BOLDNESS + BRAVERY Page 5 of 12

Why creativity is so important (and how to unleash yours) + last chance to join the DWYL e-course – starts today!

Posted on 2015-06-15 at 8:13 pm.

A very pregnant me hosting a discussion on passion, connection and community with Lilla Rogers and Kelly Rae Roberts

Wow, what a week. Here at DWYL HQ we are recovering from an incredible few days of being ‘lovebombed’ by creative women from across the world. We hosted our first live event since the original Do What You Love retreat, and it was such an uplifting, energising experience.

‘Make Art That Sells: The Global Art Gathering’ brought together creative women (and one creative man!) from around the world – as far away as Australia, New Zealand, the US and right across Europe – to our city of Brighton to learn how to make art that is more commercially viable whilst staying true to themselves. It was a live version of the wildly popular ‘Make Art That Sells’ online courses we produce for top art agent Lilla Rogers, and was special in many ways.

Firstly, it brought together some of my favourite women, a number of whom are business partners and all of whom are dear friends, including Lilla, Kelly Rae Roberts, Rachael Taylor, Margo Tantau and more. It was life-affirming to spend so much time, and have so many rich conversations with them all.

Secondly, it made me so proud of our awesome team, who worked so well together to make it a really magical experience.

And last but not least, it became the catalyst for many creative journeys that are only just unfolding, as it brought together a new community of creatives who bonded over shared dreams and values, laughter and generosity of spirit.

Although the majority of our work is delivered online, and that very valuable communities are built there, it is impossible to deny the power of bringing together like-minded people to discuss, share and learn. Friendships blossom, business ideas burst into life and people really start to glow. It’s as if they suddenly got permission to be creative, to want to make a career from that, and to be proud of what they do. And why not? Creativity is what makes the world interesting, ever-changing, beautiful and unexpected.

How about you? Are you being as creative as you could in your life? We are all on a creative journey. For each of us, that journey probably began earlier than we realise, and runs deeper than we know. Along the way, we discover new mediums of expression, and new parts of ourselves.

Creativity isn’t just about painting, or writing, or taking lovely photographs. It’s about the way that you interpret the world, how you think, and what you do with that information. Discovering and pursuing what you want to do and be and feel in your life is one of the greatest creative adventures you could ever undertake.

If you are under the impression that there are two types of people, ‘creative’ and ‘not creative’, I can assure you that is a myth. We all have creative capacities, but some people use them more than others. At different times, different sides of our brain are dominant; but they’re interconnected, and we use both sides at any one time. It is possible to develop our creative capacities over time – sometimes this happens through need, and sometimes through desire – and with practice, we may become more in tune with our creativity. Don’t be fooled into thinking creativity is something that has to be learned. It doesn’t. It is in you already. All you need to do is to feed your creative soul.

To me, creativity is all about ideation and the creation of something that did not exist in a particular form before you made it that way. Creativity is proactive – it is about making things, and making things happen.

Creativity is exciting – it is about making decisions which are not necessarily the same decisions others would make, and which may invite the unknown. Creativity is imagination – it is about beauty, possibility, and wonder.

How do you unleash that creativity? Here are a few ideas which you can get started on straight away:

Give yourself permission to spend time bring creative, and silence the voice that tells you it’s a waste of time
Surround yourself with people who also value creativity – sign up for a workshop, join an online forum, get involved in a local group
Tackle the normal, routine parts of your day from a creative perspective. Make your to-do list beautiful, do a photo walk on your way to work and post it on Instagram, cook a delicious meal and consider the colours on the plate, write a letter to an old friend… anything goes.

Discovering a need for more creativity, and choosing to pursue that, is one of the most frequent outcomes of our flagship e-course ‘Do What You Love’ (which starts TODAY). If you feel that the time is right to explore your own creativity and general life direction further, why not join us? This is the LAST TIME this course will run this year, as I am heading off on maternity leave soon, and have several creative projects of my own in the pipeline for that treasured time off (not to mention welcoming a new baby into the world in a few weeks’ time!).

This week we challenge you to be more creative in your everyday routine. Share your ideas on Facebook or Twitter, and don’t be shy about it!

Have a great week

Beth

8 ways to identify your passions and purpose

Posted on 2015-06-10 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

As Confucius said, “choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.” It’s great advice, but it’s not always that simple. Discovering what you want to do in life is, for many people, a life-long pursuit. Yet when you do eventually find your passion it is like finding your personal guide to happiness. You feel motivated, inspired, and so much clearer about what your next steps in life should be.

If you know you want to do what you love, but you’re not sure what that is, here are our top tips for pinpointing your passions:

1. Take a trip down memory lane

Often, our truest passions emerge in childhood, only to be squelched by real life pressures. So think about what you loved doing when you were little. Did you love animals? Taking care of people? Storytelling? Playing shopkeeper? Drawing? Painting? Speaking French? Revisiting these things could be the key to unlocking big dreams and doing what you love.

2. Relax your mind

When slow down and still our minds we listen to our inner voice and reconnect with our true authentic selves. Practicing yoga or Tai Chi each day, walking in nature, meditating and taking time to chill out, can help us find the answers we’re looking for.

3. Think about what makes you special

No one else has your personality and your unique combination of talents, wisdom, strengths, skills, and creativity. Identifying what sets you apart and what comes easily and naturally to you will take you a step closer to doing what you love. Remember that we are all here for a reason and we all have our own light to shine on the world.

4. Find the themes

What themes seem to show up aregularly in your life? What are you drawn to time and time again? What areas of your life are full of joy and light? When we recognise and acknowledge the re-ocurring patterns in our life, we can begin to understand what they are teaching us and act on them to take us closer to doing what we love.

5. Figure out what excites and energizes you?

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.” ~ Oprah Winfrey

What do you most look forward to in day-to-day life? What makes you smile? What activities leave you feeling mentally refreshed and energized? What hobbies see you losing track of time? Can you make a career out of this, so your passion can become your day job?

6. Think big, think positive and believe

If we are continually telling ourselves we can’t, then we will never believe we can. You can create affirmations, focus on the things you want, or make a vision board that shows your future success.

7. Forget about the money

If money were limitless, what would you be doing? Remember that being happy is not the same as being rich – you can always scale back. Focus on your interests and your passions, even if they seem farfetched; doing something you love will make you happier than being paid for doing something you hate. More on this at 5 Reasons You Should Never Work for Money.

8. Trust synchronicity and take action!

“If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” ~ Milton Berle

When we trust our gut feelings and invite something new into our lives it can trigger a series of events that can, potentially, change our lives. For instance it was taking a calligraphy class that inspired Steve Jobs to start Apple. You’ll never know if you like something unless you give it a try so stop finding excuses and go for it! Learn a language, sign up for a class or course, try a sport you’ve never played before, become a volunteer for a cause you feel strongly about, or start the business plan you’ve been dreaming about, and it will take you another step closer to finding your passion.

The Do What You Love e-course will help you identify your passion and purpose. If you know it’s time to make a major change in your life – if you are seeking personal, professional or financial freedom and need support to find your way – don’t miss it! The course starts next week so find out more and register here.

Is your routine holding you back?

Posted on 2015-06-09 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

[Tweet ““If you think adventure is dangerous try routine. It’s lethal.” ~ Paulo Coelho”]

For me variety is the spice of life. I like every day to be different and I’ve always tried to avoid falling into habits and routines. So when I had my little boy, almost two years ago now, I’m the first to admit that being at home all day and juggling feeds, nap times, nappy changes, and everything else that a new baby brings, took some getting used to.

As any new parent knows, having a tiny little person relying on you for everything is hard work. You’re no longer have the freedom you used to. Even the simplest task, like meeting friends for coffee, requires an element of forward planning and spontaneity gores out of the window. Within weeks I developed my own little way of doing things. I was in the motherhood groove and and before long I had a routine!

My husband and I were in Brighton when I realised just how much of a creature of habit I’d become. It’s amazing how much clarity a change of scene can bring. Being by the sea, exploring a new city, and escaping the ‘daily grind’ left us both feeling inspired, refreshed and re-invigorated.

Getting a new perspective

Zack was now a few months old and having adapted to being parents things were becoming much easier. We realised that while there are always going to be jobs to do, and obligations and responsibilities to fulfil, life doesn’t have to feel like Groundhog Day.

Exploring a new city

On the journey home we agreed that while some routines are helpful and even necessary, especially for Zack, others had seen us get too comfortable and complacent. So we decided that some things needed to change.

Things that changed after our trip:

I left my 9-5 and started writing part-time for Do What You Love. Now I’m free to work wherever and whenever I choose and to do all the things I love – be a mum, go running, do yoga, and be creative. Embracing new opportunities and connecting with interesting new people is part of the job so no two days are ever the same. I want Zack to grow up understanding that my work makes me happy and that I have my own hopes and dreams.
We stopped complaining about how much time we waste watching TV and now, instead:

– we limit the amount of TV we watch

– we have regular date nights

– we have dinner as a family and talk

– we socialise more in the evenings with family and friends

– we spend more of our free time being creative and working on our own passion projects

We looked at our finances to see where we could cut back and save money for a weekend away every few months.
We both started doing more exercise. I joined a gym and my husband started running with colleagues at work.
We made a 5-year plan that will help us live the life we really want and create our own special memories along the way.

10 simple ways to shake up your routine today:

Change your schedule. Get up with the sun and take an early morning walk. You’ll see your world differently, sense different emotions in the people you meet and hear different sounds.
Change your style – do your hair or make-up differently or experiment with clothes to find a new look.
Commute a different way to work, or instead of going by car take the bus, train, walk or cycle.
Take a class or a course in something you’re interested in, who knows what doors may open.
Pick a different place to hang out. If you meet friends at a local bar, try a local restaurant. Or do something different – go to a sporting event watch a gig or have a dinner party.
Have a conversation with someone new. Make this your daily mission and who knows, you might make a friend for life!
Make more of your lunch break. Go to museums, try new restaurants, meet a friend, walk in the park, do something you’ve never done before or go somewhere you’ve never been before.
Have a mini-adventure at the weekend. Do a road trip, go hiking or camping or explore a new city.
Be inspired and get creative. Watch this playlist of TED Talks to kickstart your creativity, or read this excerptfrom Pico Iyer’s TED Book, The Art of Stillness.
Take a day off and give yourself permission to do anything you want. Go for a long, solitary walk; write poetry; bake; go shopping; read a novel; watch a blockbuster; paint; make something for a friend; have a picnic in the middle of nowhere and then lie in the grass and look at the clouds.

[Tweet “Have you ever felt stuck in a rut?”] Do you follow the same routine, day in, day out? What small changes could you make to mix things up today?

Rachel

The Do What You Love e-course will help you ditch bad habits and boring routines, and lead you to see what you really want (or need) more clearly.

“I am now far more open to ideas and willing to say yes to opportunities. I think, well, what’s the worst that can happen?!” Shona W., Do What You Love participant, Jan 2015

Join us this June for the experience of a lifetime.

Ditch the routine

Posted on 2015-06-03 at 10:42 pm.

Written by vbnz

Do you have a routine? How does it go?

Chances are you don’t acknowledge your routine day to day, but we bet you have one. You probably go through most of it on autopilot, without stopping to consider whether what you’re doing is healthy, productive or enjoyable. Isn’t it time to change that?

We’ve been really enjoying doing the activities from the Do What You Love e-course recently. Week three of the course is all about being brave and coming alive. One of the activities asks you to spend a day mixing things up a bit, so we asked Rose to ditch her routine today. Here’s what happened.

When I started thinking about what I was going to do differently today, I was at a bit of a loss. Shaking up your routine is inevitably going to move you out of your comfort zone – that was clear at the very moment I started thinking about it. But when I really got to thinking about what I could do differently, I felt a strange sense of excitement.

It started with breakfast. Today I swapped my usual Marmite for Nutella and bananas on toast. Having chocolate for breakfast always feels indulgent, but it’s the chocolate-banana combo that makes this an unbeatable start to the day.

Rather than sitting straight down in front of my computer after breakfast, I decided to go for a morning stroll on the seafront. It was a beautiful day – sunny and breezy – and I was surprised to find so many people by the sea before 9am. I was even more surprised at how friendly everyone was. I tend to assume everyone is grumpy in the morning, not being a morning person myself. But receiving so many friendly hellos so early in the day put me in a great mood.

After my stroll it was time to get to work. But I was feeling remarkably chirpy, and I didn’t fancy working on my own. I decided to give my friend (a freelance designer who works from home) a call. She invited me to work at her house, so I grabbed some juice and biscuits and headed over.

I loved working somewhere new in the company of my friend and her cat, Mila. We enjoyed frothy coffee, countless snacks and great music. And I had a really productive working day.

I was so surprised at what an effect shaking up my routine had on my mood, and my productivity. I felt more alive today than I have in weeks. I’m looking forward to changing my routine in different ways in the future – perhaps I’ll end up replacing my old routine with a great new one that’s just right for me!

The Do What You Love e-course will help you ditch bad habits and boring routines, and lead you to see what you really want (or need) more clearly.

“I am now far more open to ideas and willing to say yes to opportunities. I think, well, whats the worst that can happen?!” Shona W., Do What You Love participant, Jan 2015

Join us this June for the experience of a lifetime.

Dream a little dream

Posted on 2015-06-01 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Make your dreams come true!

The Do What You Love e-course will encourage you to reconnect to the real you, deep inside, in order to uncover what you really love. Understanding yourself and your passions will help you map out your perfect road ahead.

“This course is like pressing a pause button on your life – to take stock and help realise your potential.” Course participant, January 2015

Join us this June for the experience of a lifetime.

Life according to Mr K: Is doing what you love selfish?

Posted on 2015-05-27 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

Recently Beth was on a panel at a debate in London, talking about whether Doing What You Love being good advice is ‘an urban myth’. As you can imagine, she was on the side arguing that it is important, valuable advice. During the lively debate, hosted by Barclays at the Royal Institute, a number of interesting points were raised by the audience. Due to time constraints, not all of these were discussed, but I wanted to pick up on one in particular that we hear quite often ourselves: the idea that doing what you love is selfish.

Personally I couldn’t disagree with this more. I think that the exact opposite is true. Of course, in the beginning when you are exploring your interests and your passions and realising your hopes and dreams, it may feel like you are being a little self-indulgent, especially if you aren’t used to spending time doing things that you enjoy and care about. But as soon as you open your heart and mind to doing what you love, through conversations, by being pro-active, or even starting a new business, you find that what you love starts to matter to other people too.

A personal journey towards doing what you love begins with asking yourself some really deep and thought-provoking questions. Questions that are all about you, your life and how you want it to be. But to perceive this as you being self-absorbed or even selfish is very short-sighted. Once you start to find the answers amazing things can happen. You start interacting with like-minded people who share your ideas, your passions and your interests, you open your heart and mind to exciting new opportunities that make help you learn and grow; you discover a greater charity and a willingness to share and collaborate, and you strive to be your best self.

Let me give you two very good examples based on two people featured in our recent Alchemy Series.

Dave Cornthwaite: a Graphic Designer who at 26 had everything that society had implied he needed to be successful. However he was far from happy. 10 years ago he left it all behind and set out on a journey to find some answers. His adventures since then have been very inspiring. His ‘Say Yes More’ campaign is helping transform the mindset of thousands and his newest project is helping plant a huge number of trees. His personal journey has ultimately allowed him to inspire many others to follow their own passions and do what they love.

Emily Penn: after University Emily was offered a job as an architect in Australia but because she was so committed to protecting the environment she refused to fly. Instead, she sailed there from the UK. It was on this journey that she discovered a deep love and respect for both the ocean and the communities she met along the way. Rather than taking the job, she became an ocean advocate and she is now passionate about eliminating plastics from the sea.

[Tweet ““Individually we are one drop, together we are the ocean” ~ Ryunosuke Satoro”]

These personal quests were pivotal to finding clarity and purpose and they highlight just what can be achieved when you follow your true passion. Maybe when you are the best ‘you’ that you can be, you can create the most opportunities to help and inspire others.

If you are struggling with the idea of doing what you love, or feel that it is selfish, or that it is hard to focus on your own plans and dreams when you have so many obligations to others, then I would encourage you to consider joining us for the Do What You Love e-course beginning on June 15, 2015. It will completely change your perspective, and help you understand why the world actually needs you to do what you love.

Either way, this month I’d like to challenge you to think about someone who inspires you. How they have followed their own passions? How have they ended up having a greater impact in the world as a result? Then think about what that could look like for you.

Until next time,

Mr K

Why getting serious about goals is the key to achieving your dreams

Posted on 2015-04-14 at 8:55 am.

Written by Beth Kempton

When was the last time you thought about what you want to achieve in your life? When was the last time you paid real attention to the hopes and desires deep inside of you?

It’s easy to put our dreams on hold and see them as things that we’ll pursue in the future when we don’t have errands to run, bills to pay, work to do, and people to care for. But the truth is we’ll probably always be busy with one thing another, and as the years go by, we’ll only be getting older and more tired too. NOW really is the best time to make our dreams happen. It’s the only time that we can really count on!

Setting goals is a great place to start, but it can feel overwhelming. How do you go about it? What’s the best approach? These inspiring TED Talks offer some great advice on how to make your dreams happen…

1. Derek Sivers: Keep your goals to yourself

Once you’ve made up your mind and set a goal you’re sure will change your life, our first instinct is to tell those around us. In this insightful TED Talk, Derek Sivers, leading entrepreneur in the music business, says it’s often better to keep your goals to yourself. History has shown us that people who talk about their ambitions and resolutions are often less likely to achieve them. Research dating all the way back to the 1920s shows that keeping aspirations a secret is your best chance at actually following through with them.

2. Reggie Rivers: If you want to achieve your goals, don’t focus on them

“We all talk about setting goals, but we don’t talk that much about how to actually achieve goals,” says former Denver Broncos running back Reggie Rivers. In this TED Talk, he speaks about how focusing on your goals is the one sure way not to achieve them. Spending time concentrating on what is in your control rather than goals, which are outside of your control, puts the power of action in your hands and is the best approach to realising your aspirations.

3. Mel Robbins: Setting your goals high

In this motivational talk, Mel Robbins speaks on setting your goals high, regardless of any embarrassment you may feel. She tells the audience about the importance of setting goals for what you really want out of life, rather than just what you think is achievable. By keeping the bigger picture in mind, it is easier for us to accomplish the smaller targets that make it up. Recognise what you really want, admit you want it and do it, says Robbins.

4. Jason Fox: Goal setting is broken

The way people are setting goals is changing in the modern world. In this TED Talk, Jason Fox, Australian innovation management consultant and author, likens goal setting in business to the engagement needed for playing video games. He speaks on learning from challenges and failures and how it’s only through these that we can learn to achieve our goals and revel in the rewards. Keeping focus on what you have already achieved, rather than what still needs to be done, creates a bias towards action and keeps people engaged in a project for longer.

5. Raghava KK: What’s your 200-year plan?

You might have a 5-year plan, but what about a 200-year plan? Artist Raghava KK has set his eyes on an ultra-long-term horizon; at TEDxSummit, he shows how it helps guide today’s choices and tomorrow’s goals — and encourages you to make your own 200-year plan too.