Articles on Creative Living

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Doing What You Are Afraid To Do

10 Tips to Simplify Your Holidays

Turning Your Ideas Into Goals

The Ups & Downs of Freelancing

The Creative Zone

Career Day

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These articles may not be reproduced without including the following credit: copyright Gregory Huff. Please visit www.CreativeHelps.com for website links, helpful resources, and more articles designed to energize your creativity.

"Doing What You Are Afraid To Do"

by Gregory Huff

I had the Artists & Graphic Designers Market book for nearly 3 months and still had not used it. For those unfamiliar with it, artists can use the book as a resource to send out samples of their work to the companies listed, in order to gain freelance work. I had bought the previous year’s edition, highlighted the companies I would send samples to, and then made excuses why I couldn’t send my work to them. "My work didn’t exactly match what they are looking for," I thought. "Besides, the whole process takes too long and is more involved than I want to be right now," I reasoned. But the truth was I was afraid to send it. I was afraid I’d be rejected, that my work really wasn’t that good, that even if they did like my work I didn’t have time for freelance right now, etc. So there the book sat, challenging me, condemning me, taunting me.

What should I do??

Well, after opening a few bills in the mail I realized that maybe freelancing wasn’t such a bad idea. I began to ask myself, "Why am I so afraid to send out these samples?" A few answers I came up with are:

I was overwhelmed by the big picture. There were too many steps I had to take, just to prepare to send out samples at all. Therefore the size of the task at hand was too great.

Each step was an obstacle. I exaggerated each step in order to justify why I couldn’t do it.

I was afraid of the unknown. Never mind being rejected; what if they actually liked my work? Was I ready to make a commitment to myself, my art, and my creativity?

Little by little, I began to dismantle the fears I had.

I decided that that was going to be my year to step out. I had made a similar resolution the previous January, now I would stick to it. Even if no one was around, I would motivate myself to find meaning in my art that year. One of the ways I wanted to do that was by doing freelance work. So I decided to be kind to myself, surround myself with encouraging words from books I had read, and create art for the sheer joy of doing it. I began to empower the positive in my life and devalue the negative. Instead of just tacitly accepting the negative thoughts roaming through my head, I began to challenge them.

"But you don’t have the experience to send out samples!" So I’ll gain experience by sending them out.

"But you don’t have extra time to do freelance work, you’re too busy already!!" So I’ll watch less television and manage my time better.

"But you don’t have the money you need to get started!!!" So I’ll start by saving a little at a time, sell household items at a garage sale, cut out impulsive spending to facilitate my goal.

"But your work isn’t good enough!!!!" So I’ll join the local artist’s group and see how I can gain more skills, honest critiques, and supportive help; maybe someone there has submitted samples before and can help me.

The inner critic was astounded! For the first time in a while, it had nothing to say.

With that frame of mind, I could now accomplish something.

Instead of being overwhelmed by the big picture, I decided to break down the task into smaller steps. Step 1: Make more art so you can have at least 4 samples of recent work. Step 2: Have the work photographed and make slides. Step 3: Put together a brochure and make copies, along with an updated artist’s statement. Step 4: Begin to send out samples. Whew!! The steps were starting to overwhelm me again! SO I decided to break step 1 down even further. I had more than 4 ideas for artwork I wanted to create, so I chose 4 and picked the one I wanted to create first. Then I assessed what supplies I would need and bought them. I knew from experience that the artwork would take about one week to create, so I planned my time accordingly. Before I knew it, all four pieces of art were created, and I actually liked them enough to use them as samples! This was very encouraging. I could move on to step 2, continuing to create more art as I did.

The rest of the steps had their share of frustrations and joys, but the important thing was I could see progress in my goals.

If you’ve ever been afraid to make a step in an unfamiliar direction in your creative career, what stopped you? Perhaps you can find encouragement through my story, which illustrates these principles:

Face fear with facts, not fiction (say that 3 times fast!!). I decided that my goals were more important than the fear that was stopping me from accomplishing them. The facts were that I could make the necessary preparation so that if someone liked my samples, I could do freelance work for them. No excuses.

Turn an overwhelming task into small steps that you can manage one at a time. Then focus on the success of completing those small steps, and don’t let temporary setbacks derail you.

Ask for help when you need it. I hired someone to take the photographs and slides, is there a part of your goal that someone might help you with?

If you are still afraid to do it, do it afraid. Imagine the best case scenario and make it happen. If it doesn’t, turn it into a learning experience.

This may not be the most effective method for you, but the goal is to motivate yourself to do what you are afraid to do. Remember: even one small step will take you further than where you are right now.

P.S. – I did send out many samples, some of which were rejected. I hung in there, and my artwork did eventually get published.

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"10 Tips to Simplify Your Holidays"

by Gregory Huff

Remember what you are celebrating and focus on that – Allow the Spirit of the season to influence your celebration. Remind yourself of joyful holiday traditions, and allow that simple joy to relieve your stress. Take time to quietly contemplate what makes your holiday meaningful.

Count your blessings – If you look around you, I’ll bet you can find at least one thing that proves you are blessed. Why not keep a blessing notebook for November and December? Each day, take a minute to reflect on one way God has blessed you that day. Write it down, and at the end of two months you will probably be very surprised. You never know… one of those blessings might make a great story or work of art!

Decide now to be creative throughout the holiday season – Don’t let the hustle and bustle prevent you from drawing, painting, writing, or however you express your creativity. Limit yourself to one creative project and stick to only that one. Then give yourself a reward after the holiday is done!

Send out as many free e-holiday cards as you can – Find out which friends and family have e-mail addresses. Go to a free e-card website (such as www.hallmark.com ), choose a card, and send it. Hallmark allows you to send one card to multiple recipients and schedule a date when you want the card to be sent. You’ll save money and miss the long lines at the post office!

Take advantage of local free holiday events – Got the holiday blues? Why not take in a free concert, sing-along, exhibit, or show? How about popping some holiday music into your car’s tape deck, pack some hot cocoa in a travel mug and driving around the neighborhood to enjoy the light displays?

Tape holiday shows & watch them when you’re ready – Your favorite holiday tv specials probably don’t come on when you want to watch them. So set your vcr (or ask someone who knows how!) and watch them later. You’ll save time and commercial interruption.

Put up fewer decorations this year – Instead of investing time in elaborate indoor and outdoor décor, keep it simple! Why not decorate with fresh flowers in every room, seasonal ribbons, and cinnamon-scented pine cones?

Give simple but meaningful gifts – How about writing a poem for a cherished loved one, printing it on special stationery, and framing it? Or scan some of your artwork into the computer, print it on iron-on paper, and apply it to a t-shirt, jacket, or totebag? The best gifts don’t always come from a store, but they should come from your heart.

Reduce kitchen time with a holiday covered dish supper – Let everyone participate and bring a covered dish – even little Suzie who baked "cakes" in her Easy-Bake oven! Enjoy each other’s favorite recipes. Why not exchange recipes as gifts?

Celebrate the holidays ahead of time – Plan your holiday celebration for the weekend before the holiday. Open some gifts, sing songs, eat, etc. as if it were the "real" day! Then when the real day does come, celebrate it quietly, sleep late, do some creative work, find a new way to create meaning in the holiday you love. You’ll probably feel a lot more relaxed as a result.

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"Turning Your Ideas Into Goals"

by Gregory Huff

Remember that good idea you had earlier this year? You know: it’s the one your hubby just rolled his eyes at when you mentioned it, "another one of her pipe dreams" he thought to himself. Yeah, the one that pops back in your mind every now and then but is quickly silenced by thoughts of confusion, anxiety, fear, and discouragement. Of course, it’s the "doesn’t seem practical but there’s a need for it" idea that won’t leave you alone.

Well if you’re like me, you’ve probably had dozens of good ideas flow through your brain. I’ve got a notebook full of them. They’re sort of like children waiting to be born. And that is a good way to think of the process of bringing them to life. A baby develops slowly and continuously, nurtured by its mother. That’s a good way that you turn your own good ideas into goals.

Here are a few critical questions to guide you through the process:

Decide on one good idea and write it down: Why is this idea more meaningful to you than the others? What makes this idea good? Who would benefit from this idea the most? What emotions does this idea arouse in me?

Reality-test your goal: What will it take to turn this idea into a goal. How will it change my life and impact my family, my time, my health? How much will it cost? What obstacles are hindering me from pursuing this idea? What are the potential pros and cons of pursuing this idea? How long will it take? How will I know when I have succeeded? If I take all the necessary steps for my idea to become a reality and nobody responds to it the way I wanted, am I still willing to be satisfied with the fact that I achieved my goal?

Research your goal: What other similar ideas are currently out there? What makes my idea different? What resources (books, finances, organizations, etc.) are available to help turn my idea into a goal? How much of my goal can I delegate to others? How can I protect my idea?

Make a plan and follow it: How can I break up this goal into 12 months (for example: January – research my goal, February – gather resources for my goal, etc.)? How can I incorporate my goal into my schedule? How can I encourage and reward myself for staying on track with my goal? Whom can I be accountable to for this goal becoming a reality? How will I measure my success? What small but important things can I do each day, each week to keep working on my goal?

Finding the answers to the above questions (and any additional questions that you may have thought of by reading these) will help you to formulate a plan for your ideas becoming a reality.

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"The Ups & Downs of Freelancing"

by Gregory Huff

Every now and then there settles the funk. You know it when it comes: that "blue" feeling and that "can’t do" attitude that arrives just when you’ve had a bad day, lost a major deal, face a physical challenge, wait by a phone that hasn’t rung in two months, or find yourself emotionally drained. It can last for days, weeks, or even months. And then something happens, or enough good things happen in a row, and you’re back on track. In the meantime, boy have you got a lot of catching up to do! Deadlines loom as your stress level increases. You feel a surge of energy and you throw yourself headlong into your work. Your creativity flows at a maddening pace. You can almost feel the blood coursing through your veins as you experience life at its most creative. Now you’ve no time or patience for relationships, food, or interruptions, for fear that your creative flow will all come to an abrupt end.

If you’re a creative freelancer you may well recognize the ups and downs I have just described. Sometimes freelancing can be even more stressful than working at a job you dislike. You convince yourself it will be worth it all as you slog your way through the financial, emotional, creative, and mental blocks that ever freelancer faces. And indeed you can choose to find meaning in the journey right now. But at times it must be a conscious effort.

One way to find meaning during the down times is to record your accomplishments during your up times. Create a journal or a scrapbook that you can refer to when times get lean. You may find it a source of inspiration and ideas when you need it most.

When the funk settles on you, one of the few things that will guide you through it is to have an inner compass. This inner compass points the way to positive foundational truths about who you are and the value of your creativity. These truths can serve as a resolve and strength in the face of adversity. Don’t use the funk as an excuse to wallow in your self-condemnation and pity. The funk has got to flee when you focus on your foundational truths and point your inner compass toward victory!

Keep those goals visible. Stay accountable to someone you can trust. We all feel like a lazy bones from time to time, but an accountability partner can help prod you into action.

Sure the competition is fierce, but guess what? You’re focused on being the best "you" you can be. When people see your unique creativity, it will speak for itself. And if it doesn’t, face up to it and get the training you need until your creativity sings freely. Honesty now can help you to deal more effectively with any rejection later.

Your freelance career may not always live up to your expectations, but that doesn’t mean you can’t navigate the bends in the road to victory.

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"The Creative Zone"

by Gregory Huff

Several years ago I thought of a unique gift to give my parents for their wedding anniversary. They told me that they never had a wedding photograph taken, so I decided to create one for them. I dug up some old pictures of them that would have been taken around the time they would have been married and used them for reference. Then my wife and I went to the art store and I began to gather supplies. Every now and then I would see a bit of ribbon or something nice to add to the picture. I would close my eyes and visualize how I imagined the finished work would look with that object added to it. If it didn’t look right I didn’t buy it. My wife found it fascinating that I could do that. The reason I could do it was because I learned how to enter my creative zone at will. As it turned out, the finished work delighted my parents, who showed it to one and all.

What is the creative zone? That mysterious place where your creativity flows openly and freely, without hindrance or rejection. Ideas turn into concepts that generate meaningful images. In the creative zone, “the canvas can do miracles,” to quote a 70s Christopher Cross song.

The creative zone can even induce a manic, trance-like state, in which time disappears and you become totally one with the creative process. It is as though the spirit of creativity itself has seized you, and you willingly surrender.

And yet, the journey into the creative zone can be difficult at best. Creative blocks can interfere with our ability to create. Blocks can come in various shapes and sizes: relationships, environments, mindsets, excuses, fears, etc. We decide we are not worthy of the zone and it flees from us, only to return seemingly by chance. Can anyone relate?

For many years, the journey into the creative zone for me was like peeling an onion. First, I desperately needed order, in order to start the creative process. Everything had to be tidied up in the room, my to-do list completed, other “important” things done, etc. Next I had to overcome excuses that prevented me from starting the work: I don’t have the reference pictures I need, I don’t have time now since it took too long to tidy up, I don’t have the right supplies, etc. Once I got past those issues, I had to confront whether or not I was good enough, or had enough skill to execute the work in the manner I had imagined it. Finally, with all the barriers removed, I was released into the creative zone. And by golly, nobody had better interrupt me, since I worked so hard to get there! : )

All those layers melted away once I discovered I could stay in the zone continuously in spite of “interruptions.” One way I could stay in my creative zone was by praying about it. I gave my issues and excuses to God and as He dealt with them His truth set me free. I regularly ask for His help with ideas. I also stay in the zone by keeping my materials at hand and ready for immediate usage. I do a little bit of the creative work daily rather than waiting for a good chunk of time to devote to it. That way when I do have more time I’m further along with the work.

I take time for creative play, drawing and doodling for the fun of it. Many of my original drawings begin as doodles which I enlarge to the size I want to make the work. Then I work to capture the spontaneity of the original sketch in the final piece, while adding additional elements to flesh out the idea.

To stay in the zone, I take breaks to affirm myself and my abilities as an artist. I do an affirmation exercise, like this one: Close your eyes. Take a deep breath. Hold it for a second. Then, as you exhale, relax your muscles. Repeat. Then say aloud to yourself (taking a deep breath and exhaling before saying each sentence), “I am talented and creative. A peaceful calm gently surrounds me, refreshing me. The joy of being alive is filling me right now, energizing my creativity.” Enjoy that feeling for a few moments, then open your eyes. I’ve learned that breaks from the creative work, whether for moments or days, can be essential. I need to get away from it so I can reevaluate whether or not I am on course with the work.

By doing these things I perceived I don’t have to be totally held captive by my creativity in order to accomplish great things. I can be available to others while I’m in the zone, yet continue to stay focused on the creative work. As a result, my “canvas” is doing miracles in ways I never thought possible.

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"Career Day"

by Gregory Huff

It started with my wife. A woman at our church approached her and asked my wife if she would be interested in participating in Career Day at a local public school. My wife is an author and thought it would be a good way to encourage children to become authors and journalists, so she accepted. I was happy for her, but I also thought about my career. How many times do children get to see positive images of people who are artists? Sure, they see plenty of singers, dancers, and actors to encourage them into those fields. What about art? Unless they visit art museums and galleries they aren’t likely to be exposed to much art, other than the illustrations in the books they read. I felt it was important that children have a living, breathing role model they can connect with in order to become interested in art as a career choice. So I contacted the woman at church and she was delighted that I wanted to participate in Career Day.

This would require me to take off a day from work, which wouldn’t be a major problem. But what should I tell the children? “Well, I’m an artist, but I also have a day job which isn’t creative. Though my art is a career, I balance it with all the other responsibilities I have in my life. I get my work published when I can, and have shows. Umm, what else?” I could already hear the sound of snoring. Boring! There is so much I could say, but what should I really say? I would only have 15 minutes (or less) per class, and I would be going around to at least 10 classes throughout the day to make my little presentation. The classes would range from pre-K to fifth grade. I thought to myself, “What would I have wanted to hear about an art career at their age?” The more I thought about it, the more blocked I became. I let go of it for awhile until I realized Career Day was coming up in less than a week. I needed a plan of action!

I decided to focus on how art was all around the children and how broadly a career in art could be defined. My eyes were opened, and I started looking around my environment for visual examples I could show the children. All kinds of examples jumped out at me, so I decided to categorize them. I would show the children that no matter what career they chose, art was still a part of that career. For instance, perhaps someone wanted to become a seamstress. I found a piece of cloth that had a drawing printed on it and I could explain how an artist would be needed to draw the picture before it was applied to the cloth. I started gathering all kinds of things: labels from jars and boxes so I could explain what a graphic designer does, children’s books to explain the work of an illustrator, the new $20.00 bill to show how artists were needed to design currency. I even thought of using a plastic supermarket bag to show how a graphic artist is needed to design the bag before it gets printed. (I know, because I almost took a job at as a graphic designer who designed shopping bags!) Then I would ask the children to look around the room and find things in the room that an artist could have designed: chairs, rugs, clothing, etc. I would also show them my own artwork and do a demonstration of the scratchboard technique. But I would focus more on potential careers in art rather than me and my work. Pretty ambitious for 15 minutes, but I figured with practice I could pull it off.

I felt it necessary to include ways the children could prepare for such a career now, rather than waiting until they got older. I wanted my presentation to get them involved and engaged, not just sit there while I talked. I also printed copies of my artwork which I would give to them at the end, and see if they had any questions. I practiced the presentation, writing out salient points on index cards so I wouldn’t forget them. I was ready to represent!

Career Day came, and my wife and I drove over to the public school. I had butterflies in my stomach, since I hadn’t ever gone to public school and didn’t know how the children would act. To my surprise they were wearing uniforms and were polite and respectful. We were assigned student escorts who would usher us from class to class throughout the day. I had brought my big black portfolio with me and wore business casual clothes, since part of the presentation included dressing how you might dress in your career. My escort seemed a little shy but was very interested in serving me and making sure I was comfortable. He served me breakfast and we chatted for a bit before everyone was briefed on the day’s activities. I would discover later how much he memorized the layout of this huge school and could navigate the hallways with ease.

Finally my escort and I departed to go to our first class. It was a large third grade class. I was a little awkward at first, and things seemed to disappear or get misplaced inside my portfolio. But the children got the gist of what I was explaining to them, even though it took me longer than 15 minutes just to talk and engage them. Too bad there was no time for questions; they had plenty. Usually the first class is the one where you are adjusting to your environment. I knew the rest of the day would only get better.

And so it did! One class in particular was so thrilled and engaged that they all came running up to me afterwards, clamoring for my autograph as though I was some big star. Later in the day that same class passed me in the hallway and greeted me with hugs and handshakes. I had come there to encourage them; I hadn’t expected to find encouragement in return! That made me feel really good, and I hoped that some of them would eventually consider art as a viable career for real. In other classes, the children sat quietly and listened, then asked questions at the end. Not every class gave me 15 minutes; some gave me a lot less due to time constraints. A few teachers commented that they learned something from my presentation as well.

At the end of the day I had a sense of accomplishment. I also felt like I cared for the kids and wondered what would happen to them eventually. I think every artist should consider volunteering at a local school for Career Day. It sparked the desire within me to consider becoming an art teacher. In the 7 years at my day job I’ve never received the kind of affirmation I received in one day at that school, except the day that I was leaving to go to a different facility! The school even gave us certificates of appreciation for our involvement in their Career Day.

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