MASTER CONSISTENCY in Blogging (and Other Projects)

“For changes to be of any true value, they’ve got to be lasting and consistent.” – Anthony Robbins

I used to think that with the perfect balance of hard work, skills, talents, and support, I could accomplish any and all of my goals.  But looking back, I realized that success required one other component: consistency.  When starting a semester in school, I had to be committed and consistently show up to every class, submit every assignment, and pass every quiz and test.  For every job, I had to consistently arrive on time and perform my duties.  For every travel excursion, I had to consistently plan ahead, save money, and budget my expenses.  I could not start with strength and suddenly give up when I lost momentum or when my mind wandered to a new and exciting venture.  I had to remember that it was easy to throw in the towel and attribute my change of heart to a list of excuses that would not surprise others.  I had to push past the hardships, like the rest of the greats, who found innovative ways to recharge and reboot.  I had to find new ways to motivate myself in order to maintain consistency and keep going.  I had to prioritize my readers, followers, and clients, who counted on my consistency in order to trust me and know that my words carried weight that would last longer than a fad.

Therefore, several tips have helped me master consistency in my life, especially when it comes to blogging and other creative projects:

CREATE A SCHEDULE.  This might mean creating an editorial calendar where you designate certain posts or ideas for certain days.  This could also mean creating a daily schedule where your mind and body grow accustomed to a workflow and you know when to expect lunch or how to manage your time effectively by only answering emails during a certain hour or brainstorm at a certain time.  Whichever, if both, works for you, plan ahead.  Make it a priority to have ideas in order so that you can be more organized and productive.

SET REALISTIC GOALS.  Your goals should be clear and attainable.  It’s nice to have an overarching goal of ten million followers or a billion dollar salary, but setting realistic goals means setting smaller goals that are doable and lead to your bigger goal.  Don’t be afraid to pick a very specific and defined goal: “I will save five pennies a day for the next thirty years as a retirement fund” is more effective than saying “I will save money,” which doesn’t have a plan or guide to follow.

EMBRACE IMPERFECTION.  Consistency means allowing yourself to have good days and bad days, but pushing forward anyway.  Finishing what you start is consistent.  Don’t focus so much on “the perfect post” that will wow every reader and serve as the winning book deal.

FIND ACCOUNTABILITY CHEERLEADERS. I attribute a lot of my consistency to the cheerleaders in my life, like my husband, who constantly encourage me to keep going.  When you keep others in the loop about your project, it makes you feel like you need to report back with progress the next time you see them.  Use that as motivation to keep your work flowing.  There is always someone who is willing to offer you positive energy when they see that you are trying your best and refusing to give up.

DESIGNATE A CREATIVE SPACE.  Because my son is so young, I seize every opportunity I can to write, edit, or network, even if it means writing a post on my iPad while nursing him in bed.  However, I admit that I am not most productive when I am in that situation, so I bought a table, some frames, and a vase to put flowers.  It is important to create a space where you can sit with your coffee and mentally prepare to work.  The feeling of productivity is worth the investment of designing an area that encourages you to make beautiful and important things.  I found that I was more consistent with writing daily when I had an “office” that looked sad and dusty when it wasn’t used.

RECOGNIZE WEAKNESSES. Netflix, Facebook, and my constant urge to nap are crippling to my work.  They ruin my consistency because one day, I could be writing with passion, while the next day, I’m binge-watching a new series for several hours with no motivation to turn on my computer.  I am not saying that you should abstain from your weaknesses, but make them a priority in their own right and set time aside for them to enjoy in moderation.  I knew that if I made time for three hours of writing, I wouldn’t feel guilty about a half hour of leisure time before bed.

BUDDY UP.  If you know a fellow writer, blogger, student, or other person in your life or area who is also seeking consistency and productivity, set up regularly-scheduled dates at a coffee shop or library to dedicate to your work.  This could be on a weekly basis or every morning at 6am at the local Starbucks.  Similarly to having an accountability cheerleader, having another person who can keep you in check, but who also needs you to focus is helpful.

WORK, EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE IT.  This is one of my biggest hurdles.  I tend to make excuses that my “writing will always be there” or “I will work twice as hard tomorrow,” but in reality, I could be very productive today, twice as productive tomorrow, and ten times as productive in a week.  As I said at the beginning, it is easy to take a break.  It is easy to quit.  The challenge lies in working, even when you’d rather be doing anything else.  This makes tomorrow easier because you knew that you got through today, and the day before, and however many days before that… all without stopping.

GIVE YOUR IDEAS AND READERS TIME TO SPROUT.  When I don’t see instant results, I question what I am doing.  I wonder if there is something I could change and it makes me want to change right away.  Consistency means having a reliable topics and ideas that your true readers and followers can count on.  You might be gifted with a special wisdom and knowledge that is slowly and quietly reaching and helping a certain group of people who need more time to open up and affirm your positive influence.  Consistently write about and produce what you love, what you know, and what you enjoy.  At some point, either now or later, you will reap the benefits because you stayed true to the story you promised you would deliver.

WHAT ARE SOME WAYS THAT YOU HAVE MASTERED CONSISTENCY IN YOUR LIFE?  I’d love to hear positive thoughts in the comments!! Please share and connect with me!

How to Spark Creativity

Since graduating from college and becoming a mother, my priorities, energy, and brain has drastically shifted from formatting academic papers and citing articles to giving bubble baths and changing diapers.  It’s thrilling to change my focus and challenge my skill sets, but I like to stay fresh and current with my writing and creative projects.  I’m happy to know that I’m not alone.  Many fellow mothers, writers, entrepreneurs, and creative explorers are constantly seeking ways to learn, grow, create, and improve.  This led me to wonder how others find inspiration to get their creative juices flowing.  What is your secret?  Yoga every morning?  Doodling in a notebook with Netflix in the background?  A shot of whiskey and a chocolate truffle?

As for me, I have found inspiration through several outlets, and I know every person is capable of sparking creativity through these exercises:

HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH STRANGERS.  Some of my most memorable lightbulb moments came from having random conversations with people I did not know– at the book store, on an airplane, and even online through a fellow blogger.  So many people walk around with interesting, engaging stories, waiting for a kind person to engage in conversation with them and move them away from their sunglasses, lattes, and cell phones.  I have also noticed that a random person imparting a simple pearl of wisdom upon me seems to stick in my brain so much more than when my mother says it (Sorry, Mom.).  Even if you never see these people again, they can touch your life and inspire you to do something great.

READ A CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK.  Other sources will tell you to read articles and read books, but sometimes busy people don’t have as much time as they would like to read everything they want to read.  So I extend a simpler challenge: read a children’s picture book.  It can be a picture book that you haven’t read since you were a child, such as The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein, or a new one that is sitting on the promotion table of the book store, like Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, by Mac Barnett.  Why read a children’s picture book?  Sure, I’m a children’s librarian and love them.  But children’s picture books can be short reads that take eight minutes out of your day.  Their illustrations can make your inner child smile.  They are brimming with humor and existential life lessons about friendship, love, family, nature, death, and other challenges and beauties of life.  There are TONS of children’s picture books out there that can really brighten your day and make you feel motivated to start something new.

ATTEND A WORKSHOP.  Look up local workshops in your area of interest, from a floristry design class at your local flower shop to a one-day business class at your local adult school.  There are also countless webinars, videos, and podcasts that can make you feel like a student again.  Best of all, you don’t take home a report card with a grade!  However, you might be able to score a completion certificate that will look stellar on your résumé.

GO FOR A WALK.  Sometimes a little fresh air and a date with Mother Nature helps you reset your brain, gain some endorphins, and forget your stresses.  It opens you up and unwinds your tight spots and anxious energy.  It gives you a break to think about random things.

RIDE A BUS.  Riding a bus or other form of public transportation with no specific destination allows you to people-watch.  It’s amazing how much insight you can get by observing behaviors and relationships.  You see sights that you’ve never noticed before.  You notice what people carry with them, what they do when they ride alone, and where their eyes wander as they travel home or wherever they are going.

VISIT A MUSEUM.  Museums are not only contemplative environments where you can learn something new, but they also tend to feature a special exhibit that highlights a time period, artist, or genre that can birth epiphanies.  In addition, being close to an artifact or work of art can ignite feelings you would not have if you saw the same piece in a book or on the Internet.

ATTEND A CITY MEETING, TOWN MEETING, OR OTHER OPEN BOARD MEETING.  Sometimes we see new additions to our city, like a statue or a line of trees, and we don’t know the story behind it  Or sometimes we wonder why no one is fixing the ten potholes on one street, unaware that it has been an agenda item for several years with no progress.  Attending a city meeting, town meeting, or other open board meeting, such as for a school district or water district, can be eye-opening and educating.  This can motivate you to research improvements, write articles, create a political piece of artwork, meet and interview prominent stakeholders, or brainstorm for a documentary.  It is always interesting to find out about local issues and hot topics, like cutting public library hours or adding a strip mall with dollar stores and cash advance centers to fit a lower income demographic.

MAKE A VISION BOARD.  An afternoon of scrapbooking and magazine clipping can be easy, fun, and inspiring.  Putting motivational quotes, life goals, and dream destinations on a board can help you to remember a passion that you put on the back burner and are willing to revisit with more gusto.  Take these ideas and run with them.

RESEARCH A RANDOM PLACE.  When one of my favorite podcast hosts and successful entrepreneurs, Jess Lively, announced that she would be moving to Ann Arbor, MI, I felt an urge to look up Ann Arbor to see what it offered a thriving businesswoman like her, and if it was the kind of environment I needed to attain similar victories.  Especially since I adore her style, intelligence, and ambition, I knew that she probably wouldn’t move someplace where her creative energies would go to die.  So I Googled “Ann Arbor” to learn more about the town, which made me smile.  Ann Arbor is full of young energy with unique shops and restaurants and an ideal cost of living.  By learning about a new place, my brain nearly exploded!  I suddenly felt inspired to look up different quaint towns in the United States that I had never visited, peruse flights, browse potential jobs and places to live, and dream about a new and exciting adventure in another place.  For you, it could be the historic architecture and luxurious gardens that inspires you.  It could be the hiking trails or the history.  This exercise can really surprise you and make you want to hop in your car and disappear for a few days, giving you the gift of incomparable exhilaration, wild stories, and life lessons that push you to pursue your passions with either a fresh perspective or a renewed energy.

What are some ways you spark creativity in your life? Etsy? Pinterest?  The local open mic night?  Please share your ideas in the comments! I would love to hear from you and I know others would too!

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