OLD Whidbey Life Magazine

Author: Deb Lund

Creativity Café || It’s All Good!

BY DEB LUND
Whidbey Life Magazine Contributor
April 22, 2015

“It’s all good!” We hear that a lot around Whidbey. Because it is all good. But we often say those words to gloss over the times when we’re spinning our wheels instead of getting to where we want to be.

How do you spend your time? Most Whidbey folks I know are busy. Many are too busy, which is hard for some non-Whidbey folks to fathom. They are shocked to hear that we do more than stroll on beaches and watch sunsets, as if we’re all here on an extended vacation. But the “Wherever you go, there you are” statement applies to us, too. And when our busyness keeps us from pursuing our creative projects, we don’t feel very Whidbey-like. We feel off. We can’t put it into words, so we settle for “It’s all good.”

So many meetings, commitments, volunteer opportunities, concerts, arts and nature events… It’s all good. And because we’ve grown to love the Whidbeyites who are involved in all the things we, too, love, we don’t want to miss anything. It’s part of why we live here, after all.

Do you ever say that if you had more time you’d like to paint/write/sing/fill-in-the-blank? Maybe the “it’s all good” isn’t working as well as you’d like.

Deb Lund & Karl Olsen on a Haiti work break (photo courtesy of the author)

My family and I spent time in Haiti this month with a group of 10 young people and five adults. We hauled cement, shoveled gravel and carried buckets of water, sand and dirt until lunch, then either continued through the afternoon on construction projects or worked at a “Kids’ Club” providing music, crafts, games, and snacks for about 100 kids at a time. We focused on goals, worked toward them and saw progress. It was all good.

We got back from Haiti and I spent two nights in my own bed before going to a conference. The cultural difference was stark. My room at the Redmond Marriott was nothing like the hot and humid room of bunk beds I shared with another adult and five teenage girls in Haiti with intermittent electricity and just one cold shower to share. But no one complained. That room at the Marriott? Once in a while the bathroom light would go out and I’d have to hit the reset button. And yes, though the shower was hot and the air cool, I complained about the much-less intermittent electricity at the Marriott.

And the conference? It was all about the creative work of writing and illustrating kids’ books. For most people in Haiti, there isn’t a lot of time to pursue creative projects. Here on Whidbey, we feel entitled to chase our creative dreams. That’s okay. It’s all good. But working toward a common goal together with our new friends in Haiti? Beyond good.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t want to live in Haiti, and I don’t have a glamourized view of life there. It’s harsh, full of pain, hunger and death, which we saw multiple examples of during our short stay. And the conference inspired me and fed me in ways that trip couldn’t. Both had a shared sense of purpose, but without the Haiti trip still vivid in my mind, I would have missed the real gift of the conference for me, which was the decision to be more proactive about how I spend my time.

I love Whidbey for what it has to offer. I’m not planning to give up much of what I do here, but I could spend less time online and make better use of smaller increments of time that appear here and there in my busyness. But what else can go? Do you feel this way too?

Here are some questions and thoughts to ponder…

Carol Gannaway and others on bucket brigade (photo courtesy of the author)

Volunteering

We are blessed with opportunities to serve here on Whidbey. If your sense of being too busy is due to wanting more meaning in your life, choose activities that will provide that for you. On the other hand, if you find yourself feeling resentful about your current volunteer work, find something that’s a better match with your gifts and interests. While serving others takes time, you’ll feel better about how your time was spent.

Work

Does your Whidbey-style “multiple streams of income” require too much time to organize and market? If you want to create, to see progress on your goals, does it still make sense to divide your work into bits of time that don’t allow enough real progress in any one area? Perhaps you’d be more productive if you focused more time on your main passion and let go of ones you’re no longer passionate about.

Self Care

What feeds you? Keeping a journal, going on walks, reading, calling a friend? Schedule them into your days, too. Are you getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising and taking care of your health? While it might seem like you don’t have time for self-care, you’ll find that your productivity will soar when you take time for your own needs too.

Kids’ Club at Petit Goave, Haiti (photo courtesy of the author)

Saying No

You know your priorities. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. We all want to help others, to keep them happy with us, to contribute. List your priorities and goals. When you’re tempted to add a new activity to your schedule, weigh it against your list. If the new option doesn’t fit anything on your list, say yes to yourself instead.

If you keep catching yourself creating fillers for your creative time instead of projects, dig deeper. See if there’s a fear or belief you need to haul out. And if that doesn’t work, you could head to Haiti and do a little digging there. Or hauling buckets of rocks and dirt. I’d like to go back there again someday, but for now, I’m going for a taste of that extended vacation feeling right here on Whidbey or wherever I go by valuing my time and using it more intentionally. It won’t happen all at once, and I’ll stumble and regroup as always, but it’s all good.

Deb Lund is a writer, teacher and creativity coach who helps others find more joy and meaning in their lives through claiming their creativity. Wherever you are is the perfect place to begin. It’s all good. You can learn more about Deb and her services at www.deblund.com or hear her speak about creativity at Trinity Lutheran’s Adult Forum at 9:30 a.m. on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 10.

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April 22, 2015
Creativity Café | Are We There Yet?

BY DEB LUND
February 4, 2015

I’m already there! Those dreams, those thoughts, those ideas that couldn’t possibly happen, happened!

That’s how a blog post of mine started out a few years ago. In that post, I went on to ask why no one had told me. And then I recalled comments others had made at the time. People had been telling me. People have been telling me this—I’m already there. There! That elusive place I had wanted to reach. And I always thought, and still think at times, no, there’s so far yet to go. (I couldn’t possibly list all there is to do to get where I want to go.)

Why do we think we’re never enough? What would we do if we were enough?

I remember being perplexed back then, wondering, why now, with no extra accolades, possibilities, or goals reached, did I come to the conclusion that I’m already there?

And why in the world—when we have these epiphanies—can’t we hand on to that feeling of success, accomplishment, peace, joy, or whatever it is that helps us understand that we’re already enough?

Why haven’t I hung on to that feeling ever since then?

The answer to that has never been clear, well, except for when I stop and intentionally see what is in my life. If I could just remember to take inventory a little more often. You’ve had those insights, too, right? Those ones that are crystal clear and then vanish?

What I do know now is that the epiphany involved figuring out what was real and what was childish dreaming. I don’t mean that as a judgment. I actually mean that my dreams were child-like in my expectations of how they would happen. Reflecting on my former dreams and my expectations of how they would come about brings with it an epiphany: the dreams were true and came true; it’s the expectations that were false.

Big dreams are not childish. What’s childish is not seeing the realization of a dream because the details aren’t the ones I envisioned. I didn’t recognize them because they didn’t come true exactly as I planned them. The world kept going on with its business. No one stopped me in the streets. Somehow all the other aspects of my life that I thought would get easier only got more crowded. And what about that idea that I would be filled with unbelievable joy? What happened to that?

It’s time to take that inventory I mentioned… I wanted to live “out west.” I wanted to adopt. I wanted to write books and get published. It’s here! And so are the dirty dishes, the trying teenagers, the dog who pesters me for walks, the aches and pains, the requested revisions (confession: I love revision). Still, the dream, it happened. It just came with some annoying details I didn’t expect. If dreams have fine print, I clearly didn’t read it.

I can focus on not having or I can focus on having. I’m choosing having. Kid issues, schedules, health concerns, financial obligations, dealing with the business end of writing and publishing. So much on my plate. So much to complain about. But they are all the result of getting what I asked for!

Be careful what you ask for. It’s just an old saying that doesn’t apply today, right?

So, what was that dream you dreamed? The one that actually came true, but in disguise? What’s in your life now that you could only visualize before?

Don’t always think about the next, and the next, and the next thing you want. Don’t buy into the gotta have this, this, this…

Look at yourself. Look at where you are. Where you really are if you don’t buy into the poor me stuff.

You had a dream, however big or little it may seem to you now, and you did it. You changed something in your life. You became more you. In the middle of the mess of your life, you can hold on to that dream and to your fulfillment of it. Own it. It’s yours, and don’t ever toss it aside for the more glamorous elusive one.

You can have that one, too. In fact—take another look!—I bet you already have it.

I remember playing baseball with my dad as a kid. He would fire the ball into my glove and I learned to catch as a means of self-defense. Sometimes I was sure there was no way I’d catch a wild throw of his (intentionally wild—he was a star amateur player), but a leap or jump at just the right height or in the right direction, and that ball would surprise me as it slammed itself into my glove. Not the outcome I anticipated, but there was no time to hang on to that glorious catch. I was immediately focused on the next throw, the next catch, the next dream.

Celebrate! Take the time to acknowledge the fulfillment of your dreams. Keep your eyes and your glove open. Sometimes it stings and burns, but there you’ll find it—your dream, right there in your hand.

You’re Already There!

You figured that out before you got to the end here, didn’t you… without me even mentioning the G word. You know. Gratitude.

Deb Lund is the creator of Fiction Magic: Card Tricks & Tips for Writers. She keeps chasing after dreams, some of her own, and some for her coaching clients who enjoy watching her get as excited over their success as she does her own. Check out her website at www.deblund.com, send her a note at deb@deblund.com, or just remember that you’re already there.

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WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.

February 4, 2015
An Emporium of Arts on Whidbey Island

BY DEB LUND and SUZANNE KELMAN
Whidbey Life Magazine Contributors
1/7/2015, Republished from Summer WLM print magazine May, 2014

Whidbey Island’s forests, beaches, rolling farmlands and quaint villages are what usually first attract visitors. But as they return for more visits—or never leave—they notice an abundance of the arts—doctors who sing, business leaders who paint, a sheriff who writes…

From professional artists to dabblers, it might look like Whidbeyites are all out playing with pen and paper, paintbrushes, musical instruments or other tools of their arts.

The first Whidbey artists were the Native Americans who canoed and fished the waters surrounding the island. They developed a distinctive Northwest style of carving passed along to descendants such as Central Whidbey’s Roger Purdue. Of Tsimshian heritage, Purdue shared his deep love for his culture and for nature with his Oak Harbor Elementary School students. Although Purdue passed away in January, for 20 years he created the design for Coupeville’s annual Penn Cove Water Festival, which boasts tribal canoe racers, storytelling, Native arts and crafts, and dance performances.

Susan Berta, cofounder of Orca Network and key player in the return of the historical Water Festival, said that Purdue also designed and carved the popular Salmon Wheel (now at the Island County Museum in Coupeville). The Whale Wheel installed on the Coupeville waterfront also bears his signature style.

“These were huge cedar interactive carvings based on the spindle whorl, with the large salmon and whale wheels mounted on a backboard so passersby could set the wheel in motion and watch the salmon or orcas spin around,” Berta said.

When the Salmon Wheel began to warp, Purdue came up with a design for a whale wheel to honor the orcas that were captured and killed in Penn Cove in the 1970s. Although Purdue was no longer able to carve, he managed to see the project through. “He brought a group of Coupeville carvers together to carve the orcas for the wheel, because he wanted to see the carving community kept alive,” commented Berta. “Roger was always thinking of the future, of the community, of sharing his talent and knowledge, of teaching others. His generosity, talent, and love of art and nature will be a part of Whidbey Island forever.”

Peter Camfferman discussing art with a group of artists from the Women Painters of Washington, Langley, 1941. (photo courtesy Martin-Zambito Fine Art, Seattle)

In 1915, Margaret and Peter Camfferman purchased a home on Whidbey Island. Margaret, a Min-
nesota native, had met Peter, an artist from the Netherlands, at the Minneapolis School of Fine Arts. Once they found Whidbey, they created an artists’ colony they called Brackenwood. Among the earliest Modernist painters in the Northwest, the Camffermans welcomed internationally-renowned artists from around the world to the Northwest. Langley’s Brackenwood Gallery is named in honor of that early artists’ community, and paintings by the Camffermans are now part of the Seattle Art Museum’s permanent collection.

The Clyde movie theater at night (photo by Robbie Cribbs)

The Clyde is a funky old movie theater from the 30s—so popular that today there’s a waiting list to be voluntary ticket-takers. When Blake Willeford purchased the movie theater in the early ‘70s, he invited local musicians, dancers and actors to use the venue. “There was nothing to do back then,” said Lynn Willeford, “so you had to amuse yourself.” In addition to running The Clyde, the Willefords are involved in many projects that support the community. Looking back on the past decades, Lynn said she watched Whidbey go “from hippie to hipster in 40 years.”

The lure of cheap land in the ‘60s brought people like Linda and Leonard Good to Whidbey. “There was a lot of generational overlapping,” said Linda. “The young people, many of them hippies, were interested in an artistic path and a closer-to-nature experience, and the old-timers mentored them.”

Since then, Linda has taught generations of Whidbey musicians through the auspices of Island Strings, a network of strings teachers who each meet with students in their own locations, teach according to their own philosophies, and team up for summer camps and music events.

Many recipients have become professional artists and musicians, including Gloria Ferry-Brennan. She began playing the violin in Good’s “Pre-Twinkle” class. “I don’t think I would have had nearly as many performance opportunities if I had lived anywhere else. The entire community on Whidbey Island has been supportive of my music and of me as a person.”

All the arts are represented, including theatre. Oak Harbor’s Whidbey Playhouse staged its first production in 1966 and has been going strong ever since. The small town of Langley (population 1,100) boasts no fewer than five theatre companies. And South Whidbey hosts not one, but two nationally-known literary nonprofits.

The Whidbey Island Writers Association (WIWA), started by Celeste Mergens 15 years ago, supports a nationally known writing conference. WIWA is now under the umbrella of Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (NILA). In addition to conferences, workshops, classes and other resources for writers, NILA publishes its own magazine, “Soundings Review,” and offers the first MFA in Creative Writing awarded by a writing association rather than an academic institution.

A welcoming cottage for writers at Hedgebrook (photo by Tom Marks)

Hedgebrook, a 25-year-old retreat center for women writers, offers residencies, classes and salons. Its unique hand-crafted cottages, complete with sleeping lofts, stained-glass windows, pottery sinks and other features designed by local artisans, provide writing refuges for accepted applicants.

Barbara Joy Laffey is one of the recipients of a Hedgebrook residency who later moved to Whidbey Island. “My experience at Hedgebrook was unbelievably supportive, but what made it particularly magical was my daily walks down to Double Bluff Beach.” By the time Laffey spent a month on Whidbey, she realized she could no longer live in Los Angeles. “There was such a great writing vibe on Whidbey that I came back to work on my book. I found such a supportive community, including the Whidbey Island Writers Association, that I just couldn’t leave.”

No matter how long people stay on Whidbey—from a visit to a lifetime—they often tell versions of the same story. Stories like Susan Hanson’s, whose “visit” is now in its third year. “I felt this little crooked finger beckoning me to come out and play, and that it was safe.” Hanson had always wanted to sing, and with the encouragement of islanders, she began taking voice lessons. Although she admits her first public perfom- ance wasn’t stellar, “the energy in the room was so supportive that I was motivated to try again and again, and it just got better.” She credits the community. “Whidbey feels like this collective supportive soul—and that’s where creativity comes from, right?”

Roger Purdue with his cousin Diana Ferree, her daughter, Jennifer Leathan and granddaughter, Grace Leathan, at the dedication of the Whale Wheel. Diana and her family are Native American dancers (photo courtesy of the family)

When you’re lured by Whidbey’s natural beauty, and that “collective supportive soul” beckons and gives you the tools, the encouragement, and the continued support of its community of artists, watch out. You might just find yourself saying, “Okay. I’ll come out and play!”

Suzanne Kelman is an author, also a multi-award winning and optioned screenwriter and blogs for WLM.

Deb Lund is a children’s author, creativity coach, and a mom who creates in the middle of chaos and blogs for WLM.

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WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.

January 7, 2015
Creativity Café | Get in the Game!

BY DEB LUND
November 19, 2014

My mission is to get people claiming their creativity. To fulfill my mission, you have to get in the game.

A key to success in the creative arts is persistence. This isn’t new knowledge, and it’s a quality that we can develop. But it’s hard to persist at what you don’t start.

This past year, as I got my card deck for writers ready for publication, there were many times I considered giving up on the whole project. But it was people who kept me going. I had made a commitment to conference goers who repeatedly asked, “Where can I get these cards?” And once I went through a successful Kickstarter campaign, I really didn’t have a choice. But there were roadblocks (if you despise whining, skip the italicized section below)…

Deb Lund’s “Fiction Magic Card Tricks & Tips for Writers” (photo courtesy of the author)

I didn’t know where to get help, so I sought out people whom I trusted and got excellent advice. Did I take the advice? Not exactly. I was looking for an easier and cheaper way. I thought I found it.

First came the Kickstarter campaign. Kickstarter is a crowd-funding program, and I knew I already had the crowd. What I didn’t know was that a big learning curve was ahead of me.

The company I used waited for the Kickstarter funding, so we got to work. They didn’t find art for the project as planned, so I worked out arrangements with the artist myself. I wanted something more in the design, so I hired Whidbey’s Laura Canby, which is why it looks so professional.

I found out the guidebook binding was to be stapled but I wanted it to be sturdy, like a paperback, so I changed that, too. There were discrepancies in font sizes, further editing requests and—with all the changes—the charges piled on. After countless delays, the cards took months longer than the time originally stated, but I stuck with it.

And now they’re finally here!

So—keep going. It’s what you have to do if you want to create. What keeps you going?

Do you play solitaire?

Sometimes you’re handed cards that look impossible. Sometimes it IS impossible. Do you quit? No. You shuffle and start over again and don’t quit until you win, right? Sometimes you get a great start, but somewhere during the game, it doesn’t work. Do you quit then? Not until you know there are no options left.

You must stay in the game.

Solitaire is not unlike the creative process. You play with what you’re dealt, and the most persistent players get the most wins—but they never win them all. The difference between solitaire players and artists is that artists learn as they go, and this learning translates into wild cards that they can use when they get stuck (not unlike my card deck for writers). The wild cards don’t always help you win in the end, but you get more wins than you would have.

I didn’t know this. I had to learn it. When I was 25, I sent in a story to a magazine. It was rejected. I believed that meant that I wasn’t a writer, and I didn’t send anything in again for 15 years. But then I learned to celebrate my rejections. They weren’t stopping me!

Want to be Unstoppable?

Give yourself an apprenticeship:
• Make a commitment.
• Stop the negative self-talk.
• Focus on what worked for you in the past.
• Find mentors.
• Grab that deck, shuffle, and start again. And again.
• Win or lose, celebrate that you’re in the game!

Every successful writer, artist, dancer and actor I know experiences self-doubt. They have all gone through their apprenticeship to get to where they are. The really good ones are still in their apprenticeships. When they begin new projects, they may feel like they don’t know anything—like their efforts will end up just being more practice. But they learn to appreciate the opportunity to practice; they shuffle the cards and they play the ones laid out in front of them, game after game.

Creativity is not talent.

Talent just means something comes easy for someone. There are lots of “talented” people who throw the deck when the cards aren’t in their favor. It’s the ones who pick up the deck again and again who see success.

Creativity is often a solitary activity.

Find your tribe. Seek out organizations, conferences, and classes (or teach some yourself). Get a coach. As a coach myself, I still use coaches. It’s the easiest and best way to accomplish my goals.

Creativity is attainable.

If you can persist, you have what it takes to accomplish your creative goals. If you don’t believe me, give me a call. I need you to help me grow this mission. Are you with me?

Then get in the game! Create!

Deb Lund is an author, creativity coach, and writing teacher. Stop by at www.deblund.com to learn more about her.

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WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.

November 19, 2014
Creativity Cafe’ | Fall Cleaning: Are You Enough?

BY DEB LUND
August 29, 2014

You can taste it, can’t you? Fall…

I’m much more of a fall cleaner than a spring cleaner. Fall is a time of letting go, reflecting, preparing, renewing. For me, besides the bags and boxes heading to our amazing Whidbey thrift stores, that means recommitting as a writer, writing teacher, and creativity coach.

If only this adventure could happen without visits from Miss Midge, my inner critic (who’s tough as a tractor and built like a fridge).

Our conversations go something like this…

On WRITING:

Me: This fall, I’ll read through notes from my agent and tackle another round of revisions on my upper middle grade novel.

Midge: You’ve worked on that for years. It will never be good enough!

Me: I can’t wait to get going on that adult magical-realism novel. It’s the project that’s really calling to me.

Midge: It’s an okay idea, but you don’t have enough of what it takes to make it work.

Me: I need to start more picture books.

Midge: Don’t you already have enough that aren’t going anywhere?

About WRITING TEACHING:

Me: I’m looking forward to the conferences I’ll be presenting at this fall.

Midge: How will you possibly have enough time to prepare?

Me: The writing classes I have planned for “Write in the Park” will be so much fun!

Midge: You won’t have enough writing time if you’re busy helping everyone else.

Me: Maybe I should design another online continuing education course for teachers.

Midge: Don’t you have enough to do? You’ll never manage it all.

And CREATIVITY COACHING:

Me: Seeing the growth in my creativity-coaching clients really feeds me.

Midge: But does it feed them enough?

Me: The Fiction Magic online group should be interesting.

Midge: If you have enough to say to them.

Me: When I really listen and trust that the right words will appear, my clients’ insights often appear as if by magic.

Midge: Yes, their insights, not yours. You think that’s enough?

ENOUGH ALREADY!

I’m already enough.

You’re already enough.

Did you hear me? You. Are. Enough.

What would you be or do if you knew you were enough? Smart enough, talented enough, creative enough, good enough? I’ll say it once more…

YOU ARE ENOUGH!

Make your list. Recommit to your own projects and paths. That’s who you are, and that’s enough.

If you can’t help it, listen again to the old tapes from your own inner critic, but then bag and box them up and clear them out. It’s fall. Let go, prepare, recommit.

You can taste it, can’t you? Is that taste enough to get you going on some fall cleaning? I hope so, because I’ve already said…

Enough.

Deb Lund is an author, creativity coach, and writing teacher. Stop by at www.deblund.com to learn more about her. We could say more about her here—the great card deck she made for writers, the classes she’ll be teaching at South Whidbey State Park, or how she can help you overcome your own Miss Midges, but this is enough. It’s even enough that she didn’t have time to send any photos to go with this blog post because she’s celebrating her 25^th anniversary.

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WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.

August 29, 2014
Creativity Cafe’ | Don’t Beat Yourself Up—Create with Curiosity!

BY DEB LUND
June 13, 2014

As my husband sings his way through Japan, I’m here shuttling kids around and off the island to schools, appointments, lessons, practices, performances… Their father returns on Father’s Day, and I told him to be prepared to be a father.

So my writing languishes. My online Continuing Education Course students get shorter feedback comments. My creativity-coaching clients don’t get as many nudges from me.

Being self-employed, I have a difficult boss. She doesn’t pay well, the work is never good enough and she sets unreasonable demands on me—especially when it comes to deadlines. And so, once again, she needs some coaching herself. So, Deb, I’ve been wondering…

Are the kids fed and dressed? Is everyone healthy? Are they getting where they need to be at least most of the time?

Your writing is still there. Remember how you always say writing needs incubation time? This is it!

None of your online students asked for feedback. It’s not even a requirement. They tell you how much they appreciate your comments. Isn’t that enough?

Your creativity-coaching clients know it’s their responsibility to check in with you. When you nudge them, it’s a gift. Reread what they’ve said about how you’ve helped them and take it in this time. Oh, and you extended the six-month folks an extra two months. Doesn’t that mean anything?

Deb—Boss (photo by the author)

Do you beat yourself up too?

What would your ideal best friend tell you in response to what you’ve been telling yourself? If you’re lucky enough to have an ideal friend—ask! And if you’ve been listening to the wrong people—don’t. You can’t see your reflection in a dirty mirror. If you’ve got toxic friends who are almost as bad as your boss, dump them.

Why do we allow all this judgment anyway? Could we learn to evaluate without labeling and comparing? It seems we’re either falsely building ourselves up by shouting out our accomplishments or beating ourselves down before anyone else can. Judgment kills creativity.

Deb—Coach (photo by the author)

There are no mistakes—no right or wrong!—in creativity. You must take risks, you must be willing to fall down and get up again, and you must give up judgment. Or better yet, as Christina Baldwin says, “Replace judgment with curiosity.” (If you’ve followed me at all, you’ve heard this quote before.)

Instead of labeling your actions and outcomes as bad or good, try asking questions and ponder the answers. I wonder why… How… What if…

What would my creative projects and life be like without judgment?

I wonder why I compare and label my work as good or bad?

Where in my life can I replace judgment with curiosity?

And please—Don’t beat yourself up for beating yourself up!

Oh, and when you tell your boss there’s no more beating yourself up, use curiosity instead of judgment. That allows bosses to think the whole thing was their idea. Bosses like that. Curious, isn’t it?

Deb Lund is a creativity coach who helps others stop beating themselves up. She admits to beating herself up quite regularly in the past (and once in a while these days) and also admits to taking her Creativity Coaching Training, in part, to replace her inner critic with an inner creativity coach.

CLICK HERE to read more entertaining and informative WLM stories and blogs.

WLM stories and blogs are copyrighted and all rights are reserved. Linking is permitted. To request permission to use or reprint content from this site, email info@whidbeylifemagazine.org.

June 13, 2014
Creativity Café | Kayaking the Kickstarter

BY DEB LUND
Whidbey Life Magazine contributor
March 28, 2014

Sometimes we need shaking up. You can’t do the same thing over and over and keep it creative.

I remember when I first dabbled in white-water kayaking. I’d play in the eddies where it was safe. As I got braver, I’d inch out a little farther each time, until I got to the point where I would intentionally go under to practice my roll.

Dabbling is okay, but eventually you have to jump into the flow. To feel the exhilaration of something seemingly more powerful than you. Something that takes over—makes you aware, present, alert. To find that place where you can tilt the nose of your kayak into a hole—the swirling water that holds you at its edge as you balance there. The energy working you. The churning waters. The creative space.

“Face the Fear” Illustration courtesy of Deb Lund

We need shaking-up moments, and we’ll get them whether we want them or not. What if we planned them ourselves instead of being resigned to take what comes our way?

For years I’ve taught workshops and presented at conferences, libraries, and schools with a single homemade deck of cards created to help writers find unique ways to add tension to their stories. Soon they’ll be available to anyone. I call the set of cards and guidebook “Fiction Magic: Card Tricks & Tips for Writers.”

“Fiction Magic: Card Tricks & Tips for Writers” Illustration courtesy of Deb Lund

New ways. New directions. Twists and turns or entirely new streams to conquer.

Here’s the idea behind the cards: The “tricks” help increase the tension in stories as the “tips” help reduce the tension in the writer’s writing life. It’s a combination of my writing teaching and my creativity coaching. But honestly, most of my clients think they need help with their craft when their greatest need is to understand how creativity works.

That was true for me, too, and I’m guessing it’s probably the case for most of us.

The most creative work we do comes from our core. From balancing at the edge of the whirlpool. From the place where order emerges from the chaos.

“Magical” Illustration courtesy of Deb Lund

The cards in the Fiction Magic deck have prompts that get people thinking beyond their usual choices. I’ve seen manuscripts almost instantly come alive when writers pull out these cards and apply the prompts. But there’s nothing magical about the prompts. It’s what they trigger in the person reading them. It helps them add tension. Pushes them and their characters into the stream.

We have to shake up and wake up to create. I’m not just talking about writers here. I know you other artists can easily translate what I’m saying to your art—all art is translation, and we create from the same waters.

Too many writers and artists give up, think they can’t do it, need a nudge or someone to toss them a lifesaver. I’m humbled, watch in awe as people support my Kickstarter project, as they grab my kayak and help me right it. And then I start noticing how this practice of trying something new is opening me to other options, strengthening commitments to my goals, helping me raise my voice over the turbulence to yell, “I can do this!”

This whole Kickstarter thing makes me anxious. But I know and keep having it confirmed that anxiety is part of the creative process. It clears us for new understandings.

“Risk It All” Illustration courtesy of Deb Lund

New ways. New directions. New plans. Here’s what I’ve noticed my recent anxieties have done for me…

I’m clearing my plate for more creativity coaching because it feeds me in ways nothing else can. I’m reaching out to people who have information and skills I don’t have in order to add to my middle-grade historical fantasy novel. I’m coaching and consulting more, and critiquing more manuscripts for clients. And I’m beginning the adult novel I’ve played with in my head for longer than I want to admit. I’m taking an intensive writing workshop to support myself on this quest. It’s spring and the water can’t be stopped. It’s calling.

Take a risk. There’s always a ‘V’ in the water that shows you the best path. That’s all you get. You can’t know the rest. Just follow that ‘V’ where it leads. It’s the vein you need to open, the vision that becomes clear, the veil that’s lifted if you just go where you need to go.

It’s not as scary as you might think.

When you slip your kayak into the stream, the water carries you. You believe you’ll be pulled under, and you might be, but the rocks are cushioned with flowing water, so when you slip under, you just reset your paddle and pull yourself up. My rule was always to try three times before I crawled out of my kayak. But I always climbed back in.

If you can ride the energy of that water, you’ve got it made. New ways. New directions. New determination.

What needs shaking up in your world? What’s already shaking you up that you can harness? What new ways or directions are calling you? Find that still place in the midst of chaos. Then grab your kayak. I’ll meet you down by the stream.

These days, Deb Lund dabbles in the arts more than in whitewater. She’s an author, teacher and creativity coach. Learn more about her at www.deblund.com and check out her Kickstarter project before it’s too late.

Link to Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/479312687/fiction-magic-card-tricks-and-tips-for-writers

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March 28, 2014
Creativity Cafe | Energy follows action

DEB LUND
Jan. 11, 2014

It’s late. Late at night, and late for turning in this blog entry.

I’m at my desk. My eyes are closed, but I can still see the glow of the computer screen. The old-fashion white page is blank enough without this version blazing through my eyelids. My chin presses into my palm as my elbow pushes into the edge of my desk. I’m supposed to be writing. But instead I’m thinking about …

Curling up on the couch in front of the fire.

Digging for chocolate.

Getting a real job.

Sometimes we need a nudge. Another voice to hear us, to feed back what we say. In our home, that might mean my husband saying energy follows action to me. No, he’s not prone to that sort of thing. He’s just parroting back words he initially heard from me.

And from the caverns of the rest of our house he appears and peers at my screen at the dribble above. That’s so authentic. Great start, Deb. But instead, I’m thinking…

This is not a moment to be so positive.

Whoever said energy follows action was definitely being too positive.

The couch, the chocolate, and the real job still look pretty good.

Okay, Deb. Let’s try a new tactic. When has energy follows action worked for you? (Inner creativity coaches can sometimes be as annoying as inner critics.) I roll my eyes (at least they’re open now) and consider a trip to the refrigerator. But instead I’m thinking about…

Designing and building our house. (OK, with a contractor friend.)

Meeting with teachers and artists to create a school.

Partnering with others to help them follow their dreams.

Energy does follow action for me. It’s just so easy to get stuck on what I’m not doing instead of what gets done.

If you’re resisting, hesitating, anxious about stepping out without a net, listen to your inner creativity coach, too. Recall times when the energy for a project appeared because you took some action. If you’ve done it before, you can do it again. And when the energy and action don’t happen, you get to forgive yourself and start over.

Go ahead and roll your eyes, but leave out the trip to the refrigerator. Unless that’s where you hide the chocolate.

Deb Lund is an author, a teacher, and a creativity coach who doesn’t have it all together. It’s why she’s so effective helping others with their inner critics and inner creativity coaches. Don’t miss her upcoming “Fiction Magic” presentation! Find details here.

“Act,” from Deb Lund’s deck of Fiction Magic cards.

January 11, 2014
The Creativity Café − That time of year
BY DEB LUND
Nov. 8, 2013

Here we are, coming up to THAT time of year again.

We promise ourselves we’re going to do it differently this time. We’re not going to say, “Yes,” to every expectation and activity that comes our way before and during the holiday season. And here on Whidbey, we have so many options. Even if we’re not involved, we know the people who are involved.

Here’s a tip: ‘Tis the season for slowing down.

You know it is.

This is a body and mind thing. You feel it, and yet you — I, we — speed up; like children trying to stay awake, insisting over and over, “But I’m not tired!” It’s hibernation time, and instead we go into denial. Why? To make up for the lack of light. To stay awake. Maybe what we need to wake up to are our natural rhythms.

You true extroverts out there may not have a clue what I’m saying. Your dance card is full, and you’re ready to boogie. The rest of us love the idea of holidays, winter sports, celebrations, nostalgia and rituals. We live for the music, the smells, the sights, the eggnog.

And it wears us out just thinking about it.

Vern and Karl Olsen, Deb Lund, and Kaj Lund Olsen lead carols at Langley Tree Lighting in 2012. / All photos courtesy of Deb Lund

So what’s the solution? Well, there are many, and these ten tips barely touch the surface. If you think of more, let us know below in the comment section.
1. Don’t pretend that your busyness has nothing to do with the choices you make. Check out Whidbey Life Magazine for upcoming events. (No, they didn’t pay me to say that. They don’t pay me at all, except in great stories and information about what I love most about Whidbey.) Prioritize the activities you want to attend. Put them on the calendar. And then, when other options much less appealing to you come up, say no. It’s okay. Even when your neighbor’s kids are in a production and they took care of your pet turtle when you went on vacation last summer (unless it’s my kids, of course). This doesn’t mean you can’t revise your to-go list or be spontaneous. Just be aware that it’s your decision.
2. Be proactive planning your downtime. Pay attention to your body. And your emotions. They’ll let you know when something is and isn’t the right thing for you to do. If you’re feeling run down, don’t push through it for fear of letting someone else down. They may be doing the same. This is also the busy season for colds and the flu. If you’re run down and exposed to everyone on Whidbey, you’re a likely candidate for some unplanned downtime. Why not schedule those downtimes at times of your own choosing?
3. Yes, this is the season for baking and cooking. But remember how resentful you got last year after making and delivering your special recipe peanut butter cookies with the chocolate stars, and Aunt Hazel let her great nephews eat off all the stars? Or when you bought those expensive oysters to put in your family’s traditional oyster stew, but no one will eat it any more anyway? Could you cut the PB star recipe in half and make some smoked salmon chowder instead of oyster stew? I’m giving you permission.
4. How about that big party you throw every year? I know. They all expect it now, and you work for weeks preparing, and then you cook and serve all night, cleaning for a solid week afterwards. When was the last time you really enjoyed yourself during the party? Not counting the compliments. This year, ask friends to bring dishes, and to take them home at the end of the party — after you empty the contents into containers for your lunch the next day.
5. Give some thought to your gift-giving. Now. No more trips to the mall, frantically finding something— anything — for anyone on your list, at the very last moment. Clear off a shelf in a closet corner, and when you find something that’s perfect for someone you love, wrap and tag it. Unless you’re one of those who love the cheeriness of frenzied shoppers or the idea of driving endless miles — and that’s just looking for a place to park. If “I’m glad that’s over” is the sentiment you’re looking forward to, then think again. You’re more creative than that. And so are our talented artists here on Whidbey (in case you’d rather pick out something than make it yourself). Plan to check out the Whidbey holiday markets, such as “Handcrafted on Whidbey,” to find special gifts.
6. Let your house be lived in. Pick things up a little if you like, but don’t make yourself and those around you crazy trying to totally do a home makeover before the holidays. You won’t have any energy left to enjoy the home or the crazy people!
7. Stay home more. Light candles, put another log on the fire, listen to the music that’s perfect for the mood you want to create, read a book, play board games, do a jigsaw puzzle. Sing out lines from your favorite seasonal songs. “Baby, it’s cold outside…”
8. Create new rituals for the holidays, and keep the ones you truly love. (Yes, this is another plug for throwing out the oyster stew.) On Boxing Day (the day after Christmas), we set empty boxes under our tree and everyone contributes things to bring to our amazing thrift stores. On New Year’s Day we write our resolutions in the sand at low tide, then watch them disappear. Our theory is that they either get swept out into the universe to become reality, or there’s no sign that they ever existed. Either option is good with us. More on that in January…
  The author on the beach offering up her New Year’s resolution to the universe.
9. So what it boils down to is this: Do what you want to do. No shoulds. It’s your choice. Make it about what is meaningful for YOU, not what others expect. And if you’re thinking this post didn’t have anything about creativity in it, read through it again. Creativity is paralyzed by shoulds, perceived expectations, drained energy, meaningless activities, and wasted time. Take care of yourself and you’ll be a lot more fun to be around this year. And a lot more creative.
10. Tell people how you’re going to be more intentional about where your energy and time go this holiday season and in the coming year. Let them know the specifics, especially if it involves them. Encourage them to do the same. Stay sane — or at least sane enough to choose where you exhibit your insanity. It’s the Whidbey way.
How will you be more intentional this holiday season?

Lund walks the beach after resolving to let it all go in the New Year. She is the author of four children’s picture books, including “Monsters on Machines,” “All Aboard the Dinotrain,” “Dinosailors,” and “Tell Me My Story, Mama.”

Deb Lund creates in the middle of chaos, and her life shows it. She needs to practice what she preaches more often, which is why she makes these articles public. It’s an accountability thing. You may see her singing at a few tree-lighting events next month, maybe signing books somewhere (need autographed picture books?), and hopefully dragging her kids to fewer holiday events this time around.
November 8, 2013
Creativity Café: Kick out those ‘Debbie Downers’ and create

BY DEB LUND, Aug. 22, 2013

Instead of remodeling a garage into a family room, we changed an upper floor balcony into my writing room. It’s a little sanctuary with three windows and a skylight, tucked into trees; a corner desk away from the busyness. Books, candles, mementos from magical moments and sweet talismans to the muses of my tales are all selected for the inspiration they give me. I knew I’d be writing all the time once I moved in.

My writing room includes an angel and inspiration board. (Deb Lund photos)

Wrong.

I moved in, but so did a pack of unreasonable tenants.

Its eviction time again. I hate this part. I have to be strong, to not listen to their excuses. It takes a long time to clear out bad renters, and they leave far too much of their baggage and belongings behind. I’m sure you’ve met them.

Guilt.

Guilt’s conversations with me are always about the past. Something I did. Something I didn’t do. Anything Guilt has to say is a waste of time and energy. My energy. Guilt is a renter who takes up far too much room.

Worry.

Worry is Guilt’s twin. Worry hangs out in the future instead of the past, and it takes up space in rooms I haven’t even seen. Rooms that might eventually hold my best work yet. Worry is wasted imagination. I think that might be a paraphrase of a Mark Twain saying.

Grudges

Grudges camp out wherever they wish. They’re especially tough to throw out because they agree with me. They bolster me. They say I’m right. That I’ve been wronged. That I deserve the power of withholding forgiveness. They crown me with righteousness for their own sake. I’m on to them, though. It’s not easy to give up that rush of adrenaline for being right, but if I don’t out Grudges, they get bigger and bigger, until anything good or creative gets crowded out.

Shoulds.

Shoulds are offspring of the other tenants. They are not cute. They need to go, too. They take up too much time and demand too much attention. I said yes to them moving in, but I thought they’d grow up and move out a whole lot sooner. It’s time to say no to the Shoulds.

Critics.

This is the big one, isn’t it? Critics’ voices are all unique, and they add to the cacophony of all the other bad renters.

I’m not smart enough, talented enough, good enough. I will never be enough, and I will never have what it takes to make my dreams come true. I’m a fraud, and as soon as the world figures it out, the jig is up.

Critics claim they’re there to protect me. To save me from frustration and failure. If it were only easier to identify their voices… Critics have amazing morphing skills and can be incredible ventriloquists. They are good for the environment, however. They convince me my words aren’t worth the paper they would appear on.

If I can get rid of these destructive tenants, who would move in?

Joy might be interested. Peace and Love might even show up.

Creativity has already been pounding on my door trying to reintroduce itself, but I’ve been telling it to wait.

I use phrases like:

As soon as…

When…

First I need…

My wordwall above my desk helps keep the bad tenants at bay.

Wait! Don’t leave! I’ll print up those eviction notices and deliver them right now!

I’ll clean, I’ll clear,

I’ll repair and repaint.

You can live here rent-free!

Like the new space?

Welcome home, Creativity!

Deb Lund is a creativity coach, children’s author, and popular presenter at conferences, schools, and libraries. Deb is a pro at creating in chaos, and she would like to thank her wonderful family, Karl, Kaj, Sandra, and Jean, for helping her develop that skill. You can hear more from The Creativity Caf é here.

August 28, 2013