One of my 2023 goals has been to spend an hour every day on a creative pursuit, such as writing, blogging, or photography. Eight months into this experiment, I’ve learned some things that may inspire you to fit more creative time into your life.
Category: Personal Essay
My Steely Childhood Summer Reading Program
Most people remember reading Little Golden Books or Dr. Seuss as children. Not me. I grew up reading my Mama’s romance novels, most notably Danielle Steel.
The Art and Architecture of Quebec City
My family took our first trip to Canada this summer, where we spent time in Quebec City, Quebec, and Halifax, Nova Scotia. Quebec City was our first stop, where we spent four nights at the Hotel Port Royal in the city’s historic center. Quebec City was unlike any other place I've traveled. The architecture in … Continue reading The Art and Architecture of Quebec City
Climb Out of the Traps
Have you fallen into the trap? The negative thinking trap. You know the traps I’m talking about. The one that has you obsessing and taking things personally that probably don’t have anything to do with you. These traps zap creativity and drain productivity because they monopolize our mental energy and lock us into a narrow way of thinking.
Putting Self-Doubt into Checkmate
A few years ago during a planning retreat, I had the opportunity to play a senior colleague in chess. Despite being a pretty decent player myself, my colleague had me in checkmate in just a few moves. What did I learn from my swift defeat?
Creativity When Everything Isn’t Coming Up Roses
It’s unavoidable - some days or weeks are harder than others. Despite our best efforts, things just don’t turn out the way we want. I recently had a week that was a pretty difficult one for me professionally. The week started with a painful rejection, rapidly progressed to include a mini-crisis that needed managing while … Continue reading Creativity When Everything Isn’t Coming Up Roses
Puppy Love
From the time she could speak, my daughter wanted a dog. I was absolutely, positively, dead set against the idea. My husband, a 20-year cat owner, backed me up 1,000 percent. We were not, under any circumstances, getting a dog.