Today I'm thinking about this clip of Bill Murray on Charlie Rose. Bill touches upon such wonderful life (and business) advice on getting the things that we really want and dream about. It's really very simple...
Well, it starts with a wish. Doesn't it?
The Artist's Way
In The Artist's Way, Julia Cameron calls this synchronicity. It's about being in touch with and open to what you're really after, your deepest wishes. Once you've aired it out (with yourself) the opportunities abound.
I'm rereading The Artist's Way right now. I first read it in my mid-twenties, about a decade ago. It's a bit new-agey and heavy on the self-help jargon, but if you can look past that, her advice for creative unblocking really works: do your morning pages and take yourself on weekly artist dates.
Morning Pages
In order for this to work, you basically need to commit to writing several pages every morning, first thing. Pages that are completely uncensored and unedited. When you're done with your pages, put them away and don't look at them. Do this every day for at least six weeks.
Artist Dates
An artist date is the time you set aside for yourself to explore. It can be a walk down Main Street, it can be a trip into the city to check out a show at a museum. This is not a time to include a friend or family member or to squeeze in errands. It's a chunk of uninterrupted time entirely for you.
The Good Stuff
The combination of these two exercises can lead to some pretty surprising, and perhaps even obvious stuff. It's a starting place where the magic happens. It's a turning point, when all of the windows and doors fly open.
It starts with a wish.
Photo via Unsplash.
