It's All About YES! by Tricia Dycka

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All About VOLUMEIt’s 1; ISSUE 5 Yes

SEPTEMBER SEPTEMBER 6, 2011 6, 2011 ISSN 2162-4283

Sometimes we work so hard and stay so focused that being creative comes hard.

How Do You Deal With It?

YES

IT’S ALL ABOUT

Written by Women, for Women

Our guest writers: Tricia Dycka Daye Salander Jennifer L. Shelton Liz LaClair Lori Latimer Tamsyn Hawkins

When the imagination goes dry do you feel like you are caught inside the lightbulb instead of being the inspiration behind the lightbulb? An inside look at women entrepreneurs and their take on this very subject...

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter From The Editor Pg. 3 Time For A Change Pg. 4 Jennifer Shelton

Unleash The Power Of The Creator Archetype In Your Life Pg. 6 And Business! Tamsyn Hawkins

Flights of Fancy Pg. 8 Tricia Dycka

Tongue Tied and Creative Pg. 10 Liz LaClair

Lighting Your Creative Spark Pg. 12 Lori Latimer

Simmering The Creative Juices Pg. 14 Daye Salander

Publisher: Tricia Dycka Editor-In-Chief: Daye Salander Editor: Liz LaClair

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR With summer all but behind us, the kids back in school, and all of a sudden it seems the holidays are right around the corner, many of us see it as a time to dig our heals in and “get er done”. It is that time of year where we tend to reach deep within ourselves to push forward in our businesses. It is also that time of year where being creative about how we move forward in our business is sometimes a bit dull. When we think of bright ideas we often have that symbol in our head - of a light bulb going off. I think that is programmed into us since we were children and there is really no way around it. On the other hand when you are attempting to be creative and you hit nothing but roadblocks, it is much more like being caught in the ligh bulb, not generating the ideas that make it shine. Specifically, it is difficult for lone entrepreneur to stir those creative juices. So, how do you do it? How do you stay creative as you create your business and help it to grow and flourish? Here is how six other women tackle the problem. You may read one article and think to yourself, are you kidding? Well, do not stop there for each of these women have very creative ways to get the juices flowing and come out on top. Worth The Read... The Tragedy of Missing Out Post written by Leo Babauta. A father and his son went fishing on a small boat, hungry. The father helped his son reel in his first fish, and it was a beauty. “Great catch, son,” the father said. “Yes, but I’m worried I’m missing out on better fish,” the son said. “What if I could catch a bigger, tastier fish?” “Maybe you should try,” the father said. And the son did, catching an even bigger fish an hour later. “A real beaut,” the father said. “But what if there are better fish out there?” the son asked. “Maybe you should try,” the father said. And the son did, catching a bigger fish, then wondering if there were better fish, catching another, and so on. At the end of the day, the son was exhausted. The father asked, “How did the fish taste?” Read The Full Post

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Time for a Change by: Jennifer L Shelton

If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. – Anthony Robbins (probably, but I’ve found it attributed to a mass of other people as well) You think you aren’t creative? We are ALL creative. Creating is what we do. It’s as basic to being human as DNA. We are creating our life, every day! But, what happens when you want to create something new and different, and the inspiration isn’t there? When all you’re producing is the same shit day after day? It’s quite simple, really. JUST DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Organization and efficiency and routine have their places but they can sap your creative juices. Do you drive home from the store the same way every time? This time, drive home using a different route. Who cares if it’s a few more miles! Better yet, get lost on purpose! I do that all the time…I just drive down roads to see where they lead. This allows you to see your environment in a different light and make new connections – which is what creativity is all about! Do you eat at the same restaurants over and over? Try a different one! You may not like it, or you may love it. They point is, yes, doing something new. DON’T FORCE IT. Creativity can be expressed forcefully (I imagine it’s quite therapeutic to chisel away at marble) but the inspiration is more Yin. Create the conditions for it to arrive by being open and aware of your thoughts and environment. Have a regular time when you create, in order to slowly “train” your personal muse to arrive when you need her most. If, after a few weeks, the time isn’t working for you, try a different time. Some people work best very early in the morning, others very late at night. Play around with what works for you. PLAY! Do silly things. Color in a coloring book. Run through sprinklers. Play Twister. Play is inseparable from creativity. If you’re too serious about what you’re creating, you’re certain to hit a “block.”

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BE QUIET! This really fits in with “don’t force it” but deserves to be its own category. Sometimes we are so busy trying to think a creative thought that we don’t give our subconscious a chance to make suggestions. Just sit. Meditate. Or drink coffee while looking at the trees. Pay attention to your breath. Slow down. As I wrote in the first paragraph, creativity is integral to being human. Give yourself the space to let your humanity come through.

Jennifer L Shelton Jennifer is the founder and administrator of FemCentral, the Virtual Institute for Women, where she also works as an astrologer, intuitive coach and instructor. She teaches undergraduate, online classes in global cultures for Franklin University and works as an education, outreach and training consultant. She’s a writer. She’s a mom. She’s gloriously busy doing the things she loves. You can find Jennifer at www. jenniferlshelton.com

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Unleash The Power Of The Creator Archetype In Your Life And Business! by: Tamsyn Hawkins

Let me start with a quote, about the power of Branding and archetypal branding in business “Some brands are so extraordinary that they can become larger than life, symbolic of entire cultures and admired by consumers the World over. But in spite of all the hype around branding, few companies come even close to developing such iconic identities for their brands” Understanding and leveraging archetypal meaning-that is finding the soul of your brand and then expressing it in a way that taps into universal feeling and instincts, are key prerequisites to effective marketing in today complex and competitive markets. When these deep psychic imprints are understood and employed, brands not only gain meaning, but companies can also gain clients and market share” In a nutshell, marketing doesn’t have to be hard, or difficult, if you can tap into the Archetypal meaning of what your brand stands for marketing gets a lot easier! In my consulting business, we work with solopreneurs and small businesses to help them figure out their brand archetype and what it means for them and their customers. Our central business archetype is the Creator and here’s some detail on its meaning and how that Archetype can be applied to business If the Creator is active in your life, you assume what can be imagined can be created. At your best (now or when you fulfil your potential), you are highly imaginative and even inspired, and your skill level allows you to create with ease. You have moments when the ideas just flow and creativity seems effortless. You have a wonderfully developed aesthetic sense and surround yourself with things that reflect your taste. You have the potential, moreover, to create your own life as a work of art, so that you avoid the ordinary, the shallow, and the mundane, opting for more satisfying ways of life, even if this means that others do not always understand why you live the way you do. When problems arise, you seek inspiration to develop a clear vision of how you want to remedy them, to decide what you want to create to put in their place, or to choose what other innovative steps you might take. Or, you divert yourself by undertaking some satisfying creative project, believing, often correctly, that the answer to how to handle the problem will come to you in the process. You tend to notice the need for new inventions or interpretations. You also focus on the resources that help you innovate and on ways to enhance your skills. You know that if you open your eyes wide enough, you will find what you need to be successful. You also have a highly developed critic and generally notice every flaw in what you and others do, which could lead you to feel inadequate to the task and dissatisfied with life. You may want to guard against the Creator’s tendency to reduce life to raw material for art (as in a cartoon depicting a writer who keeps one hand on the keyboard while he makes love with his sweetie), robbing life of the joy of felt experience. The Creator also may become overwhelmed as a result of taking

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on so many projects. Like weeds that kill a garden, too many projects can sap the joy out of an otherwise great life. When the inner critic gets out of control, Creators may undermine their own confidence and that of others. You like and live stories involving the many guises of inspiration and their unpredictable consequences such as Alice Walkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s The Colour Purple, in which a character changes her life, in part because she starts to write about it and hence understand it. In Fried Green Tomatoes, the creative act of telling a story becomes a life-changing force in the life of another character. You also may relate to stories of artists, inventors, or entrepreneurs who have the imagination to envision something admirable and then the skill to make that vision a reality. Unless you have wealth, you may empathize with the difficulties (often portrayed in literature) faced by artists who live in poverty because they will not compromise their standards or allow their creativity to be co-opted by others (as in the film Amadeus). As a leader, you are (or could be) entrepreneurial, innovative, and unorthodox. You want to be seen as grounded, practical, and having the ability to create something the world needs, so you may avoid doing things that make you seem like a stereotypically wild-eyed, crazy artist. Others may appreciate and even envy your imagination and taste. However, they may have no idea how much dedication and hard work is involved in creating anything of real worth, minimizing what the outcome costs you. They may even see you as elitist or eccentric, perhaps even immoral (you know those artists!) and someone not to be trusted. You may (or do) benefit from: Taming your inner critic so that you become less critical of others and yourself remembering that anything worthwhile takes time. Moving from an ego-oriented focus on whether what you do is good enough to an attitude of service or being a channel for the muse or the vision to be expressed. Balancing artistry with being a responsible, thoughtful person (avoiding the trap of excusing selfindulgence) balancing the virtues of the Creator with those of the Destroyer. There are 12 key Archetypes that can be applied in business and life, this is just one of them. Try tapping into the soul of the Creator Archetype and see what creative juices get stirred up for you! Tamsyn Hawkins Tamsyn is an expert in coaching business owners to boost their revenue through branding and marketing. Specializing in creating brand and customer profiles for independent businesses, Tamsyn helps her client organizations identify exactly who they are and teaches them how to authentically represent themselves so they can attract their ideal customers. Tamsyn has worked in sales and senior leadership roles for top UK companies including Pizza Hut UK, Mothercare, Top Shop, River Island, Gondola Group and New Look, and launched her own consulting business in 2008. Tamsyn teaches independent entrepreneurs how to craft their company image so they can engage with their customers on a personal level, foster brand loyalty, and create stronger, more profitable relationships with their clientele. You can find her at www. tamsynhawkins.com

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Flights of Fancy by: Tricia Dycka

Creativity has been stifled, burdened with the weight of adulthood, pressured by responsibility and day-to-day living. When we were children we had flights of fancy where we could dream up anything. It could be as outlandish as being a superhero or living on Mars. The idea did not need to be feasible. Still we would dream and imagine sharing with our friends these great places we would visit and the things we would do. Remember Peter Pan? As we grew older, then came that notorious saying, get your head out of the clouds. Unfortunately responsibility coupled with the time constraints of careers and adulthood, we lost sight of our wondrous imagination that took us to places far away It allowed for us to effortlessly think outside the box. As adults often we are told, that can’t be done, it is not practical, what are you thinking? My response is, you never know. It may not be today, but what about the future? What were once dreams 100 or so years ago, ideas such as global telecommunications, abundant power sources, air and space flight, intricate surgeries, exploring deep space searching for other planets, all exist here now as everyday occurrences. We must find a balance between managing current responsibilities, dealing with daily pressures and issues, while still retaining creative imagination. To be unrestrained and imaginative as we once were taking us away to our special place to dream up the unreal.

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Capital isn’t so important in business. Experience isn’t so important. You can get both these things. What is important is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main asset you need, and there isn’t any limit to what you can do with your business and your life. ~ Harvey Firestone Once we rid ourselves of traditional thinking we can get on with creating the future. ~ James Bertrand The essential part of creativity is not being afraid to fail. ~ Edwin H. Land There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns. ~ Edward de Bono The uncreative mind can spot wrong answers, but it takes a very creative mind to spot wrong questions. ~ Anthony Jay

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It takes time to find that balance. We are taught that life is all about deadlines, meeting responsibilities, that fun is an annual weeklong vacation. It is a teaching that we must challenge for ourselves. Why can’t life be fun all of the time? Why must we wait for vacations? I started out slowly doing fun things such as going to the beach, reading more, taking time for myself. That was so alien to me that in the beginning I felt bad about stepping off the guided lemming path. Now when I cannot find an idea or be creative, I make time to get those juices flowing. I shut the computer down and open my eyes to what is going on around me, listen to others talking or just ask questions. Ideas then start to flood back in. Then I return refreshed and start to write again, just as I am doing now. I wondered what I could write about for this topic. After having a conversation with my husband, he reminded me of how life pushes us to grow blinders and we get stuck on the hamster wheel, dreams and creativity gone by the wayside. I ran back to my desk and started typing. I believe we make things so difficult for ourselves without even realizing what we are doing. Don’t be your own worst enemy! Sometimes it is best to STOP and have some FUN! Go out enjoy yourself, dream up something wondrous!

Tricia Dycka: Tricia is an Entrepreneur, life enthusiast, author, intuitive, funny, very candid, great listener. Take the path less traveled. Living in the moment. Enjoys massive amounts of chocolate and coffee. Supportive friend who is there for you when everyone else has abandoned you and thinks you have lost your mind. Encourages entrepreneurs to embrace themselves so they can create an environment that supports their dreams. You can find me at www.triciadycka.com

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Tongue-Tied and Creative

Worth The Read...

There are so many ways to be creative (too many/varied to list). For this I’m going to talk about one version. Being creative when describing yourself to others and describing others to others.

When you need breakthrough ideas, consider anti-conventional thinking

by: Liz LaClair

HUH?

By Jeffrey Baumgartner

How many times have you been asked – on the fly – to describe what you do, what drives you, what your services are, etc? Do you get tongue-tied? Now think how you react when someone asks you to describe a client, a friend, family member with their business. You can rattle off the answers without hesitation (especially if you’re impressed). As an example for me, my sister-in-law owns a gourmet candy store and I’ve helped in the store and created a couple of her brochures. I can tell you a LOT about her store, that she makes some of her candy and that she will only buy the best candy to work with and sell. (my mouth is salivating as I write this)

Have you tried brainstorming, ideas campaigns, crowdsourcing and other idea generation activities only to be disappointed by the results? Does it seem most corporate brainstorm sessions generate little more than pat phrases comprising the management’s favourite buzz words? Does your idea management system fill up largely with predictable ideas that at best might result in incremental innovations? If so, you are not alone.

But what about when it comes to me? What happens when it comes to writing/saying something about me and my business? It ain’t pretty. Yes, I’m good at what I do. Yes I love doing what I do (I’m thrilled to be an editor of this very magazine) and I love being creative for my clients. But contrary to what others may think – I am a bit shy and have always had a hard time telling my business story. This is where my creativity hits the breaks, slows down to nothing (maybe even reverse?) I get tonguetied; there are a lot of Umms. So, of course I worry that no one will take me seriously and really believe that I can do what I say I can. Boy, that does a lot for a person.

The truth is, many of these creative exercises – and in spite of what anyone tells you about innovation, idea generation is a creative activity that can eventually result in innovation – are poorly conceived. They are designed to generate as many ideas as possible in the hopes that once the obvious, conventional solutions to problems are exhausted, more creative, unconventional ideas will come to the surface. Yet in truth, the only time this happens is when highly creative people are participating in the brainstorm.

So, how does one do a personality shift? Because, face it that is what I have to do. Learn to channel my creativity inward – no matter how scary that is. Sit down and spend time writing up what I do – from my clients’ perspective to tell my business story. Knowing me, there will be plenty of re-writes. I may even recruit my sister-in-law to look it over and give me feedback. Now dear reader, if you find yourself in a similar situation I hope you can find it in your soul to sit down and think of all the positives of your business and write them down. Remember writing is a creative form of communication. You don’t need to embellish, let your work speak for itself. But don’t be like me – believe that

Fortunately, there is a solution that allows normally creative people to behave more like highly creative people and so generate better ideas. I call this method Anti-Conventional Thinking (ACT). It requires that you throw away many of the rules Read The Full Post

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bragging about what you do isn’t good. How will anyone know what you do and how well you do it if you don’t sing your own praises? You may have to keep an inspirational card on your desk telling you how tremendously talented, awe-inspiring, ultra-creative (etc) you are just to keep you in the right frame of mind when you’re writing your story. Don’t worry; draw your creativity from sources that help you. I can’t be the only “stuff legends are made of” woman out there! Blog page: http://blogwithvhelps.wordpress.com

Liz LaClair have TWO best parts of my life. I’m thrilled to have found my business calling! I truly enjoy working with my clients – the work I do is fun! Check out how I got past my challenges – learn how I’m taking what was a not so good and making it great. I’m a small business entrepreneur who likes working/supporting other small businesses. The other best part of my life? I’m married to the love of my life. He’s very supportive of what I’m doing. Who could ask for more? You can find me at http://www.virtuallyhelps.com/

WHAT WILL YOU FIND?

Take 10% OFF any item in booth No. 517, home of Junkbox Treasures in Snohomish. 1108 1st St., Snohomish, WA

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Lighting Your Creative Spark by: Lori Latimer

Many entrepreneurs worked in corporate America in their past life, and many still do while starting their own business. And most corporate jobs have little, if any, creative qualities to them. So how do you find that spark of creativity when you haven’t flexed your creative muscle in a while, or when you’re just in a stuck place? Get curious. Getting curious about things will open up your creativity in new ways. So many people live on what I call “auto-pilot,” going through the day to day motions in a very routine, monotonous way. In many ways, start looking at things and doing things in different ways. Don’t just take things for granted – really observe them. That will lead you to get curious and notice things in new ways. Change your environment. One of the easiest ways I’ve found to break through my creativity blocks is to change my environment. From going to a bookstore or a coffee shop, to taking a trip out of town, anything that gets me out of my normal environment opens me up to noticing things in different ways and piquing my curiosity. Swipe it! Browse areas of a bookstore that you don’t usually spend time in and look at the book titles. Or look through movie titles or songs on CDs for ideas. Go through your swipe file (you’d better have a swipe file of other people’s articles and newsletters!). Now obviously you don’t want to copy someone else’s work, but you can find countless ideas from flipping through books, magazines, articles, and newsletters. Jot it down. Use the memo feature on your phone, or carry a notebook or electronic recorder with you so you can record ideas as they come to you. Keep it next to your bed so you can capture ideas that might come to you in the middle of the night. Even if they don’t make sense at the time, you never know when one of them might be just what you need sometime later. Get physical! Go for a walk. Work out. Dance. Have sex. Yes, sex can release a lot of stress and tension and get you out of your creative funk. Just take some kind of physical action to get your body moving. You’ll be amazed at all the ideas that will suddenly come to you as a result of just moving your body. Go natural. I grew up in Los Angeles, and I love the beach. So whenever I’m in California, I spend time at the beach, reflecting, listening to the sound of the waves, watching the people, feeling the sea breeze blow by. There’s something about being in nature that clears out the brain fog and opens up new possibilities and ideas. So go for a walk in nature, sit outside in the early morning or at dusk, or take a drive in the mountains or down a country road. Change your routine. If you drive somewhere on a regular basis (your office, your child’s school, the grocery store), take a different route three times in the next week. Do this with anything you do on a regular basis. For example, walk through the grocery store the opposite of the way you normally do. The

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more you can get yourself out of your auto-pilot routine, the more you’ll flex your creative muscle, and the easier it will be to tap into your creativity. Because all you need is one tiny little spark. Then let that spark turn into a flame that grows and grows and don’t snuff it out. As the spark grows, let your imagination run wild!

Discoveries are often made by not following instructions, by going off the main road, by trying the untried. ~ Frank Tyger Enthusiasm is excitement with inspiration, motivation, and a pinch of creativity. ~ Bo Bennett Problems cannot be solved by the same level of thinking that created them. ~ Albert Einstein Imagination is the beginning of creation. You imagine what you desire, you will what you imagine and at last you create what you will. ~ George Bernard Shaw Sometimes you’ve got to let everything go – purge yourself. If you are unhappy with anything …whatever is bringing you down, get rid of it. Because you’ll find that when you’re free, your true creativity, your true self comes out. ~ Tina Turner

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Simmering The Creative Juices by: Daye Salander

Creative? Hmmm… I’m going to have to think on that a bit before even trying to broach the subject. I do know that every day as an entrepreneur, I “create” my business and on some days when that creativity falls flat…I cook. Flour, Salt, Sugar, Water, Yeast. A can of tomatoes, a can of tomato sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, handful of marjoram, basil, thyme, and flat leaf parsley… Simmering tomato mixture, squashing the tomatoes, turning it all into a robust pizza sauce….Mmmmmm…Slowly nurturing the flavors. Maybe I move too fast. Maybe before letting my idea totally form I’m already off the block and maybe that is why my marketing efforts are not as effective as I would like them to be. Maybe I need to let them simmer more. Flip the dough out on the counter; knead…knead…knead… SLAP! Damnit! Ya know, girl, you can over knead the dough. Let it a lone, let it rest, let it develop. Hmmm…oil the bowl plop the dough in and cover with towel. As with dough, business is about timing. Knowing when to knead, knowing when to let it rest and knowing when to just let it warm. I know my business and I’m very good at what I do but that doesn’t mean that every day goes smoothly or I’m just overflowing with ideas of how to grow it, how to sustain it and most of all how to make sure that I enjoy it. On some days, I just go flat. Blow softly across the spoon to cool the sauce and taste. Something is not quite right. Salt, pepper, a pinch of sugar, and one more clove of garlic and I repeat the tasting process with much better results. Maybe that is what my marketing campaigns need, a bit more salt and pepper, a little seasoning to better appeal to my audience. So, am I gearing my message to my audience? Hmmmm…Good Question… Punch down the dough and fashion it into somewhat of a circle. A perfectly round pizza only exists in the world of fast food and factories. Brush with Garlic Olive Oil and throw it in the 500 degree oven and prep the vegetables. My audience is collectors and anyone who enjoys fine things. The things I sell are unique, well-made, eclectic, and from the past. My audience is those that are after more than just the exterior “look” of something but who wants the real thing and appreciates the story behind the item. Pull the lightly tanned crust from the oven. Spread a thin layer of sauce with a spoon. Place five or six Basil leaves down flat, scatter some mushroom slices and a little Italian Sausage. Top with scattered very thin slices of Mozzarella cheese. Return to oven.

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So, what I find is that when I describe my audience, I am describing myself, and as I think about how to creatively reach my audience, I realize that it is much like cooking itself. I know the steps, but those steps must be “colored” with my touch, my personality, my spark. It is not a recipe that I can just follow, but a unique recipe that I create and now I find myself excited to sit down and tell my audience the story behind the antiques and collectibles that I sell. To share the wonder of days gone by. But first….Pizza. Lunch Anyone? Daye Salander Daye is a bit like a multi-colored coat for over the years she has followed dreams that have taken her in many directions; from graphic design, journalism, Webpage Coding & Creation to clothing design. In her most recent adventure, Daye has given into her love of antiques and the associated history and has become a antiques dealer. http://JunkboxTreasures.com http://Facebook.com/JunkboxTreasures

Written by Women, for Women IT’S ALL ABOUT

Break Out of The Box & Learn to Build the Life You Want!

Does every day seem like a struggle as you battle the negatives thrown your way by friends and family? Does it seem like you will never achieve your dream? Well, there is some great news! You CAN build the life you want and balance a successful business with a successful personal life. The Women of It’s All About YES! are not only committed to their own businesses and their own life’s plan, they are committed to sharing what they have learned along the way. Join them on Facebook. Get encouragement, ask questions, or just come to rant a bit. It’s all about Women Helping Other Women to Succeed!