55 ways to get unstuck...

 Feeling creatively stuck? Here’s 55 quick things you can do to unstick! All in less than 5 mins. GO. 

1. Doodle.
2. Write a note to your inner artist.
3. Write a haiku.
4. Mimic a bird.
5. Draw a self portrait in 60 seconds.
6. Take a photo of an item that inspires you.
7. Find a new recipe and commit to making it this week.
8. Write a Limerick.
9. Tie your shoelaces with your non-dominant hand.
10. Make a paper airplane.
11. Dance on the spot to silence for 60 seconds.
12. Hand write a letter to someone who you admire. Post it.
13. Describe your favourite colour without using that colour’s name.
14. Write down a word that you really like the sound of. Sing it.
15. Rub your head and belly in opposite directions.
16. Draw the letter ‘A’ in 10 different ways.
17. If you could circumnavigate the globe, what route would you take?
18. Sit in silence for 2 minutes and listen to the music of your breath.
19. Close your eyes. Place your hand on your head and feel the texture of your scalp.
20. What colour would you be if you were a colour?
21. Draw your favourite childhood toy.
22. List 20 uses of a tea pot, other than for tea
23. Set a timer for 5 minute. Keep writing without stopping until the buzzer sounds.
24. Write your name with your non-dominant hand.
25. Take a picture of your feet- what surfaces do they touch?
26. Sing out loud for 3 minutes. Don’t stop.
27. Take a picture of the ‘essence’ of something in front of you. What is its real beauty?
28. Memorise a poem you love.
29. Draw a picture of snakes and ladders.
30. Look up: take a picture. What do you notice?
31. Shake your body for 2 mins. Yes, shake it.
32. Drink a glass of water from the opposite side.
33. List your top 5 of your favourite things. Now list them backwards. Now alphabetically. Now backwards alphabetically.
34. If you could be an animal, what would you be? Make that sound.
35. Pretend to be rain falling.
36. Think of the word ‘black’. Now dance the opposite.
37. Conduct an imaginary orchestra.
38. Bark like a cow. Moo like a dog.
39. Draw somebody standing on their head.
40. Set a timer for 5 min. Invent a board game. Go.
41. Spell your full name backwards.
42. Make up an alphabet.
43. Draw the best slide you could ever imagine sliding down.
44. Draw a pattern with circles and triangles.
45. Write down 10 things you used to love to do when you were 10. Do one of those.
46. Set a timer for 5 mins. Invent a robot. Go.
47. Mimic a dawn chorus.
48. List 5 textures you really like.
49. Think of the word ‘good’. Now sing the opposite.
50. Invent a new game using a piece of fruit.
51. Create on paper the best day of your life. Draw the details.
52. If snakes could draw, what would they draw. Draw that….
53. Walk backwards in a circle
54. Use your camera upside down.
55. Set a timer for 5 mins. Make up your own ‘Get unstuck list'. Go.

…Need a bit of extra support? I am currently taking creative coaching bookings. The Winter Sessions is open. 3 months to gain momentum and traction on  your creative project. Time to get that book written? Time to finally launch your thing?

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Notes from the Edge

 Many of regular readers here will be familiar with my monthly newsletter where I share some reflections on the month that passed, news of updates and happenings and links to resources from around the web to inspire, cajole and education us on our own path. I've recently added an audio section to the letter too, called Notes from the Edge. For for those not familiar here is a sample of this months below and you can listen back to last month's here. I am excited to see how all this evolves. It feels like a beginning.Click on the image below to have a listen and/or continue reading to the text format  Notes from the Edge// September 2017. ‘There should always be a healthy tension between the life we have settled for and the desires that still call us. In this sense, our desires are the messengers of our unlived life, call us to attention and action while we still have time here to explore fields where the treasure dwells’ - John O’Donohue I have the above quote scrawled at the beginning of my current journal. I like to inscribe the words in my own hand, hoping that the re-writing of them will endorse their memory, drawing their wisdom deeper towards where their essence can touch; which is inwards.I reread the quote aloud a few times then circled the word ‘tension’. It seemed a peculiar choice. So often we are sold the notion of ‘life balance’, and in many body practices we are instructed to ‘release the tension’, or ‘let go on the tension’. It is an instruction I have both followed, and in turn given.Writing the quote down a few weeks ago almost feels preemptive now, given the turn of events in my life. But it has certainly made me think; what is the role of tension- in our bodies, our lives and our dreams; and what is a healthy version of it.Let me explain.I’d followed the marketing book: word of mouth, testimonial, posters, newsletters, Facebook Ads, Instagram posts, linked in updates, other networks and all several times over. I was promoting a new round of Thrive School in Dublin aiming find the next cohort. It’s a powerful programme, and the content and connections among participants had been powerful too. I was looking forward to this round. But the raw truth is, not enough people applied, this thing I had poured my heart into. And so with the same heart, a little heavier, I need to cancel it.I have learned not to take it personally. It’s never personal. It’s to do with timing, and price, and offering and cultural context and where people are in their lives. All that said, it doesn’t mean it isn’t challenging, or the day I realised I needed to make the call, I didn’t shed a tear. It’s usually emotional for me- whatever I am doing, because, well, I care. I know the tears are cleansing, a way for the tension to transform. You see this was a thing that I was building.  It was going to be my core income for the coming months, and the way to channel my skills.  And the core truth of it is that, yes, sometimes it is tough.The irony is not lost on me either. Here am I running programmes called ‘Thrive’ and I am absolutely deep in the question of how. To Thrive, in some sense is an aspiration.  Thrive School is very much my own schooling too and I have much to learn.And yet, I have been here before- with other programmes, and ideas, and things I put out into the world which didn’t land the way I thought they would. And so I have learned too: it is never the end and it is never back to a blank drawing board. Looking along the trajectory of our lives the essence of our callings or what it is that drives us is usually there from early on; its just the form that changes.  Now I know the form needs changing. I don’t think this is the end of Thrive School- (I have a one day workshop coming up soon)- it’s just the model of these longer programmes needs to shift.We hear the phrases, ‘one door closes and another opens’, ‘what’s for you won’t pass you’.  Bantered around we can dismiss them for their familiarity. But Seamus Heaney knew of these things too. He wrote about them, with a twist, making me pay attention.‘Getting started, in art and in life, seems to be the essential rhythm'. He’d said the words to a group of graduating students, as commencement advice. They were words I scrawled years ago, and returned to them again and again.‘Getting started, in art and in life, seems to be the essential rhythm'.Heaney knew the path is never linear but filled with the mystic poetry of the journey; the potholes; the undulations; the points at which you glide and the point in which you ditch. The essential rhythm of art and life is punctuated with texture, if we are lucky.There seems equally to be a secret symmetry in the folding and re-folding of our lives. It is to do with this essential rhythm and this healthy tension. There is power in maintaining the quest, and there is power in letting go in order to build again. It’s between these folds that we can seek the balance. The balance may then be this bridge between where we are now and where we aim to go, holding both with a soft focus and a loose tension. Focus too hard, we squint and go off track anyway. Loose focus, and we loose traction. But find that point of balance between present and future, and our focus is both guide and companion. It’s how we stay attuned to this unlived life within us, as John O’Donohue speaks about. So with each iteration, our resilience is strengthened and, like an elastic band when pulled, it never goes back to its original shape. Even in our failings we are forever altered. It is the essential rhythm; the healthy tension.And so, my friends, while I find myself re-entering this gap of not knowing a little sooner than I hoped, I know I am working my way through this rhythm. Sometimes I jump to solution too quickly without staying in the unknown a while, to listen for what is really needed. Autumn is coming, the blackberries are ready for the picking, and there are lessons and learning to be harvested. I’m telling myself not to jump ahead too quickly. I’m telling myself to listen.So I am going to take some time to walk the shoreline, to mark this essential rhythm with my feet. Tomorrow I move into a new house, where I will be writing, and writing some more (yes, there is a new book brewing) and then to find my way into the next phase of the form, until it too will change, as surely as it will. Yes, I know I’ll start again. Just writing these words is starting again, and that, is both comfort and commencement, for his is the way of a lived life. So I lift my head, I brush off my heart, I pick up my pen, and I’ll take the next step on this camino, as always, onwards and with love,Clare x…Like this? Please share the link to my newsletter with others who may like it too! http://www.claremulvany.ie/contactme-2/ 

In their own words

 Thrive School is back. It’s been a journey too, starting this thing, and in the process I have been learning and one of the best things has been getting to know groups of amazing open individuals and support them as they grow, connect and learn together.As the new Dublin programme is soon to kick off (application deadline Aug 29th), and dates are in the planning for the next Cork programme, I thought it would be a nice thing to tell you a little more about some of the past participants, where they are now and the learning that they have been taking with them…. the people below are just a few of the gems in the mix. It such a pleasure to introduce you to....

Máirín O Grady

Máirín is one of those people who lights up a room. When she arrives she brings insight, fun, delight and a dazzling commitment to her practices of yoga and teaching. She’s been practicing as a freelance yoga teacher for a number of years, has a passion and flair for creative writing, and was seeking ways of creating a more systemic approach to her work- how to creative programmes and courses which would reach new audiences and have a greater impact. Thrive School offered her space and community to do just that… (and also teamed up with fellow Thrive Schooler, photographer, Aoife Giles to have these lovely portraits taken)  In her words: Thrive School has been an enlightening adventure into a more holistic picture of my life. It has offered me a fresh and reassuring perspective on how I am living my life, providing me with the space and also the structure to dream. It helped me to identify my values, my story, my why and to move from a space that honoured this and facilitated me in analysing my work/life balance and finance/life balance and in identifying what is enough. In identifying my values and my story it allowed me to see my unique offering, and to value this offering, aided by the support and feedback of Clare and my fellow Thrive Schoolers. Thrive School provided me with a license to pursue what brings me joy and excitement and to offer that to my students and clients with renewed energy. Máirín has kicked off this new approach with The Sunday School of Yoga, which captures her passion for yoga. Here she is again:Sunday School of Yoga is a dynamic workshop series where we come together to map our path towards inner connection, to hone our physical practice of Yoga, and to develop our skills of Breath and Awareness. It is a guided and supported journey where we build a toolkit for a sustainable and virtuous practice of care in our lives, allowing you to discover, sustain and root YOUR Yoga. It’s not a drop in class. It is a workshop. A chance to ask questions. It’s a chance to stop and reflect upon our practice. …It is a chance to pour the tea and grow as a community. Sunday School is the day where we digest, reflect, nourish, and refuel. It is the kind of school where we make friends. It is it the kind of school that teaches us the road home.  Sunday School - Term 1 is an earthing and delicious collaboration with The Market Kitchen by the flowing river of Mullins Mill, Kells, Co. Kilkenny. Find out more about book online here

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Niamh Gallagher

When Niamh Gallagher speaks, you listen. Her voice is melodic, hypnotic and so very wise. She speaks from a wealth of experience and an expansive reservoir of practice. With a background in fundraising, copywriting and marketing, Niamh made the transition into becoming a reiki practitioner, yoga nidra and meditation teacher, and a health coach. ‘Through my work, I want to bring people together so they don't have to struggle alone; to provide a space for stillness, self-compassion and coming home to yourself’, she told me, ‘We are often led to believe that our struggles are either a sign of personal failure...or something that we can just take a pill to get rid of. The truth is that we are supposed to turn to each other and to heal in community. To rely on those who have been through similar struggles for support when we, in turn, need it’Coming to Thrive School Niamh was seeking a community she could collaborate with. She dived right in, with grace and elegance, as only Niamh can….In her own words: What I got from Thrive School was exactly what I was hoping for (and desperately in need of!) - community. A community of like-minded people in Dublin who were on the same journey as I was. The importance of social support can't be underestimated when you're starting a new business or project. Online courses have their place, but there's still nothing like building real relationships face-to-face!I've made some great friends through Thrive School and a year since taking the course, I'm still partnering with other Thrive Schoolers on successful classes and events. When your start-up business does not fit the conventional mould, it can be hard to find the support you need. Thrive School fills the gap for anyone with a vision to offer the world something soulful, healing or creative.A very important aspect of the course for me was Clare's coaching which helped me move through some big fears and blocks. She's a really talented and intuitive coach and just a fantastic cheerleader. Niamh teamed up with some other Thrive Schoolers- Ffion and Jane, to collaborate on new meditation programmes in Dublin, and has since started a series of yoga and message. The next in the hugely popular 'Sunday Sanctuary' events takes place on Sunday 20th August at Fumbally Stables - deep relaxation, meditation, massage and lunch. More info and bookings here: http://createawholenewyou.com/sunday-sanctuary/Niamh practices reiki at Oscailt Integrative Health Centre, Dublin 4. All details here: http://createawholenewyou.com/reiki

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Máirín Murray

Máirín’s interests have many currents- from yoga to holistic therapies, but it is in the digital and tech realm where she is focusing her passions and interests. Since completing Thrive School she has set up the Tech for Good branch in Dublin- a group promoting the intersection of technology and social impact and is also involved with setting up an non-profit called ‘Refugees Welcome’. Her main work comes from her new business, Digital Doddle, a content and production studio for digital innovation products. It’s all taken off since Thrive School- she is scriptwriting, making digital products and working mainly in the health education sector to bring digital learning to patients and families…Mairin was in the first Thrive School cohort and I asked her what it is she takes with her now… her’s what she said:

1. To think big and be ambitious. No-one is served by playing things small and safe. As Marianne Williamson says when we shine our light we give others permission to do the same. This has led to huge growth for my projects, and my vision.
2. Action has its own momentum. I learned that it is important to start now and today to do the work. The answers and insights come while the work is in progress. The important thing is to keep moving.  Small actions, consistently taken, have helped me find the work I am being called to.
3. That having multiple interests and passions is good. I found others in Thrive School who were just like me, who do not want to pigeon hole themselves but instead contribute their skills meaningfully to make a difference.

You can find our more about Máirín on Digital Doddle, Tech for Good Dublin

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Catherine Weld 

Catherine Weld is an artist and teacher living in West Cork. When Thrive School started, she jumped on board. Catherine had a dream of starting her own art workshops in the area and also getting her work out to more people. During the Thrive School process she worked on launching her website, designing a new series of art workshops and planning for more exhibitions. Just this week she has launched a new group exhibition in Schull! In her own words: The Thrive School material helps participants identify and work with the foundations that will underpin their creative and entrepreneurial activities. Motivation and self discipline are important requirements – the monthly meetings form the framework around which the course develops while weekly checkins with other participants offer a source of support and advice. Working as a group is a very important element as it adds hugely to the potential for valuable ongoing connections and can provide access to high levels of skill in areas that are complementary to our own.It is so very excited to witness how Catherine has been stepping up into her own artistry and fulfilling life long dreams- this is the stuff of inspiration.You can see more of Catherine’s work here and find out about her art courses here:https://www.catherineweld.com/courses/  

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Cathy Kolbolm- Kelleher

Cathy Kolbolm- Kelleher packs a powerful punch. Literally. She’s been training in boxing. When Cathy shared her story with us it knocked us off track too. Having had health challenges as a child she was determined to change her life around. She became passionate about fitness, nutrition, science and wellbeing -and is …. an Applied Health Nutritionist, Sports Nutritionist, Exercise Scientist, Fitness Instructor, Clinical Exercise Physical Activity Specialist and Phlebotomist!  ‘I am on a mission to activate a revitalisation in health, wellbeing and performance’, she told me.Cathy came to Thrive School seeking structure, fresh perspective and people who would ‘get’ her. Since she finished the programme in June she has gone on to seek external funding, grants and additional support from the local enterprise office, set up her business name and is very much on track to develop a wonderful business which blends her expertise in health, nutrition and fitness. She’s defiantly one to watch…In her own words: I feel now I am much more clearer, structured and confident in my ideas going forward and over the course I have gone from not having clear plans, lots of chaos to something I can start to roll out over the next few months. I also found Clare’s feedback and guidance invaluable. Even from what I was able to take away and learn from the feedback from the pitch has directed me to fine tune details.

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The next Dublin Thrive School starts on Sept 9th. Find out more over here, and apply online by Aug 29th. PS- Thrive School is not just for women! There have been men too :) 

A note on starting the things that bring you closer to your dreams…

It takes time. It takes intention. It takes iteration after iteration. It takes pushing at the limits of what you know to discover what you don’t. It turns you inside to confront your inner demons and blindspots. It offers moments of grace, descending like gifts from another place. There are moments of exhaustion. There are moments of exhilaration. You question pretty much everything- who am I to do this, why me, why now, will it ever work, I love this, I can’t stand this, this is amazing, this is rubbish, oh, a breakthrough, this is brilliant, let’s keep going….This is learning and creativity on full force.This week, I hit it all, full on. Now, to keep going, I have realised this: To keep going is a daily practice and a choiceTo keep going is to keep your vision high, your gaze directed, your heart open and your focus nearTo keep going is to breath deep and listen for the openingsTo keep going is to to ask for supportTo keep going is to pause, review, invoke, and learn, again and again and againTo keep going its to trust that the learning will bring it's own strength, making it better next time.To keep going is to keep the future close and friends dearTo keep going is to find the thresholds, the ones that beckon like invitations, and to take a graceful step across them, onwards.

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Transforming the comparison trap into the compassion trap...

I want to let you in on a secret folks. They don’t. Trust me. They don’t.Who don’t? What don’t they? I hear you say.Have it all figured out. I add. And ‘they’? Well they are all of us. Ah, a sigh of relief.More and more, this is what I see: people trying, people struggling, people fearing and so many people thinking they have to have it all figured out and worrying that they don’t.In the world of fast paced social media it is so easy to look around at other people and think they have it all sorted. We can look at their websites, glam shots, followers, comments, media coverage, products, services, sexy lives, sexy bodies, sexy friends, sexy everything and think… they have it all. In doing so we can feel so far removed that we think we can never ‘get there’, and so we don’t bother, or we stop believing, or we feel like hiding under the bed covers and never coming out.I am not fully sure where ‘there’ is, but one thing I am sure of is that it is not a fixed place, or number, or a bank balance. Ask any one of those people is they think they have it all sorted, or figured out and I am pretty sure that they’ll say no. How could they?And why do I know this? Because by virtue of the fact that life is a creative act and art, living it is a creative process, and, at best, the creative process is messy. In many ways, the messier the better. The mess is so much part of the process that it is the process. It is by navigating the mess that new ideas and connections can emerge. The mess offers us a chance to explore and make non-direct linkages, which leads to new pathways. The mess is not negative, but necessary. But I also suspect this: that behind the scenes of every glam shot, or every instagram tally, or every six-figure business owner, is a person desperately willing themselves on to navigate this messy and complex and beautiful thing called life. Behind the scenes, in fluctuating waves, there is also doubt, uncertainly, fear, courage, love, trust, pain, resistance, self love, self loathing, persistence, frustration, joy, anger and hope. Those feelings are there because they are intertwined in the human condition; they are all part of the natural emotional and cyclical journey of life.When we start to look over our shoulders it is all to easy to fall into the comparison trap. And it is exactly that- a trap. It snares us and stops us from making progress and building traction. It keeps us looking over our shoulder, forgetting to look within and making the next move which is only ours to make.Sure we can be inspired by others and learn from others, but let’s not assume they have it all figured out. It’s not fair on us, and it’s not fair on them.So, here’s another little secret from behind my own scenes: I am writing these words today because I needed to hear them myself. I so needed to hear them. All morning that comparison trap had its jaws wide open and was leaning in to pounce. Much as I hate to admit it, I found myself flipping through instagram, on websites, making judgements. Beyond the judgements, at a deeper level, I was criticising myself which went something like this: 'you should be doing more, you should have it sorted, you’ll never get there, ‘X’ can do it, why can’t you…'  Pretty soon there were tears, pretty soon I wanted to give up on it all, and pretty soon I was in a darker state of affairs….‘WOAH. WOAH. Slow down there woman, steady up'' Another saner part of my brain chimed in.  I suppose I could see what was happening.So, what to do? Well today, knowing that a break of scene was required, this is what I did:I turned off my phone.I went for a walk to the post box and then delivered the post to the elderly man who lives beside me. We had a chat about daffodils and chaffinches.I had a very hot shower.I lit the fire. Then a candle. Then some incense.I made some tea and sipped it slowly looking out at the rain.I cuddled my dog. And then again.I took a deep breath and I realised I need some reminders of the progress I have been making, and so I got out a bunch of journals and read back. Then I took out my computer, opened a blank document and started writing, as a reminder that I am just trying to figure it out, one step at a time. We all are.So let’s give ourselves some slack and wiggle room, and see if we can transform that comparison trap into a compassion trap. For us. For them. For each other.

Learning for transformation

 Now that cycle two of Thrive School is coming to a close, I like to take a step back and capture some of the learnings so as to build upon them for the next phase. Here are a few reflections on the learning required for transformation, and at the end of each one, I offer a question to you about how you may apply it to your own learning and visioning as you evolve your own ideas and being.Deep, transformative learning and change is accelerated through clusters. There is power in the pack. When that pack becomes a nurturing, listening, open and supportive space, even more so. When we think of entrepreneurship we often think of the solo/ individual action and hierarchy: the lone warrior, the lone wolf heading out to hunt its prize. But look at nature- it doesn’t flourish that way. Wolves operate in packs and their ecology is deeply connected not only to  their own place in their family, but also, as the poet Mary Oliver describes it, ’in their family of things (This video, how wolves change rivers never ceases to amaze me). We see ‘bunches’ of flowers, murmurations of starlings, and even trees- which we often think of in the singular- as collective, connected, communicative systems. The wellbeing of every individual within the pack is intimately woven into the wellbeing of the eco system into which they grow.As Thrive School evolves, so too will the emphasis on ‘pack’ learning- using the space of connection, listening and support to create eco-systems or clusters from which growth can emerge.  So much of education, and business operates from the old paradigm of competition, but flip that and we have the opportunity to evolve new ways of collaborative learning, and business.While on a small scale currently, what I have seen in Thrive School is glimpse of this new paradigm. By cultivating safe, supportive, nurturing environments, when people have the chance to tease out ideas, test assumptions and feed back to the group without fear, we can also cultivate a field which brings out the best in all of us and builds upon the best ideas, projects and visions.**Can you create your own creative cluster? Who around you is craving this kind of support and would be willing to cluster around you too? **  Practice makes progressCultivating the place of inner knowing is critical to sustaining our entrepreneurial journey. It is both an art and a practice. Life is chaotic, but when we have some form of daily practice in which we tune into our inner knowing, we learn to navigate the chaos with greater fluidity and skill. We have a place to bring our challenges before they overwhelm us. Our practice becomes a way to listen to our inner guidance, and then use this guidance to carry us forward.We can cultivate this inner place in many ways by creating and safeguarding pockets of stillness and listening into our daily life. For some this is meditation, for some yoga, for some walking in nature, or painting. Whatever it is, when it allows us to drop into a deeper sense of being, and connect with our bodies and breath, this listening space is a  beautifully ripe ground for asking questions to your inner self: what are my next steps, what am I not seeing, who should I connect with, how can I evolve my current offerings. Through this we can develop our vision and tune into our gut instincts, thereby creating a deeper sense of trust in our own decisions and next steps, our own sense of progress. On days when life feels even more chaotic and when we feel we don;t have the time, that’s when we need it the most.**What daily practice draws you? And how can you safeguard this precious time each day? The magic is in the space between us - the power of connected listening. Deep down I think we all know our answers. There is guidance available to us and our bodies can tell when we have tapped into it. And yet it is hard to hear or to distinguish the ‘knowing’ voice from the inner voice of criticism and judgement. So creating safe listening spaces, where we can talk out our ideas with another person and learn to distinguish between these voices is so important. The listening is a craft which can be honed. We can learn to listen for the tone, energy and the message behind the words, and we can learn to ask clarifying questions so that new insights can emerge and blind spots be revealed. When we approach the space between us with sacredness and our conversation as a sanctuary, it hold a special magic and momentum. So, it's in the space between us- the interaction- where a clink of clarity, understanding and insight can emerge.**Who can you buddy up with to have a regular listening conversation with? How do you think you can improve your listening skills? ** Invite fear to the table. Ask anyone why they aren’t pursuing their big dream, their highest potential and what is really calling them, and it’s likely that ‘fear’ will feature very highly on their list of reasons. There is almost a sense of shame around naming fear for what it is. ‘I’m afraid’ sounds week, almost childish. We were afraid of the dark, or afraid of ghosts- but that was back then, so why does fear rule the roost now too? And so because it seems childish we tend to hide it and feel isolated in our fear, thinking we are the only ones who experience it. But when we think on evolutionary terms, fear is a natural biological response mechanism to protect us from harm, danger and risk. It protected us in the wild, in the dark, and it continues to protect us from physical danger. So when it comes to building our own business, or following though on something which is pushing at the margins of our experience and learning, putting us in a vulnerable position, it is natural that fear will kick in too. And so, rather than ignoring it, or denying it, we need to learn to invite fear to be at the table and have frank, honest and open conversations with it. We can journal about, talk about it with a friend or mentor, we can give it a place without it having to run the show. When we learn to observe the fear, see what impact it is having on us, name it, we can then ask for it to release it grip and allow hope, possibility and love to be the currents which carry us onwards.** Here’s a little practice -spend 5 minutes journalling your response to the following questions: In what ways is fear holding me back? What one thing can I do to today that can help me to befriend my fear? Structure = Flow.Boundaries, discipline, even timetabling, often viewed as restrictive, are tools to help us create and maintain flow. In Thrive School we have been referring to them like the banks of a river. Without the banks we get floods, deltas, and at times, chaos. The banks help to direct the course. And yet the banks are being constantly eroded and re-deposited; they are not rigid walls but flexible, malleable and adaptive. Creating a weekly structure which is firm enough to create focus while adaptive and flexible enough to respond to opportunities is the key.  Our ultimate freedom comes when we understand and embrace the structures which work best for us. What boundaries do we need to have around how we plan our time, for instance; or what parameters do we need have around our spending and savings for financial flow. It’s the boundaries that give rise to the freedoms that we chooseWhere do your own ‘banks’ need to be strengthened for you to create more flow? Think Big, Start Close, Act elegantly… There can be such amazing power in having a big compelling vision and to be really clear on your ‘why’. This is what attracts people, carries momentum and can keep you motivated on even the hardest of days, but we also need to learn to hold the future in the present, and not let our distance from our future possibility distract from the beauty of today, of who is around us now, the gift of the current challenge and what opportunity is emerging just ahead of us, for the future begins in our very next moment. So, as the poet David Whyte says, ‘start close in’ with the step that is next to take. In Thrive School we talk about finding your ‘elegant’ next step- it may be strategic, it may be tactical, but can also be graceful, easy, accessible. Step by elegant next step we build momentum and gain traction.What is your elegant next step?  ....Thrive School Dublin starts on March 11th. Apply online by March 3rd. Find out more over here. 

The value of values // Plus a 7 step creative exercise for you to know yours..

 I’m not a fan of cheesy clip art. But for the sake of illustrative purposes, this one does the job!If our goals are like the sails on a sailing boat, then the keel is like our values. The keel is the central axis which helps to keep the ship afloat and provide ballast. In choppy waters, it’s the keel which will help to bring the boat back to upright (note addition of choppy waters in said illustration!) Same too with our values- they act as weights and axes around which we can centre and steady ourselves, and keep ourselves true to our intention and truth.However like the keel, our values are below the surface, which is why they are often hard to identify and to appreciate the role that they play in our decisions, actions, and outcomes. And yet, deep down, it’s our values which help us sense if we are on the right path and feel aligned or congruent with our sense of self- which is why making a conscious effort to identify them is so important.Getting clear on our values helps us to design our lives, businesses, interactions and projects with more clarity and intention. They help us have better relationships- personally and professionally. When it comes to business they can help us to design customer or client interactions. And importantly, when we hit choppy waters, they help to keep us resurface and stay afloat.Trust. Integrity. Honesty. Quality. Joy. Play. Freedom. Leadership. Creativity. Adventure. Responsibility. Kindness. Compassion. Authenticity. You’ll have a set of values unique to you, some more prominent or stronger than others.How can you identify them?Well interestingly we often sense them most clearly them when they have been breached. If trust is a really strong value for you, and someone breaches your trust, you may feel the reaction at a very deep, visceral level. If professionalism is a value and you attend an event which is so poorly run, you may feel a personal affront and anger at the low quality of service. Or if kindness is a value and you witness someone being unkind to another it can alter how you view and in turn value that person. We can also identify them by recalling times in our lives in which we felt a consistent happiness, aliveness or sense of pride. It is likely that your values were being honoured and amplified during these times.Our values shape the quality of our collaborations too. For instance, understanding where values overlap and where values differ is critical to successful collaborations and so learning to have open conversations with our partners and collaborators is vital to thriving interactions.We often assume that we hold similar values to those around us, but it’s surprising how much variance there actually is, especially when we see how people individually prioritise those values. If one business partner has a top value priority as ‘freedom’, for example, and another has ‘safety’, then there is a potential clash zone. Maybe the ‘freedom’ person is more likely to take risks in the project and wants take big leaps than the safety person, who values gradual iteration and growth. If you are thinking of going into partnership with someone, doing the values identification exercise below is a great way to tease out potential synergies, challenges or even clashes in advance.Plus, when we get explicit about our values it can help us to figure out what to do when we are stuck in a rut or facing a challenging decision. Let’s say you have listed ‘integrity’ as a value, then, when you need some inner direction, you can ask yourself (or your team), ‘What would integrity do now?’ Or if creativity is a value, ‘What is the best use of creativity here, or what is the best creative solution for now?So, you can see, not only do are values act as stabilisers, they act as propellors too!(Herein ends the cheezy boat/ ship/ sailing/ choppy waters analogy. RIP clipart)  

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How to identify and prioritise your values: 7 Step Process

Below is a 7 step value identification exercise, developed as part of the Thrive School curriculum. This exercise can be done alone, however it works best where there are at least 3 other people in the room working on it, as it gives you a chance to compare notes and learn together in conversation towards the end.Time: Initially 45-60 mins. With a 5 review one week later.Needs: Sticky notes. Blank wall space. Pens. 

The Process:

Step one: The big listWrite out as many values as you think you have, each one on a separate sticky note. Give yourself about 10 minutes.A good way to accessing your values is to think about times in your life when you were most happy, and most proud. It is likely that your core values were being honoured during these times.Or maybe you can recall a time when one was breached? You’ll know if you felt it at a really deep level and it may have been hard to let go of the experience or build trust again.Step two: Viewing platformPlace all the sticky notes on the wall- take a step back and view. Are there ones that should not belong there? Are there any missing?Step three: Identify patterns and clusters.Start placing values which you think belong together in clusters. For example you may think that ‘ integrity’ and honesty should be side by side, or ‘fun’ and ‘play. You may find a clusters of values coming together. Review your clusters. Are there any patterns you see in your values?Step Four: Prioritising valuesSelect your top value from each cluster and place them all together. Depending on how many clusters you had you’ll have a set of values. From these, can you keep removing or adding one until you have 5 values in this group.Again take a step back. Are these your top five? Sometimes the arrangement of how you place your sticky notes on the wall can tell you something about your priorities. For example: you may have placed them all in a row and have given them all equal value; one may be in the centre and the others radiating from it like spokes on a wheels; or one may be above another. Look at the shape and the form which you choose to place the sticky notes in. Spot any patterns or does the formation give you any clues? Step five (if you are doing this with a group of people)Bring your top 5 values together as a group. Invite others to view them and ask you questions about your set. Why did you choose this one over that one? How does this one relate to that one? Why not this one? Spend a bit of time teasing out your choices in conversation with others. After the conversation review your set again. Are you happy with this selection?Step SixFor the following week keep your list of top 5 values visible to you (post them on your bedroom door or beside the bathroom mirror to remind yourself). For the duration of the week track to see how you represent your values in day to day life. In what ways are they honoured? In what ways have they been breached? How have they helped you make decisions during the week?Step SevenAfter a week of tracking your top values take a few minutes to review them. Are you satisfied with your selection? Do you want to swap in one for another? Write out your values in a journal to come back to when you need a reminder.…The exercise above is one of many clarifying exercises as part of the Thrive School curriculum.Thrive School Dublin is soon to start on March 11th - a four month process which leads people through a process of value and vision clarification, into idea forming, through creative blocks and into action.Applications are now open. You can find more over here. Application deadline is March 3rd.…Want to stay up to date? Sign up to my mailing list for more resources, updates and happenings. Sign up here

It matters more than ever...

 This post originally started as a message to the Thrive School members. On the day after the US election was called, in a bit of a whirl, I wrote this..Have you been in a bit of a frazzle today? I have. All these scenarios started swirling, and I could feel a cynicism sweep in. But I know I need to nip cynicism quickly - it only fuels a downward spiral. I knew I needed to hop on my yoga mat, let the clicks and tension in my body release, and listen. I sat in silence for a very long time. And in that time, I found new fuel- a deep realisation that the work we are doing is even MORE important. It is the work of connection, values, beauty making. It is the rising of the feminine, the building of bridges, the creation of alternatives, the celebration of diversity and plurality. It is about learning the skills we all need to navigate internal and external chaos and it is about creating the conversations that are necessary to build new leadership - for ourselves, our communities and beyond. Our work matters. It matters even more than ever. Time feels precious though and with that preciousness a renewed sense of urgency. So, whether you are making art, creative spaces of stillness, writing your truth, inviting in conversations which honour the earth, innovating new technologies, or offering healing, you are also offering hope.... and hope, as we know, is a verb. As love is. And verbs mean action. Those elegant next steps? They matter more than ever…It can be so easy to feel overwhelmed, uncertain, cynical. What we choose to give our attention to matters. What we choose to create matters more than ever. So this week, can we steer our attention in the direction of beauty, notice it, amplify it in even the smallest of ways, and can we each take the next elegant step that we know is ours to take. One elegant step at a time…Onwards. It matters more than ever.

Working with Accountability

 It may come across as a little clinical, but being accountable is one of the most liberating experiences I’ve had while running my own business. I like to think of accountability like a river:  the river would be but a deluge were it not for it’s banks and it’s bed. For the river to flow fluidly and effectively, it must have some boundaries.For me accountability is about setting myself a goal or challenges and then having some mechanisms to help me stay on track- or banks to my freedom. These boundaries can be self regulated or externally regulated- either way though they are there to support my output and momentum.Working alone from home most of the time it can be very challenging, distracting and at times isolating. To overcome this I have tried to build in accountablity into my weekly routine. When I have let this slip I notice a huge reduction not just in my creativity and productivity, but also in morale and mood.So, here a few ways to work with accountability- both self regulated and externally, with some tips for working with an accountability partner…

Set Deadlines

Deadlines are key. Create as many small deadlines as you can by breaking down projects into smaller chunks. As much as possible communicate those deadlines to others. And when you reach a deadline, celebrate or mark it in some way. Marking it helps you to have a feeling of momentum or achievement. Depending on the milestone, the celebration can be a simple as going for a walk or stopping for a cup of tea.

Create regular communications

A weekly blog, a monthly newsletter, a regular podcast or a consistent video release date- having an editorial calendar can help to keep you externally accountable to an readership or support base. Having to produce regular content builds in rhythm and structure to your week and keeps you connected with your clients and network.

Visualise Commitments

Make your goals visible and check in with them on at least a weekly basis. I have mine written up on a A3 sheet of paper which I keep close to my current workspace, and share them with my accountability buddies…

Accountability Buddy

By far one of the most powerful things I have done is work with accountability buddy. This is someone- usually a friend- who agrees to check in with me on a regular basis (generally once a week) and I with them. We share our goals, check in with our momentum and help to keep each other on track. They act as a supportive, listening ear but also someone to challenge, nudge and remind me of what I am are capable of. Importantly they help me see my blindspots and some of the things that I am are overlooking. Ideally we have a good laugh too…It is important to choose the right person tough, as not all friends will ‘get it’. For myself, a fellow creative or social entrepreneur works best for me; someone who is on a similar path and working on their own big vision. Here are a few tips for choosing a working with an accountability buddy..

Check in at regularly time slots

Approach it professionally. Especially if you are working with a close friend, treat your accountability arrangement like you would a regular business meeting. Arrive early. Prepare. Stick to the time allocated- this means it is more likely to continue. If you are working with a friend, for instance, but each time to meet it runs on for hours and hours, you can end up regretting the arrangement as you may feel it is distracting from family time or other work time.You can choose to meet on Skype, in person, or a mixture of both. You may find that at the beginning of your arrangement checking in weekly works best, but then it might move to every two weeks. Keep having conversations about what is working and what is not, reviewing and adapting as you go.

Have a pilot period

Again, especially if you are working with a friend, try it out for a short time first- maybe a three month timeframe. After the agreed timeframe review and see how you are both getting on. Always prioritise friendship. If you arrangement is getting in the way of that, maybe you are not right for each other as accountably buddies but perfect for each other as friends!

Work with your big vision

Let your buddy know your big dream or vision. Let then know what you really really want. Let them in on the secret desire… because they can help to remind you want it is your are working for, especially on days when you feel lost or lacking traction. Your buddy can raise the flag of your future and remind you it is there for the taking.

Agree parameters upfront

Agree with your accountability partner what you are seeking support on. Maybe you want advice on your business model- but maybe you don’t. Maybe you want their input on the design of your website, but maybe you don’t. Unsolicited feedback is some of the most unproductive kinds of feedback and can really deaden a relationship. Working with an accountability buddy doesn’t have to be license to critique everything. So be clear on the kind of support you are seeking on how you want that support to be given.

Avoid complaining (too much!)

We all have bad days. One of the advantages of working with an accountability partner is to have someone to travels the ups and downs with, but if it becomes a regular moan-fest, then it is a joy and momentum killer. Focus on solutions. One of the most powerful questions I know is; ‘what is your elegant next step’. It dilutes drama and shifts things into proactive and productive mode…

Ask proactive questions

Your accountability partner can help you see things you are not seeing. Here are a few questions which may come in handy:

• what am I not seeing?
• where are the gaps?
• what are my blindspots?
• are there additional opportunities you see?
• who/ what else should I be consulting?
• how else can my thinking be challenged on this?

So, how can you create some accountability for yourself? Think about who you may choose and what would be good parameters for your buddy arrangement…

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Maybe I can help too…

If you are looking for an accountability buddy, then perhaps we are a good fit? I have a new coaching package which is designed to get you clear on your commitments and keep you on track. Check out ‘Accountability Buddy’ here, and if you are interested let me know, we can arrange a preliminary chat and take it from there…If you are in the Dublin or Cork regions of Ireland you may also be interested in Thrive School- a 6 month training programme for creative and social entrepreneurs, freelancers, doers and trailblazers! As part off the programme we build in an accountability structure, working with two other peers over the course of the programme. Thrive School is launching again in Dublin and Cork in October. Find out more over here…

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What if...

What if…What if it is easier than you think it is?What if you're already good enough?What if you put your inner critic in its rightful place?What if you already know?What if you quit now?What if you actually do know what you need?What if time is on your side?What if you said ‘No’?What if it is closer than you think it is?What if you already have all the resources that you need to start?What if regret is the only form of failure?What if there is no right way or wrong way?What if there are no rules?What then...?