Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Why I've Chosen Nautical Imagery and Metaphors for This Book 11
1 Breaking Free 15
How to Get the Most Out of This Book and Approach the Exercises 28
The Alchemical Power of Journaling 30
Exercise: What Do You Love? And What Are Your Anchors? 34
Inspired Creating Is the Surprising Answer You Seek 35
Boarding the Boat of Inspiration: Sketching to See 40
Exercise: Sketching 45
2 Opening Up To Inspiration 47
Exercise: Healing Your Creativity Scars 51
Curating a Beautiful Mind 53
Inspiration's Foundation: The 5MS 59
The Open Focus of a Creator 69
Creativity Space 72
My Shack in Woodstock 75
Exercise: Finding Your Shack in Woodstock 79
3 Accessing Your Creativity Back Channels (By Bringing Yourself Alive) 81
Exercise: The Elephant in the Room 86
Exercise: Blind Contour Drawing 90
Creating Your Way to Freedom 93
Getting Started 97
Exercise: The First Step 100
Exercise: What's Blocking You? 106
Finding Creative Flow and Your Window of Possibility 108
Don't Make Your Tools Precious 111
Tools, Architects, and Gardeners 113
Exercise: What Creativity Tools Do You Have? 116
Becoming an Insider to Your Creativity 118
Exercise: Where Are You Not at Home? 121
Exercise: What to Do When You Are Lost 123
4 Putting Your True Self Back at the Helm 125
Archaeology of the Self: Digging for Your Authentic Nature 131
Exercise: Making a Mind Map of Your Ideal Self 136
The Tyranny of Perfectionism 138
Igniting Your Inner Rebel 141
Exercise: Reclaiming Your Joy Sources 142
The Beginning of Remembering 144
Exercise: Energy Levels and Elemental Waters 147
Truth-Telling as the Art of Living 148
Creative Incubation and Your Identity 150
Exercise: Spotting Patterns in What Stops You in Your Tracks 151
5 Protecting and Fueling Your Creative Energy 153
More Mister Rogers (Less Hustle and Slay) 158
Exercise: On Boundaries and Drains 161
Getting Sober Everywhere 165
Exercise: Your Numbing Agents 169
Discipline and Desire 169
Exercise: Your Gifts to Yourself 172
The Cure for Anxiety and Overdoing: The 7-Inch Plate 173
Exercise: What Are Your Real Goals? 177
6 The Provenance of Becoming 179
Exercise: Your "Before" and "After" Pictures 186
Letting Go 188
Exercise: Letting Go (With Watercolors) 192
The Power of the Unscripted Self 193
Exercise: The Wild You 196
Seeing and Being Seen 197
Exercise: Reconnecting with Your Playful Heart 198
The Thing Keeping You from Your Greatness 201
Exercise: Your Wildest Dream 203
Exercise: Writing a Poem 206
The Only Way Out Is Through 207
Exercise: Focusing Your Perspective 210
7 The Artist and the Entrepreneur 211
Your Business (Art) Is a Mirror 218
Ignoring What Everyone Else Knows 223
Exercise: Sketching Your Ideal World 225
Becoming Indelible 226
Exercise: Revealing Your Unique Voice and Vision 228
Creating Your Future by Journaling 230
Exercise: Writing Multiple Passes 234
8 The Grand Adventure of Being You 237
Exercise: A Legacy 241
Letting Go of Self-Improvement 241
Asking for Help: How to Come to Terms with Disorder and Grief 246
Saying Yes to What Is Calling the Artist within You 251
Trusting Yourself 256
Acknowledgements 259
Recommendations 265
Notes 271
