More Creative
Why Sylvia sought a $5000 spark instead of the courage to start
Sylvia set up a discovery call with a creativity coach, to see if they might be a good fit. George, the coach, asked her what was on her mind.
“I want to be more creative,” Sylvia said.
George nodded. “At what?”
“Just more creative. About everything.”
“What’s does that mean?”
“I don’t know. Maybe … have more ideas.”
“About what?”
“I don’t know. About … maybe, what to cook? Or maybe, things to make?”
George nodded again. “You could look up some new recipes. Is that what you have in mind?”
“No. Not really. I want … I want to use my imagination.”
“Yes, understood.”
“But I don’t have any,” Sylvia said mournfully.
“You don’t have any imagination?”
“No.” Sylvia pondered her response. “I guess I should take a workshop on that. On … imagination. Or on ideas. Or on creativity. That might be a good idea.”
“I wonder. Have you tried sitting down and … imagining?”
“I wouldn’t know how to do that.”
“You couldn’t ask yourself, ‘Let me dream something up’? Like, ‘Let me dream up a new way to use leftovers.’ Or ‘Let me dream up a big party for family and friends.’ No?”
Sylvia shook her head. “That’s not what I mean. Not leftovers or parties. Something really creative.”
“Like?”
“I don’t know. There’s a five-day retreat on igniting your creative spark happening in Santa Fe in October. It looks wonderful. Maybe that’s the answer.”
George pondered that for a moment. “I’m curious,” he said. “What does that happen to cost?”
“$5000. Plus airfare, of course. But everything else is taken care of. And I’m happy to invest in myself.”
“What’s the agenda?” George asked. “What will you be doing?”
“I’m not sure. There are beautiful grounds. Nature walks, A lake. It looks lovely.”
George nodded. “You know, there are a lot of traditional ways that folks express their creativity, like making a film or writing a song or sculpting or writing a short story. Is something like that on your mind to do?”
Sylvia shook her head. “Not really. I don’t think that I would be any good at those. Plus, remember, I have no imagination.”
“Ah, that again!” George exclaimed. “And you’re sure that’s not just something you’re telling yourself, that you have no imagination?”
“No. I’m pretty sure that’s the truth. I don’t think I ever had any. I can’t remember having any. But I don’t want to let that stop me from being more creative.”
George nodded. “Of course.” The two of them fell silent.
“I think I’ll try that retreat,” Sylvia said after a while. “Maybe when I get back, we can work together.”
“That would be lovely,” George said. “Please be in touch when you’re back.”
He did not hear from Sylvia again.
PRE-ORDER BRAVE NEW MIND!
Get these wonderful gifts for preordering Brave New Mind!
Just preorder your copy (at any one of the following locations) and then grab your gift. It’s all on the honor system. Preorder, select, and enjoy!
Sitting in with your inner world with no distractions or paying $5,000? 😊.