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In the case of the newsletter below I was inspired by a talk I saw on Ted.com - along with some amazing occurences of "flow" in my own life.

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Newsletter October 2008

Table of Contents:
Hello
Creativity, fulfillment and flow
Tips for those wanting more Creativity, fulfillment and flow
Creative quotes about flow
What I'm up to
Helpful resources
Until next time



1. Hello

In a wonderful instance of synchronicity the other day I received an email with a link to a talk by one of my favorite creativity experts Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi.

In the talk he asks, "What makes a life worth living?" Money cannot make us happy, he says -- instead, he urges us to learn from people who find pleasure and lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of "flow." Check out his talk here

The timing of this email to his podcast was amazing. I was just sitting down to write this newsletter, following on from a survey I had created two weeks ago about flow and finding your career nirvana.

One of the questions I ask is “what is flow? For me creativity, fulfillment and synchronistic support to things that I am passionate about is all about flow When I’m in flow things seem to happen so easily. Like the commission I was given and recently completed to create a beautiful, soothing painting. Follow the creation process here

2. Creativity, fulfillment and flow

“All My life I have been mistaken in measuring the significance of any work by the struggles that went into it.”
Henri Matisse, Artist

Some of the most common questions I am asked by people who seeking coaching is, “How can I find out what I’m good at?” and “How can I be sure that I will enjoy it?” Whilst these questions may seem daunting, the past is often a good predictor of the future. Often we just need reminding of the times and circumstances in our lives when we felt inspired or energized by something, and of the times when our skills just seemed to flow. Such times can provide clues to our passions and unique strengths and talents.

I feel most in flow when I am creating. I lose all track of time when I am painting. The most fulfilling part of this is creating something that is innately satisfying to me and that the recipient truly loves. I feel excited, energized and truly complete. Sometimes before I sit down to paint I find it really hard to get going. During such times I find Picasso’s words of wisdom, “Inspiration has to find us working” motivates me into action.

I discipline myself and say I will give it 30 minutes and that's all. Very often I find that 3-4 hours later I am blissfully painting and find it hard to tear myself away.

Coaching, and writing articles and books that help people to follow their bliss produces the same state. I feel a huge sense of purpose and people comment positively about my flow-inspired works. Business psychologist and author Jasbindr Singh's fantastic foreward for my new book confirms how much spiritual and creative flow has gone into creating this book. Read her foreward here

3. Tips for finding your flow

Learn from others: - How do you know if you are in the flow? Check out some of the signs and read some inspiring examples of people who have achieved success and fulfillment through powerful creativity

Watch Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi's talk on creativity, fulfillment and flow


Find your flow – take the career nirvana quiz. Get 5 other people to sign up to our newsletter and take the quiz too then email me when you have completed it and I will send you a complimentary eBook on how to you’re your bliss

Self-develop your way to flow: - You can read more about the spiritual, healing power of art on my blog as well as see images created with flow and art that has truly healed people’s souls.


4. Creative quotes – creative flow

"The first step (to higher happiness) is to develop the habit of doing whatever needs to be done with concentrated attention, with skill rather than inertia. Even the most routine tasks, like washing the dishes, dressing, or mowing the lawn become more rewarding if we approach them with the care it would take to make a work of art."
- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi , Psychologist


"A really good picture looks as if it's happened at once. It's an immediate image. For my own work, when a picture looks labored and overworked, and you can read in it—well, she did this and then she did that, and then she did that—there is something in it that has not got to do with beautiful art to me. And I usually throw these out, though I think very often it takes ten of those over-labored efforts to produce one really beautiful wrist motion that is synchronized with your head and heart, and you have it, and therefore it looks as if it were born in a minute."
- Helen Frankenthaler, artist

“Natural abundance comes from “getting into the flow” by doing work that that brings a sense of inner excitement. The phrase “follow your inner joy” is actually the key to abundance. Once your follow your inner most joy and adapt your situation to doing work that you love, then synchronicity begins to flow. Synchronicity is the Universe’s way of telling you that you are on the right track.”
- Owen Walters, Author

5. What I'm up to

Happy@work
Amazing flow has been happening with my creative project Happy@work: job hunting for mid-lifers. Just when I’d been stopped dead in my tracks by huge printing costs helpful people suddenly appeared – including a publisher who is very interested in taking over the project. Check out the amazing “go-incidences” that have miraculously come to my aid.


RSVP TO LAUNCH:

Don't forget to put a bright orange circle around the 28th of November 5:30 - 7:30, at Exhibitions Gallery, Featherston Street, Wellington.
Secure you place of happiness by RSVPing to cassandra@cassandragaisford.com.
It promises to be a great night! Check out the amazing people who will be there to entertain you

Click here for Happy@work updates, tips to increase your current levels of happiness and see the work in progress.


Coaching creative people
This year, as many of you know, I have made a concentrated effort to move away from work that doesn't fill me with joy toward work that does. It's a no brainer...but it did take some time to crystallize. Sometimes the most innovative solutions are the simplest.

While exhibiting alongside deNada fashion as part of the Joy'ance exhibition I was approached by Nada to help her grow her business and still retain her life. I was flattered and immediately leapt to the challenge. It was a mutual colliding of passions

Find out more about deNada and how coaching is helping her business continue to create amazing produces and services


New paintings
Hot on the tails of two very successful commissions I am feeling reinspired. Preview new works of art for upcoming Jouissance exhibition and check out the journey from blank canvas to work of art


I’m on canvas!
Life took a surprising turn...finishing with this delightful and quite unexpected email from Mark Olsen
"I have just finished and named a painting after you for an exhibition that I have in Christchurch this Thursday - will send an image tomorrow - Mark"


Here she is...She is part of a collection for an exhibition that Mark Olsen is having with Fisher Galleries in Christchurch, opening this Thursday night

6. Interesting Links and helpful resources

Get a business coach
If you would like some help starting or growing your business please contact me - I'm passionate about your passion and helping you succeed!

Boost your creativity
Create a work of heART - Register now for creativity workshops.
Learn how to:
start out on your own creative journey
Break through barriers that are blocking your creative expression
Tap into latent, undiscovered talents
Create your preferred future
Next workshop Saturday 22 November in Wellington. Contact me to register or for more details

Think and grow positive
Coming up with fresh and innovative ideas requires positive, proactive and inspired thinking. Get rid of negative thinking and boost your creative powers. hear an excerpt from The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale to help you think and grow positive


Learn to value creativity
What will the world of work look like in 2030? This is when kids starting school now will graduate! We don't even know what the world of work will look like in 2 years let alone 21 years. The future of work requires creative thinkers about to adapt to rapidly changing circumstances. Are school educating kids out of their creativity? Hear UK author and creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson

7. Until next time

We can stay in touch via my blog – I’ll be posting regular updates on the powerful creativity blog and happy@ work blog too. I’m currently teaching myself the joys of podcasting – stay tuned to both these blogs for progress. I have some very inspiring audio interviews with people living and creating with passion, which I’ll upload soon.

Don't forget to put a bright orange circle around the 28th of November 5:30 - 7:30, at Exhibitions Gallery, Featherston Street, Wellington. Secure you place of happiness by RSVPing to cassandra@cassandragaisford.com.
It promises to be a great night!


I love to hear your success stories. Please send me a note...
You can email me at: info@cassandragaisford.com
Copyright (c) 2008, All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce copy or distribute this newsletter as long as this copyright notice and full information as below about contacting the author is attached:
The author of this newsletter is Cassandra Gaisford. Cassandra has an intense passion for art in all its guises. She believes in the power of creativity to transform people’s lives, making them feel refreshed, playful, inspired and adventurous.
Cassandra is a leading expert on the topic of passion, career success and worklife balance. Cassandra is a popular and widely recognised author and motivational speaker as well as a columnist and career expert for the Dominion Post. Her free Newsletter is available at both her web sites: www.cassandragaisford.com