unprocrastination

Today I have been experimenting with the zen habits unprocrastination technique. 

You know how there are some things that you just will do anything to avoid?  I have a few tasks like that.  I was going to say they were little things, but they are not.  They are big and important.  Which is why they are so scary and I would rather wash up than do them. 

This morning I was meant to be going to see the amazing Rozynna to help her sort out her many many things she has going on...... but transport issues (mine) meant that this was postponed.  Leaving me with an unexpected morning free to get on with my work.

My chief BIG project at the moment, is to make my website look lovely.  This is definitely a PROJECT rather than a task, as it is not something that is going to take many steps to complete. 

I don't know about you,  but I struggle with technology I don't know.  I guess anyone struggles with anything they don't know.  "DON'T KNOW" means "REALLY SCARY" to most people, as there is, quite frankly, nothing so scary as the unknown...

So I avoid it, diving into known tasks is so much easier....

The Zen Habits unprocrastination method - is not new to me.  Its something I know well.  But it was good to be reminded of it.  It runs thus:  Whatever it is you are procrastinating over, you do it first, for 5-10mins.  And then you can stop.  You do this every morning for a month. 

So this morning I sat down in front of this laptop.  I opened up my website pages and logged in.  I had a task to update one site and match it to a page of another.  Its good to have a specific task.  And a specific starting point.  Sit down with laptop... open up the pages.... log in....

And so - in I went, and started trying to do things..... and I eventually became engrossed in my task.  Things baffled me (what is "folder"? what does that mean here?") but I kept going, exploring, creating things and deleting them and creating them again in the right places..... I got into FLOW..

Its not finished.  But it IS better.  You can have a look at it here www.moyrascott.com. 

I also discovered a whole new area for 'commerce' so that is where I am going to go next to play and explore.  I have an end in mind, (always begin with the end in mind) which is to have some of my art up for sale (and then some of my services up for sale bookable via the website.. hang on, one step at a time...). 

And I did work out what the 'folders' meant.  This is a whole new language and world for me.  I need to get in there and play around and work it out.  Its not going to be immediate.  It is likely to never be 'finished'.  But each time I go in there and figure something out, it will get better.  And that is a big fat result for me today.  

YES!

Today, my friends I beat procrastination. 

Blog update. WIP

I am playing around with the format.  Not sure how its working yet.  And it is certainly not finished. 

But I need to start.  Its time for a reboot. I am working on my new website and I have just figured out how to link this blog directly to it.  This may change.  But for the meantime,  why not.  Its something to edit, rearrange and consider.  In situ.

Its like hanging pictures  - you just have to get them up and figure it out once its there.

I am finding working on this website HARD.  As in its something I want desperately to be distracted from.  I don't know what I am doing, it seems to be going very slowly.  I am working it out as I go along.  But the main thing is I have started and even though I am (now included) findinng there are all sorts of other things to do instead of focusing on it.  I am consistently returning to the task at hand.

I realised this morning as I went to do the washing up.  This is one of those things that is difficult.  Its difficult because I don't know exactly what to do.  And I feel extraordinarily like running away from it and doing things that are easy, concrete and achieveable instead.  Like the washing up. (like this blog post).  This is a classic case of distraction.  I know it well.

I thought about it.  I knew it was something I needed to consiously tackle.  I remembered my meditation practice.  Its a practice.  We learn to improve our focus.  Everytime you find yourself on a train of thought, and you notice..... you return to your breath, you return to the present, you return to the practice.  And this IS the practice.

So whenever I found myself doing other things.  Such as the washing up, or (this blog) whatever.  I notice.  And I return to the task at hand.

I am building a new website.  One step at a time.  It is a work in progress.  It is iterative.  I will get there as long as I keep returning to my task.

And with that, dear readers......  I am off to get to it. 

Namaste

Spring is in the air

Yes.  Sunshine.  Daffodils.  a little bit of warmth.  SO looking forward to the return of summer.  I am not a fan of winter.  Not after all that Christmas stuff anyway.  Winter is cold and dark and I am longing for light and warmth.

What has been happening? It feels as if not much.  Hub has been really ill, and I have stepped into all the childcare associated with not having another grown up around.

I have kind of been working on the  inside.  Shifting things slowly and underneath the surface.  I have decided to combine my different lines into one website.  I will be working with a copywriter on Wednesday regarding this.  I feel it is time to up my professional face.  I don't want to look cobbled together anymore.  My work is valuable and helps people a lot and I get great results and fabulous feedback.  SO I want my  - shop window  - so to speak - to be coherent with that.  I want a nice looking home for myself online.

So I am working on that.  Considering Squarespace for the interim.  And taking it from there. 

Website Home = beautiful, coherent, welcoming, clear
Back on the no sugar diet (doing no wheat this week as well - I like a challenge)

working with Ebonie

Working with a coach. 

Its a good thing.  So far.  Though weird.  Having someone kind of ask me and prompt me in the same way that I do to them.  I am, by this process, forcing myself into to committing to someone else to certain actions.  And because it is to someone else, I am doing them.  Why I can't or don't do these myself I don't know.  Because I know what to do.  However, our brains are tricky creatures and we can talk ourselves out of one thing and into another (procrastination activities anyone?  - hang on let me just hoover that rug as that speck of fluff is so damn annoying....)

It is helping break inertia on some key actions.  Also I just learned I am more introverted than I thought.  And I also learned that I am prone to do a LOT of research and the WHY of anything is deeply important to me. 

Anyway.  To some extent this is a displacement activity and I need to crack on with my shit.

I just wanted to process my thoughts on the whole experience so far.  That is also something that was pointed out to me! ha! I need to process and digest.  and Yes I do.

But for further commitment.  Here are my actions.

1. get some copy for a Get Stuff Done flyer DONE.  and DONE (to define this as ticked off my list) means.  I have some writing, a paragraph,  for a flyer that explains in simple terms how my simple straighforward business is helpful and valuable to my people.  I am happy with it and I have prepared it ready to put into a flyer

2. I have designed and created a flyer I am happy with

3. I have some flyers I am proud of in my hand to hand out  / put up / leave out at Yoga class and Art class.

My People (by the way) are (not exclusively - but generally)
Creative Entrepreneurs
Parents
Want to, or do already, express their Creative side
Want to live their best life
Understand the value of, and are willing to invest in, help to achieve this
Value the arts and education
Believe in positive change and creating a better world
Like Yoga
Look after themselves

Art Journaling: Loving it

I am really REALLY enjoying art journaling at the moment.  My last session at No 45 Brighton was full and I just LOVED teaching it.  I loved the looks of concentration, of people immersed in the messes they were making.  I am very happily in my element with it right now. 

Showing My Work. Progress So Far

Today I initiated various good things.  I decided that I am going to exhibit at Suffolk Open Studios in June this year.  Partly in Southwold as part of the festival.  OK as part of the Fringe Festival - we will be in Beach Hut 108 and also in a garage in Reydon.  This will be in the last week of June.

I haven't yet decided which weekends I will be at the Open Studios in June.  But I will be there at least 2 of them.

I am really excited about this.

Also yesterday, chatting with Annabelle (Who runs No 45 - the venue where I have been hosting the Wild Art Journaling sessions) turns out we both have this idea of pulling together an at cost Creative Retreat for us and some close friends - all of whom will have skills to offer.  I have had this idea, seedling in my head for years.  Based on a post by Kelly Rae Roberts.  (which I will find and link to here I promise)  but it took that conversation and her dreaming the same dream to give it momentum.  Its not just me thinking about stuff.  Things always need one other person to say, yes I want to do that too.  Well not always.  But it makes it manifest somehow.  And more fun. 

That is all so far.

2015

None of my posts are particularly thought through sort of things.  I prefer to write by the fly.  For better or worse.  This is how I work.  I just go.

Well I wrote a huge piece.  But there is this etiquette that you just don't write about other people.  So I am not going to post it.

I want to get back to what this blog was for me.  Its a place where I am honest and myself and I talk and share about how I am getting stuff done and where I am at on the path towards my dreams.

Dreams change I guess.  Or they shift, move and grow.  I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about where I want to go.  And also about where I am coming from.

I did a vision board with Annabel Nichol.  She has a beautiful eco home with a space out the back to run workshops in.  I do my art journaling there.  I am going to share it here.

The way she does it, is that you get into a free head space, and you work intuitively, pulling pictures you like, and working quickly so it comes from a place that is not too considered to trying too hard.

It was such a lovely day.  Totally loved it and I totally love my vision board.

I have also been working through Fabeku's Super Power notion.  Its what you give that no one else can, distilled down to a nugget 2 word zinginess that resonates and you use to formulate everything.

Likewise, just before Christmas - well, in November.  I was feeling very stuck and I decided to hire a coach.  I came across a local lass called Ebonie Allard and something about her story clicked with me.  And I took the plunge.  She works with a similar super power idea, or it feels similar after I started doing the super power process.  Its 3 words and mine are Peaceful Presence, Glee and Bestness.  Bestness needs some work.  Or it encompasses a specific set of words for me.  All of this work is about getting to the core of who I am in the world.

And the vision board too, I guess.  Its about who I am now. Perhaps all dreams, desires,  aims and everything are just a picture of who we are now.

Ebonie's work is going to get more pragmatic though.  I have to be specific and create a less vague trajectory.  With numbers, days, time spent and milestones on it.  Its is incredibly difficult!  But I am working on it.  This work will also be about growing my business.  And somehow I need to bring the Get Stuff Done and the Creatiing my Life and the Moyra Scott Art together.  Its all my work.  Its all my business.

PS super power so far is Presence and Flow.  But it has to shimmer and sparkly and be lit up.  OH yes.

Or Shining Presence.  ah.  Still working on it.