Stuck? You May Have Eyes Wide Shut Syndrome By: Valery Satterwhite | - I was enjoying a lovely dinner last night at a little French restaurant at The Farmer's Market in Los Angeles last night when I overheard a neighboring conversation. Ok, I was deliberately eavesdropping. I admit it. Those who know me already know that listening to how other people think is a favorite pastime of mine. In a not so covert attempt to hear better, I scooched my chair a little closer and ran smack into the void of quiet desperation.
Fakin' It? Not Really Makin' It? By: Valery Satterwhite | - As I was driving along the Malibu coast Paul Simon's "Fakin' It" blared through the radio. I had the volume cranked because I had the top down and was singing loudly and badly along with the song. It's such fun to let go and sing, especially if the sound of your voice could turn wine into vinegar, but I digress.
When I screeched the verse:
"I've just been fakin' it, I'm not really makin' it. This feeling of fakin' it- I still haven't shaken it."
If that statement bubbled up in your thoughts recently then you may be attached to life decaying garbage truck thinking. Simply put, if you stuff your mind with garbage you will create stinky outcomes. If you focus upon all that is bad in your life you will only add to the garbage dump that is becoming your daily experience.
To risk is to be exposed to the possibility of a loss or harm. To be risk adverse is to say to yourself, "If I do this thing I might lose something I value or something bad could happen to me. Better to stay right where I am or take a safe route, follow the path of least resistance." Remaining stagnant sucks the life energy out of the creative person. To churn out safe, predictable work that will elicit familiar and e ... Tags:actor, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
The Best Halloween Costume Ever! By: Valery Satterwhite | - I love Halloween. It is perhaps the most empowering holiday of the year. For fun, think of the person you admired most when you were a child. It could be Spiderman (or any other movie character - animated or not). It could be a favorite character in a book, a celebrity, a favorite Aunt or Teacher. Think back to when you were able to complete this sentence: "When I grow up I want to be _______."
Tap Into Creative Flow Through Humor By: Valery Satterwhite | - Childhood is often referred to as a carefree and playful time enjoyed without a thought of responsibility. However, a more accurate look at the average youth experience reveals that children experience quite a bit of emotional and sometimes physical pain. Many children who live such a stressful childhood reach for humor as a coping mechanism.
Rip Off The Bandaid And Take The Note: Sage Advice From A Hollywood Wizard By: Valery Satterwhite | - I was sitting at my table enjoying the pile of fruit on my plate at an early morning breakfast meeting when all of a sudden I recognized a Wizard before me. I was there to listen to guest speaker, Krista Vernoff, Emmy-nominated, Golden Globe-winning head writer and executive producer of the television show "Grey's Anatomy" talk about her road to success. I had been to many such gatherings over the last several years and while I've learned a lot from the various successful people I've listened ... Tags:actor, Krista Vernoff, creativity coach, artist block, Grey's Anatomy, inner wizard, inner critic
Where Emotional Fear Comes From And How To Move Beyond It By: Valery Satterwhite | - Fear is THE source that holds you back, how you get in your own way, from fully and successfully investing yourself in your creative endeavors. You may have found excuses and reasons that are external to you to explain why you can't do what you want to do, have what you want to have and do what you want to do. It's the economy, the glass ceiling, the proverbial boys club. You "can't because" you're not young, old, pretty, smart, rich, s talented, whatever - enough.
Your Body Talks To You. Do You Listen And Flow Or Ignore And Struggle? By: Valery Satterwhite | - Your body talks to you all day long. What you feel in your body is an indicator of whether or not you are moving towards or away from achieving what you desire. Your gut instinct will tell you what steps to take, what choices to make, that will get you what you want. Your stomach will tell you if you're headed in the wrong direction.
Are you listening? Are you paying attention, tapped into what your body is telling you?
The media is filled with bizarre tales of rude and downright bizarre behavior that was once exhibited by self-loathing attention seeking narcissists and now may be used as a clever inexpensive tool for massive publicity. In the age where 'all publicity is good publicity' are high profile outbusts a result of an emotional dysfunction or a clever media attention grabbing ruse? One has to wonder.
2 Ways To Discover Your Raison D'etre - Reason For Being By: Valery Satterwhite | - Raison D'Etre is French for reason, or purpose, for the existence of someone or something. Each and every person comes into this world with a purpose, unique talents to achieve that purpose and the inner wisdom to guide them along the way. This is a birthright. Without exception. Since everyone walking this Earth exists, you would think that everyone knew his or her purpose in life. Unfortunately many people are disconnected with their Raison d'etre and are plodding along, successfully or not, ... Tags:actor, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Develop Your Inner Actor To Get Out Of Your Own Way By: Valery Satterwhite | - It's a funny thing. Actors are driven to perform, to take on roles that bring a world of imagination, fantasy and mirrored life reflections into believable existence. In order to achieve the performance of a character well told, the actor has to commit to the unknown, get out of their own way, and be in the present moment. This power of presence and authentic self-assurance in the role create the charisma that draws us to actors and the stories they tell.
Struggling-anxious-procrastinating? Stop Telling Your Inner Being To Shut Up! By: Valery Satterwhite | - How much time and energy do you spend treading the proverbial waters of the stream of creative expression and meaningful experience? How often do you ride the roller coaster of two progressive steps forward and two steps back in your efforts to expand beyond your current unfulfilling comfort zone? What do 'over the rainbow' masterfully successful people have that you don't have?
Cowardly Lion? Tap Into The Wizard Within To Transform Fear By: Valery Satterwhite | - If you are at all familiar with the story of Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz you know that among Dorothy's fellow travelers along the yellow brick road to find the great and powerful Wizard was the Lion. The Lion wanted the Wizard to give him courage as he was afraid of nearly everything he faced in his life. Here he was the king of beasts yet he cowered and hid from any ever so slightly perceived threat to his survival. The Lion believed that if he had the gift of courage he would be able to step ... Tags:actor, wizard of oz, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
How Actress Courteney Cox Empowers The Wizard Within By: Valery Satterwhite | - Hardly a day goes by when I don't read or hear of some celebrity or politician publicly humiliating themselves in an unconscious act of self-sabotage. Some get up, brush themselves off, learn a few life lessons and go on to reach even higher levels of achievement. Others take a few steps back towards recovery only to rush head first into the desperate wall of self destruction again and again. It is disheartening to see someone who takes the dream that they've passionately pursued for so long an ... Tags:actor, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Don't Believe Everything You Think - How To Change Misguided Thoughts By: Valery Satterwhite | - Right now, in this moment, you have everything you think you deserve. You are living the life you believe you are worthy of. Your life experience mirrors your internal self-esteem. If you have an unhealthy low self-esteem you will never enjoy the life you dream of. Even if you achieve success in the accomplishment of a desired goal you will self-sabotage until you are back at a level, a comfort zone, that reflects how you feel about yourself. If you have a healthy high self-esteem you will a ... Tags:actor, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
The Key To Creative Flow: Learn The Four C's To Enhance Your Creativity By: Valery Satterwhite | - Just as learning your ABC's are fundamental to a basic education, learning the Four C's of Creativity are essential to life as a powerful and deliberate creator of your art and your life experience. If you are not living a life abundant with new inspiration and enthusiasm for your creative challenges then it is likely you are missing one of the C's, a key ingredient to the recipe for boosting your creative flow.
Fear And Loathing = Celebrity Self-sabotage By: Valery Satterwhite | - What is it about celebrity that often results in a pattern of self-sabotage and public humiliation? What drives the crash and burn of those who seemingly have everything going for them? Celebrities have success, fame and the financial resources to live a rich delicious life. Why, then, are so many famous people unhappy, addicted to drugs or on a downward spiral spinning out of control as they destroy everything they desire and worked so hard to achieve?
Your Self-worth - Is It Measured By Your Stuff? By: Valery Satterwhite | - People often associate self-worth to worldly attachments and achievements. During your life, you are always trying to get something, be it education, job, money, or other material pleasures. You feel these things represent your value. The stuff (or lack of stuff) is evidence of how successful or unsuccessful you have been in your life. When you were little you wrote in your "Rule book for life" that more and better stuff meant that you were "more better".
Whether you realize it or not you guide your life, make your choices, based upon a set of rules you selected for yourself in early childhood. These rules were based on misinterpretation or complete unchallenged acceptance of whatever was seen or heard. A well-meaning relative who tells a child "Don't be stupid" as she is about to put mustard on the cookie dough becomes Rule #1: ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
How To Transform Performance Anxiety By: Valery Satterwhite | - It's a funny thing. Life provides an abundance of timely lessons often delivered in unexpected ways that can easily go unnoticed if you're not paying attention. Once you're tapped into the messages presented to you to guide you in the direction of your dreams life becomes a whimsical series of out-of-the-blue events that propel you to move beyond what holds you back. And the truth of it is, the only thing can hold you back from living the life you dream of is Yourself!
How To Tap Into Your Greatest Talent By: Valery Satterwhite | - It's a funny thing. What you excel at, what is your greatest gift, may not be obvious to you. You may believe that what you do and create so effortlessly is easily achieved by anyone and everyone. It comes so naturally for you that you think it comes just as naturally for everyone else. Therefore, you may be oblivious to your special talent, your unique gift that is your birthright and purpose in life.
How To Unclog Artist Block By: Valery Satterwhite | - It's a devastating thing for an artist to feel they've lost their inspiration, to encounter a creative block. But suffering from artist's block doesn't mean you've lost your artistic ability. Artist block can be overcome.
Invariably it will happen. It's something that happens to all creative beings and all beings are born to create something. Within each purpose beats a heart that longs to be, do and have in this world. When a creative person suffers from an artist block or has l ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
A great deal of talent is lost to the world for want of a little courage. When you act out of fear, you create what you fear. All of my clients have been praised and admired for their talent. You'd think that they have plenty of self-confidence and assurance in their abilities. Unfortunately the exact opposite is true. They believe that they are supposed to live up to some ideal image and whenever they don't think they've measured u ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Is Creative Block Just Part Of Your Process? By: Valery Satterwhite | - Blocked! Words are not spilling onto the page; color choices elude you; you can't embody the character you've been chosen to portray. Simply put, you're stuck! It's not the first time you've been stuck and certainly not the last if you're a creative being. In your stuck-ness you beat yourself up, and often others, in your frustration and anxiety over your creative blocks. You worry that you may not have another creative thought, an inspired moment, ever again! Your life will be over! Argh!! A ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Your Exhaustion Is Really Inner Critic Fear By: Valery Satterwhite | - Many people come to me complaining that they're tired, exhausted, unable to find balance in their life. Some have incredibly busy schedules and others live a life of casual leisure. Yet, both are exhausted. I also know people who have either busy or leisurely schedules who are not tired, they are full of energy and rarely, if ever, tire. What's the difference?
The Key To Expressing Full Creative Potential By: Valery Satterwhite | - "Love is a force that connects us to every strand of the universe, an unconditional state that characterizes human nature, a form of knowledge that is always there for us if only we can open ourselves to it" - Emily Hilburn Sell
You were born with a magnificent gift. You came into this physical world bundled with all the wisdom and tools to create; create your life, create your artistic expression. If you are having any difficulty in expressing your full potential in any area of ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Why Successful Actors Self-sabotage By: Valery Satterwhite | - I opened up Sunday's Parade Magazine and read an article about "The Mixed-Up Life of Shia LaBeouf" written by Dotson Rader. Shia is a 23-year old wildly successful actor who's latest film is "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen". I saw the irony in the title of the article and the title of the movie.
How To Let Go Of Being Right To Get What You Want By: Valery Satterwhite | - Your Inner Critic, that nagging internal voice of self-doubt and fear loves to be right! Being right, to that egoistic nagger, is associated with being worthy. In order to feel worthy you have to be right! At the expense of everything else you want in life. Would you rather be right or happy?
Showing up in your life is, indeed, an ingredient to success in any endeavor. How you show up, what your state of being is, defines what it is you succeed in creating, experiencing. Do you show up insecure, doubtful, full of fear or do you show up present, standing centered in the truth of who you are, fully engaged in your dreams, your desires? Both states of being succeed in creating an outcome. The former cre ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
The Key Driver Of Creative Success By: Valery Satterwhite | - What drives you to succeed as a creative person? Is it the dream of fame, wealth and recognition? Is the thought of seeing your name up in lights what propels you out of bed in the morning? Having such a strong and clear goal is a definite motivator and, if you work hard and pay your dues, you can absolutely achieve that goal. However, if you want to be successful without the feeling that you are battling your way through life your motivation to get out of that comfy bed in the morning has to ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Underneath any unwanted self-sabotaging pattern of behavior is fear. These undesirable experiences can include career self-sabotage, any form of addiction, workaholic or shopaholic lifestyles, a series of bad relationships in your personal and professional life and constant financial struggles.
Discover Your Muse: Intuition By: Valery Satterwhite | - "The only real valuable thing is intuition." - Albert Einstein
Everyone was born with the magical power of intuition. Intuition is a clear flow of information that is available to you that is aligned with you highest path and purpose. Intuition is one of the most amazing resources at your disposal. Heeding the wisdom of your intuition will help you avoid roadblocks and unwanted detours as you create your life experience. So why do so many people either ignore or throw their intu ... Tags:creativity, creativity coach, intuition, artist block, anxiety, inner wizard, inner critic
The Key To Financial Freedom For Artists, Actors, Writers & Musicians By: Valery Satterwhite | - Well-meaning, yet woefully misguided, advice from parents, teachers and other loved ones such as "You'll never make a living as an artist" has become the foundational belief and mantra of the artist's Inner Critic. What's worse is that this also woefully misguided Inner Critic loves to be right and will serve up proof and evidence of this belief and beat you up with it day in and day out to make sure that you do, or not do, what it takes to keep this foundational belief in place. Acting upon the ... Tags:creative, authenticity, creativity coach, artist block, anxiety, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Empowerment Tips From George Michael - Pop Star By: Valery Satterwhite | - Spending an entire day at an airport dealing with one flight delay after another was once a nightmare for me. I have since learned to look for the gift in every experience. My recent, and much anticipated, trip to Italy began with such an unexpected day. Instead of pouting thinking my entire trip was off to a bad start I decided to look for the gift; and found it.
Top 3 Creative Sinkholes By: Valery Satterwhite | - In my conversations with artists, actors, writers, singers and musicians I've noticed a pattern of three 'sinkholes' that suck the creative energy right out of a person. There are various nuances and sub-categories within the top three but for the sake of brevity I've sorted the big energy drainers into the following three funnels:
1. Living a Conditioned, Nurtured Life
"Man is the only creature who refuses to be what he is." - Albert Camus
How To Discover True Nature Vs. Conditioned Nurture By: Valery Satterwhite | - The most empowering question anyone can ask of a child, or even an adult, is "Who do you want to be when you grow up?" A child will respond with wide-eyed wonderment and enthusiasm while the adult will often respond with a woeful look of that was then, this is now retort.
"He who trims himself to suit everyone will soon whittle himself away." ~ Raymond Hull
You Are Enrolled In A Cosmic Grade School By: Valery Satterwhite | - Welcome to your life, the attendance in a universal elementary school of sorts, where you are here to learn, develop and enjoy your being. You are here to learn your ABC's of Abundance, Being-ness and Consciousness. In the rich generative soil of physical reality you are meant to grow and blossom.
Are Power-sites Sucking Your Life Energy? By: Valery Satterwhite | - "The only way to predict the future is to have power to shape the future." - Eric Hoffer You have the power to shape your future the way you want it to unfold. You are a magnificent and magically powerful being. You are blessed with the gift to create all that you desire to experience in this life. You live in a world rich in abundance that is yours to enjoy and to contribute your unique expression. You were given this power to enable you to assert your full potential.
How To Resolve Instead Of Just Solve Problems By: Valery Satterwhite | - "I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me!" - Dr. Seuss
In these hectic, often stressful days, many people measure themselves on their ability, or inability, to solve problems or "put out fires" in their daily life. A successful day is a day when problems are solved. However, the same kinds of problems keep coming up. Pe ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, empower, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Life is a series of ups and downs, twists and turns. You can approach the roller coaster of life with arms high in the air; willingly and ready for whatever comes next. Or you can grip the handlebars and fear for your life. The choice is yours. A "next" is guaranteed if you are still breathing. As such, change is inevitable and certain.
How To Slay The Fear Monger Through Creativity By: Valery Satterwhite | - Fear cripples creativity. Nothing new there. We've all experienced fear as we reach for inspiration, motivation and satisfaction. Fear dwells at the bottom of the pit of desperation. Fear is the lowest of lows.
I have a client who came to me and said that she felt like she was stuck in a vat of peanut butter, unable to make any headway in her career as artist. She was frustrated, exhausted and, most of all, disappointed in herself. What little energy she had left was spent beat ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, intuition, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Stuck? You May Be Alice In Wonderland By: Valery Satterwhite | - I encourage everyone to reread the stories that awed and entertained us as children. I guarantee you will find new meaning as an adult in the works of Lewis Carroll, Dr. Seuss, Frank Baum and his Wizard of Oz series, and more. These authors delivered powerful life affirming messages to us as children. Often we missed, or simply didn't understand the profound wisdom, in the words of our bedtime stories.
Perfectionist? Meet The High Achiever By: Valery Satterwhite | - "Art knows no limit, and the artists will never achieve perfection." - Bente Borsum
Bente Borsum is a talented actress who performed with the Norwegian National Theatre and was a director of the Norwegian National Drama School. As a mentor and teacher, she works with younger artists who need professional expertise and encouragement. I found this quote, one of many; to be particularly profound because so many talented people hold themselves back from their work, their full creative ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, procrastinate, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Fear Success? Top 5 Indicators By: Valery Satterwhite | - "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us." - Marianne Williamson
It's strange to think that fear of succeeding could be such a big issue and do much damage. I've found it to be a common underlying source of paralysis and a unyielding block for many of the creative people I mentor each day. What's even stranger is that the people who suffer most profoundly from ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, procrastination, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Blocked Creatively? Here's A Get Out Of Jail Free Card By: Valery Satterwhite | - The most damaging restrictions on a creative person's freedom are self-imposed. What may have started out as a new idea, a new methodology, becomes routine, a habit, after awhile. Habits are the comfort zone. Once snuggled into a comfort zone there is a tendency to stay. However, this is not what a creator is here to do. Staying in a comfort zone habitually creating the same kind of thing over and over again does not feed the artist's soul. Comfort zones are safe. Comfort zones bore creative pe ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, procrastinate, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Many people fill their days with thoughts of who they want to be, what they want to do and what they want to have. "I want financial freedom. I want a new car. I want to take a vacation this year. I want to learn another language. I want to be in a committed relationship. I want to land the role of my dreams. I want a gallery to show my painting. I want to lose 10 pounds. I want to write ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, intuition, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
When you show up naked, vulnerable, authentic and open, you allow others to genuinely see who you are. You've heard the old adage, "Actions Speak Louder than Words". It's true. When you fully realize that what you do is the fullest expression of who you are, you are enlightened. You honor the integrity of you. What you do honors your authenticity. You live consistently with the highest realization of wha ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, empower, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
Success Comes With A New Pair Of Glasses By: Valery Satterwhite | - "Every man takes the limits of his own vision for the limits of the world." - Arthur Schopenhauer
Four people on four different street corners witness the same traffic accident. The police arrive and ask each of the four people to describe what happened. And get four different versions of how the event happened.
Which of the four witnesses is right about what happened?
For many artists, challenges are very personal. And one of the biggest challenges is the Critic in the room, the Inner Critic. This gnarly Inner Critic is the voice of your self-doubt and fear. It is the emotional ties that bind you, hold you back, keep you stuck, limit you in what you think is possible for you as an artist. This Inner Critic will critique and beat you up more than any audience o ... Tags:creative, creativity, creativity coach, artist, artist block, stress, empower, empowerment, inner wizard, inner critic
