it’s as simple as making space

Where in your life are you overcomplicating things?  

(or overcomplicanning?)

Where are you thinking waaaaaay too much and trying to “figure it out” relentlessly?

Here's a suggestion -

Just give it some space.

The creative process and life and itself is not controlled by you.

Your only job is to be the vessel that allows it all to flow through.

If you’re feeling stuck, chances are it’s because your overthinking mind is in the way, making it all way too complicated.

Step away from the struggle.

Look up to the sky.

Make space in your body and in your life.

It really is that simple.

Truly and simply,

Jess

p.s. This post was inspired by the Dance Your Self class I led last night. I noticed myself quite nervous in the beginning, trying to figure out the best way to lead this group through the experience. Once I let go of those controlling thoughts, I was able to get back to the simplicity of the fact that opening up space for this dance experience was really what it was all about.

Making space for dance. People showing up to be in that space. Some gentle guidance and direction. That’s all. The less I try to control someone else’s experience, the more able they are to create their own experience.

Does this bring up anything for you? Feel free to share in the comment box below. I'd love to hear.

...and sometimes you need to NOT be busy

In follow up to last week’s post about how there’s nothing wrong with being busy, I wanted to take a moment to highlight the fact that there’s also nothing wrong with doing nothing.

It fits well into the theme I created for this month:

"and then she MARCHed forward, still anchored by the mystery"

As we transition into Spring here in the Northern Hemisphere, more light is here. More light is on its way. The days will continue to get longer until mid-June.

In a culture already over-saturated with lights and screens, we now also have more of the Sun to guide us into action.

This is your reminder to stay anchored in the mystery, the darkness, the deeper parts of you that might not want to see the light all the time.

All facets of your life, and especially your creative process, need to hang out in the unknown for periods of time.

You can’t always be productive. You can’t always be “a light.” You can’t always be in the active part of creation mode.

(Well, you can try, but you’ll probably just burn out. Like a light bulb left on for months at a time.)

Honor your busy modes and then honor your stillness.  There’s a reason we need both of them to thrive.

Where are you on the busy-nothing / light-dark spectrum these days?

Comment below and tell me!

to dancing with the mystery,

Jess

P.s. Here’s some further reading for you…

...if you find you’re TOO busy:

why am I working SO much, but not making any headway?

...if you feel like you’re too much in the darkness:

will I ever create anything again?

there’s nothing wrong with being busy

I’ve been noticing a trend that puts shame on being busy.

It seems like the world went from wearing “busy” like a badge of honor (which is not sustainable or healthy) to the other extreme of believing that we should all just be floating around in a zenlike state without a care in the world.

My facebook feed is flooded with advertisements from business gurus who tell me I can make $600,000 in the first month of my business - without any effort! while buying a second home in Hawaii with my family!

There’s an image being projected that the life of a creative business owner means sipping wine at an outdoor cafe and meditating with crystals on your lap all day.

It makes me feel like I’m doing something wrong if my schedule is really full with writing deadlines and meetings and rehearsals, most of which take place in my sweatpants and wild hair that hasn’t been washed in days.

“Oh, no - I’m neglecting my self-care. I’m busy! How much longer can I do this! This can’t be good!”

Stop right there, brain.

I’m going to take the stance - and feel free to join me - that being busy is ok.

Even as I say that, I’m still a huge believer in the value of downtime and in tuning into the cycles and seasons of creativity.

Here’s the thing -

Some parts of the cycle are actually just plain ol’ busy.

Let’s balance out the vision-boards with visceral action.

Let’s stop comparing ourselves to every other artist/entrepreneur/guru out there and instead just focus on our sacred work.

Let’s do the work and learn from it.

Let’s do the work and let it guide us to new openings and discoveries.

Let’s do the work and slowly, maybe without realizing it, we’ll build something bigger than ourselves.

to balanced busy-bodies everywhere,

Jess

p.s. One of the things I've been happily busy with is doing really fantastic work with other entrepreneurs and business owners in what I call "creative clarity sessions" - a mix of coaching to help you get your authentic voice out, plus the nitty gritty of actual forming it into powerful and effective copy for your website, blog, etc.

If you know you do powerful work, but can’t seem to communicate it into written words, or if you have something important to say but wish you had the time and gusto to actually get it out there, this is for you. I have limited spots open for this kind of work, and would be happy to share more details and see if it would be a good fit for you. Message me to request details. 

p.p.s. For more thoughts on how to trust the cycles of ups and downs in our creative life and beyond, check out my interview on The Jake Sasseville Show here.

p.p.p.s. You're cool.

what happens after success? the scary thing we need to talk about….

One scary part about putting yourself out there is that you might fail.

Another (even scarier part) is that you might succeed.

If you put your best work out there and do something really great and it happens to be well-received, then what?

→ More people will see you and hear you and potentially judge you.

→ People will expect more of you.

→ You may question whether or not you’ll ever create anything as good.

Pretty terrifying on all fronts, right?

Personally, I’ve felt these fears after every “good” blog post I’ve written or dance piece I’ve created.

“Oh sh*t. There it goes. My last good idea. People liked it...what the hell am I going to do next?!”

Or:

“That was just luck. I’ll never be able do another one.”

The only thing I can do in these moments (which happen over and over again, by the way) is to stop thinking about it and just keep writing, dancing and living my life. I keep showing up and I keep creating consistently, whether any of it is “good” or not.

Because here’s the thing -

We don’t control creativity.

We don’t control people’s reactions to what we make.

The only thing we have control over is our commitment to keep going and to keep making space for our creative process. That’s all.

There is no end goal. Sure, there are exciting and important milestones like the Oscars, the talent competition shows, the “big breaks,” - but none of those are the end. In many cases, they are just the beginning.

Your job is to structure your life so that it allows you to continue creating in a sustainable, nourishing way, and to keep practicing and putting yourself out there repeatedly.

Are you up for the job?

Tell me more about your process with success in the comments below.

AND -

Here’s a way to take it a step farther:

If you are an entrepreneur or artist (or aspiring entrepreneur or artist) who:

• wants to bring more of your creative voice into your work

• feels stuck or at a crossroads in your life and career

• clings to fears that hold you back from creating the work you truly want to create

...I’m opening up 5 Creative Guidance Sessions in my calendar, on scholarship, specifically for you.

This is an opportunity to have a complimentary, no-strings-attached 30-minute phone call with me 1-1 in which we’ll talk more about exactly what you’re struggling with, what you desire to create in your life, and how I can help you get unstuck and get where you want to go. If it seems like any of my program offerings could serve you at this time, I’ll share more about them and how we can continue working together.

To apply for one of these 5 spots, simply email me a few sentences on what you’re struggling with and why it’s time for you to take action. (Bonus points if you also include how Creative Fridays has helped you!)

to your success and the process beyond it,

Jess

p.s. For those of you who have been keeping up with my New York’s Got Talent adventure, here’s the update:

I did not win the audience vote or judges vote in the first round, however, I got fantastic feedback from the judges and found out the next day that I was invited back to the Wild Card night! This is a another chance to perform and possibly move onto the semi-finals.

Here’s the recording of Wednesday’s performance with the judges feedback if you’re curious.

(And yes, today's article is totally relevant for me as I think about "What the hell am I going to perform next!?" The answer is to just get into the rehearsal studio and find out ;)

the best new creative business tactic

Guys, I have a groundbreaking discovery to share with you this week.

Especially if you’re in a place where you feel like you’re trying really hard to get your passions going but are still hitting a wall, or you’re working many many hours and left feeling exhausted and drained.

This one’s for you.

I’ve been there and have worked so hard trying to get certain business things going until I practically was banging my head against a wall.

I’ve been at my laptop til all hours of the night “working” on stuff, feeling like it’s ok since it’s work that I actually love. (But it’s left me feeling too tired to go dance class or do something as simple as food shopping. Not a sustainable model!)

I’ve experienced the shame and stress of having no one sign up for a program that I had put my heart and soul into creating.

And after all that, here’s the new business tactic I discovered that’s really doing the trick:

It’s the “F*CK IT, HAVE MORE FUN” method.

“Oh, you mean, I can actually go out dancing and socialize with people instead of sitting behind my laptop plotting my next program?”

Yup.

“Oh, you mean, I really deserve to enjoy myself and have fun, even if I don’t feel super successful with my business at the moment?”

Yes indeed.

“Oh, you’re saying that when I open up to having fun and say f*ck it to the work-more, do-more, push-it model, I actually have a better flow of ideas and income?”

Abso-f*cking-lutely.

There it is.

Close your laptop.

Stop trying to figure it out.

Grab your dancing partner or find one on Tinder, and go have fun.

I bet you’ll be shocked at what opens up after.

I know I was.

Stay tuned for more on what has opened up - because it might be helpful to you! - but for now, I’m peacing out because the world of fun is calling my name.

handing you your permission slip for fun,

Jess Grippo

p.s. One of the things that’s lighting me up right now in my business is getting to coach the 7 members of the Take Your Passion, Make It Happen program, currently in progress. Rockstar-status breakthroughs are in process.

If you missed that boat, but sense my kind of guidance is the boost you’re needing in your life, check out my self-guided online program, Find Your Rhythm. 

things change, but does the essence stay the same?

In honor of the 4-year anniversary of Creative Fridays, today’s post features a throwback post, one that I originally wrote on February 17th of 2012.

[4 years of jazz hands]

It’s fascinating to me that I’ve been writing this blog weekly, consistently, for the past 4 years. Especially since there had been multiple other blogs and ideas that I started before it, but never quite kept going.

It’s also fascinating that the essence of what I wrote about then is still the same as what I’m writing about today. So much has changed, but yet the core of it has remained. (Including jazz hands.)

Think about where you were 4 years ago.

Perhaps your life circumstances were completely different. Perhaps they were similar to now.

No matter what the outside circumstances were like, what was the inner constant? What was that essence for you? The thing you ached for. The dream you tended to. The part of you that felt compelled to keep going.

Do you recognize an inner constant, too?

Share in the comments below - I’m curious to know how this lands for you :)

And here goes that post from 2012:

Do you have a dream?

You know, the kind of dream that might feel a little far off from where you are now, the kind of dream that whispers to you “anything is possible,” even if your rational mind shushes it up all too soon.

Do I know exactly what my dream is? Not really. I have ideas (and many of them involve being on stage with Lady Gaga or traveling the world making dance videos), but I’m starting to think that the uncertainty, the curiosity, the questions, are where the real juice is.

Isn’t that what pulls us forward into our dreams in ways that are even better than we could’ve imagined?

I used to get down on myself for not having a more traditional path, for not committing at a very young age to a single art form or trade. But now I’m beginning to cherish the many outlets I’ve explored and passions I’ve pursued. And in the process I’ve become so grateful for the circuitous path I travel upon.

I have a hunch that you have a dream (or multiple dreams), too. Even if they seem cloudy or completely out of sight, they are there within you. And they matter. And they are precious and need to be tended to if you ever want to discover what they really are and what they could become.

My hunch also tells me that you don’t have to abandon your life as you know it in order to pursue a dream. Of course sometimes we do feel compelled to quit our jobs, leave our primary relationships, move across the country, etc, etc, but for some of us who aren’t ready for that much of a leap, you can start small.

Start with one impulse, one picture, one dance class.

Start with Fridays and declare it your day to put more focus on your creative spirit.

Commit to nothing but yourself.

Learn from little kids and senior citizens.

Be curious.

Write down what you dream of at night.

Don’t wait for permission or a degree or certificate. You’re already an artist (or an athlete or an alchemist or a ….)

“Live the questions now,” as Rilke tells us.

I dare you to.

with love through the changes,

Jess