BEHIND THE BLOG

As writer, teacher, jewelry-maker and everyday woman, I'm fascinated by the ways that clarity and clutter shape creative lives. To me, the question of how much stuff we have is far less important than how much time, freedom and focus we can bring to our creative efforts. Sure, sometimes clutter manifests tangibly, as supplies, possessions, or mementos. But just as often it appears in less physical (but no less powerful) forms: as distractions, drains, obligations, expectations, judgments, and fears that leave us no time or energy to make art or even dream dreams. My first "DeClutter Your Creativity" classes were inspired by my own personal struggle to find the balance of abundance and emptiness needed to fuel my work...and to find it again, and again, and again as my life and work evolve. This blog is another way to dialogue on the subject: written with curiosity, compassion and (sometimes) comedy from the often befuddling place where creativity and clutter meet.

Saturday, June 5, 2010

THE ESSENTIAL ART OF SAYING NO

Leo Babuta of Zen Habits is always interesting on the subject of focus and simplification. I recently  came across a post he wrote for Freelance Switch on the "Eight Essential Strategies to Saying No." Though he's focused on freelancers, his thoughts seem on point for all of us creatives as well, whether or not we officially work a freelance life.
My own discomfort at saying "no" was a continuing source of clutter in my life for a very long time. Social clutter, time clutter, project clutter...so much of the overwork and burnout I've created over the years has come from a combination of my good intentions and my inability to refuse.

If this is a challenge for you, as it is for me, clieck through to the post for his list of essential strategies. It's detailed enough to be helpful and personal enough to feel authentic.

Even beyond the details, it strikes me as helpful to remember the simple truth that saying no to what doesn't truly serve you is (a) perfectly okay, and (b) an acquired skill--or even, perhaps, an art. It doesn't become second nature overnight. But with a little work, it can become easier and more comfortable.

As with any art, it just takes practice.
Posted by Suzanne Fox at 6:09 PM
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