Beyond the Blues

All artists are crazy. We've all heard that old cliche. And within that ignorant and often mean-spirited indictment of creative personalities is a grain of truth. Crazy, of course, is not a diagnosis, and I actually take it as a compliment. Crazy--in this context anyway-- means, to me, imaginative, liberated, uninhibited, creative.

But it's also true that many creatives suffer from depression, anxiety and other psychological disorders. From Vincent Van Gogh to Virginia Woolf, from William Styron to Kurt Cobain, the list of artistic luminaries who have grappled with mental illness is a long one. Fortunately, talk therapy and the advent of effective psychiatric medications have made it easier for those suffering to find relief and learn ways to cope with their conditions. Read more in Therese Brocahrd's article:

Dealing with depression to access our creativity


While there is greater awareness and acceptance, for some people a shame or perceived stigma surrounding mental illness still remains. This can delay, impede or thwart treatment. I have had clients who resist treatment because they fear medications, and sometimes therapy, will stifle or stunt their creativity. This is largely a myth. The reverse is more likely the case. If you don't get help, your creative well may seem to dry up. Reach out and you will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly you will be able to access that pool of infinite imaginative possibilities.

If you are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety that persist for longer than a couple of weeks, please seek help from a mental health professional.

Drive safe Play nice. Think peace.

aba

Fail Safe

"Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."-- Samuel Beckett

A client recently admonished me to "knock off the chipper 'try, try again' nonsense." It's not so easy, he contended, to keep plugging away at something that shows no apparent evidence of ever amounting to much.

I can't argue with that. He's been toying with the same book project for over four years, having little luck with agents, publishers or, quite frankly, motivation to complete it.

But perseverance is as difficult as it is necessary. But if you are driven to succeed at anything, you will have to summon it. Somehow, some way.

When frustration sets in, ask yourself some important questions: why am I doing this? What do I expect from it? Is the pursuit of this particular goal, project, dream instilling even a modicum of joy into my life?

And don't farm them out. These are not questions to be answered by your spouse, mom, boss, coach, best friend or neighborhood yenta. Listen carefully to your honest answers.

If the object of your pursuit no longer holds the magic, sway or interest it once did, that's okay. It's merely a sign that it's time to move on. Too many of us chase around that one dream like a dog with a chewed up bone, out of habit more than real desire.

Maybe you need to take a breather. Or simply change course. Try something else. But don't give up. You might be done with that particular book, painting, rock band, invention. So what if it never came to fruition? Maybe it wasn't meant to.

Let that dream go, release its grip on your time and psyche. And embrace new possibilities. Relish this new chance to try again. To fail again. Failing better this time. Next time, you might even succeed.

Drive safe. play nice. Think peace.

aba

Novel Approach

Been there. Not done that. Osmosis doesn't work. Just thinking about it doesn't work. Talking about it really doesn't work.

What may work? To paraphrase Dorothy Parker: putting the ass in the chair and hitting the keyboard-- or if you're like me-- the legal pad. And without a Rosetta Stone I can hardly read my own chicken scratch. So I'm motivated to head to the computer for that first re-write. Now that works for me. Most of the time.

Try it. And if you need more motivational nudges, keep coming back. You can also call or write for a creativity coaching consultation. The first session's on me.

Drive safe. play nice. Think peace.

aba

Putting Off Procrastination

"Do Not wait; the time will never be 'just right.' Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along." -- George Herbert, English author (1593-1633)

Wish I said that. I say it--or something like-- it almost everyday. To my clients. And to myself. So many of us procrastinate, squandering valuable time and energy.

It sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but when it comes to creative endeavors, think less, and do more. Of course, there's almost always some thinking involved. But don't think your way out of a project. And don't talk about it before or during the creative process. You will defuse the flow of creative energy and often abandon the project once it's been released into the universe as a spoken idea.

I know many artists who've sabotaged themselves in this way. I've done it myself. It's exhilarating to talk about what you're doing while you're doing it. But it's far more thrilling once the work is completed--or at least--well on its way.

If you've been putting off a creative project--a poem, story, book,song, painting, garden, etc,-- now is the time to start. Don't waste time worrying about the daunting scope of the project. You can't possibly finish it all at once. All I ask is that you take one small step. Today. Spend whatever time you can spare. Even an hour. Even fifteen minutes.

If you need a nudge, if you crave permission: I'm giving it to you now. This is my gift to you: time to revel in your own creative playground.

And please don't fret over results. Just enjoy the process today. And tomorrow, too. After that we'll get serious. About play.

The only thing to put off today is procrastination.

If you'd like to discuss how a creativity coach can help you play with your artistic blocks and find your true voice, call me: (914)939-5579. Or e-mail me: abrwites@optonline.net.Let's start a creative conversation.

Drive safe. Play nice. Think peace.

aba

Change in a Safe Space

If you are sufficiently tenacious and interested, you can achieve what you want in this world.-- Alice Neel, painter.

Think about the following statements: Change is hard. Change is exciting. Which one sounds more inviting?

Approaching any change--career, relationship, diet, etc.--with the belief that it will be a long, arduous slog is far more daunting to most of us than if we embrace the change as an adventure. Re-framing the way we look at the world is the first step of finding happiness with our lives as they currently are and successfully handling transitions and effectively achieving goals.

Easier said than done, I know. And that's where an effective coach comes in. As a creativity coach I can help you define your goals and focus on the area or areas in your life that you'd like to change, expand and explore.

As a professionally trained coach and counselor with both a Masters degree in Counseling and Human Development and post-graduate work in Personal Coaching, I have helped clients in one-on-one sessions as well as through writing and personal growth workshops for ten years. I am also a professional writer--a journalist, award-winning playwright and fledgling novelist-- and radio talk show host. I have faced my share of transitions as I've navigated from the driver's seat the bumpy ride that a creative life often traverses.

I can help you:

set realistic goals
create and implement action plans
explore creative and spiritual arenas
conquer artistic blocks
work on relationships

As your coach I will: offer you a SAFE SPACE where you will always be heard, validated, encouraged and held accountable to your goals.

Coaching is a rewarding, inter-active process. As we forge this unique partnership, we will collaborate on an amazing journey of positive growth and change.

Phone sessions are available; so no matter where you are, I can be accessible to you. In person sessions and workshops are available by arrangement in New York and Connecticut, though many local clients also find phone sessions more convenient and intimate.

I invite you to start a creative conversation.

Call me at (914) 939-5579 or
e-mail: abwrites@optonline.net

Thank you.

Drive safe. Play nice. Think peace.

Amy Beth Arkawy

Initial consultations are, of course, complimentary. Fees are reasonable.

Creative Age

Frank McCourt relished his role as Fitzgerald slayer. The famed high school teacher turned author--who died last month at 78--loved to put the kibosh on F. Scott Fitzgerald's famous line,"There are no Second Acts in American life." McCourt, who published his first book, the blockbuster bestseller Angela's Ashes at 66( followed by 'Tis and Teacher Man) often called the last decade of his life his best.

So I'm sure he'd delight in being my opening salvo in a motivational nudge I recently gave a client deeply entrenched in a procrastinational funk. "I'm too old to start writing a book now," she said, lamenting her approaching birthday. I'm not sure where she got such a silly notion, but she's not alone. I've had many clients and students who think they're too old to pursue their dreams. Unless your dream is to, say, play shortstop for the Mets or dance in the NYC Ballet, I'm pretty sure they are within reach. Think of it this way: you're still--God willing--going to turn 40,50,60, whatever age you deem too old. Wouldn't your rather reach that dubious milestone doing something you love?

The truth is creativity knows no age. Actually, the art of creating helps you stay young, keeping you in touch with the child within, letting you engage in the states of exploration and play. And whatever your age, you've presumably accrued experience along the way. This can only help enrich the art you create.

Besides McCourt examples of late-blooming artists abound. Grandma Moses didn't even start painting until her 70's; her late-in-life career kept her thriving, creating the American folk art that has immortalized her well into her 90's. Maya Angelou didn't publish anything until her 40's. Neither did Ellen Gilchrist;the National Book Award winning short story writer and novelist once said writing keeps her young,"makes me forget I'm not young anymore." There are examples from the youth-obsessed entertainment industry, too. Noted character actor John Mahoney--famous for his TV role as Frasier's dad (and numerous movie parts)ditched his job as a text book editor in his 40's to pursue acting.Julia Child was over fifty when she published her first ground-breaking cook book;and she was well into her fifties when she stormed the small screen, becoming the first celebrity TV chef. Country singers K.T. Oslin and Buddy Jewel didn't hit the charts until their 40's. And Britain's Got Talent finalist and YouTube sensation Susan Boyle is recording her first album at the tender age of 48. The Pope just signed a record deal, and he's in his 80's. Now that news makes almost everyone feel young!

There's nothing like immersing yourself in a creative project to infuse your life with youthful energy. So dive into the creative well. It's the ultimate fountain of youth.So what are you waiting for? You're not getting any younger.

Drive safe. Play nice. think peace.

aba

You Gotta Believe

My childhood love affairs with the famous Dragon Coaster and the New York Mets prepared me for the ups and downs of a creative career.

The anticipation. The ascension. The dips. These are all part of every roller coaster ride. And every season, every game ( sometimes every inning). And they all play roles in most creative careers, too.

Just entering historic Rye Playland filled my youthful heart with magic and wonder. When I was straddling the middle between Kiddie Land and the Big rides, I would wait in line, standing tall, working a nasty little hole in the tip of my sneakers, hoping, praying I'd make the height line. I used to base my summer's success on the number of visits my family made to Playland.

When I finally made it onto the Dragon Coaster,I remember that queasy feeling that crept from my stomach to my head as we boarded the ride cars, buckled in for a wild, raucous, three minute romp. Kids would titter, giggle, laugh even before the ride started. The laughter, the screaming reached a crescendo as we took our first big, thrilling dip.

I loved it all. Until. Until the summer I turned seventeen and got a job ( actually begged for a job) as a relief ticket-taker. I'd roam the grounds of the hallowed Playland, proudly wearing my red and white striped carnival barker's shirt, filling in for the regular ticket-takers on a variety of rides, including my beloved Dragon Coaster. Somehow turning kids away and getting lambasted in a compendium of United Nations' languages sapped all the majesty and mystique out of the Playland experience.

But I still had--and have--my Mets. Hooked on New York's other baseball team by my dad, who had been a fervent Brooklyn Dodgers' fan, I inherited his love for the underdog Amazin's ( and , come to think of it, all underdogs, not to mention my love of writing). I'm too young to remember the 1969 Miracle Mets, but I do know they clinched the World Series against the Orioles on October 16-my mom's birthday. And I'll forever hold Tug McGraw's 1973 inspirational anthem, " You Gotta Believe," in my heart. It's seen me through many hapless seasons. And the glorious 1986 championship season ( here's where Red Sox fans can use the boost), and near misses in 1999 and 2000, a pair of crash-and-burn Septembers in 2007 & 2008. It's helping me hang in this injury-riddled year, hoping, waiting, knowing a recovery is imminent, a comeback is in the offing.

And so it is with my creative career, too. I love the whole shebang--from conceiving a project to executing it; from launching it into the world to fielding feedback from audiences and readers. It's all part of the process. And you have to love it all to make any of it happen. I love the possibilities of a new project, all the details that get discovered, the stories that are fleshed out along the way. I yearn for success, of course, but I embrace the failures too. I've even developed a perverse sort of love for rejection letters. Each one is a symbol of my committment to my work. People have a right to say no. They can't get it right every time. And neither can I. But every stumbling block, every obstacle, they are all part of the thrilling ride.

If you come to play, be prepared to work hard and practice. Accept that you'll strike out a few times. But if your disciplined, you'll get to run the bases. And if you work hard enough and if you're truly lucky you may just hit one out of the park.Maybe even two. Or three.

Hey, you gotta believe!