We can make magnificent plans for our lives, have visions of what we want to accomplish, and be doing marvelously. Then, boom some personal tragedy hits and our whole world get turned upside down.
This process can throw us into a deep despair and questioning of the meaning of our lives. However, out of our greatest pain, we can become more full human beings. With a heart cracked open to both our own and the world’s suffering, we paradoxically open ourselves up to a deeper experience of joy and meaning in our lives.
Personal tragedy can call on us to make some of our greatest contributions to the community, sometimes through, expanding the depth of our creative expression, other times through leading us to throw our heart and souls into some important cause.
Artists have always been able to create this kind of alchemy, forging out of their anguish and pain, songs, music, poems, paintings and other works of art that have been treasured for generations to come. One has only to listen to the songs of the black spirituals, to hear the beauty created out of incredible suffering.
Great leaders for social change – have taken their pain and humiliation about racism, sexism, poverty and oppression and used it to fuel their battle to bring about a more just world. Through joining with others, and creating community they have found hope, inspiration and joy along the way.
My friend Stuart, sent me this link. I thought at first it was about a trend in painting. Turns out it’s about a musical collaboration, between Africans and Cubans. In fact it is about the original concept behind the Buena Vista Social Club. If you are fan of the Buena Vista Social Club- you will love this short news article and video about afrocubism.
http://www.euronews.net/2010/11/29/cubans-and-africans-unite-in-afrocubism/
Artwork by Erin Kenepp
Katie Curtin is a Creative and Innovative Projects Success
Coach, who inspires and motivates people to get their dream projects done, so they can make a difference in the world, while fulfilling their own needs for a balanced, sustainable and joyful life.
When you’re a creative and innovative type of person, it’s often hard to know which ideas to prioritize, and where to put your energy. It’s also difficult sometimes to keep yourself inspired, motivated and focused. Often the projects that would help transform your life, never get to the finish line.
Over the years I’ve worked with clients and organizations to get hundreds of creative and socially innovative projects out in the world. In the process I’ve discovered a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
I will be sharing my secrets on how to launch and successfully complete your projects, in a FREE teleclass todayy and I really hope you can make it.
TOPIC: How to Get Your Dream Projects Out in the World
DATE/TIME: Monday, December 13, at 5:00 PM Pacific/8:00 PM Eastern
PLACE: The comfort of your own home or office–by teleconference
Click the link below to reserve your seat now:
http://katiecurtin.com/how-to-get-your-dream-projects-out-in-the-world/
You’ll walk away from this call with powerful and fun strategies and tips that can make a huge difference in getting you started and keeping you on track with your most cherished projects. In this free and content packed teleclass you will learn:
- Twelve powerful questions to ask yourself before you begin (the answers to which can make or break you project).
- Three simple methods to create the time you need for your dream projects.
- The five essential elements to keep you inspired and moving ahead with your projects.
- Ten easy and cheap ways to use social media, and the internet get project funding and promotion.
- How traditional time management methods may be getting in the way of you finishing your projects, and what to do instead.
Whether you are just starting out with a project or stalled at some part of the process, you will get at least 3 big insights and practical actions, that can help you find the time, material resources and motivation to make your dream project a reality.
Click the link below to reserve your seat now:
http://katiecurtin.com/how-to-get-your-dream-projects-out-in-the-world/
Look forward to “seeing” you on the call,
Katie
One of my favorite books on writing is “Wild Mind: Living The Writers Life,” by Nathalie Goldberg .
Here’s an excerpt that rings very true for me.
“It is important to read aloud what you write. In writing groups, I ask people to write and then immediately afterward ask them to read to either the large group, a smaller group, or to a person sitting next to them. It is part of the writing process, like bending down to touch your toes and then standing up again. Write, read, write, read. You become less attached to whether it is good or bad”
She goes on to say that unless you read it aloud, the writing tends to fester like an infected wound in your notebook. The simple act of reading allows you to let go of it.
One of the things I have enjoyed most in writing classes, has been the opportunity to read out my writing, and to hear others read theirs. Whatever the story, it seems to take a new life when read out loud. It’s also good to read aloud whatever you’ve written, even when you are alone. It let’s you hear what flows and doesn’t flow. It also helps for when you are proofreading, as it makes you stop and read each word.
Nathalie Goldberg’s “Wild Mind: Living the Writer’s Life” is one of those books I keep going back to year after year. It’s got lots of down to earth wisdom about writing, and I recommend it to anybody who loves to write.
Artwork by Erin Kenepp
When you’re a creative and innovative type of person, it’s often hard to know which ideas to prioritize, and where to put your energy. It’s also difficult sometimes to keep yourself inspired, motivated and focused. Often the projects that would help transform your life, never get to the finish line.
Over the years I’ve worked with clients and organizations to get hundreds of creative and socially innovative projects out in the world. In the process I’ve discovered a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
I will be sharing my secrets on how to launch and successfully complete your projects, in a FREE teleclass next Monday and I really hope you can make it.
TOPIC: How to Get Your Dream Projects Out in the World
DATE/TIME: Monday, December 13, at 5:00 PM Pacific/8:00 PM Eastern
PLACE: The comfort of your own home or office–by teleconference
Click the link below to reserve your seat now:
http://katiecurtin.com/how-to-get-your-dream-projects-out-in-the-world/
You’ll walk away from this call with powerful and fun strategies and tips that can make a huge difference in getting you started and keeping you on track with your most cherished projects. In this free and content packed teleclass you will learn:
- Twelve powerful questions to ask yourself before you begin (the answers to which can make or break you project).
- Three simple methods to create the time you need for your dream projects.
- The five essential elements to keep you inspired and moving ahead with your projects.
- Ten easy and cheap ways to use social media, and the internet get project funding and promotion.
- How traditional time management methods may be getting in the way of you finishing your projects, and what to do instead.
Whether you are just starting out with a project or stalled at some part of the process, you will get at least 3 big insights and practical actions, that can help you find the time, material resources and motivation to make your dream project a reality.
Click the link below to reserve your seat now: http://katiecurtin.com/how-to-get-your-dream-projects-out-in-the-world/
Look forward to “seeing” you on the call,
Katie
My friend Wende Bartley, a composer and sound artist, has just shared with me a fantastic business and promotion tool for bands, musicians and sound artists. It’s called ReverbNation. It has a range of great features that are available for the 40,000 artists, venues, labels, and managers who have already signed up for its services. Here are just a few of the features that can help you both promote and distribute your work:
- You have an artist profile page, where you can feature audio and video clips, and announce events you are doing.
- There’s a button centrally placed on your profile page that fans can click to get on your mailing list. You can then send them newsletters and email about your upcoming gigs, or music you are releasing.
- It links to your social media accounts such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, as well as to your website.
- It allows you to distribute your music to itunes and all major stores.
Some of it’s service are free, and others are very reasonably priced; in fact I was amazed when I looked at them. Even if you are just starting out and have a non-existent budget it’s worth checking them out, by clicking here.
Also take a look at Wende’s site. You can listen to some wonderful compositions she has posted, based on her experiences visiting ancient sacred sites in Malta and Crete.
“Sometime you gotta create what you want to be part of”
Geri Weitzman
Is there a group you really want to be part of but can’t locate anywhere? Is it an association or group around something you are passionate about? Is it you who you’ve been waiting for all this time? Then create it. You can start small, and experiment. You never know what might come out of it.
Maybe it’s a neighborhood jam session every Friday night that you can host at your place. Or maybe it’s local club you organize for holistic healers to hang out and help each other building their practices. Or maybe it’s a book club held at different people’s houses each month.
Often great things have come from people who are frustrated with not finding what they are looking for, and digging in their heels, and saying “There’s gotta be a way and I’m doing it.”
Do you have something you want to be part of? If there was something you could get for Christmas, which would really make a difference in your life what would it be? I’d love to hear your comments.
“Take altitude pills if you are coaching with Katie. She really gets her clients flying!”
“After returning home from Europe about 2 years ago, I had the post-traveling blues, feeling as if I had ‘nothing’ in my life. In my initial session with Catharine, she helped unlock that part of myself that was able to remember and embrace my gifts and reconnect with an earlier vision I had for my life… Her passion and support for birthing a new part of my life journey has been fundamental in my ability to move forward, and I am most grateful for all the rich gifts and new friends that have come into my life through my work and play with her. Catharine has an incredible passion for her coaching practice and her deep desire to see other people reach their fullest potential is truly an inspiration.”