We’re wrapping up Season Six of Creative Lift: Ring in a New Year of Creativity.

If you’ve found this post around the time it was published, 2023 has just begun. In this season, we’ve been exploring what it might mean to frame our new year as a story rather than a slog. What if instead of deadlines and must-dos, you had an unfolding story to follow? What if instead of a list, you had a map to guide your path, giving you plenty of opportunities to chart your own way?

The thing about not controlling everything, though, is that while some surprises are exciting and enjoyable, others present themselves as challenges and unexpected obstacles. As you continue to take your next right step, and follow the creative journey where it leads, opportunities and challenges will arise.

Whether you’re facing a challenge or an opportunity, you can ask the same question: What if …?

  • What if I tried …
  • What if the opposite were true?
  • What if I asked for support with …?
  • What if the obstacle was the way forward?

If the obstacle is the way forward, work can become play. And while that’s fun, it’s also more effective. We tend to do everything better when we can access playful, joy-filled energy. In today’s episode, Lean Into the What If, we’ll explore how to use “What if…?” as a doorway into flow.

LISTEN IN:

 

 

EPISODE LINKS:

Design Thinking for Writers: Create a Compelling Character

Find me on Instagram: @naomikinsman

Find Alex on Instagram: @ag.doherty

 

You can also help others find the show by rating and reviewing it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to the show. Your words make such a difference for them—and for me, as I continue to create this show. Many, many thanks in advance. And of course, a big thank you to Alex for joining me in this conversation, and for editing the show.