Costume Contest of Life

Life is like a costume contest.

If you prefer to have a costume like everyone else…

If you prefer to pick a costume last minute when all the stores are sold out…

If you prefer to not wear a costume at all…

If you prefer to avoid all creativity when putting together your costume…

You’re NOT going to win the BIG prize!

The person who wins the costume contest… is afraid to stand out, but they do it anyway!

So choose your costume wisely. And make no mistake, the less thought and creativity you put into your costume, the more likely you are to NOT win the big prize.

So go BIG or go home.

Dare to…

Make a statement.

Be laughed at.

Be creative.

Push the limits.

Strive to win that prize!!

Create an awesome Halloween costume, create an awesome life.

And soon that prize will be yours.

It may be a stretch… but I think this analogy could be useful.

Knee Pain

A wise one once philosophized that a person only gets knee pain, when she hesitates to move forward on her life’s path. 

After I dumped all my present baggage on my best friend… The cherry on top of my heaping pile of baggage, was that my poor knee was painfully out of socket. She proceeded to tell me the wise words above and than some...

My baggage centered on my career, love-life,  and family, all creating loads of stress from all angles. So what’s a girl to do?

My best friend began to laugh. She said, “Malorie, your life is so together. You’ve accomplished so much; remember that. You wish you were 6 steps ahead, but instead be happy with your present success.”

She than told me that in a talk-back with Jennifer Aniston, when she was asked what advice she’d give to her younger self… Aniston replied, “I’d tell my younger self not to worry SO much.” My best friend brilliantly proposed that she believed, that adult-Malorie would say the same thing to young-Malorie.

Interesting…

She reminded me to live in the present, trust where I am, and begin to move forward on my path.

I’m now home… and my knee pain has significantly subsided.

Beware of your own knee pain.

Move forward despite the fear your baggage creates.

Listen to your heart and create your art.

Blame It On Your Muse

All we have is our art.

That is all we are.

Non-artists love asking the true artist...

1. What is your back-up plan?
2. Isn't it time to get a real job?
3. What if you never succeed?

And to top it off your Ego kicks into high gear every time you embark on a new artistic endeavor!

But then something wonderful happens...

You finally win the Oscar
You finally book a Broadway show
You finally write a best seller
You finally achieve artistic success

You'd think the questions would stop, you'd think your Ego would quiet, you'd think the artistic battle was over...

But then...

The Non-Artist asks, what if you've reached your pinnacle? Aren't you afraid you'll never achieve another masterpiece?

And then we undergo "tortured artist" syndrome.

In extreme settings, we as artists:
Become deeply depressed
Go insane
Overdose  
Or...
End up killing ourselves

Simply because we are our art. And our creative juices have been spent. 

Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat Pray Love picks apart our western ideas about the so-called "tortured artistic" journey in her 2009 TED talk... a must see click here.


Elizabeth made it her mission to find a new set of beliefs about the artistic journey... maybe it didn't have to be so painful? She landed on the Greeks and the Romans. Their belief was far from negative. And here's why...


The Greeks and Romans didn't see the artist as the sole creator of the art. Instead a muse or genius was the artist, and the person was simply the creative channel. Therefore artistic failure wasn't solely the fault of the individual, the blame was shared with the muse.


Why is this important? Next time writer's block creeps up on you... don't blame yourself, call out for your muse to show you the way. Think of your art as a joint venture between you and your muse. Show up everyday knowing you're going to have ups and downs... but you'll still do you're best to channel your muse.

And when you fail, it's not entirely your fault, blame it on your muse. Blaming your failures on your muse allows you to avoid "tortured artist" syndrome. Being an artist doesn't have to mean a lifetime of struggle. Maybe you never will create something as brilliant as your break through art piece... OR maybe you will, either way...

Don't take failure personally, this will lead to your destruction; simply blame it on your muse, and continue to create yr art.

And yes, it's easier said than done.

Tunnel Vision

We all know comparing ourselves to someone else is bad news. But sometimes we need to be reminded. My Ego loves to use this “comparing” tactic against me, and it does a great job at making me feel less than. 

MY LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES = SHITTY

HER/HIS LIFE CIRCUMSTANCES = WAY MORE FABULOUS THAN MINE 

Maybe it’s true, and maybe it’s not.

And then I remember, this is my journey, not someone else’s journey. It’s my rollercoaster ride, my story, and my life.

Where you are right now, is right. And where you are going, is right.

When your Ego switches into overdrive, alerting you how much better everyone else is compared to you… focus all your energy on your journey only.

Ask your muse for guidance, and Tunnel Vision. 

My Dragon

“On the field of the Self stand a knight and a dragon. You are the knight. Resistance is the dragon.”

Do The Work, Steven Pressfield

I always believed overnight successes were impossible… or in other words, one’s success may appear to happen overnight, but in actuality that’s never the case. But then, a real overnight success asked me out on a date.

Over dinner, he explained there was prep-work and lots of talent behind his good fortune, but he did ultimately agree he was an overnight success. I couldn’t help but hold a mirror to my own life… this mirror A.K.A: my dragon of resistance screamed:

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH THE LAST 24 YEARS, MALORIE?!

WHY ARENT YOU FAMOUS?!

WHY HAVENT YOU CREATED SOMETHING BRILLIANT?!

An achy feeling over took my body. My dragon told me to curl up and die. She insisted I drown my sorrows in someone else’s bed. And she continued to remind me how shitty my artistic journey has been, and yes, how unproductive.

Despite the intense flames from my dragon, I kept my cool, and the Overnight Success didn’t seem to notice my raging fury. Dinner ended, he kissed me on the cheek and we parted ways.

As I walked home… the pity parade gallantly followed my every move, singing gleefully “You Suck, You Suck, la la la!!”

I was losing the battle.

And then…

I began to write.

I scheduled artistic meetings.

Embarked on a new book.

And sang with all my heart.  

The achy feeling dissipated.

This wasn’t the first battle and it wasn’t the last. And for the time being my dragon has been pretty quiet, but I know she’ll creep up again soon. It’s a good thing I know her weakness.

And who knows maybe you’ll be the next overnight success… and until then create while you wait.   

I love you like a negative STD test

When was the last time you wrote a poem?

My freshman year “Writing the Essay” teacher, Rajiv Joseph assigned each student to write a weekly poem. Poem day, which I think was Wednesday, was always something I looked forward to. Before we began the typical class lecture, we’d all share our weekly genius with the class.

A few things I remember about my freshman year classes… I read a lot of plays and essays, I wrote a lot of essays, and POEM DAY.

The poems were never graded. It was simply a chance to create art just because.

So today when I was working a L’Oreal promotion at Duane Reade; a far from glamorous gig, I noticed a cashier writing in her notebook.

She confessed that when the store wasn’t busy… she writes poetry. She proudly announced that just yesterday she wrote a love poem for her husband. When she read it to him, it brought tears to his eyes. (I got that warm fuzzy feeling all over)

For the sappy romantics out there, an ode to your lover is probably apart of your daily routine. But for everyone else, when was the last time you wrote a poem?

She brought me back to freshman year Poem Day. Besides the fact that poems are artsy and such… I couldn’t help but wonder why my teacher had us write poetry??? Was it…

To hear the crazy thoughts of college freshman?

To take time away from “Writing the Essay” curriculum?

To spark creativity in general?

Who really knows, I’d assume to spark creativity, and to get us out of our heads and into our souls… Or maybe the method of his madness was just to have fun, to break up the monotony.

I wonder if Rajiv writes weekly poems… I do know Rajiv writes brilliant plays. 

I find myself creating art solely for an intended goal… it’s been awhile since I’ve created art, just for art sake. So I’ll try my luck at a poem this week. And maybe, just maybe it’ll lead to writing brilliant plays. 

I'm not super proud of this jargon below... but I thought what the hay!!

22 February 2006

This is a testimony of my true love:

I love you like a negative STD test

I love you like an afternoon rest

I love you like my easy bake oven

I love you like some late night lovin

You can preheat my oven any time

You're my consensual sex crime

I love you coat check boy

I want to make you my bedtime toy

Rapture, Smapture

In honor of the supposed rapture…

“Life is too short to hate what you're doing everyday.”
                                Tribes by Seth Godin

Whether dooms day is upon us or not, life is short.

Do you relish in misery?

If you didn’t hate your job, would you have nothing to talk about?

If life didn’t suck all the time, would you have no reason to open your mouth?

Well if that’s the case, man up and change it! What are you waiting for? Finally begin your creative journey. Fulfillment is possible. Discipline yourself to take steps toward your artistic dreams everyday. Your life story will shift and morph, and misery will be but a faint memory.

Hold close to your heart this simple phrase…

“The pain of discipline weighs ounces, and the pain of regret weighs tons.”
                            Jim Rohn

So choose your path. I’ve chosen mine.

Goliath Lost

Every artist must remember, Goliath lost.

We all get fired up, excited, and determined the minute we set a new life changing goal… but then reality sets in. We are reminded by our family, friends, and our Ego to pursue non-childlike dreams.

Be a nurse.

Be a lawyer.

Be content with the way things are.

Enjoy mediocrity.

So when all odds are against you, when you’re ready to give it all up, when you’ve failed countless times, remember Goliath lost, and the little guy won.

You’re the little guy. You have the power. Make your heart’s desire come to life. Share your art with us, we are waiting for you.

Every “NO” means you’re just one step closer to “YES”—Les Brown

I've Broken Out In Hives

This afternoon I found myself sitting in the audition waiting-room surrounded by beautiful auditioners. I kept my headphones in, in order to avoid the pre-audition jargon. 

As I pretended not to listen to the girls chatting it up; I heard one mention that she was "soooo nervous" she was beginning to break out in hives. I assumed she was the typical over dramatic actor, you know the kind that gives the rest of us a bad rep, so embarrassing. I kept my head down and focused my energy on Seth Godin's latest blog posts.

Finally, the drama queen, Ms. Hives was called into the audition room. A few minutes later, she left the room and wished us all good luck... Her good luck sincerity prompted me to raise my head and thank her. And as she smile and turned, I saw splotches of hives all down her back. 

Wow! She really wasn’t over reacting... All her bottled up nerves had manifested in a real break out!!

I wanted to run after her and say "I'm sorry I didn't believe you... Please can I help you overcome your nerves?" 

But then I thought... who am I?! Really?!

I then thought some more.

Too late.

My mind was racing, but I couldn't quite pin down what my heart and mind were trying to release.

And then it came…

Dear Ms. Hives,

Learn to accept the emotion you are feeling. Don't try to deny it or make it into something else. Accept your nervousness, rather than becoming frustrated with it, and maybe your hives will dissipate.

Or maybe, the hives stick around…

But consider this, “Henry Fonda was still throwing up before every stage performance, even when he was 75” (The War of Art, by Steven Pressfield).

In other words the fear, the nerves, the frustration, the anxiety is never going to go away… It may subside here and there, but your emotions have a life of their own, it’s YOUR life. So why not use those crazy, funky, scary emotions to your advantage?

Feel those emotions. And before you know it, one emotion will shift and morph into another emotion. This new emotion could be better or worse, but feel it. And when we finally give over, we undergo truth. This truth helps us to create art from the stuff that really counts, the soul.

And finally...

Whatever we are most afraid of…

Whatever our Ego likes to tell us we SUCK at…

Whatever we’ve given up on and then started again a million times over…

Whatever gives us HIVES…

That nemesis, that thing, that dream…

is what we need to dedicate our lives to.

 Like Henry Fonda and his nausea… you’ve got your hives. It’s a sure sign you’ve chosen the right career path.

“Rule of thumb: The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more Resistance we will feel towards pursuing it.”

Steven Pressfield, Do The Work

In my own vernacular, the definition of Pressfield’s Resistance: a force of nature arising in anything from thoughts, to people, to a skin break out that tries to stop you from achieving your dreams.

Become aware of the fear your Ego creates, and let it steer you toward the creation of your art.

Wishing you so much success!

Sincerely, 

Malorie Bryant

Do the Work by Steven Pressfield is dedicated to helping you accomplish your biggest endeavors, and dare I say, DREAMS. I highly recommend you read it ASAP. It came out April 21^st, it’s hot off the press. I ordered it day of and I’m now reading it for a second time. It’s a must. Plus it’s only 98 pages, with a large font. Have I convinced you?!

Trees Never Grow Only Halfway

The harder you work on your art, the luckier you get.

By working on our art, we create energy to propel and attract us to people and circumstances to make our efforts come to fruition in big ways.

Therefore, we’ve got to do all that we can and not settle for anything less.

In a seminar lead by Jim Rohn , he discusses that humans are the only species that don’t live to their fullest potential. He argues that a tree grows as high as it possibly can, and that a tree would never grow only halfway. But we as humans are given a choice:

1. Live to your fullest potential

Or...

2. Don’t live to your fullest potential

It may look and sound easier to settle for less than…To endure the mediocre… To embrace the status quo… To suffer the chains of happy hour, TV watching, and social networking. But in the long-run it’ll come to bite you in the ass, in the form of disease or debt or depression. 

It's my belief that if we strive to live up to our fullest potential in every area of our life, we can extend our lives.

Have you ever noticed how good you feel, when you finally complete an artistic endeavor?!

Your energy increases exponentially... Every success brings more positive energy, and momentum ensues. And it’s this positive energy that increases our immunity, which in turn extends our lives.

A friend of mine told me that when she gets back pain, it always seems to pop up when she's not expressing her creativity.

I also had a friend tell me, now that she works a desk job; her energy and drive is much less then when she was pursuing her artistic career path. And although her current job allows her financial stability, her artistic self is suffering. Money is great, but only if you can support your art at the same time.

I often times feel depressed or frustrated or lazy, when I'm not working on my art on a regular basis. My mind gets cloudy, and I feel stuck... and then I pull/drag/tear myself away from my Ego, and into my creative plane. My mind clears and I begin to see light at the end of the tunnel. 

The challenge that arises:

Choose to lead a life of fulfilled artistic potential. Do all that you can for that day, week, and year. And your success will beget more success.

Recess for Yr Soul

Today I walked by a school playground during recess. I couldn't help but fall in love with all the sounds I was hearing, from the screams, to the shouts, from the laughter, to the tears. So many visceral emotions being expressed.

It made me giggle, because I thought if more adults took time out of their day for recess, how much happier would we be? Images of adults in suits running around and screaming seemed funny, and yet a little asylum-esque

If we screamed, and shrieked, and laughed, and played with all our might would we be happier?

My guess is YES.

Maybe that's whats missing from adulthood, the pure unadulterated, outdoor playtime. A playtime without mind altering substances.

When was the last time you just played?!

Entering into my third week of working every day, I yearned for some free time, free time to relax and fulfill my human needs. And when I walked by the playground, I realized I not only need free time, but I need playtime too. A playtime dedicated to exploring my emotions out loud!

These thoughts rekindled why I love creating my art...  It provides my soul with the recess it desperately needs.

So what's your soul's recess?

Make the appoint to add recess to your daily life, and experience your soul's revival.

Watch out for ROUTINE!!

Routine can get the best of any artist.

Therefore the true artist must learn to live a life of uncertainty, leave the routine to the non-artists.

Once you except uncertainty as part of the process of becoming a great artist, you'll see life's problems merely as challenges. You'll begin to see how each instance the big, the bad, the ugly, and whatever else, they all are propelling you toward your art's creation.

Of course it's easier to go to grad school...

It's easier to have a normal job...

It's easier to wake up every day and do the same thing...

And yes its much, much HARDER to not know your plan of attack at any given moment, or month from now, or a year from now. But that doesn't mean its any less noble to be uncertain, quite the contrary, it's the true calling of an artist.
(Now that doesn't mean we don't set goals, but instead we set flexible goals, that propel us toward our art everyday, month, and year.)

Learn to embrace living in uncertainty, while still taking action toward your artistic goals... And this uncertainty will lead to your greatness.

We grow up in a society where it's excepted and encouraged to follow the same routine, go to school Monday through Friday, go to work Monday through Friday, follow the herd, that's routine a its best.

But don't let routine stifle you're creativity. You need to live in the unknown to find your genius. Let your muse fill in the gaps along the way, and your art can't help but flourish.

Dead Dog Syndrome

"Nobody kicks a dead dog" 
(Famous words worth remembering often)

Let's be honest if you do make it big, which I hope you do... get ready for criticism from all angles. But consider this, if  people are talking about your art either positively or negatively at least they're talking, your art did it's job :)

Avoid dead dog syndrome, and make your goldmine idea come to fruition. Take it all the way, because why not, if you don't, someone else will. 

Embrace the criticism, it's the nature of the artistic beast.

Swim To Yr Ship

 “Some people talk about waiting for their ship to come in, but the people who win in life are willing to swim out to the ship.”
                                       Les Brown

We have to put ourselves out there… we have to swim out to our ship.

When we put ourselves out there in any area of our lives, it creates an energetic frequency that must give us back what we are putting out. 

I recently heard the story of teenage millionaire, Cameron Johnson who is a money making protégé. The story I heard was not one about him making money, but more specifically about him putting himself out there; his first key to success.

Cameron was eight years old, and he loved the movie Home Alone. It was his dream to visit NYC and stay in the Plaza Hotel, the same hotel Macauley Culkin had stayed in, in the movie. He wrote a letter to the owner of the Plaza Hotel, Donald Trump and asked to tour the suite the movie was shot in. Upon his arrival to the Plaza Hotel, he was greeted by the concierge, who told him that Trump had arranged for his whole family to stay in the suite during their time in NYC.

In his book You Call the Shots, Cameron Johnson uses this story to explain the importance of putting yourself out there, because you never know what you might get back.

As we get older putting ourselves out there becomes a bit more complicated. Swimming out to our ship can cause our Ego to kick into high gear…

If I put myself out there, I might get laughed at.

If I put myself out there, I might offend or step on someone’s toes.

If I put myself out there, I might fail.

Putting yourself out there, can be scary… But the possible pros that can arise, greatly out weigh the cons. So why not put yourself out there?!  

I’ve recently been challenging myself to do just that, and Ive had some great responses.

--A few weeks ago, I attended an agent meet and greet, and had a great conversation and connection with one of the agents. During our session she said, “Wow, you should really get Mimi, from Rent on your resume.” I smiled and said, “Id love to play that role, and I’ll work on that.”

I went home that afternoon, and saw an audition posting for Rent Off-Bway, and thought what an interesting coincidence. I decided to put myself out there. I wrote to the agent, and asked her to consider submitting me for an audition appointment. I also included a demo cd of myself, singing a song from the show, to spark her interest.

I cannot tell you how great it felt to drop that letter in the mail. Now the excitement was paired with a little bit of fear, but it was overall empowering. I thought “Cool, if she calls me great and if not, at least I did my part.”

--About a month ago a close friend of mine, offered to submit my headshot and resume to her agent. (Now this was sorta putting myself out there, through her putting herself out there… but Id say it still counts.) Anyway, she submitted my information... and yesterday, I received the good news that her agent would like to meet with me this coming week.

--Now my family and I have been going through some rough times for a while now, and last week we all reached our braking point. It was decided, big changes needed to occur immediately. One of the big changes was my need for another job as supplemental income.

I began my job hunt, and was lucky enough to receive two job offers within the first couple hours I was out interviewing. But the pay and time constraint wasn’t the most applicable for my lifestyle.

And then, something inside me told me to call this swanky nightclub and ask for a job as a waitress. I don’t know what compelled me to do it, but for some reason I just knew I needed to try my luck. So I called at 2pm, thinking no one would answer. But shockingly, someone did answer. The guy on the phone said that I could send in my resume for consideration.

So I sent my resume. Low and behold, I received an email back just a few minutes later. The guy on the phone, who I had just sent my resume to, just happened to be my ol’pal from my freshman year dorm at NYU. I started training just a few days later, and began working the week after that.

You never know what you’ll get if you just put yourself out there. You could get nothing. But you could also get something, something even more exciting than you could have ever imagined. 

Like energy begets like energy. So if you put out positive energetic frequencies, you must receive back the equivalent. Now it might not come right away, and it might not come in exactly the way you had planned, but once the energy is out there, the like-energy is bound to come back your way.

Fear stops most of us from doing this, but all the “fear” is, is your ego, and we are so much bigger than our ego. 

So why not put yourself out there in all aspects of your life, and see what opportunities may arise. My guess is you’ll feel empowered… and this empowerment will generate the flow of success coming your way.

Ode to Spectacle

Spectacle is great. But make sure you’re using it for the right reasons.

Create art that seeks to move and entertain.

Ditch the boas, the cheesy lyrics, the wow/shock factor. And please create art that comes from the heart and not from one’s greed for money and fame. 

  

"Is your [art] better than it sounds, or does it sound better than it is? We call the first a discovery, something worthy of word of mouth. The second? Hype."Seth Godin

get OFF the internet! (oh the irony)

When Malcolm Gladwell was asked in an interview if he used social networking and the like, he responded…

“My goal is to do less things online, not more… Because I have a limited amount of time. My whole goal in the world is to clear big spaces of time to think and to explore, to follow my curiosity. And if I’m constantly on my blackberry it kinda chews into what’s important.”

What is important…

Love?

Friendship?

People?

Art?

Nature?

Conversation?

The air we breathe?

We all know time is precious. But I think more often than not, we ignore this notion.

If you were to die tomorrow, what gifts would the world lack because you didn’t share them with us?

Challenge yourself to set aside some time to simply take in the important stuff around you.

Challenge yourself to use the internet for networking and furthering your artistic path, and leave the other stuff to the non-artists.

Challenge yourself to go an adventure, to go somewhere new… even if it’s just a subway ride away. New images and environments create new energy, sparking your creativity.

And of course… CREATE YR ART daily.

A few tricks I learned from the Ultimate Sales Machine, by Chet Holmes: in order to better focus your time and energy it’s very important to plan your day in advance. For the To Do List Makers out there here’s a new way to go about your day.

1. Make a Giant To Do List
2. The night before each day take 5 to 6 things from your Giant To Do List, and plan out your day hour by hour, allotting time to work on each project.
3. Include your normal day’s tasks too, making sure your day does not exceed 10 hours.
4. Remember to schedule time to check email, phone messages, and meal-time.
5. When you begin to work from your schedule, turn off your phone and email notifications. For example, say I allotted 20 minutes for a workout session, I make sure I turn off my phone. After the 20 minutes are up, I check for missed calls. If something is urgent I respond to it then, but if not I deal with the phone conversation when I have allotted the time in my daily schedule for that.
6. Within each day, set aside time for your art. Time for creativity allows for increased positive energy to flow into your life.
7. Also remember to add a couple breaks throughout the day to sustain your momentum.

Time is what it is. And it’s our challenge to make the most of what we’ve got.

Organize your life with your daily to-dos, but be weary of your Ego who’s waiting to steer your focus. More time spent focusing your energy on your daily to-dos and your art, creates a powerful Ego Defense System.

Spend less time doing everything else, and more time doing the important things, like creating and sharing yr art.

"Get off the internet. I'll meet you in the street." Le Tigre 

little you BIG YOU

Would little you in kindergarten, be proud of BIG you today?

When we’re little, we’re free to dream BIG.

Soon after…

We’re told to be realistic… to set our sights on a REAL job.

The other night while at work, a gentle-caller approached me to shoot the sh*t. I kindly tried to brush off the conversation, but his list of questions was seemingly endless. One of the many questions…

“What do you do besides coat check?”

I replied, “I’m a professional Coat Check Girl, duh… But really, I’m an artistic entrepreneur: actor, writer, fashion stylist, and co-owner of a fashion boutique. You?”

He responds, “I’m in finance, it’s boring. I always try to live vicariously through my artistic friends, someone like you. Your lives are so much more interesting than mine.”

I couldn’t help but think… here’s a guy working a dead-end job that will make him money, something he thinks he wants. Until one day he wakes up with some disease, that’s a manifestation of him never pursuing that “something” he’s always dreamed of.

And all because, he got a REAL job.  

I think its safe to say, a good majority of us believe the child inside of us is still alive.

This child inside wants you to create yr art… it says:

Write a song

Paint a picture

Travel

Fall in love

Dance

And of course DREAM BIG.

If we trust ourselves to dream big, the creative juices can’t help but begin to flow. Our inner child will propel this process.

Would little you be happy with your life today?

If you can answer yes, you’re golden.

And if not, try to focus new energy on creating something from your inner child’s creativity.

Many would agree ultimate fulfillment comes from within. I believe this fulfillment arises from creating your art. The creation of your art, preserves your inner child’s existence, which can only make life so much more enjoyable. 

"Everyone is born creative. Everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten" 

                         Hugh MacLeod

EGO Patrol

How’s that creating your art thing going?

Are you really talented enough to dive into that artistic endeavor?

Do you have the funds, to make your insane dream come true?

Has your Ego got the best of you?!

I hope not… but just in case, let’s fight back together.

Best way to fight …

Seek to discover what your body is truly feeling, instead of jumping to a conclusion your mind has made up.

“I’m tired, I’m bored, I'm …” Just because the mind says so, doesn’t mean its true.

Seek out what your body is truly feeling.

“You’re cells are never bored, distracted, inert, or detached. They are fully engaged in being alive.”

                        Deepak Chopra

And if they weren’t fully engaged, you’d be dead.

If we can challenge ourselves to focus on radiating the life-force within us everyday, NEW energy will flow into our lives.

During the day I may have the thought, “I need a nap, I’m tired.” Instead of blindly accepting this notion as fact, I challenge myself to listen to what my body is truly feeling. Am I really tired?

Most often the answer is "No"… I only think I’m tired, because I want to get out of doing something work related: e.i. networking, playwriting, blogging, etc.

Just today, as I started this blog, my mind said, “Come on Malorie, you need a nap, write the blog later.” I decided, this nonsense was probably my Ego talking, trying to stop my creative flow. So I decided to continue to write. And here I am writing, and no longer ‘tired.’ Imagine that.

To me the body offers not only truth but also renewal. When we shift our focus to our body, rather than everything else, we embody new energy.

As artists this new energy, is often times creative; the exact spark we need to begin and maintain our artistic endeavors.

Focus on your body’s new energy.

Meditate on renewal.

See what you get. 

Why Not?!

In conversation I constantly find myself saying these two magic words…

WHY NOT

Why not me?

Why not write a play?

Why not design a fashion line?

And so on…

The more books I read on creativity, the more conversations I have about creativity, I can’t help but stress the importance of simply just doing it, whatever that ‘it’ may be. Because, why not?

And let’s be real, if you don’t create yr art, someone else will.

More than ever, this is the era of Creative Speed… you can no longer sit and wait for that perfect plan of attack, you’ve got to step up and take step 1, even if you don’t know what that step is, make it up.

When I first started writing my one act play, I set aside at least an hour every day to write. I challenged myself to not just stare at a blank screen, but instead just to write. Write anything, no matter how absurd or banal, just write. And I as I did, the bad ideas came and luckily some good ones too, and eventually I had a play.

Every artist finds themselves dreaming BIG, and then we come back to reality… because we don’t have the production team, or the money, or the time; the proper resources. If you begin to create despite your ego saying you “can’t,” the resources will come.

I’m in love with the human potential to create art. Even better, I love seeing the art actually come to life. Create Yr Art, because why not?

You Are Creative

Yesterday I picked up Ignore Everybody By Hugh MacLeod, and couldn’t be more excited to share his wisdom with you.

He begins, “The more original your idea, the less good advice people can give you.”

People are probably going to think you’re crazy, and that’s probably a good sign. As long as there’s something inside of you that won’t budge, you’re golden.

The more overall power you have over your idea, the more successful it’s going to be. Create art that is simply “your’s”… and this will make you money faster than creating art that you think will make you money.

As you create yr art, you’re going to in turn create change. Change can be scary. And change can be lonely.

Realize and be aware that the path of good ideas can be very lonely. People like you to stay the way you are, and when you begin to change with your art, your whole world shifts too.

Change often times brings about a mirror, when you change, whether you mean to or not, you hold up a mirror to all those around you. And if they aren’t progressing down the change and creative path… your relationship will fall to the wayside.

As you well know, change is one of the many steps to success. So why not embrace it, and enjoy the exploration.

BIG ideas thus far:

1. Create art that is solely your’s.
2. Create art every day. There’s no need to quit your day-job… just create with the extra hour or two you have each day.
3. Create art knowing that you might not make millions, but do it anyway.
4. Create art because the kid dreamer inside you won’t rest until you do.
5. Create art because you are creative.

Momentum

You’re feed up with the way things are.

You’re finally ready for change.

You’ve committed yourself to life as an Artist.

Now what?

Learn to ride the Wave of Momentum.

So we’ve all been in the state of pure passion while discussing or thinking about our next BIG venture. But for some reason it never came to fruition. The passion just fizzled out and the BIG venture came to be a vague what-if memory.

Well it’s time to pull those what-if memories to the surface. Let’s explore and breathe life into them.

The secret to breathing life into our ventures…

The very moment you’re in the state of pure passion, take action. No matter how big or small. Take an action step in the direction of your art’s creation, because this creates momentum. 

Example:

• If you have an idea for a fantastic screenplay, call a friend up right then and there to set a lunch date to discuss your plot and characters.
• If you have an idea for a blog, set the alarm clock and dedicate 20 minutes to your very first entry.
• If you have an idea for organizing an Artist Collective, send an email or text your friends to set a coffee date.
• If you have an idea for a small business, spend at least 20 minutes researching the top 10 small business “How- to- Books.” Purchase one and begin to read.

You get the idea….

The same thing goes for anything and everything in your life…

• You set a goal to meditate daily, meditate right then and there.
• You set a goal to show more love to your family, show the love right then and there with conversation, or an email, or a phone call.
• You set a goal to become more fit and trim, drink more water and do 50 crunches before bed.

Taking action while in the state of pure passion, fuels our momentum. Daily, sustained momentum propels us to take step 2, 3, 4… to the completion of our art.

Now that we know the first step, often times the hardest step, what’s next?

Sustaining it!

5 Simple Ways to Sustain Your Momentum

1. Find a collective of peers to discuss and create work with, meet often. Encourage, share, and love the beauty of idea making.

2. Add more artistic outings to your schedule: see plays, movies, go to museums, and galleries… etc. Do this weekly, or at least every other week. Being around art will attract creative energy to you.

3. Walk through nature… and if you live in the city: visit the quiet parks or the botanical gardens. Walk around without your headphones in. Listen, see, and be open to what the universe wants you to hear.

4. Meditate. Visualize a golden light flowing from your core to all the parts of your body and beyond in all directions. Cultivate this golden light. Ask the universe to provide you with the creativity and clarity to create your art. 

5. And of course: Create Yr Art Everyday!!

Harness your pure passion and take the plunge, not just once, twice, but over and over again!!

Momentum provides you with utter bliss and creativity you can’t help but Create Yr Art.

“Never-ending creativity is your goal. In practical terms, this means fighting against boredom, routine, and repetition. Find creativity openings at every level of your life.”

Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul by Deepak Chopra

Bad Ideas

“One way to become creative is to discipline yourself to generate bad ideas. The worse the better. Do it a lot and magically you’ll discover that some good ones slip through.”

                        Linchpin: Are You Indispensable by Seth Godin

So much of the time we allow our resistance to hold us back because we don’t believe we can create anything worthwhile. So instead we create nothing at all. Resistance and the Ego go hand and hand to fight to keep us mediocre.

Why not try to generate some bad ideas for a webseries?

Or some bad ideas for a new form of social networking?

Or some bad ideas for a business venture?

I made a Bad Ideas List and what emerged was a short film screenplay and my first one act play. I'd love to know what some of your Bad Ideas are, do share :)

The challenge is to take a bad idea, or an okay idea, or a good idea and begin to Create Yr Art. 

"People fail in life, not because they aim to high and miss, but because they aim too low and hit." 

                    Les Brown 

Birds of a Feather

Energy is the driving force of everything in this world. And it’s so very important to have the right energy on your side.

Each and every day various forms of energy both good and bad influence us. The challenge that ensues is to surround ourselves with as much good energy as possible.

Not only does this good energy feel great, it propels us in the direction of our greatness.

A great way to jump start the flow of good energy in your life, is to consider the 5 friends you hang around most.

According to the self-made-millionaire Darren Hardy…

You’re life will become the combine average of the 5 friends you hangout with most.

In other words, you’ll have the average of your 5 friends’:

1. Income
2. Health
3. Relationships
4. Career Success

For example:

You decide to cut sugar from your diet. That evening you go to dinner with a friend, who is not sugar conscious. They persuade you to join them in dessert, and you eventually give in.

Or…

You decide to cut sugar from your diet, but this time you go to dinner with a friend, that is very health conscious. Instead of ordering a sugar filled dessert, they suggest you share a fruit plate with them.

Hanging around certain people can and will influence your life for better or for worse.

If you want true love, hang around people that are experiencing true love, eventually you’ll have too.

If you want great health, hang around people who have great health, your body will step up to their level.

“If you’re a millionaire, and you wish to be a billionaire… Find some billionaire friends.”

                    Jim Rohn

A good way to tell if someone is a friend you should keep in your life, is to evaluate how you feel after you’ve finished talking or hanging out with that person.

Ask yourself these simple questions:

Do I feel more alive?

Do I feel inspired?

Do I feel the need to create my art?

Or…

Do I feel uneasy?

Do I have a headache?

Do I feel less self-confident?

A good friend believes in you even when you’ve quit believing in yourself.

A good friend achieves greatness along side you.

A good friend inspires you to Create Yr Art beyond what you thought was possible.

Are your 5 closest friends inspiring you?

Are they adding value to your life?

Are they achieving their own success?

If you can answer yes to these questions, then keep these people in your life.

If you’re 5 closest friends aren’t in alignment with your own good, find new people to spend your time with.

Once you attract one great friend, the positive energetic flow gains momentum… more great friends can’t help but seek you out. These friends add more good energy to your life, making the creation of your art even more joyous and inspirational.

I highly suggest you apply these ideas to all the people in your life. If family, teachers, or co-workers don’t inspire your success, spend as little time with those people as possible.

Amateur vs. Professional

The amateur creates her art only when she receives a stroke of genius or inspiration.

The professional creates her art every day, setting in motion the energy to generate the genius and inspiration.

The amateur is an Artist that loves her art only part-time.

The professional is an Artist that loves her art full-time, with unceasing commitment.

 (The above information was generated from The War of Art by Steven Pressfield)

Work ethic intertwined with the love of your art is the key to success.

“No matter how talented you are, your talent is going to fail you if you’re not skilled. If you don’t study and dedicate yourself to being better every single day, you’ll never be able to communicate to people with your artistry.”

                    Will Smith

Challenge yourself to create art that is driven by constant daily improvement.

Research others that have succeeded in your field, model their steps to success.

Give yourself a daily routine to improve and sustain your work ethic.

In Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul, Deepak Chopra expresses a great way to improve the quality of your life is for one week to make your bed, eat breakfast, and arrive to work 15 minutes early. 

Create a simple routine for yourself and add more rituals as you see fit.

Example, my current routine:

• Make my bed
• Workout for 20 to 30 minutes
• Drink 1 liter of water
• Shower
• Meditate for 20 minutes
• Drink 1 liter of water
• Eat Breakfast
• Work on my art for 1 hour
• Work on blogging for 30 to 45 minutes
• Read inspirational material 15 to 20 minutes
• Begin the rest of my daily To dos

What can you do each day to become a Professional Artist?

My first thoughts…

1. Set aside a specific time every day to Create Yr Art
2. Model the lifestyles of those who have already succeeded
3. Surround yourself with like-minded people, who will continue to inspire and propel you in the direction of your dreams

“People are rewarded in public for what they’ve practiced in private.”

                    Anthony Robbins

Constant Improvement

“One of the most important global beliefs that you and I can adopt is a belief that in order to succeed and be happy, we’ve got to be constantly improving the quality of our lives, constantly growing and expanding.”

Awaken the Giant Within by Anthony Robbins

Constant improvement in the direction of creating your art can have the power to extend your life.

We’ve all heard stories about ordinary people that are diagnosed with a terminal illness, and they transform their lives. They go from being ordinary to being extraordinary Artists, and then their illness goes into remission.

We’ve all heard stories about ordinary people who undergo life’s most crude adversities, and they rise above into the realm of the Artist.

We’ve all heard stories about ordinary people who become extraordinary by deciding constant, never-ending improvement is the key to success.

What are you waiting for?

Don’t let disease or adversity force you to change. Change on your own accord.

When we don’t create our art, true happiness is fleeting and/or non-existent. If you’re constantly growing in a direction away from your art, you’re paving your life’s path with disease and hardship.

We need to challenge ourselves everyday to improve the quality of our lives through the creation of our art.

Step up, take the reigns, and share your genius with the world!

The EGO

It’s easier to be mediocre.

It’s easier to fit in.

It’s easier to follow someone else’s rules.

Breaking out of this mediocre routine is scary, risking, maybe even unthinkable… choosing to break out is what makes you an Artist.

There’s a little person, or a committee, or a part of your brain that likes to tell you:

You suck.

You’re no good.

You aren’t (fill in the blank) enough. (Examples: smart, talented, rich… etc)

This voice also likes to tell you:

Check Facebook.

Check Twitter.

Watch TV.

Be MEDIOCRE, ain’t nothing wrong with that!

Do anything, but do NOT stand out 

Do anything, but do NOT expand your knowledge

Do anything, but do NOT embark on a spiritual journey

Do anything, as long as its NOT YR ART!

This voice has been called many things, and for our purposes here, I’m going to use the term EGO.

The unfortunate truth is the EGO will always exist. And it makes an even stronger argument the more so called ‘impossible’ your endeavor may be. In addition it loves to pump up the volume when you’re getting closer and closer to the finish line on any artistic endeavor.

But the beauty is we can learn to turn down the volume and enter the realm of our true greatness everyday with persistence.

Here is an image somewhat similar to one by Steven Pressfield 

As you can see the EGO is super small… and we are so much more than our EGO.

The challenge is to remember and be aware of this simple truth.

With the teachings and writings of Deepak Chopra, Seth Godin, Steven Pressfield, Josh Pais, and others I’ve come to understand the SELF to encompass truth. This truth is intertwined with our soul and is our connection to a higher power. The SELF can only say, “Yes” and here is where your art is waiting to be created.

Ways to combat the EGO:

1. Look and see what’s in front of you in the present moment
2. Touch and feel what’s in front of you in the present moment
3. Shift your focus to your body. Ask yourself what is my body saying or feeling now?
• A good way to do this is to ask yourself: Can I feel my feet on the ground? Can I feel my bottom on the chair? And then feel it.

Deepak Chopra explains in “Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul” the reason why body awareness is so important is because the body can only tell the truth, whereas the mind specifically the EGO can tell all sorts of lies. Focus on your body puts you in alignment with your SELF. Connecting to your SELF allows your ART to flow.

And the very BEST way to combat the EGO is to Create Yr Art!

Challenge yourself to work on your art every day. Set aside at least 30 minutes, extend the time once you see fit.

Push past the EGO once, twice, three times… and it does get easier.

“When we sit down day after day and keep grinding, something mysterious starts to happen. A process is set into motion by which, inevitably, and infallibly, heaven comes to our aid. Unseen forces enlist in our cause; serendipity reinforces our purpose.”

                        The War of Art by Steven Pressfield