Journey Juju

Dream Trip Giveaway

It may be known that I don't like February so much - winter bleakness bums me out! - so it's a time rife with fantasy.

I block weeks out of my calendar with things like "Go to California" when I haven't booked a ticket or made real plans.

I ask myself things like, "If you could go anywhere next month, if money and time were not obstacles, where would you go and why?"

Then I answer.

I'd go to Bali. I'd go there because I hear it is beautiful, colorful and sacred, and when the winter blahs come after me, I need those precious things.

I also go around asking others that same question. Hearing about others' dream trips gives me a little boost of excitement. Plus it helps me know them better.

So, to you, I ask this question.

"If you could go anywhere next month, if money and time were not obstacles, where would you go and why?"

Answer in a comment here on the Journey Juju blog and you'll be entered into a drawing for copies of my e-books, The Creative Toolkit for Travelers and The Graceful Return: Relish Your Adventure After You've Come Home.

By the way, after I declared that I wanted to go to Bali, I was invited to go speak at a writing workshop there. Unfortunately I'll be in Rome in October, but I can't help thinking it was a bit of journey juju, n'est-ce pas?

Share your dream trip here so you can enjoy your dream and real trips even more. And maybe invoke some of your own journey juju!

One winner will be drawn at random from comments left here before March 1st, 2010. Tell your friends - help everyone defeat winter blahs with luscious travel fantasies!

Bonus giveaway! Name the locations of the first two photos above and I'll give you a copy of The Creative Toolkit for Travelers for being extra clever. The last photo was taken in Portugal, near Sintra.

Curious Amsterdam: FAQ

When you read about Curious Amsterdam, you were curious, right? Of course, which means you’re in the right place. I’ve answered some common queries here, but if you have other questions, please contact me. CynthiaAToriginalimpulseDOTcom.

Will I enjoy this if I don’t have a traveling companion?

That’s one of the great things about these excursions – the creative tribe bonds very quickly. The group dynamic is one of sharing, fun and adventure.

The people who come on these excursions are very likely your new friends, also traveling the creative path.

Isn’t Amsterdam all about sex and drugs? Is that what you mean when you talk about a ‘sensual experience’?

That’s for sure a tour I could see in Amsterdam, but that’s not what Curious Excursions are about. We’re about feeling the breeze on our face as we ride bikes along the canals, about the absolute impression we felt when we saw Van Gogh’s work in person, about relishing the palpable buzz of life in the city’s open air markets and cafes.

Of course, sex and drugs are part of the allure of Amsterdam for some. Our itinerary allows plenty of free time for you to explore Amsterdam according to your whims.

Where's Cynthia?

 
First I have to thank Gwen Bell for her invitation to join the tribe recounting their best moments of 09. Reviewing my year in that way was fun and insightful and I'd do it again. In fact, I'm crafting my own best of series for the end of this year, especially designed for creatives.

The series was an apt way to end my stint at Journey Juju. I started the blog in early 2008 as a way to share my life as a creative nomad. Now that I'm slightly more stationary, I'm focused on other things.

Please join me at the Original Impulse blog, where I'm posting tips and guidance for developing a writing and creative practice you love.

You'll also find videos and exercises to engage your playful spirit and connect with your authenticity.

Life and creating are difficult enough without our own interference. I'm on a mission to help you get out of your own way so you can create and write more easily. And giggle a bit more this year.

You'll want to subscribe to the Original Impulse blog or hook up the RSS feed. Tweets will be posted at @originalimpulse so be sure to follow me there.

If you're a Facebook fan, you'll want to become a fan of the Original Impulse page. All my blog content will be channeled there, so you won't miss a thing if that's where you prefer to hang out.

I'll be traveling to Europe this summer and perhaps in the fall. In preparation for my Amsterdam excursion in June (June 13 - 19th), I'll be sharing tips and resources here for making any trip to Amsterdam more creative. Watch for that and stay tuned to Original Impulse blog for more inspiration and support for your best creative life.

#best09 - Best Rush

Design Your Creative Life conference, London, March 2009. From left: Fay Weldon, Jacqui Lofthouse, Susan Raeburn, Eric Maisel, Margareta Hammar, Ann Ljungberg, Suzy Greaves. Front row: moi.

Speaking in London at the Design Your Creative Life conference in March was the biggest adrenaline rush I can recall. My second presentation rocked. The room was alive. I provoked thought, I gave hope, I offered tools to make creating easier. 

I’ve been speaking since 1994 and this was a peak speaking moment for me.

There’s nothing like overcoming the feeling of apprehension just before standing in front of a group of people. There’s nothing like stepping up, stepping out and stepping toward the people in the room, offering something I love.

There’s nothing like feeling my offering received, like feeling the energy in the room shift. It’s a kind of fullness found in the cycle of giving and receiving, and it’s a rush.

#best09 - Biggest Challenge

which way to go?

To tell the truth, the whole year has been a big challenge. I have been trying to figure out where to go and what to do with the next phase of my life. I believe I've been in a sort of mid-life crisis, but my friends in their 50s assure me that worse mid-life hell is on the way.

Leaving my home and belongings behind to head to Europe for god knows how long, taking up with younger men, throwing all level-headed planning to the side - that's not a midlife crisis? They say, "Oh no, we expect all that from you any time."

So it's been a big hoary challenge all year long. Rather than wax on about the whole year, I'll share one particular day that kicked my ass to the curb.

#best09 - Best Blog Find

There are so many great blogs out there, which I love. The blogosphere has contributed enormously to people being able to broadcast their voice to the world and I so appreciate that.

I recently discovered Danielle LaPorte's blog, White Hot Truth and love it. Where have I been all year?

Check it out. Because self-realization does rock.

#best09 - Best Conference

 

Sid from Paris doing his graffiti demonstration

In April I attended the CREA conference in Sestri Levante, Italy. Sestri Levanti is on the Ligurian Coast, so I visited Cinque Terre for a few days before the conference to get in the mood.

CREA is the annual European gathering for creativity trainers, consultants and facilitators, mostly working with CSP, or Creative Problem Solving. My friend and colleague Martine Vanremoortele had encouraged me not only to attend, but to submit a proposal for a break-out session.

I pitched my Collaborative Story Making Excursion and it was accepted. It was a great honor to be in the program alongside Europe’s leading creativity trainers and facilitators. Imagine the conversations we had over abundant Italian buffets.

 

Flash mob Sestri Levante

I had such fun playing with my new tribe mates. I participated in my first flash mob (we pointed at the sky in horror, then ducked to the ground), walked the labyrinth in the Villa Balbi, a 17th century seaside villa, and danced all night in my new short blue dress and boots. I attended breakout sessions, learned about CPS, and heard about the cool projects my colleagues are working on.

 

Collaborative story making by the harbor

My excursion was a blast. I led the group through the streets of the village of Sestri Levante, a town on the Ligurian coast. We tuned into our senses, played “What’s that?” and paused to write together. After reading our stories, we finished with a cappuccino by the sea. (Yes, this is my job!)

 

Dominique, Maile and I getting our cappuccini

I could go on and on about this conference but I’ll stop there. If you have questions about my experience here, please leave a comment and I will elaborate.

 

Saluting the chefs at the last dinner. Check out the butter sculptures!

Blog Update & What's Where

Shooting in Amsterdam

I’ve enjoyed plenty of travel this year (two five-week trips in Europe, phew!). I’m happy to store my suitcase and buckle down on my winter projects. I have a backlog (would that be a back-blog?) of posts about my recent trip that I’ll be posting soon.

Stay tuned for reports on shopping in Europe, the variety of European markets, best places to eat in Venice and the best overall food award…it’s probably not what you think!

And watch for news of my 2010 European creativity excursions. I'm developing the curriculum now!

My posts about how to make writing and creating easier are on the Original Impulse blog. Travel-related posts will be on the Journey Juju blog.

Be sure to subscribe to both blogs for tips and inspiration on how to be most creative at work, home, in the studio and on the road.

The Graceful Return for Veterans

I wrote The Graceful Return: Relish Your Journey After You've Come Home with travelers in mind. I believe the principles in the book are suitable for those who have been on an extended trip or a short vacation. When I was considering who else might benefit from it, I thought of Veterans returning from duty. I can’t even imagine what it’s like to try to return to a normal life after living war. It must be incredibly difficult to reconcile all the experiences with life back home. There must be an enormous emotional and mental

I can only hope that veterans returning home would access mental health professional help. I also know the value of using art as an aid to process experiences. Writing, photography, and other simple tools can help sort and order stories. In-person gatherings and online blogs and photo sharing sites are venues to easily share stories in creative ways.

These suggestions and others are in my e-book, The Graceful Return: Relish Your Journey After You've Come Home. While I wouldn’t call a stint in Iraq or Afghanistan an adventure, I do think the tools in this guide to the return can contribute to making the transition easier.

The Graceful Return is available as an immediate download at the Original Impulse online store.

Let Your Muse Lead the Holidays

 

At this time of year, my Muse begins to get a little squirrely. The holidays loom, a season laden with expectations and traditions that I don’t necessarily want to participate in. With tradition and obligation on the horizon, my Muse often wants to rebel and go her own way. If your creative self feels restricted by holiday expectations, try something different this year. Let your Muse lead the way in your holiday decisions.

When considering your plans for the holidays, be creative. Here are ten ways to be proactive this season, so you and your creativity can thrive even at holiday time.

1. Big picture Start by considering what kind of holidays you want this year. Think of an adjective to describe how you want to feel. Peaceful? Grateful? Connected? Make some notes about your intention. From that intention you can look at the following ways to enjoy your holidays with your Muse leading the way.

2. Food Don’t go like a zombie toward foods you don’t really want just because they’re ‘holiday treats’. If you don’t really like the cranberry sauce or the sugar cookies, choose what you do like. Take traditional foods and tweak them to make them more healthful or reflective of your tastes and/or local produce. Set an intention for how you want to eat (mindfully, with gusto, only foods you really want…)

3. Friends How do you want to connect with your friends? I most enjoy the holiday season for the time I spend with friends reflecting on how we’ve enriched each other over the year. My friends are one of my biggest gifts and when we get together during the holidays, I make sure to acknowledge the impact they’ve had on me and thank them. Jot down the names of friends you really want to connect with and make plans that are meaningful to both of you.

4. Family Holiday family gatherings can bring a sense of obligation and even dread. Try looking to the characteristics you get from your family that you are proud of and that serve you in your life and creativity. Make a list and then thank your family members for giving you these gifts. Focus on what you love, not how your dad drives you crazy with his TV watching.

5. Gift giving While I love giving gifts, I hate the obligation to give that accompanies the holidays. I prefer my gift giving to be more spontaneous and based on finding the perfect gift and matching it with the giver. What’s true for you and gift giving? Take time to consider what you really want to give. It may not be the old standbys!

6. Assess the year The end of the year provides a natural marker for reflecting on your year. Spend some time considering your wins, your disappointments, your insights. I’ll post a worksheet on the blog later this month to help you assess your year so next year can be even better.

7. Money Get real with your finances. How much do you want to spend? Many people get in financial trouble because they spend from their heart and not their bank account. Take a look at how much money do you have to spend on gifts and holiday hoo-haw and then determine where you’ll allocate your funds.

8. Creative time Time seems more crunched than ever during the holidays, but that doesn’t mean you have to let your Muse languish. Try to maintain even the thinnest thread of connection to your projects. Time spent with your Muse will provide fuel for your other activities.

9. Treats The holidays provide a great time to indulge. Rather than mindlessly taking in anything that appears as a treat, consider what’s truly a treat for you. What’s a treat you can give yourself? A piece of pie with extra whipped cream? A visit to the massage therapist or local museum? I treat myself with time in the bookstore or in my favorite shop, Two Hands Paperie in Boulder. I don’t necessarily spend money, but I gain inspiration from the beautiful books and paper products.

10. Celebrate The holidays are meant to be a time to celebrate but that intention can get lost in the rampant commercialism and sense of obligation that looms. What’s one thing you want to celebrate this year?

How are you expressing your creativity this holiday season? Drop a comment below to share your Muse’s inspiration.

This article is part of my year-long series of top ten lists to celebrate ten years in business at Original Impulse. Stay tuned until the end of the year when I bring all the articles together in one place for your creative enhancement. Subscribe to Impulses for free.