“The scattering of plans and projects, as if by the wind, occurs when a woman attempts to organize a creative idea and it just somehow keeps being blown away, becoming more and more confused and disordered. She is not tracking it in any concrete way because, again, she doesn’t have time to write it all down and organize it, or she is called by so many other things, that she loses her place and cannot pick it up again.”
Pinkola Estes, Phd, Clarissa (1992) Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype, Ballantine Books, New York.
This week I was welcoming a new coaching client into my business. We were spending time working through her on-boarding packet where she had listed out her goals, marketing techniques, offers, assistance and support, software systems and so on.
One of the questions on that comprehensive intake form is ‘Describe yourself as a Business Owner’. My new client described herself as ‘organised chaos’, adding that she has a lot of ideas but she is never sure about implementation.
(The reason I feel confident sharing this here and maintaining client confidentiality is that so many of my clients have shared almost identical sentiments with me!)
Perhaps you also feel like my new client?
Loads of great ideas. Some projects that have been lingering in the background for a while. Maybe the odd notebook or three of bullet points, quotes, hashtags and possibilities.
And yet on the day-to-day level it feels like you’re only getting through the ‘must do’s’ and the dream projects—where the true creativity lies—just never get any time to progress.
Last week I was sharing with another client that I had been paging over The Heroine’s Journey by Maureen Murdock and reflecting on the wild women in my life and the lasting impact they’ve left. (I later turned this reflection into a podcast episode which you can listen to here.) This client reminded me about Women Who Run with The Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes Ph.D. as the seminal text on the topic.
I pulled the tome from my bookcase, boiled the kettle and snuggled in for a read. When I came to the passage quoted above there was something so powerful about it, I had to jot it down. And then today I had the ‘organised chaos’ conversation with my new clients…
Shazam!
This topic needs to be discussed!
***
If you also identify as being a little bit like organised chaos in your business, or at least like you never seem to get the headspace to think strategically or creatively about a new inspiration or concept, read on! I’m going to break down what Clarissa has to say about our busy-ness and propose some useful, and loving, interventions.
Part 1: Scattered Plans and Projects
“The scattering of plans and projects, as if by the wind, occurs when a woman attempts to organize a creative idea and it just somehow keeps being blown away, becoming more and more confused and disordered.”
Creative ideas do have a tendency to blow in at random times. For me, it’s often in the shower or walking my dog… and NOT listening to a podcast. Capturing them in a consistent way and place is really important so that when the time does come to consolidate them (and we will get to that in a minute) you’ve got them all together and ready.
Perhaps you have ONE journal where things are kept. Perhaps you record memos to yourself and email them via an app like Otter, saving those emails in just ONE folder. For me, I like to keep a draft email where I jot down ideas as they arise.
Figure out your system then stick to it.
Remember: ONE place for all of your creative ideas.
Part 2: Being Called by So Many Things
“She is not tracking it in any concrete way because, again, she doesn’t have time to write it all down and organize it, or she is called by so many other things, that she loses her place and cannot pick it up again.”
The reality is you’re simply never going to have enough time to do everything. There is always going to be more to do than you have time for. Not only is that OK, it’s totally normal. If you know anything about me at all, you know I’m a fan for doing the least amount of computer time for the maximum amount of impact. After all, wouldn’t we all prefer to be on our mat/cushion or in our garden/bath than in our office?
While it can seem counter-intuitive, making time for creative projects is essential for the longevity of your business, not to mention your love of Yoga. This may mean that sometimes some of the 'must do's' might get missed... and that really is OK.
There is a wild difference between skipping a week of social media content so you can plan your retreat and stopping social media posting altogether.
There is a wild difference between not sending out a newsletter this week so you can submit the final module of your next accreditation and not emailing your people for a month.
To be able to access, consolidate and progress all those disparate and amazing ideas, you may need to NOT do a few other things. If you’re being pulled in different directions, drop the cord on a couple of them.
It’s OK to let some of your business ‘normals’ slip to indulge a business ‘exception(al)’.
***
Earlier in the week I was coaching with a client. She was sharing that she was concerned that her class numbers were slipping and she had ‘dropped the ball’ on recruiting new students. I asked her what in particular bothered her about this situation. Ultimately, she said, she was concerned about the drop in revenue.
We picked at this a little further. How much money she felt she was short and how that made her feel. Next I asked her, ‘What would be the most pleasurable way to make that money?’ Instantly she said, ‘Retreats!’. This client has a proven track record of offering gorgeous retreats that fill up in a heartbeat. I was fully on board.
‘But,’ she said ‘What if the venue isn’t available? And what do I do about my classes in the meantime?’ I challenged her to contact the venue. Yep, they’d had a cancelation and could accommodate her group in just a few months.
And what about filling up her classes?
Here’s the thing: this client knows how to welcome new students into her classes. She knows the weekly strategies and actions to take to make that happen. And right now those things aren’t filling up her creative cup. Pursuing that component of her business has been leaving her feeling worn out and deflated.
But putting that on hold to lean into a new creative project? One that will be more lucrative and easy to implement?
Now that felt fantastic.
I’m sure you can imagine the course of action she chose to take.
Ultimately the success of your business—and your level of happiness as a teacher and a Yogi—depends on taking these creativity breaks. You deserve time to order your ideas, to write things down, to prevent them scattering and blowing away, as Clarissa so beautifully says.
Are you making this time for yourself?
How?
If you're craving the time to truly slow down, be cared for, well-rested, fed and supported so you can drop deeply into your creative space, please consider joining me on my Abundant Yoga Teacher Retreat in Thailand this January.
Learn more about the retreat here: https://www.amymcdonald.com.au/retreats