THE ART OF MINI VACATIONS

As summer approaches, I get nostalgic for childhood summer vacations.  I miss the last day of the school year marking the beginning of summer.  I miss the long days of what felt like endless stretches of time. I miss playing outdoors until the last vestige of sun sets in a glorious pink, orange and purple glow. 

Unless you have a job or work that allows you several weeks off a year, you might also long for your own childhood memories of summer vacation.  This month I’d like to share some tips on how to create mini-vacations, no matter how little actual vacation time you have. 

What are the benefits of a mini-vacation?  You’ll find yourself more relaxed, energetic, focused and creative.  Try the ideas below and add your own to the list!

• Get outdoors.  Take a long walk, hike or even just a walk around the block.
  
  
• Be in nature.  Sit quietly near a tree, in a meadow or on the grass.  Watch closely what is going on around you.
  
  
• Get near water.  Go to a stream, lake, river, waterfall or beach.
  
  
• Bring cut flowers into your workspace.  Spend several minutes just looking at the detail of a flower.
  
  
• Visualize a walk or hike you have taken in the past.  Sit for a few minutes and remember the feel of the sun, sand, rocks and wind.  
  
  
• Look at art you enjoy.  Summer is a great time for outdoor art festivals.  Notice what pieces you are drawn to.
  
  
• Select a piece of music that moves you.  Close your eyes and listen.
  
  
• Go to a playground and swing on a swing.  Or better yet, take a child with you.
  
  
• If it’s a rainy day, find a new museum to visit or check out what’s new at your local library.
  
  
• Watch a funny film that will make you laugh.

We would love to hear your mini vacation ideas.  Let’s see how long a list we can create!  Please jump in and respond on this blog, by clicking the green 'Comments' link just below the P.S.  (Note: If you are the first, it will say '0 Comments' - just click that link.)

Take good care,

If you find you could use some help setting up your mini-vacations, schedule a GRATIS SAMPLE COACHING SESSION via phone or in person to find out if writing & creativity coaching is for you.


Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS – REVISITED

It's March. Already, just like that? It may have taken you a few months to settle into the New Year, but now that it's here, you may be wondering where the time has gone! You may also be wondering, "Whatever happened to those New Year's resolutions?" Or you may be denying them, as in "What New Year's resolutions?" Or you simply may have avoided New Year's resolutions all together.

Whatever happened to that list of "I promise I'll really get to it this year" stuff that's looking a bit daunting about now, here are some suggestions to get re-energized.

BREAK BIG PROJECTS INTO TINY STEPS
A friend of mine recently reminded me of the old joke, "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer, of course, is "One bite at a time." Go back to your list of goals or resolutions for the year and focus on one project at a time. Break down the project into as many small bite-sized pieces as possible. Here's an example. Many of my clients have mentioned getting stuck on creative projects like putting photos in albums. This can feel like an overwhelming amount of work, taking all the pleasure out of it. Break down the project into cropping pictures or arranging photos one page at a time. Or take a small stack of pictures and sort or purge. That's all you have to do. Breaking any project into small pieces makes it infinitely more do able and a lot more fun.

WE ALL BITE OFF MORE THAN WE CAN CHEW
What looked perfectly reasonable to accomplish two months ago may no longer be realistic. You know, life enters in---your computer crashes, your car develops a mysterious leak, your child gets the flu. When you made your goal list at the end of last year or the first few days at the beginning of this year, there was no way you could have anticipated exactly what would be happening every single day. You can be clear, organized, focused and things still happen to you without your consent. No need to abandon the list. Take some time, get quiet and gently look at your list of goals or resolutions. You may just want to re-vamp and update it a bit.

KEEP THE GOAL; CHANGE THE DEADLINE
One of the most important things I ever learned about goal setting was to keep the goal if I really wanted it and believed in it. I have learned, however, to change the deadline. If I possibly can, I allow myself to change the due date, moving it slightly ahead instead of dropping the project all together. Things make take two or three times as long as we had anticipated. Your original deadline may simply have not been realistic. There are certain deadlines we do need to keep to like registration deadlines or other cut-off dates. On-going, creative projects may need a little more flexibility. This is not permission to procrastinate; but you might just be a little kinder. Keep the goal, move the deadline out a bit and keep going.

LET GO OF HAVING IT BE PERFECT
I frequently say to my writing clients, (as well as to myself!) "Done is better than perfect." Finishing a writing project, a draft of a short story or the draft of your novel is more important than having it be perfect. Being able to attain perfection is a myth if it blocks the creative process. That's what editors are for, to help with rewriting, untangling and clarity. For now, just aim to finish what you're working on and leave the fixing up for later. Consider this thought from Joseph Chilton Pearce: "To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."

START!
The hardest part of any creative project is getting started. Ever notice the draft feature on your e-mail program? Use it! Start your reply the moment you read an e-mail and have any thought at all how you would like to reply. Use your initial energy and first response thoughts to get started. Apply this same principle to other projects. Maybe you're not ready to write a long journal entry. But at least sit down, note the date and time and open your journal. Write for ten minutes. You can always add more later.

GET HELP VIA COACHING, MENTORING OR TRAINING
Recently I heard heard Eric Maisel, author of Coaching the Artist Within and several other books, speaking at a local bookstore. He reminded me that those of us involved in creative work might have no accountability. It is too easy to work in isolation and then shove a short story or manuscript into a drawer. Checking in with a coach, mentor or trainer provides accountability as well as support. If your creative dream or project is stalled and you can't seem to get it started, get help!

Ready to do a few revisions on those New Year resolutions? Review these ideas and get yourself re-energized and re-focused for spring!



P.S. Remember, if you haven't done so before, take advantage of our Complimentary Coaching Consultation and we'll talk about what you need to go more deeply. Phone (800) 552-WRITE, that's (800) 552-9748 or write to me at susan@susanborkin.com to find out more.

P.P.S. If you are interested in Journal Writing, check out the IAJW to 'Juice Up' your Journaling!

Writing & Wellness Connections Conference

Just back from Atlanta, Georgia where I attended the Third Annual Writing & Wellness Connections Conference.

I did a workshop called "Me, Myself and I: The Healing Power of Dialogues." Dialoging is a great technique I've used for decades.

Even before I was a psychotherapist, I was involved with gestalt therapy. You may have heard this therapy referred to "Two-Chair Work." It involves creating a dialogue between two parts of yourself that are somehow at odds or struggling with one another. By placing the two parts in conflict on the chairs (say your head and your heart or your child part and your adult part), you move back and forth dialoguing until a conclusion is reached.

In the 70's, I began to apply this method to writing. The written version looks somewhat like a screen play, with each of the parts or characters having their say. You can add as many characters or parts as you would like or need. You can also dialogue with other people, with your body, with your work, with a situation and so on.

This particular conference is unique in that it is multi-disciplinarian, which only serves to add to its richness. Medical professionals, therapists, teachers, writers and poets gather together. We share a passion for the healing connection between writing and wellness.

Check it out at http://www.wellnessandwritingconnections.com