So, you’re likely in this community for a simple reason, you have in your heart the desire to do several things:

1.  Create Art, Writing, Music, Performance, Design, Healing Or Other Creative Work AND…

2.  Create Positive Social Or Environmental Change AND…

3.  Create Sustainable Income With And For The Above AND…

4.  Live A Sustainable Healthy Happy Life.

I am in the revision stages for a handbook for creative changemakers, helping them take their ideas and move them forward to sustainable action, creation and funding in the world for long-term work.  In this writing process, I’ve been thinking a lot about you, of course, my beautiful community of creatives with hearts big enough to hold the whole world (and the associated suffering that sometimes comes along with that).  I am here to smooth the path so that the world benefits from your brilliance and you do too.  Let’s begin.

Today, that means considering what I often call your secret mission.  If you didn’t have to explain it to anyone else, what would YOU say you are up to and why does it matter to you?

Here’s an example: I create art that stirs emotion and helps people see what is possible.  This art is used by NGO’s as a part of the environmental movement to publicly challenge the status quo and point the way towards sustainable alternatives that our cities, towns, companies, institutions and government can adopt.  In addition, my art is purchased and my creative work is paid for by those same organizations, institutions, and governments as well as individuals in alignment with my mission.  I enjoy a life of creativity, purpose and healthy balance as a result.

If this were my mission, would I have to know exactly HOW to make this possible in order to have this mission?  NOPE.  Yet, waking up with that mission would direct my activities, make it clear what support I needed and invigorate my efforts.

Your turn.  Write and/or draw your secret personal creative changemaker vision for the next 5 minutes.  Feel like sharing for some validation?  Comment or share in our Creative Sustainable Livelihood Facebook Group.

Whatever we call them: life, other people’s needs, limiting beliefs, etc., if you haven’t already built the creative livelihood and or change work and life that you want, there are likely reasons.  Today, we are going to name some of them, so you can begin to move forward.  Ready?  Which of the following resonate for you?  Reply to this email and let me know.

Telling the truth about these is the first step to being able to move through them and create the life, the work and the positive change you envision!

1. My idea is too vague/ I’m not ready yet.
2. I’d rather (it’s easier) to just make my art/write/perform.
3. Marketing/sales/business is icky/wrong/disingenuous.
4. A creative business will take too much time away from my art.
5. No one wants what I have to offer.
6. I don’t have the time/energy/bandwidth to have a creative business or organization.
7. I’m too disorganized/undisciplined/weird.
8. I’m tired of going it alone. I want a team, a community, a tribe!
9. I’m not the right person to do this work.  I don’t know enough people/ earn enough/ have the right skills/ have enough time/ have enough influence/ have the right credentials or background, etc..
10. I’m plain scared.
11. I don’t trust myself to follow through, do this right, etc. and I can’t face another failure.
12. I don’t have the bandwidth/ energy/ health to do anything new right now.
13. Something else?

It may seem like a small thing to simply name the things getting in your way, but it isn’t.  This courageous act of truth-telling is the first vital step to bringing something new to life.  Stay tuned for when we address how to move through these obstacles and bring your vision to life!  It’s in you for a reason.