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Creativity + Money = ??

Updated: Mar 16, 2012 12:43
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I was walking down the street the other night pondering the relationship between creativity and money.  I was walking past an art gallery and looking at the art displayed in the windows, and “poof!” there it was, a large green painting with big white dollar sign in the middle.  Huh, there it is, creativity and money.

What do we all want?  Inner contentedness, a sense of well-being, connection, and love.  Ultimately, we all want to thrive.

When you think of creativity and money, what comes to mind?

I think of disconnection.

I think of “starving artists.”

I think of the power we have to create abundance.

I think of the opportunities for utilizing creativity in financial conversations.

I would love to see more “thriving creatives” and more artistic expression in the world!

I wish for you the opportunity to live your life how you want to live it, to feel secure that your basic needs are met, to experience health, and nurturing relationships.

If you do not have these basic needs met then it turns out that money can “buy happiness” up until a point.  “Emotional well-being increases up until $75,000 in annual income and then levels off,” according to Kahneman and Deaton.

The first important step to opening up to greater abundance is opening up to having a conversation about money.

What are your beliefs about money?  Question them.  Are they true?  Are they true for you now?  Create your own definition of money and what it means to you.  Money is energy, and is not inherently good or bad.

Money is a fact of life and it is a difficult subject for us because of deeply emotionally and psychologically damaging beliefs and associations we have with money.

What would happen if you made more money?  What choices would you make?  Would you support your creative brothers and sisters?  What businesses and organizations would you support?

The fact is, I want you to have more money.  If creative people made more money the world would be a better, healthier, environmentally sound, and peaceful place.

Let’s say that you have established that by making more money you would be able to feel more secure, relaxed, and at peace.

What is the story you are telling about your ability to have what you want?  Is this a story that you want to live?

Think and speak about money positively.  Eliminate negative language around money.  Replace this language with positive realistic versions of what you used to say.  “Every day I am getting more confident with money,” instead of “I am bad with money.”  Pay attention to your language.  Positive Psychology has shown that positive language is critical to creating a habit of positive thoughts and experience.  Research has shown that we can influence our happiness through goals, cognitive habits, and social relationships.  Positive people attract opportunities, jobs, and business.  Say “yes,” to money and “yes” to thriving.  I am an improv actor, and a basic principle of improv is to say “yes,” to your partners’ offers.  Saying “yes,” is critical to creating a scene and story.

Draw, paint, shoot, sing, dance, or write out, in detail, what you would like to experience financially.

Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky has found that social relationships have a greater influence on happiness, by far, than intelligence, income, educational status, and circumstances.

So, what can we do to support each other?

What can we do to create space for our own creativity and to support our creative selves and others?

Buy art, pay for music, see shows, commission creatives, as much as we can in our business and personal lives.

What else?

Attend this workshop on Saturday!

Creativity + Money = ??, March 17th 2pm – 4pm, Rock Paper Scissors Collective, Oakland, CA,  hosted by Devon Kelley-Yurdin and Betsy Crouch “Coach Sizzle”

-Apply your creativity and innovative skills to your relationship with money
-Shift limiting beliefs and perspectives about money to empowering beliefs aligned with your values
-Welcome information and tools to help you translate your creative expression into a successful career and/or business.

Betsy Crouch, “Coach Sizzle,” is the founder of Sizzle Consulting.  She is an entrepreneur, coach, artist, speaker, writer, improv actor, and storyteller.  She has conducted over 4,000 coaching sessions.

Sizzle Consulting provides coaching, workshops and presentations designed to help individuals and organizations thrive.  What is the story you are telling yourself about your life/business?  Let us support you in writing a story in which you thrive!

www.coachsizzle.com

Image by: Devon Kelley-Yurdin

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Betsy Crouch - Coach $izzle

Betsy Crouch - Coach $izzle

Betsy hates to brag, but she grew up in Michigan. An unhappy materialist/rabid consumer turned minimalist, Betsy feels right at home in the warm socially responsible arms of San Francisco. With an Economics degree, a basic financial certification, and a range of personal experience, she has developed a unique financial coaching philosophy. She wants you to feel a sense of serenity with your finances and she shares what she has learned from coaching almost 200 people one on one. Betsy wants you to embrace your "sizzle," and for you to become a more confident and empowered Broke Ass.