Have you noticed that your best ideas seem to show up “out of nowhere”, unannounced and often unbidden?

Brain research reveals that creative thinking comes from our right-brain, the part of our brain that is intuitive and instinctive.

Daniel Pink, the author of A Whole New Mind, states that the era of “left brain” dominance is giving way to a more integrated approach that includes and values the gifts of our right-brain; creativity and intuition. This blending of both sides of our brain allow for, as Pink suggests, a whole new world. A whole new world of possibilities.

Sometimes all it takes is one good idea.Right?

Consider what one good idea could do for you such as:

solve a business dilemma that is keeping you awake at night

show you how to combine two of your favorite activities into a viable business

The possibilities are endless. An article in Wired magazine was quoted to say” right- brainers will rule the future”. It’s easy to get caught up in left-brain, linear mode but sometimes, the missing ingredient is the creative edge which makes all the difference.

Here are 3 quick tips on how to nurture your right-brain + boost your creative potential starting today…

1. Set up daily routines- By putting ordinary things on auto-pilot,we are able to conserve valuable psychic and physical energy so that we have room for our creative ideas surface.

2. Be in nature- a walk in the woods or sitting on a park bench is akin to rolling out the welcome mat to our creativity. Say, hello to your inner brilliance!

3.Be different- Try new foods, read books in an unusual genre,go a new way to work, meet new people. These novel experiences activate your right brain. You’ll see things differently and find yourself coming up with new ways of thinking and doing.

Enjoy.Create.Celebrate.

What they say they value and what is important to them is often not a match to what they spend time on daily basis.

That’s a big problem.

One of the quickest and best ways to get this back on track is to make a list of what is most important to you, eg. your family, your friends, your community involvement, your hobbies, your spirituality, your work projects, goals, travel etc etc.

From this master list of important elements, prioritize them in order of importance.

This week keep track of your time. What are you spending time on? Is what you spend time on a match to your priorities?

It’s easy to be busy checking things off a master to do list, but ask yourself: is what I am spending time on key to increasing my priorities such as boosting my cash flow or furthering my lifestyle goals?

Try this little,yet powerful technique of telling the truth about what you spend your time on. Do a quick review and make the tweaks to your calender. This will quickly help you to take control, to get your life back in alignment. I’d love to hear what shifts for you as a result!

Can you relate? If you are like most people I know,including myself, there’s always work to do, dozens and dozens of ideas, projects that you want to complete, and lots of every day realities to handle, ( money, health, relationships)

Overwhelm stems from a feeling of paralysis that sets in when we feel we have too much to do and not enough time to do it. It’s a common dilemma.

One of the best ways to reduce your overwhelm is to take time to map out all of your current projects. Once you’ve done this, pick your #1 top priority. You did read that right, only pick one!

Now decide what your goal is for your # 1 priority. Decide the date that you want to achieve this goal. Experts say that if you carve out a specific time to complete a task, you are more likely to make it happen.

After you have decided what you want and have set your measurable goal to a timeline, the next step is to break the goal down into individual action steps.

A fast way to break down your big goal, is to keep asking questions: what needs to happen first, then what? Then what?

Keep asking and allowing the step by step process to reveal itself. Write each step down. ( A great process for doing this is mind-mapping, created by TonyBuzan.com)

Take a nice deep breath. You’ve literally created your blueprint for this huge goal. Take the first action step, then the next action step, then the next. Your project will begin to take momentum.

Lather,rinse and repeat with your other important goals.

Step by step, your big goals become attainable. Ah, the thrill of accomplishing what is most important to us. It’s in your reach. Go for it!

What’s been on your mind lately?

What are you ready to change in your life? Is it your income? Is it the quality of your marriage? Is it to have more fun, more adventure, more meaning in your life?

If you are like most of my clients (and me) you have several things that are on your mind that you want to shift to a higher, better place.

The challenge to change? Making and sustaining change can be tricky. Changing our behavior and long held patterns can be downright difficult. We resist the very change we say that we want because we unconsciously (or consciously) don’t want to leave the comfort zone of familiarity.

Truth is,in the short term, it is easier to keep things the same. We stay where we are and cling to our life raft of “status quo”. We may not like it, we may complain and whine about our circumstances ,but something keeps us stuck.We don’t take action.

Why is it so hard to change?

Change demands us to make a new commitment and to think and act differently.

We have to risk.

If we choose to stay where we are, then we don’t have to try that scary new behavior (telling your family member what you REALLY think, or writing and sending that sales letter to your list about your new program).

If we don’t make a change, we protect ourselves from these potential consequences:

….that we may make a HUGE mistake.

…. the sting of other people’s criticism ( or our own inner critic)

….that our lives will actually change and what that means for our relationships or our lives

Understanding what holds you back is critical to being able to move forward.

Ask yourself, what am I afraid will happen if I go after this big goal? Whatever answers you get, respect them! Embrace it. Allow this to guide you. Set up your action plan so that you address your fear(s). Here’s how:

3 Ways to Make Profound Changes, Fast & Fearlessly

1. Focus- Determine 1 priority at a time. Often we get excited and try to change to many things at once. You become overwhelmed and go back to old patterns. What do you want to change in the next 21 days? Write it here_______________________________________________________________

2. Ask Why? – You must answer this question! Milk your answer for ALL of the reasons why do you are motivated to make this change.How will you feel in the having of it? What’s in it for you? What will this change give you? How will it make your life better? Really take the time to understand your motivation for this change. Your “why” will fuel the “what”. Write down your “why”__________________________________________________________________________________

3. Support-When we embark on a new path, we truly need the support, guidance, inspiration and tools to empower us. Gather EVERYTHING you need to succeed. This can be positive people, your coach, inspirational books, quotes, audios, visuals and whatever tools you need to allow you to make an effective change. Write down ALL the support you need ( no skimping) to make this change_________________________________________________________________________________

This fabulously simple 3 step formula will help you to bridge the gap, allowing you to feel more confidence about making those big changes. Let the shift happen!

Image by rubystream via flickr.com

I recently read this passage about dreams written by Sam Grawe, Editor-in-Chief of Dwell Magazine. Here it is:

“I think it says it all about the importance of dreams and realizing them: “Many of us stockpile dreams for years, cataloging and filing them away for later. Some of our heads are so full of them that it is hard to believe there is enough room for them all.

If space does become a concern, one of the best places to store a dream is in reality. Once your dream has been realized, it is technically no longer your dream, but it may serve as inspiration for other peoples’ dreams, in which case, it is still something of a dream.

There is something of a dream in almost everything around us.”

Did reading this spark a fire within you like it did for me? I ask you: What dream are you putting on the back burner that you take a small, easy and doable action on TODAY?

If you dream to build your business online, take that first step and create or upgrade your free and valuable give-away report and share it with your contacts.

If you dream to meet your “soul-partner”, get out there and circulate. Attend an event this weekend.

If you dream to make a difference, get into action and support a cause that is dear to you.

If you dream to dance, set up your first dance lesson.

If you dream to paint. Go buy paints and a palette.

We truly are all in this together. By being true to your own dreams, you become a source of inspiration for others to live their dreams.

Dream big. Take a baby step. Start now.

The Zen of Social Media by Shama Kabani – Shama helps to clarify and help you to handle the “beast” of social media. She gives some really great step by step instruction and strategy as well as highlighting some case studies. Highly recommended.

Flip the Funnel- Joseph Jaffe-This book is not a book about how to aggressively go out & “get more customers” rather the “flip of the funnel” concept that Joseph teaches is to pay more attention to the customers you already have. His key points? Provide beyond excellent customer service and nurture the relationship with them. He addresses the web 2.0 and provides strategies to fully utilize it to serve the customer.

ProBlogger- by Darren Rowse and Chris Garrett- A super, primer for all bloggers. Lear what you need to know about everything blog related from technology to content to building your own community.

The Matrix Energetics Experience- Richard Bartlett- I am a huge fan of Sounds True, Tami Simon’s company which provides audio programs from the best of the best in personal and spiritual development. I purchased this program from them. This progam by Dr Bartlett is really fantastic. I have attended Dr Bartlett’s live training, and while I enjoyed his teachings I actually like this recorded program better! It’s packaged beautifully and has a set of 6 audio trainings, 1 DVD training, cards and a manual. It’s really interesting and mind expanding . It’s way out of the box!

Ann Boleyn and The Boleyn Inheritance by Philippa Gregory- My daughter recommended this book to me and I was completely drawn into the time of England’s KIng Henry the 8th. Around the same time, we discovered the excellent Showtime series, The Tudors. It’s fabulous. Rich with content, visually beautiful, excellent casting of the characters. Just plain great!

On This Journey, We Call Our Life: Living the Questions by James Hollis- I’ve been processing my dreams for almost 2 years now with a Jungian dream analyst. It’s been a most fascinating process. This book is written by a jungian dream expert and the questions he poses and the wisdom he shares is deep and will stir your own transformation.

Women Run with the Wolves by Clarissa P Estes- Also from the genre of jungian influence. Dr Estes is a remarkable story teller. Using her incredible stories to help the reader to connect and identify with that which is hidden in our unconscious. You’ll find yourself relating to the characters and the escapades they have with what you are creating or wanting to stop creating(!) in your own life.