3 TIPS TO KEEP THE CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING

1.  SURROUND YOURSELF with a ALL things creative. If you're a writer you need to write but you also need to read! It isn't easy I know because I struggle with this myself. Having two children under college age and a very busy traveling husband makes the element of TIME a constant challenge. However, it's a challenge worth making time for. If you're a dancer you must go to class and dance but you also need to experience what other dancers are doing. You must continually expose yourself to the larger creative world around you. When was the last time to visited a museum, went to hear a symphony, see a play or musical or walk into an art gallery? Try making a commitment to do one of these things once a week or even once a month! And there are a lot of things to do that are free or at a nominal cost, you just have to do a little research and sniff it out. Inspiration begets inspiration but it doesn't always show up at your front door. Go to it!

2.  THERE'S A REASON THEY'RE called "masters". Rembrandt, Tchaikovsky, Ellington, Shakespeare, and Ella were masters of their craft. We don't hear the word "craft" referred to so much anymore but guess what, the commitment that's needed to be the best at what you do hasn't changed. To be the best blogger, PR maven, or self-published author doesn't just happen. I still have moments when I want to just close my eyes, spin around three times, and wish for instant success but  then I open my eyes, sit down to do the work, post, and tweet. Did I mention "work"? The work is the only thing. Although it seems that international beauty guru Bethany Mota woke up one day and became an overnight sensation, don't be fooled. I guarantee you any amount of money that she'll tell you a story about making endless videos all by herself in her bedroom, for quite awhile before anyone even noticed her. But she did her work and she never gave up. The masters are tireless in their approach to the work. Find the individuals around you whom you most admire. who have been the most successful, and inspire you. Forget all of the people who only talk about what they want to do. Instead, attach yourself to those who are DOING IT or have done it. There are no shortcuts to greatness. The magic is work, work, work.

LEAVE YOUR COMFORT zone, by any means necessary!

It's so easy to coast, to meander, stay comfy, and cozy. Like Steven Pressfield talks about in his book The War of Art, Resistance is chomping at the bit and waiting for you to stay safe, cave in and give up. Do not go quietly but fight that urge to remain comfortable and complacent with everything you've got! It IS easier said than done but it is dire to becoming the very best of who you choose and need to be. We must constantly be pushing ourselves, reinventing, and surrendering to the uncomfortable in an effort to evolve, stay relevent, and ever creative. So gear up, put on that armor, and steel yourself for battle; whether to sit down and write, go back to the ballet barre, or make the daily posts. Do it consistently, passionately, and creatively to mold yourself into your own master!

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