“A tree as big around as you can reach starts with a small seed; a thousand mile journey starts with one step.”
— Lao-tse

find a partner

You will first need to connect with a committed partner — someone who is sincerely supportive and encouraging.

She can be an email-pal from a foreign country or the girl next door, simply connect with someone within your community who shares the same passion for creative well-being or connect online with our circle search!

Honor your roles as the creative and the supportive

The creative:
The creative honors her time by being focused and prepared. She in searching for insight and knowledge as she nurtures her creative spirit. She is specific about her needs and states clearly the type of support and feedback she'd like to receive.

The supportive:
The supportive receives the information by being totally present and focused, taking notes as needed. She reflects the information given in a way that is supportive and encouraging and reminds the creative of her stepping stones and goals for the season.

creative goals journal

Your creative goals journal is used to document specific information that will help define your creative process and keep you focused on moving forward with your goals. Your journal is your private piece, but there may be times when you'll need to refer to it to express something to your creative goals sister. A blank book or notebook and your favorite pen is all you need.

schedule your meetings

The key to your success is maintaining regular meetings! There are 12 meeting to a season, alternating the meetings to give each of you an opportunity to be the creative and the supportive. Half-hour meetings are suggested for those corresponding by phone or in person. Email creative goals sisters simply write one another on the dates scheduled. Mark your meetings in your daily calendar and honor your dates!

Copy the meeting's schedule in your journal according to the meeting. Each meeting is set up something like this:

day: (Schedule your meetings two weeks apart for one half hour. Six meetings for each creative goals sister to focus on her creative journey. Can be scheduled back to back for one hour. Separate days or alternate weeks.)

time:

meetings agenda: (The creative clearly states her intentions for the meeting, describing what she'd like to focus on. Ex. Having trouble getting a babysitter. Need space.)

stepping stones: (Any steps you've taken toward your creative goals.)

brainstorming notes: (The creative and the supportive brainstorm thoughts and ideas specific to the creative's creative journey — the creative takes notes in her journal)

feedback: (The supportive honestly assesses the thoughts and comments of the creative and shares her supportive suggestions refraining from giving direct solutions.)

prep work!

Prepare for your first meeting and the season by taking inventory on your creative journey and goals with the following writing exercises. All exercises are to be written (or printed and pasted from your computer) in your creative goals journal — take your time and write them in a calm and relaxing place.

creative journey exercise:

Describe your creative journey, past and present, using the creative well-being quiz and categories listed to guide you. Include any creative mentors, road-blocks and/or passages you feel significant to your creative journey.

understanding my creative process
my sacred place
alone time
communicating my needs
journal writing
my personal environment
being consciously present
support and encouragement
my creative reservoir (a collection of materials, thoughts and ideas)

living your creativity exercise:

Using the categorized examples of creative goals and stepping stones to guide you, describe in detail your ideal for living your creativity. State any specific goals you have for pursuing your passions and creative well-being and highlight them.


understanding my creative process: I will start charting my creative cycle. I will discuss creative inventory questions once a week with a friend or join a sister i circle.

sacred place: I will define a corner of my bedroom as mine to journal and meditate. I will create a proper painting studio in my basement.

alone time: I will schedule a babysitter once a week for 2 hours. I will go on a weekend retreat.

communicating my creative needs: I will ask my partner to share in the responsibilities of family domestics. I will suggest a family routine — while enjoying after-dinner desert we also share our creative journeys.

journal writing: I will purchase or make a journal. I will write the silent word each morning in my journal and reflect on my creative journey through the season.

personal environment: I will cleanse my home by saying good-bye to things that don't express my creative spirit or my family's. I will design and build a pergola for my outside dining room.

being present: I will try to appreciate the simple subtleties that occur in my daily life. I will meditate each evening after the kids go to bed.

support and encouragement: I will allow myself to vent to a trusted friend. I will start a sister i circle, even if it's with one other person.

creative reservoir (a collection of materials, thoughts and ideas): I will go to the beach and collect stones for my garden. I will check out books at the library and take notes for my book ideas.

Summarize the above information and use this to communicate to your creative goals sister during your first meeting. Include any additional information to help your creative goals sister understand and be supportive of your creative journey.

creative goals sisters guide

The creative goals sisters guide is your format to guide one another as you move forward with your creative goals through the season. The creative copies the bold print in her creative goals journal, but both use the format to guide their meeting. While the creative is expressing her thoughts, goals and visions, the listener takes notes and gives her positive, but constructive, feedback when appropriate and during the positive feedback section of the meeting. If you are emailing one another, collect the feedback and file it in your journal, otherwise decide together whether you'd like to share copies of your feedback notes.

For meeting example see scheduling.

the creative

The first meeting. (opening the season)

Your first meeting is to build an understanding of one another's creative journeys and to set a schedule for the season.

day:
time:
meeting agenda: the creative shares notes, thoughts and passages from her journal exercise with the supportive sister.
creative goals for the season: (use the guiding questions below and share with support sister)


This season I would like to focus on nurturing/defining these areas:

creative process
sacred place
alone time
communicating your needs
journal writing
personal environment
being conscious
junk box (collecting materials)
support and encouragement

Describe your creative relationship with the given season. Does your creative spirit feel dormant, budding, or in full bloom?

My creative goals (creative pursuit) for living my creativity are:




Describe any stepping stones you would like to take action on by the end of the season:

1.

2.

3.


Commit to at least one stepping stone that you can take action on in the coming two weeks:


positive feedback from creative goals sister:


second meeting
day:
time:
meeting agenda: (states her intentions for the meeting)
reflective stepping stones/challenges: (any steps you've taken toward your creative goals or challenges you've faced)
brainstorming notes: (brainstorm together — the creative takes notes in her journal)
positive feedback: (thoughts, comments and supportive suggestions from the supportive sister)
closing stepping stones: (the creative commits to at least one stepping stone until next meeting)


third meeting
day:
time:
meeting agenda: (states her intentions for the meeting)
reflective stepping stones/challenges: (any steps you've taken toward your creative goals or challenges you've faced)
brainstorming notes: (brainstorm together — use a page in your creative goals journal)
positive feedback: (thoughts, comments and supportive suggestions from the supportive sister)
closing stepping stones: (the creative commits to at least one stepping stone until next meeting)


fourth meeting
day:
time:
meeting agenda: (states her intentions for the meeting)
reflective stepping stones/challenges: (any steps you've taken toward your creative goals or challenges you've faced)
brainstorming notes: (brainstorm together — the creative takes notes in her journal)
positive feedback: (thoughts, comments and supportive suggestions from the supportive sister)
closing stepping stones: (the creative commits to at least one stepping stone until next meeting)


fifth meeting
day:
time:
meeting agenda: (states her intentions for the meeting)
reflective stepping stones/challenges: (any steps you've taken toward your creative goals or challenges you've faced)
brainstorming notes: (brainstorm together — the creative takes notes in her journal)
positive feedback: (thoughts, comments and supportive suggestions from the supportive sister)
closing stepping stones: (the creative commits to at least one stepping stone until next meeting)


sixth meeting (closing the season)
day:
time:
meeting agenda: Revisit creative goals from first meeting. Congratulate one another on your creative journeys and discuss/plan a fitting celebration — either together or on your own.
closing feedback: (thoughts, comments and supportive suggestions from the supportive sister)
schedule next season: Look over your schedules and get ready for the next season!