Welcome to Rise and Thrive

Welcome to Rise and Thrive, a dynamic three-part series designed to prepare you and your creative mind for a powerful year.

You might be thinking, “I’m going to take January slow and ease my way into the new year.” Or maybe you started preparing for 2024 in October 2023.

Either way, time started ticking as soon as 2024 began. Wherever you’re starting from, you deserve to put your best foot forward and tackle this year with everything you’ve got. Over the next few weeks, our Thrive Guides will take you every step of the way to shape your success through reflection, strategy, and most importantly, action. If you have a vision that you want to bring to life, you’re in the right place.

In today’s Thrive Guide, we’ll begin with what matters most to your creative business: YOU.

Proper Mindset Going Into This

As a creative, your mind is your palace. It’s where your ideas are stored and the gateway to bringing them to life. Creatives are visionaries who are capable of seeing the unseen with their minds. This is a powerful trait to have.

However, the ability to see positive visions comes with the ability to see negative visions. If unmanaged, this can cause feelings such as fear to settle in and hinder your progress before you even begin. Your imagined feelings and emotions can enter your mindspace and either jeopardize or enhance your creative vision.

Feelings to Get Rid of ASAP

It will be impossible to tackle the new year with a defeated, “woe is me” mindset. This mindset often stems from a few specific feelings that become obstacles to your plans. The only way to remove them is by courageously identifying and rejecting them outright. Avoid these feelings at all costs or learn to ignore them. Whatever you do, do not fall for them. Here are five feelings you should watch out for:

Feeling 1: Overwhelmed by too many ideas and not enough action

How to avoid: Prioritization. Know what your goals are and what you need to do to reach them. Break down each step into manageable tasks. Establish a roadmap so you can focus on one step at a time. Manage the endless stream of thoughts and ideas by writing down what matters. We’ll cover this topic more deeply in our next Thrive Guide: Goals & Priorities.

Feeling 2: Anxiety, the physical manifestation of being overwhelmed

How to avoid: Stay away from unnecessary, overwhelming situations or develop coping mechanisms. As creatives, our minds may lead us to chase dreams out of our comfort zones. Sometimes we have to do things regardless of how we feel in order to bring our visions to life. The mission you’re on is bigger than you, but can’t be completed without you. Keep the larger goal in mind to help you navigate through moments of discomfort.

Feeling 3: Procrastination is a comfy solution

How to avoid: Have a chat with yourself about why procrastination makes more sense than getting things done. If you’re honest, it will be very hard to come up with any logical explanations. Procrastination is the opposite of being productive and thus, the opposite of making your vision a reality. Realizing this is the first step to stop procrastinating. Time to waste is not a luxury we have.

Feeling 4: Discouraged along the way

How to avoid: Immediately address problems and negative feelings that are causing you to second-guess your vision. Never allow negativity to be spoken about you or your business. Remember, negativity is a costly distraction. If you’re the one speaking negativity about you or your business, stop. If you feel stuck, know that results are never immediate and the end isn’t always clear. Regardless, you must remain uncompromising and continue to make sacrifices to meet your goals. Making negativity pit stops along the way is only making the journey longer than it has to be.

Feeling 5: Burnout, the most dreaded of them all

How to avoid: Don’t let your creative flame die. Don’t get so caught up in the day-to-day work that you lose sight of the mission. Reevaluate your passions daily to keep your creative flames lit. Remind yourself of your inspirations and motivations and keep them close. We’ll cover this topic more below.

Feelings to Find and Keep

Now that we know what holes to step over, let’s get back to the stuff that matters. These are the emotions and feelings you should find and hold onto at all costs. Most creatives don’t have to rely much on external inspiration because they are born with the gift of creativity that seemingly allows them to pull inspiration out of thin air.

Nevertheless, you should build on your gift by identifying what truly fires you up about creating. These will become your fuel to keep your creative flames blazing. Find these feelings and learn to draw on their positivity when you need it:

Feeling 1: Motivation

Motivation is the driving force behind your creative endeavors. It’s the energy that propels you forward, even in the face of challenges. Find motivation in the intrinsic reasons that led you to pursue your creative path. Reflect on the impact you wish to make and the personal fulfillment derived from your work. Surround yourself with reminders of your purpose and the positive change your creativity can bring.

Feeling 2: Inspiration

Inspiration is the spark that ignites your creative flame. It can be found in many places – nature, art, books, or everyday experiences. Identify the sources that consistently spark your imagination and make a conscious effort to integrate them into your daily life. Whether it’s a walk in the park, a visit to a museum, or simply observing the world around you, these moments of inspiration are crucial for maintaining a vibrant creative mindset.

Where can you find inspiration?

Incorporating the positive stimuli below into your daily routine creates a rich environment for creativity to flourish. Actively seeking out these sources of motivation and inspiration will allow you to navigate the twists and turns of your entrepreneurial adventure with resilience.

People you enjoy watching: Listening to or watching individuals who share similar creative passions can be a powerful motivator. Seek out podcasts, interviews, or documentaries featuring artists and entrepreneurs in your field. Hearing about their journeys, challenges, and triumphs can provide valuable insights and serve as a reminder that you’re not alone in your creative pursuits.
People you enjoy talking to: Engaging in meaningful conversations with like-minded individuals can be both uplifting and enlightening. Join communities, attend networking events, or connect with fellow creatives online. Sharing experiences, ideas, and challenges with others opens the door to fresh perspectives and collaborative opportunities.
Things you look at and listen to: Visual and auditory stimuli can be a potent source of excitement and inspiration. Surround yourself with artwork or mood boards that capture the essence of your goals. Listen to music that makes you want to tackle your day. Regular exposure to these can reignite your enthusiasm and keep your creative spirit alive.
Activities that inspire action: Identify activities or experiences that propel you into action. Whether it’s attending workshops, participating in collaborative projects, or immersing yourself in a particular creative process, recognize the triggers that inspire you to actively engage with your craft. Cultivate these experiences regularly to maintain a proactive approach to your work.
Things that build your vision: As creatives, our visions are always evolving. Many times, we are juggling multiple visions at once: the vision for business idea #1, the vision for our lifestyle, the vision for our family, the vision for business idea #2, the list goes on. As mentioned earlier, you should define your visions by setting specific, measurable, and achievable goals. Regularly revisit and refine your visions, allowing them to evolve organically as you grow and adapt to new challenges.

Conclusion

Congratulations on taking the first step towards shaping your success! Now, you should take some time to reflect on what we discussed in today’s Thrive Guide:

Getting a Head Start: Don’t wait to start preparing
Acknowledging Your Mind as a Palace: Guard your creative space
Rejecting Negative Feelings: Identify and disregard hindering emotions.
Nurturing Your Creative Flames: Find what fires you up
Hunting for Positive Feelings: Seek and cultivate positive inspirations

Our next Thrive Guide, Goals & Priorities, will give you the roadmap for making big plans. Stay tuned as we continue on this transformative journey together.