always calls. The people call, the community calls, the humour calls, the outdoors call. I love that I can live close to the heart of a bustling city yet only be a 20 minute walk to the sea and a 20 minute bike ride to the mountains. I love that I can drive home to my hometown in an hour. I love that I bump into people I know randomly on Dublin’s streets.What makes you tick? What motivates you? Steep learning curves. When I’m not learning, I’m bored. As child growing up, bored was a word that was banned from our home. The use of the phrase “I’m bored” was nearly considered worse than swearing! Our parents always said that bored meant that there is nothing to do, but went on to explain that that’s impossible, because there is always something to do and if we couldn’t think of something to do, they’d give us something to do (this usually involved picking stones off the lawn, mowing the grass, or working the bog). And so, I’ve learned to make sure that I don’t get bored – maybe out of fear of someone else giving me a job to do! When my learning curve begins to flatten, it’s time to make a change.

Real Turf Fire Candle by The Bearded Candle Makers

What do you do just for the love of it? Walking for miles and miles. Sending nice greeting cards. Wednesday date nights with my husband. Working on The Irish Workshop (genuinely).What does the creative process teach you? This is where I begin to feel an imposter. The truth is that I am surrounded by people who live, breathe, and exude creativity – that is the 60 makers that are our partners on The Irish Workshop. But I don’t necessarily associate the word “creative” with myself. I suppose building The Irish Workshop has pulled us through a creative process, and this has taught me to unearth talents I didn’t know I had, accept that it’s ok to lean on the people around me for support, and to become more patient for results.Why do you do what you do?I’m passionate about craft and about Ireland – I get real energy from discovering and seeing the incredible work the makers, designers and artists of Ireland are producing. I’m fascinated by consumer psychology and using data to guide how we can influence shoppers. And I’m rooted to a core value of fairness. The Irish Workshop pulls these three things together: we are creating a fairer way for small creative Irish businesses to get their work into the hands of shoppers.How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools? I usually get unstuck by emptying my head of all its noise. And the only way I’ve found to do this is by doing high intensity cardio exercise;  exercise that requires so much energy that I have to give it everything, concentrating so much on moving my body, that I let go of what’s in my noisey head. A series of good spinning classes usually does the trick. But of course, when I’m stuck, going to a spin class is the last thing that I want to do!

Blue Rose Collar by Aine McConnell

Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems? I find a lot of inspiration from other people – hearing their stories often makes me realise that they aren’t too different to me and that I can also achieve. My old classmates from Stanford University are a source of inspiration for sure. It is an incredible bunch of people and I felt like a fraud in their midst for the two years that we did our MBA. There is a strong entrepreneurial spirit in the class, and in the last year many of them have launched companies ranging from biowearable sensors for athletes, a subscription of artisanal teas from around the world, back-office operations for dental practices, and smarter mobile deep linking technology. Only yesterday I received an email from another classmate who is creating a line of dolls whose characters are smart, ambitious, and opinionated. I love their drive, their ambition, but most of all their sincere attitude of believing that they can change the world.How do you get through tough times? What sustains you? A Stanford professor once said to us that “regret for what you’ve done is tempered with time, but regret for what you have not done is inconsolable”. This deeply resonated with me. I know that if I didn’t try my hand at creating a business, a piece of my soul would mourn forever. It is during the tough times that doubt can creep in and make you question why we’re doing what it is that we’re doing. Reminding myself of this quote helps me get through the tough times, and when I get a more permanent office this quote will be framed above my desk – currently I have the quote scribbled on a sticky note stuck to my computer screen! 

James Joyce by Vincent Keeling

What key lessons have your learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way? What have you learned from your 'failures'? I used to get really disappointed when a maker I was excited about didn’t want to list on The Irish Workshop. I found it difficult to understand why because if they sold through us they retained 80% of the sales price (versus <50% in ordinary retail), we don’t charge signup or listing fess (so no financial risk) and we are giving them a window into international markets where they didn’t have a presence at all. In my head, it was a no-brainer. Now, I view it differently – the disappointment gets replaced with energy. It’s as if they have thrown down the gauntlet to us to prove ourselves worthy of their time and their work. I am happy to take on that challenge!Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals?I listen to the radio. I like how efficient it is; I can get up to speed on world news as I brush my teeth. I don’t like to leave the house without having a fresh smoothie. I can be a bit of a workaholic so I have a little mantra that says “do two nice things for your body every day” –  these things can be having that fresh smoothie in the morning, getting some exercise, eating extra healthily. They can be little things like walking further to get my lunch so that I can just move. The little mantra makes me measure albeit in a pretty crude way if I’m taking care of myself.What advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path? I’m a natural introvert so I’m happy in my own company but I wish that someone had told me how lonely starting out can be unless you consciously check that you have daily human interaction. I remember when I first kicked off research from which The Irish Workshop was born; my husband would arrive home in the evening to be greeted with a 20 minute burst of non-stop chatter because I may not have spoken to anyone else that day!And what advice would you give to your future self? I sometimes look back at things I have done and things I have achieved and think “how the hell did I do that?”. I think that as we get older we become more risk averse and that can put constraints on our dreams. I advise my future self to not only assess the practical/logical risks but to also assess the risks in giving up dreams.

Peek a Mooh by Kelly Hood

What is coming up next for you? The Irish Workshop has my 100% attention for now. Working closely with my business partner, Fearghal Mulvihill, we will continue to focus on building out our community of makers to offer shoppers a richer product range. We will continue to partner with makers who take pride in their work, who are ambitious to grow their creative businesses, and whose products have a strong Irish narrative. In parallel, we will put considerable efforts into building up our customer base and experiment with different marketing channels – so many ideas, so little time! 

Lynchmob Hats by Davina Lynch

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And again, the link to The Irish Workshop - just in time for Christmas! Thank you Charmaine  x

Creative Islander: Naomi Fein

Photo: Clare Mulvany

The Creative Islanders is a new interview series showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest creative talent and enterprise. It is about people who are stepping into their dreams, purpose and possibilities and embracing their one wild life. The interviews give a rare ‘behind the scenes’ glimpse into creative practice, motivations and mindsets- shining a light on what makes people tick, and how, collectively, Ireland is alive with creative possibility.

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I first met Naomi about five years ago at a dinner in Cork. I remember her telling me about her move to Ireland from Israel and her love for animation. At the time she was teaching animations skills to kids. Next time I met her, she spoke to me about an idea for a business, and boom, before I knew it Think Visual was born and booming. Naomi Fein is certainly one to run with an idea, but as she will say herself, it has taken passion, perseverance and a whole lot of trial and error.

Think Visual, based in Cork, is a visual design consultancy offering graphic recording, harvesting, and visual tools for making knowledge actionable, shareable and memorable. In a world of so much data and stimuli, Naomi is always seeking ways to make information more accessible and meaningful. How can complex problems be solved when the information about those issues is presented in complex ways?. It is questions like this which drive her business.

One of the many things I admire about Naomi is her willingness to try things out and learn by doing.  So while she has this natural instinct for creative entrepreneurship, she also knows that the skills can be developed and all the more when you surround yourself with excellent mentors and colleagues.

A couple of weeks ago Naomi and I met in The National Gallery of Ireland. She talked, I took notes, and together this interview was born....

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What keeps you in Ireland? Space. It is the outside space; the fact that I can lift my head and see green and sky. I did not have this in Israel. And it is the personal space which people give you. In Israel people do not give each other so much internal space- so people enter into each other’s mental space/ emotional space all the time, and I think in Ireland we give more room to each other.And the friendliness here. Simply put, the people are nice, and it is a pleasant experience to interact. 

Graphic by Naomi Fein

What makes you tick? What motivates you? Seeing my colleagues grow- I get so much energy from that. So when you see someone take a confident step and own their learning is inspiring and motivating. Like Gracie, who came to Think Visual as an admin, and is now designing and delivering programmes, and is proud of her work. It is mindblowing, and something I am proud of too.Think Visual is where I am focusing me creative energy at the moment, and it is building connections, real connection, with people. That motivates me too. I love supporting people to find their potential and clarity. When people have clarity of vision, you can see results in their outlook and actions- I love that. I just want to use all my skills and gifts and try to have a positive impact on the world. I suppose that it the true motivation.What do you do just for the love of it? I draw. I actually can’t stop. Like right now, I am on the iPad. I draw a lot! I listen to stories too- podcasts. And I talk business. I absolutely love it- chatting to people about what they really want. I want to hear their dreams.

Image: Naomi Fein on Paper App from Studi0 53

What does the creative process teach you? Slowing down is really important, and if you build a good base it comes. So for example, asking a lot of questions in the beginning and not jumping into the making too fast is so important. There is always the urge to jump into an idea, but the creative process has taught me to ask the right questions, poke around in the corners and then let things fall into place naturally and effortlessly.Listening to yourself and the feedback which is coming back to you is also really important. There are many signs which are very subtle but if you know how to listen to them you get a feeling of when you are off or when it needs refining. So it is working with your whole experience- a body sensation, or feeling, or a word which keeps coming back to you. It can even be the breathing of the person next to you. So constantly listening to the feedback which is coming can teach you so much.How does taking a creative approach to running your own business influence you? I am a fan of the collaborative approach. Creativity is not exclusive. There is magic when you celebrate that creativity to come from all people- whether they are labelled ‘creative’ or not. So, the engineer in a meeting, or the accountant, may come up with the best solution- but you need to be willing to listen for that. So it is a partnership approach. People are intrinsically creative.I always wanted to play in a band, and now this is how work feels for me. We are all the instruments and the music or magic is in the interaction between all the diverse elements.Why do you do what you do?I want to have global influence. It is a feeling I have had since childhood. I live in the big picture, and have a global perspective. I really want to play my part and have a good time on the way. I love connecting with like minded people and people who want to use their power and passion and gifts.  Connecting to people who feel powerful and working together- it just feels so right. What were some of the key moments along your own journey that helped you to get where you are today?The things which come to my mind are the darkest moments. Feeling totally isolated, being in a severe depressed and anxious place but finding that I could find my way out of it. So there are not specific moments, but  I have had this mental shift to know that I can survive. I found a way to get out of that dark place.I did have one moment which really informed this though. I was 21. I was in India and suddenly I felt that everything is OK and I don’t need to do anything. I realised that I did not have to fix the problem, instead I was able to just feel that there is a bigger picture, bigger than my personal story. That is a base or foundational moment that I go back to. Interestingly I was not practicing meditation at the time- it was quite spontaneous and I was not looking for it. In fact I felt that I had been working really hard up that moment, but in that moment it was effortless. It was not passive but I knew that if I let the reins go, I can be part of whatever is happening without stressing about it. I had a sense of flow and the kind of energy it takes to sustain it. It does not mean I can’t work hard- I am working very hard- but it not in a forceful way. If I feel I have to push something, I know it is just not the way it should be.So, in essence, if you are not enjoying it- find another way to do it!How do you get unstuck? Any secret tools? I talk! I am extroverted thinker and I need to hear myself talk about the issues or the stuckness. So I look for people I can learn from. Who has done it before? Who has connected to this? If the problem is a visual thing, I look at other people’s work. I look for something that has inspired me. Pinterest boards, google searches, Paper App. I assume that someone has tried to solve that problem before and then I ask for help.I start with ‘What am I really looking to do?’. If I am stuck, there is something lacking clarity. I use this approach with my clients or colleagues too, asking, ‘What part of the process are you stuck on? Are you jumping steps?’ So it helps to reflect on the process and ask if you are missing information or starting at the right point.

Photo: Clare Mulvany

Where do you find inspiration? Any hidden gems?Pinterest. Ira Glass! (Oh my god!)I really love Anna Sale from Death, Sex and Money podcast. Visual wise- paper app of Studio 53I have really good colleagues. Eleanor, Gracie, Alfreod, the Georges (we have two!) and Carol are an endless source of inspiration, each one in their unique way.My brother and my sister.I also love a Mexican artist Ado Crusher I found recently online.Carol Dwek (Mindset)Dan & Chip Heath - they write about business books, they talk about what makes stories stick and how you make sustainable change with people and decision making.The 5th Discipline with Peter Senge. And my grandma - she is remarkable. She is an artist and creative person. She is 95 - she can’t really see or hear well but she just redesigned the guest room. She re-painted the door to suit the new design, the mattress was too big for the room for bed, so she cut it. There was a hole in the wall so she got cement and fixed it. She is an innovator - and even though she is house bound, she always finds a way. She has such a positive outlooks.There’s inspiration all around us! Having a positive outlook is a thread linking all these…What key lessons have your learned about doing business or being a creative practitioner along the way ? What have you learned from your 'failures'? So many! That is a whole new blog.I just gave a talk on it!The biggest learning in the business is managing people. I have had to let go of so many people because it just wasn’t working out. But I have been learning to take small successful steps. Small successful steps- they are key.As a creative person I can see an idea, and people invest their emotions and energy into that idea.  But I have learned that you need to test the ground, and do it in a safe way so that you take calculated risks together… so small and successful steps. Then you build on each small successful step and evaluate as you go. Is it working for you? What are you learning? How can we do better? Are we each taking responsibility for our actions? I believe in supporting people in the right place so that they can set goals which are attainable and build upon that. Do you have a morning routine? Or other creative habits or rituals? I am bad in routine! I think it is because I live a lot in my head. But when I am more in my body I am more inclined to keep a routine. But I do walk with my dog every morning in nature. Most of the time I will listen to a podcast and get my dose of stories for the day.What advice do you wish you had received as you were stepping onto your own creative path? Be kind to yourself. It means slowing down. It doesn’t have to be painful. If it started with ‘I have to scratch my wounds, I have to bleed, you have to be a starving artist’. That is bullshit! It is not true… we can enjoy the process and it does not have to be all pain.What is coming up next for you? This year has been about finding the team- finding my colleagues.What’s coming us is taking us as a group to the next stage. It is interesting place because I don’t have a strong vision for the company but it feels so full of opportunity but we are going on a journey together. We are planning our first big party! I am really looking forward to seeing what will come for us.There is something that became more quite for me personally too, and I am meeting people at a deeper place. I am settling. I don’t have itchy feet. I don’t know exactly what is emerging, but I am looking forward to  finding out. It feels good quality so I am not worried. I know I am attracting the right people around me, and what they bring is good.. and everything else will be OK.Although recently winning the Business Woman of The Year award was great! We are getting good feedback… and people have been so kind and heartwarming and supportive. It is empowering! Very empowering… 

....

Who would you like to see interviewed here on Creative Islanders? 

Got suggestions? Please leave a comment below. 

Clare. x

Blessed Momentum

 There are days when it is hard to stay motivated in business, and in life.As a freelancer, juggling many projects, with so much up and down, things can get messy. It is an ever fine tightrope walking between feeling the upward swing or edging into a downward spiral. And so often we are led to think that business, and life, is a linear process. But is so not.In fact the more I do business, and life, the more I realise it is clearly not so. Labyrinths seem more appropriate images to enlist and yet still we are continually barraged into thinking in linear patterns: growth, scale, expand, produce, exceed; growth, scale, expand, produce, exceed, succeed. Again.But the labyrinth has led me elsewhere.Having launched this website earlier this year, alongside a new business- Zen Hen-, while also keeping my photography business, yoga classes and my own art and yoga practices on the go, by August a deep part of myself just needed to wander. I headed out to the West of Ireland, and then to Morocco and Turkey. It was magical. It was filled with love and connection. My eyes landed on newness. It was abounding in beauty and elegance. I am so glad I went.But coming back into the flow of daily life here, things need my attention. So many things. And all week I have been almost paralysed by the sense and scale of it. ‘What next to do’? I have had the guilt trip, kicking myself for feeling I let my foot off the pedal.But that serves no one; not me, or not you, dear readers, dear friends.The fierce reality of all of this entrepreneurial lark is I am still figuring it out- how to run my own business while not running out of steam, how to keep finances in flow so that I too can thrive, how to deeply serve the needs of my clients from a place of integrity, love and openess. This is a work in progress. I am a work in progress. We all are.And so the learning is in this process too, and so we must proceed.  I believe in honesty and truth telling, which is why I am sharing this now. So lovely folks, I don’t have a Creative Islanders interview for you this week and I don't have my new e-course ready to launch yet either (which I had planned for a Monday start)… But I know they are coming. Why? Because they are in my heart, because they have energy of their own, because I know they are serving a need, and I know they want to emerge. I’ll get there. I know I will. It is just taking me a little longer than I originally hoped. And so I’d love for you to bear with me while I figure out how to steer this ship.The funny thing about labyrinths is that just when you think you have reached a dead end you turn a corner to realise you are right at the centre of things, into the heart of what matters, and you were never actually that far from it in the first place. The entrance and the centre have a proximity which the path belies.So often we look at other people in business, in life, and think that they have it all figured out and that things come so easily for them. I am as guilty of this as others- looking at my own role models and wishing, wishing… but behind the scenes we are all struggling with what we need to learn; our challenges lead us to our growth areas, our labyrinthal path is our very own training ground; tailor made to meet our own twisting and turning trajectory.It turns are that we are really all just seeking our way to the heart of things. And so I am grateful. Yes, grateful for it all. For this opportunity, for the not knowing, for the knowing, for the detours and mostly for the people I meet along the way.In fact, each morning as I wake up and put my feet on the ground, I say to myself, ‘I am grateful for this day’. Even on the days that are hard, even on the days that I want to turn in on myself, ‘I am grateful’. That alone helps to start the day on better footing. ‘Whatever comes, I am grateful for this day’.It took me about a month to make this little act a habit but it feels like it is there now- the moment my feet touch the ground, ‘I am grateful for this day’.  And that feels like a good place to begin, with pause, with gratitude for it all, over and over and over again. So I can take myself by the hand an lead myself to the next step, and then the glorious next step. For this is the labyrinth of life continuing with its own blessed momentum towards the heart of the matter. Always.

The Danger of Until...

So often we put our plans on hold. Our dreams on hold. Our creative impulses on hold. Our lives on hold. 'Until I practice more', 'Until I loose a few more pounds', 'Until it is perfect', 'Until I am ready', 'Until they say I am ready'.

Until is a dangerous word.

Most of the time I don't feel ready. I usually wish I had more time to practice. Most of the time it doesn't feel quite good enough. I always want to loose those few pounds. I don't actually know who 'they' are. But I am tired of waiting until.

I have found that 'until' actually stifles creative energy and clogs us up until something in us needs to burst, and sometimes it bursts in destructive ways. To even hold the energy of 'until' takes energy. It takes energy not to create and dream. It takes energy wishing those pounds away. And it takes so much time waiting for the right time.

I learned a very big lesson about 'until' last week. For several years I have been thinking of teaching online. I looked a LOTS of different courses. I did some. I thought about structure and format. I over thought about structure and format. I looked at more courses. I got overwhelmed with it all. 'Until I have more subscribers, until my new site is ready, until I feel I am ready' Until, until, until. A few years passed (yes, years).

This year however I knew it was time to take a leap. When designing my new website, a space was incorporated for online learning. I had courses in mind and a rough sense of how to get them out into the world. But I did not feel quite ready. Additionally, with all the comings and goings this year, by the end of July I had a deep sense of needing to step away from a screen in order to recalibrate. A holiday was being called out. The break was needed and wonderful but when I got back home it left me with little time to launch and promote the course. It was just a week to go before the date I had originally announced. Was I mad? All the advice had said I needed six weeks...

'Ah maybe I will wait until December'

'Maybe I will wait until more people have signed up to my newsletter'

'Perhaps I will just hold off until I feel there is more time to prepare'

Until was back, dangling what could be easily seen as procrastination or laziness right in front of my face. I was so close to not continuing. The night before I was launching it, I was so so so nearly pulling it. Until was teasing me with ugly excuses.

Luckily something within begged me to knock on the door of until, asking was it was trying to tell me. I knew I had been thinking about this for a long time, and I knew that teaching is a big part of my business plan moving forwards. When I questioned 'until' two things popped. Firstly, I realised I was afraid that the technology for the online teaching wouldn't work for me, but mostly I was afraid that nobody would sign up. Fear. That was it. Big, juicy, daunting fear. 'Until' had simply masked itself.

When I saw 'until' for what it was, I knew I had to leap and pull off its mask. It was indeed time to put the course out there and show up to the work. If no one signed up to the course, at least I had tried.

The leap is leverage.

And guess what, people did sign up. Not in droves but enough that it felt like a healthy contingent and a brilliant start. There were people living in Ireland, USA, The Netherlands, UK, and even as far away as Tazmania. How amazing is that! Plus I loved the experience. I loved creating the videos and audio recordings. I loved reading responses and connecting with participants and seeing them connect with each other. Here was a space, carved on the internet, for people to connect to themselves, their visions, build new skills and engage with others. What a privilege for me to get to do this work.

'Until' would have extinguished all of that.

The leap has fueled me with added determination and a relief that I knocked on that door. Now I just need to keep knocking, keep listening and keep showing up to the work. For the work wants life, and life needs life to live through.

So what are you waiting for? Where is until in your life? And what is it really saying?

Knock on its door... I suspect you will get an interesting, leveraging, response.

Say No for Your Bigger Yes

No. Only two little letters but pack a powerful punch. Learning to deliver them with grace, tact, wisdom and strategy is quite the challenge though. But No is essential to give rise to a bigger Yes. And when I say bigger Yes, I mean the big dream, the fuller view, the longer term, the core of what makes you come alive.

'No' is a portal to the realm of your possible.

Over the years I've had an undulating relationship with yes, and as a corollary, to no. When I first started as a freelancer I said yes to pretty much everything. Yes was experience, and yes came with the incredulity that people wanted to pay me for my work. That was great, for a time, and led to many an adventure, but yes also led me to stretch myself thin, not focus enough and keep putting off some of the bigger projects because I was filling them with shorter term projects. I was working lots but getting paid little- taking on jobs that did not offer enough finance, out of fear, ironically, of my own lack of finance. The fear of lack of work and fear of lack of opportunity were also forcing the default yes. I would say yes because I was afraid another offer would not come along. But there comes a time to refine the no and tackle the fear head on in order to grow and thrive.

This is a work in progress (always) but these are some of the things I have been learning along the way.

In order to say No, I needed to substitute it with my bigger yes. Having a vision, a dream, and a plan of action to get me there has always motivated me and my vision needs to be loud, clear and alluring. It is something I need to constantly revisit and keep alive and fresh (meditation, guided visualisations and Pinterest helps me!) My vision changes frequently too, evolving with my ideas, experience and skillset. But with a bigger yes in place, I feel more justified and aligned when saying no. No becomes easier and clearer, and I trust that it is creating space for a larger plan to unfold. No is fuel and fire for my own creative practice.

Over time I have also learned that there are ways to say no. Graceful ones, and ones which actually help the other person while also helping to maintain the relationship with the potential client or collaborator. So, in saying No, I also aim to ask, 'How can I serve this person? What is their need and can I link them to a solution?

Here are a few examples of how I have learned to say No:

No, that timing does not work for me, but thank you for asking. Please keep me up to date with your progress and projects and I hope we can work together again in the future. In the meantime here is a resource which I think you will find useful....

No, I am unavailable on that date unfortunately, but here is another person who I think could help you...

I am afraid that my skills set does not match up with your needs on this particular occasion. However, I love your work and what you are offering to the world, and I would be keen to work with you on a future project- please keep me in mind.

I've had a look at the brief a few times, mulled over it, but don't think I am the person for the job. I think you need someone who can _______ and here is where you might be able to find them ___________

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you. My daily fee is beyond your budget on this project. If you could stretch your budget to meet X amount, I would love to work with you. I know your funds are already tight, so if this is not possible at present, please keep me in mind for future projects where there may be more financial scope. (These are often the hardest ones to write!)

I recommend practicing saying no, and also having some templates or scripts prepared- like the ones above- so when the time comes you are not caught off guard and can adapt your response as necessary.

Saying no has also extended to finding the right people to work with. I've recently been approached for by a potential coaching client but knew instinctively I was not the person they needed. My gut simply said, 'let it go'. I knew in my heart of hearts the right thing to do was to pass on their contact details to someone else, who I felt would be a better fit. While it did mean turning down the client fee, I also knew it was opening up other options for myself, and for the client. The money can be a lure, but if not exchanged with trust, openness and a sense of service, it can be a burden too. Money comes, money goes, but trust can't be bought or sold, and in this world, I value trust more.

So that is some of the No tactics. And then there are the criteria for saying yes.

Below are some of the questions I ask myself when I am offered a piece of work.  

A project may meet some of these criteria, rarely them all, but at least has to meet a few. I have turned down some photography jobs because they did not match my value set, for instance, but have taken on some work because the pay was good and the work was a mostly a match with my interests and values. It is not a fixed formula, but pausing and checking in with myself before I give an answer is time well spent.

Does it align with my values?

Do I like the people/ organisation involved?

Is the money right? Does the budget match the time and skills required?

Am I connected to the cause or issue?

Do I feel I can really contribute here?

Is it a good use of my time, and theirs?

Is it building my skillset and experience? Or can it contribute to my bigger Yes?

Does the idea of this light my fire?

How is this of service? Will it have a wider impact or benefit to others?

So here are a few questions for you now:

What is your bigger yes?

What questions do you need to ask yourself, before you say yes to a project?

And how can you say No more often to give rise and room to your bigger yes?

Spending time with these questions will be time well spent too. I can assure you. The Bigger Yes in you will thank you in the long term. You are giving it space to grow, and time for yourself to expand into it.

So yes to that. And yes to all your dreams and visions...

Onwards.

A Culture of Ships

I am interested in ships. Not tall ships necessarily- although some of my best journeys have been on floating vessels- but entrepreneurship, leadership and at the root of it all, friendship and fellowship. If I was to coin a word right now and add it too the fleet, it would also be creativeship (the discipline of creative being). The ship here is important for many reasons, namely because it connotes a culture of this particular thing and not a rarified merit or accolade. Let me elaborate...

Over the next number of years we will witness a radical change in social contexts and labour markets. This will be the era of the freelancer and the creative. This will be the era of rapid automation of what was previously done by manual labour and the subsequent rise of niche markets, specialists skills and a whole new breed of worker. Gone are the days of permanent and pensionable. Instead we are seeing a rise in hybrid work and life, blended careers across sectors and continents, and people seeking flexibility over predictability. As a consequence will need a whole advanced set of skills to go with it, with creativity, innovation and solution mindsets placed centrally. Plus we will need a new system and ground rules for collaboration and engagement. This indeed will be business as unusual.

This too is an era of unstable economic and social tides. We only have to look at the (mis)fortunes of Greece today to see how systems which were once thought to sustain us are in fact destabilising us. There is universal systemic mistrust across politics and power structures, traditional institutions and the very fabric of society which once we lay our trust upon. It feels like shaky ground.

And so to navigate this change, economically on the one hand and socially on the other, we need also to be an era of rapid prototyping, experimentation, innovation, risk taking, openness, and collaboration. We need to be able to forecast, plan, design and execute new social initiatives and political agendas with a maturity which I believe can only come when we excavate our inner landscape and call on our collective compassion, solidarity and trust. We need to essentially learn to raise our conscience and then evolve and design our operating principles based on a new order of values.

Wishful thinking? Idealistic? Maybe- but wasn't it ideals which built democracy in the first place, and wasn't it ideals which got us to the moon, and back.

As it has been said many times over, where there is crisis there is also opportunity. I believe that the opportunity resides deep within in each of us, if we frame the questions right.

At this stage, you may be wondering, where on earth do the ships come into all of this?

Well right here.

You see, we need to broaden the questions and the scope of our inquiries. Currently we don't ask enough questions about how to cultivate a culture of the right kind of 'ships'. What if instead of asking how we educate people for the current system, we really asked, how can we build a culture of entrepreneurship, of leadership, and equally of friendship and fellowship, so that we can equip ourselves with the essential skills we need as a collective to navigate these altering tides and not just survive, but thrive in the future- economically and socially. What would our education systems look like then? And our political system? And our economies? And our future?

I don't know the answers to these questions but I do know that how we frame the initial question is critical.

Leadership and entrepreneurship have been heralded as the merits of a few. But this need not be the case. With the right training, and embedded within a culture of these traits, we each can express our own leadership and evolve our own innovative means to solve problems- we are fundamentally creative beings, and our creative intelligence is like our life raft.

We have our hearts to help us too, for with each of us there is the capacity for universal friendship and fellowship (as this is the stuff of hearts). Fear can mask it, and mistrust, but I believe the capacity to unearth and rediscover our essential nature is within each of us. Sometimes it just means we have to slow down, listen and really see each other, and ourselves, for the beauty that we are.

It is not easy, it requires dedication and deep inner work as well as outer work. But it is possible. We can thrive, if only we have the right mindset and the will to make it so.

So yes, it is idealistic, and could even be called naive. But what other choice do we have? I would rather set sail on that ship, trusting many others will jump on board too, in friendship, and in hope.