Shaking the tree: Making room for the important things
The new year is the end of a natural cycle, and it can be a great time of reflection and reprioritizing. Shaking the tree allows the dead leaves to fall off – allowing the healthy leaves to remain.
When our creative work starts to feel stagnant, overwhelming, or joyless, it can be a good opportunity to re-evaluate our commitments. Here are some dig-deeper questions I’ve found to be helpful in deciding what to keep, and what to shed:
“Do I enjoy this?” If not, it might be worth while to keep asking questions… just in case resistance is playing tricks. (For example, lack of motivation might just be fear masquerading as disinterest). Sometimes getting outside feedback from a friend or mentor can breath new life into things.
“Is this still important?”. If it’s an immediate yes, it’s more a matter of timing. Do you want to accomplish it this week? In a year? 10 years? If it’s hazy, try snoozing it and decide at a later time.
“Am I actively working on this?” If a project or task hasn’t made progress, determine if it’s because it’s not a priority, if there are too many other priorities, if something is in the way, or if it just needs to be chunked down into smaller action steps. When something is important but there’s no action, a coach can be instrumental in helping break inertia.
“How would it feel if I didn’t accomplish this?” If there is a possibility of disappointment or regret, maybe it’s a chance to renew the commitment.
“Is this my own desire, or an external “should”?” Identifying if something is truly coming from within can be useful in weeding out old patterns and commitments.
“Did I give it enough of a chance to grow, or am I letting go too easily?” Hesitance in letting go may be a message to keep going. Considering the alternative can provide perspective. Think out both timelines (keep it or let it go) to see if a clear answer stands out.
So here’s to a year of creative flow! May the remaining leaves on your tree be filled with possibility, joy and creativity!
This post was originally published in the Creativity Coaching Association newsletter in 2015.