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Articles from Liisa Kyle | Selfgrowth.com
- Be Your Own Best Friend | Self-Encouragement - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleWe can be very hard on ourselves. We tend to scold ourselves for what's not getting done and gloss over our victories. Thankfully, most of us hear something different from our friends: Our true friends support us, encourage us, help us problem solve and reassure us that we're okay, our ideas ...
Views: 1003 - What's Your Learning Style? | Adult Learning Styles Part 2 - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleTo develop and hone your talents, it's helpful to understand your learning style, the topic of Part 1 of this article. A second component to understanding how you like to learn involves recognizing your preferred learning experiences. For example, how much structure do you like in your ...
Views: 1352 - Why You Might Just Be a Perfectionist | Perfectionism - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleI understand. You're not a perfectionist. You're just picky. Or 'hard on yourself'. Or you 'have high standards'. Or you like things to be done properly. Guess what? * If you're emails, tweets & Facebook posts are free of spelling mistakes, you just might be a perfectionist. * If ...
Views: 1728(1 vote) - Handling the Haters | Deal with Negative People and Jealousy - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleGwyneth Paltrow is an Oscar-winning actor. She sings. She writes a blog. She cooks well. She's authored a best-selling cookbook. And in mastering so many talents, she's managed to irritate a few people. (Okay, it doesn't help that she's tall, thin, attractive, married to Chris Martin of ...
Views: 4796 - Organize Your Finances | How to Organize your Financial Documents - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleHow long did it take you to locate the documents you needed to do your taxes? If your answer was more than 'two minutes', then its time to organize your finances. Why organize your financial paperwork? 1. You'll reduce stress. Financial matters are often fear-inducing on the best of ...
Views: 1679(1 vote) - What's Your Learning Style? | Adult Learning Styles Part 1 - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleLearning is key to developing and honing your talents. To make the most out of your educational experiences, it's important to identify and understand your learning style. While we have the capacity to learn in countless ways, we all have our preferences. That's why some learning situations ...
Views: 1419 - Creativity Lessons | Be More Creative - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleIt was an impulse purchase...and a shining example of why I don't go into big box stores like Costco. Whenever I do, I walk out with a mega-cart brimming with items I didn't intend to buy. On this occasion, I got about 20 feet inside the front door when lo, verily, it arose before me...[insert ...
Views: 1595(2 votes) - How to Overcome Excess Stress - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleA moderate amount of stress can be a good thing. It can motivate us to stop procrastinating and to get things done. It can energize a project and, let's be honest, make life more exciting. Excess stress, however, can be damaging indeed. It can paralyze us, derail our progress and wreck havoc ...
Views: 1236 - Self-Acceptance | Accept Yourself - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleIt's one thing to accept your circumstances. It's another to accept other people as they are. For some creative people -- and perfectionists in particular -- self-acceptance is challenging indeed. Are you too hard on yourself? Do you tend to beat yourself up for perceived mistakes or ...
Views: 1298(1 vote) - Simple Pleasures | Treat Yourself Well - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleTo what extent are you enjoying your life? If you’re feeling more burdened or stressed than delighted these days, ask yourself: what simple pleasures can you give yourself? And when was the last time you did so? We humans have a curious tendency to find creative ways to deny ourselves ...
Views: 2108(2 votes) - Decision Making Techniques to Overcome Indecision - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleMaking choices unleashes creativity. But what if you have difficulty making decisions? For some of us, decision making is painful and stressful. We make it very complicated. We spend ridiculous amounts of time and energy researching options. We find ourselves paralyzed -- terrified of ...
Views: 2599 - Structure Your Schedule - Be More Creative - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleFor those living a creative life, the absence of an externally-imposed schedule is both a joy and a delight. How marvelous to know we have the entire day (or much of it) to frolic among our creative pursuits! Yet at the end of the week, should we survey our accomplishments, we may find them ...
Views: 1542(2 votes) - Life Purpose - How to Find Your Purposes in Life - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleThe prevailing wisdom is that to be happy, fulfilled and successful, one must discover and pursue one's 'purpose' in life. There are no shortage of self-help books and programs designed to do just that. The problem, however, is that this is utter bunk. Especially for DaVincis -- multi-talented, ...
Views: 1506(1 vote) - Meditation Techniques for Smart, Creative People - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleMeditation can be challenging for smart, creative multi-talented people. So many ideas! So many projects! So many things to keep track of! All these hyperactive thoughts can wreck havoc during meditation. If you've had difficulty meditating, consider trying again. The psychological, ...
Views: 2615(1 vote) - Why to Take an Information Vacation - and How - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleAre you an information addict? A news junkie? A Facebook frequenter, a Twitterer or devotee of other social media? A slave to your PDA or fancy phone? The costs of this information addiction is well documented. No wonder it's becoming chic these days to 'go off the grid' for a period of ...
Views: 1362 - Organizational Products for Creative People - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleA confession: I'm an organization nerd. Call me crazy but I enjoy being able to find what I need when I need it -- be it a particular tool, invoice, ingredient or garment. It feels good to have my 'to do' lists prioritized, to know that the important things are not falling through the cracks. ...
Views: 2178 - Life Balance 101 - Put Yourself First - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleDo you put yourself first? If you're like most people, you don't. You run around, juggling too many projects and random life demands. You often feel over busy or stressed -- maybe even frantic -- yet it doesn't feel like much is getting done. Your life balance is out of whack. Step One ...
Views: 3212(1 vote) - Weekly Reminders - Maintain Momentum on your Creative Projects - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleAs a multi-talented person, you've got a lot going on. It's very easy to be pulled in multiple directions, pretty much every day. Sure, you intend to write that novel/update that reel/submit that painting to the juried competition...but then the car battery dies and your sister gets sick and ...
Views: 1832(1 vote) - Forgiveness & Self-forgiveness - How to Get Over Regrets - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleOne of the most effective ways to overcome regrets or to overcome events your past is to forgive yourself and others for whatever happened. Forgiveness and self-forgiveness aren't always easy, but the benefits of doing so are many and profound. This article highlights the benefits of forgiving ...
Views: 3300 - Information Addiction - Costs of Excessive Internet Use & Social Media - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleAre you are an information-maniac, a news junkie, a social-media butterfly? If so, you might be hurting yourself more than you think. The costs of information addiction are many and profound. Alas, I know this not only from personal experience ("Hello, my name is Liisa and I'm an ...
Views: 2359 - Fear of Failure - Overcome Doubt, Self-Doubt & Creative Paralysis - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleFear of failure. The words pierce the heart of any creative person. Everyone with talents has experienced doubt and self-doubt. Whether it takes the form of anxiety about the quality of your work -- or terror at the state of your career, fear of failure comes in different flavors and burbles up ...
Views: 5274(2 votes) - Productivity & Efficiency Tips for Creative People - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa Kyle"Productivity" has kind of a bad rep -- it smacks of automation and soullessness. But honestly, do you know of any successful creative person who isn't productive? By definition, successful talented people produce works in their chosen media. The cousin of productivity is efficiency -- which ...
Views: 2538(1 vote) - Life Balance - A Survey for Creative People - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleBalancing different aspects of life -- work, play, family, friends and more -- is difficult for many people. It's significantly more challenging for "DaVincis" -- creative people who are also juggling their many talents, projects and ideas. As I see in the vast majority of my coaching clients, ...
Views: 3131(3 votes) - Facebook - Part 2 - Best Practices for Creative People - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleIn Part 1 of this article, we outlined the costs and benefits of Facebook for creative people. Today will focus on some fundamental Best Practices -- written especially for creative people who haven't yet taken the Facebook plunge, those new to Facebook and those who aren't using Facebook to ...
Views: 2455(1 vote) - Facebook - Part 1 - Costs & Benefits for Creative People - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleFacebook offers unprecedented personal and professional benefits for creative people. It also harbors some costs...especially for those prone to procrastination and susceptible to distractions or information addiction. This article is especially for creative people who haven't yet taken the ...
Views: 2608(1 vote) - Coulda Woulda Shoulda – PART TWO: How to Overcome Coulda Woulda Shoulda Thinking - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleRegrets often take the form of Coulda Woulda Shoulda thinking. Part One of this article described the costs of 'Coulda Woulda Shoulda'. Today, we’ll continue by discussing proven ways to overcome this pattern. 1. Recognize that everyone has some regrets in life – and see how they handle ...
Views: 3781(1 vote) - Coulda Woulda Shoulda – PART ONE: Costs & Benefits - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleEveryone has some regrets in life. What differs is how people deal with them. When you regret something you did – or didn’t do – in the past, do you engage in wistful Coulda Woulda Shoulda thinking? Do you fret about how things might have turned out differently ‘if only’ you would have taken ...
Views: 1712(1 vote) - Habits & Practices - How to Make a Creative Practice a Habit - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleHabits often have a bad reputation...but some habits can be helpful and healthy. Stop and think about your talents for a moment. What are you not doing that would help you enjoy your talents more, get more done or be more effective? It might be a practice that worked well for you in the past ...
Views: 4394(3 votes) - Overcoming Perfectionism - Shifting to 'Good Enough' - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KylePerfectionists are, by definition, painfully hard on themselves. Perfectionism is a state of chronic dissatisfaction that takes a hefty toll -- and the sad fact is that few perfectionists realize what's going on. They see themselves as having 'high standards' and are blind to just how unhappy ...
Views: 4023 - Time Management - How to Analyze your Time Use - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleYou’re a multi-talented person. You can weld, bellydance, quilt and author computer code. Or at least you *could* do all those things, if only there were more hours in the day and days in the week. How the heck did it get to be Thursday already? Never mind that, it’s June for heaven’s sake! Life ...
Views: 7905 - Effective Affirmations - Active is Better - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KylePositive affirmations are still around as a self-improvement tool because they are helpful for many people. If they didn’t work, they’d be long-gone relics of the 1980’s alongside legwarmers, shoulder pads & the musical stylings of Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The problem for creative people, ...
Views: 3262(3 votes) - How to Overcome Phone Call Anxiety - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KylePhone call anxiety happens to all of us: we need to make an important call. We have the number. We are well aware of the purpose of the call. As our fingers commence dialing, we sense a small cyclone of winged creatures cavorting in our bellies. Our breath shortens and a cold sensation runs ...
Views: 6798 - Get Organized - Creative Projects, Practices and Habits - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleImagine this: you're staring at piles of items, to do lists, calendar notations and scattered supplies. Meanwhile, random reminders cross your mind -- things like, "I really should practice my tuba today", "When was the last time I submitted my reel to anyone?" and/or "I promised myself I'd ...
Views: 2856(1 vote) - How to Overcome Regrets, Disappointments & Mistakes - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleAre you being tormented by a regret, a missed opportunity, a perceived mistake, a disappointment, or past hurts? Maybe something awful was done to you or perhaps you did something horrible to someone else. By focusing on bad events in the past, you're only hurting yourself more. Feel that ...
Views: 12867(2 votes) - Motivation Tips - Stay Motivated on Long-Term Major Projects - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleThe first week on a major projects is like love -- exciting and new. Your motivation is sky high. Maybe the second week too. But if you’re working on a major project over a long period of time, you are likely to find your motivation flagging at some point. It can be difficult to chip away ...
Views: 2314(1 vote) - Organizing Tips - Declutter, Get Organized & Be More Efficient - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleHave a million things going on? Want to be more creative and also be more efficient? Do yourself a favor: declutter and organize your space. You’ll get more done and you’ll be more creative – while avoiding distractions, procrastination and stress. Here’s an overview of the steps to take to ...
Views: 3314(1 vote) - Get Organized - Clutter & Disorganization Costs for Creative People - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleClutter costs you. Disorganization takes a hefty toll. Look around you. Are you in a place that feels serene and calm? Is the room relatively clean and tidy? How organized are you? Are things set up efficiently? Can you find things easily when you need them? Does your creativity flow ...
Views: 3405(1 vote) - Stop Procrastinating - Get Unstuck & Get Started - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleProcrastination is painful. Perhaps you're having problems getting started on a new project -- or mid-way through something and hit a snag - or find yourself otherwise stuck. Maybe you’re just having one of ‘those’ days and can’t quite get yourself going. Whatever the circumstances, here are ...
Views: 1822 - Take Breaks to Get More Done - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleWant to get more done? Most multi-talented people have so much to do, we throw ourselves at tasks without taking breaks. We find ourselves, hours later, in a sorry state: our pulses are racing, our minds are fried and our ‘to do’ list seems longer than when we began. (“But how can this be,” ...
Views: 2016 - Regrets & Disappointments - Overcome Your Past - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleSometimes our pasts affect our present day in unexpected ways. Without knowing it, our regrets and past disappointments might be influencing our present day relationships, careers and general life contentment. This can be hurting you more than you know. Try this: hold your face in its ...
Views: 2572 - Get Organized - How to Manage Your Creative Ideas - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleIt’s easy for creative people to generate a million ideas – but it’s much more challenging to keep track of them. If you find yourself vaguely remembering you had a killer idea for a soundtrack/iPhone app/film plot/painting but you’re stumped as to what it was, it's time to get organized. You ...
Views: 5873(1 vote) - Are you a Perfectionist? PART TWO: Ways to Overcome Perfectionism - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleTo truly conquer perfectionism requires a complete overhaul in how you view yourself and others. It may require professional counseling. But rest assured that right here and now, there are some concrete things you can do to alleviate the pain of being a perfectionist. The first step in ...
Views: 2492(3 votes) - Are you a Perfectionist? PART ONE: Signs and Symptoms of Perfectionism - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleIn working with creative people, I can’t help but notice that the vast majority of are perfectionists. It’s heart-breaking to watch this parade of extremely skilled, high achieving people who beat themselves up unnecessarily. Regardless of the degree of perfectionism, it’s painful. ...
Views: 6633(3 votes) - Fear, Anxiety & Resistance - Fears of Creative People - PART THREE - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleFears are a natural part of the creative process. All multi-talented people experience fear, anxiety, worry and resistance at some point. Today we continue our strategies for fighting fear. After you’ve identified the true nature of your fears and resistance (see Part One of this series), ...
Views: 2925(2 votes) - Fear, Anxiety & Resistance - Fears of Creative People - PART TWO - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleFears are a natural part of the creative process. All multi-talented people experience fear, anxiety, worry and resistance at some point. After you’ve identified the true nature of your fears and resistance (see Part One of this series), you can then use proven techniques to manage and reduce ...
Views: 3223(2 votes) - Fear, Anxiety & Resistance - Fears of Creative People - PART ONE - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleFear. Anxiety. Butterflies. Worry. Despite all our talents, creative people are susceptible to a smorgasbord of fears. Even Oscar and Grammy winners deal with stage fright. Pulitzer prizewinners sometimes go underground, ceasing to write another word for fear of not repeating their earlier ...
Views: 2500(2 votes) - Priorities & Prioritization Tips for Creative People - How to Prioritize Now! - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KylePrioritizing tasks and projects (and whatever else is on our plate) can be challenging for anyone. For multi-talented people, it's even more difficult because modern day DaVincis have that many more things on our 'to do' lists. How to decide what to do? How to choose what to focus on among ...
Views: 3797(1 vote) - Time Management Strategies for the Multi-Talented - by Submitted on Nov 13, 2015 from Liisa KyleTime management is tricky for multi-talented, creative people. We have a lot of activities and tasks on our plates. And those plates are spinning. No sooner do we start project A when we suddenly get a great idea for project B and a key contact for project C calls out of the blue and…before ...
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