How 2016 eliminated my shoulds, so only musts remained for 2017.

How 2016 eliminated my shoulds, so only musts remained for 2017.

Being a creative, you probably know about Elle Luna's book.

Briefly, it's about coming up to a crossroads in your life where you have to choose between Should and Must, meaning the way you should live your life and the way you are called to live your life. And if you're a rebel, must will always prevail.

My 2016 was all about eliminating Should and free up space for Must.

After reading some fellow creative business owner's end of year reports, I know I wasn't alone. Just when you think you're alone in something, others speak up, and then your heart fills with joy because there are people out there who understand you.

Now back to my year...

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How I failed at launching my first course.

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How I failed at launching my first course.

I was visited by the ghost of past launches...

While I don't believe in resolutions so much, I do believe in hindsight.

Everything makes sense when you look back on it, and when you do, you gain the power to change your present, and future. Which is why I'm taking stock right now.

There's a movie called Failure to Launch, and it pretty much sums up last year for me. While I was doing OK for money and had stable clients, I knew nothing about products. And because I've always loved to create things, I decided it was time.

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A crazy side project is exactly what your creative business needs.

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A crazy side project is exactly what your creative business needs.

A lot of creatives come to me asking how they can make money.

How they can make their business sustainable.

And I look at their brands and see... products, packages, selling.

I ask myself, What would make me buy from this person? The answer? Nothing.

If you want people to buy from you, you need them to discover you.

For example, I find people from social media, but I don't really care about the screaming messages where they announce it's the LAST DAY to buy...

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10 Ways for Modern Creatives to Disconnect from All the Bullsh*t

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10 Ways for Modern Creatives to Disconnect from All the Bullsh*t

It's official. Technology has taken over the world. We are hooked 24/7.

If you're not tapping away on your laptop - like I'm doing right now - your face is glued to your phone or your smart watch, or you're glaring at a huge screen. Whether that's your home computer or your TV, it doesn't matter. You probably need to see the eye doctor because your eyes are scratchy and leaking, and you don't want to admit it.

What is worse, your mind has become a reflection of what you consume, and what you consume is mindless listicles and how-to advice. No original thought! 

Why do you think coloring is trendy? I mean, why would adults choose to revert back to childhood? And why is everyone obsessed with print books and magazines all of a sudden? Why do modern creatives suddenly need to go on retreats in Nature?

These 5 rebels exchanged their services for things cooler than money.

These 5 rebels exchanged their services for things cooler than money.

Live and be happy without money?! This is surely the talk of a crazy woman...

Actually, if there was ever a time to invent your own rules and do anything you want with your life, it's TODAY. You can live a life that's free from convention.

Do you want such a life? There are so many examples of this actually working.

Below are some genius projects that involve rebels offering their services in exchange for things much cooler than money. From poets to photographers to startup advisors, anyone can live an alternative life and have an alternative business nowadays, including YOU.

 

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10 Books Every Creative Rebel Should Have in Their Library

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10 Books Every Creative Rebel Should Have in Their Library

I've been having a bit of a problem with impulse buying...

You see, it took me a while to teach myself not to go into shops when I'm saving up for something more important than bags and hats. However, when it comes to BOOKS, Amazon is just one click away. What's worse, buying is one click away!

As a result, I have developed quite the library. Boring books, famous books, underrated books, rebellious books, and so on. Today we'll focus on books for rebels, by rebels. Whether you're already a rebel and you want to read something worthy of your attention or you're looking to find authors that deserve their hype, look no more.

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Dear ENFPs, Rebels, and Multipassionates, stop comparing, start celebrating.

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Dear ENFPs, Rebels, and Multipassionates, stop comparing, start celebrating.

You know how sometimes you look at your neighbors and they have a better garden, a bigger family, and a better car? Maybe they have more money or bigger accomplishments. Maybe they're more beautiful, more creative, more... fill in the blank.

As long as you have this comparison mindset, you'll never be happy! 

I'm trying to remember where my ENFP-hate/fixation began. Probably when I was in University and they were telling us to focus, pay attention, and cultivate "successful" learning habits, which we would then use "in the real world" as we look for jobs.

Gag me. If I could go back in time, I'd gag them, too.

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You're a fun, creative person. But why is your brand so dull?

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You're a fun, creative person. But why is your brand so dull?

This has to be my #1 pet peeve of ALL TIME...

So I'm talking to you, and you mention your love for voice over artistry and your weird collection of chinese characters - and we're bonding over our creative dreams and fears... and it's like we have achieved the perfect creative symbiosis.

I decide to check out your website out of curiosity. Because I'm a marketing coach and because this is my secret stalkerish hobby. And... OMG.

Where did you go??? I'm looking at something grey and "professional." Gag.

Don't let this one thing kill your creativity!

Don't let this one thing kill your creativity!

Every time I talk to a creative, this one thing pops up.

It's a BIG DEAL. It's the reason for most creative blocks. The reason you can't create at full capacity. The reason for my many failed attempts at productivity. It's important that you recognize it for what it is and work on eliminating it from your life once and for all. Otherwise it will keep ruining your creative life and blocking your creative genius.

I am talking about PRESSURE. But not just any pressure... Not the kind of pressure that comes with deadlines or limitations. I'm talking about the kind that comes with expectations - your own and those of others.

Dear Multipassionate, these are not problems, they're opportunities.

Dear Multipassionate, these are not problems, they're opportunities.

Sometimes it feels like society has all these rules and stereotypes at the ready, which are not necessarily the best for us to believe or utilize. For example, Multipassionates have been hiding and underestimating ourselves for decades because of them.

Today I want to bust some myths and offer you my point of view because I have been living the life of a Multipassionate for too long and have finally accepted all that I am. There's a certain freedom that comes with acceptance. So let's do this thang.

Let's examine the top 3 "problems" Multipassionates torture ourselves over.