So last week was about some brutal honesty on what I haven’t been doing to move photography forward. This week is meant to be a little more constructive in what I plan to do about it.

First off, I’m committing to do my current list of photography projects without any new equipment – I can produce an ebook with what I’ve got, even if it could be better with newer, shinier toys.

Next, artistic mood is as much about habit as real mood. Habits are much easier to continue in a productive fashion even when you feel grumpy. If I can manage to brush my teeth, I can get the camera out at least three times a week even if those pictures are not good for much.

Lastly, two hours a week spent working on the trip book I’ve been planning – the pictures are all taken it just involves editing, writing the essays and putting it together. Even if that means getting up at 5:00 on a Sunday it needs to happen.

Along with that goes continuing to work on the website, social media and the rest of marketing, but that can’t be successful if I save the actual product ’til last.

And a final note – just to let all of you keep me honest I’m going to append a progress report to each post going forward – that way we’ll both know how effective these strategies really are…

Next week: my health-related goal of losing weight and what excuses are at work there.

Technorati Tags: achieving goals, Art of Happiness, common excuses

Play doesn't have to create things that make sense

In general I would say I lead a pretty creative life, even on a day to day basis. Yet that’s a very different feeling from when innovations are happening left and right with no effort. I had a day where that happened last week and as I thought about how that all came about it came down to play.

I think the big mystique out there is that if you are doing what you love then you are playing. For some that may be consistently true but for those of us that are inherently goal oriented there is a to-do list to check off, a product to create and release, a novel to write – it’s all fun, but it’s not play.  Playing means having fun with no goal or preconceived end result.  Drawing with your eyes closed, or putting your camera on the timer switch and then swinging it (carefully) by the strap just to see what happens. Surprising that was what I was doing after reading about the concept in a book. Then I came in to throw dinner together out of leftovers which turned into a creative, spicy masterpiece that I will never be able to replicate.  Somehow the camera swinging loosened up all my rules (and I don’t have that many) and the creative juices began to flow – cinnamon combined effortlessly with hot pepper, squash and tomatoes. A critical part of the art of happiness to to step out of your routine, even a super rewarding fun routine, and live without expectations.

Your groove doesn’t have to come via a camera and the kitchen, it might be oil paints and rollerskating.  Just give yourself an hour to play, really play, and then see what happens.  I’ll bet you won’t be disappointed.

Technorati Tags: Art of Happiness, creativity