Be More with Less

simplicity is love

Spark and Tinder for Creative Flow and Fire

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When I work with someone who is afraid that their idea isn’t good enough, or they are worried that they won’t know enough to move forward, it makes me smile with hope and anticipation. They have the spark and tinder, but they are missing a few ingredients to fuel their fire.

They are sometimes missing

  • confidence
  • clarity
  • creative flow
  • support
  • instruction
  • momentum

But I still smile, because I know that together, we can bring their idea to life and that tiny spark will become a dream realized. The thing is, we all possess those very important elements listed above, but we are too busy, worried or unfocused to recognize and access them.

If you have the spark and tinder, the rest will unfold. Some of it needs a little nudge or push, but with the glimmer of an idea (spark) and an open, willing participant (tinder), anything is possible.

Tiny sparks and big hearts

I’m excited to share these recent projects by clients. They all started with a tiny spark and the big open-hearted courage to share their work with the world.

Debbie started Recovering Shopaholic  to share her journey to curb her buying habits and trade a full closet for a full life – and inspire others to do the same! Thanks to the course, I have a full toolbox full of suggestions to help me along the way.  I am confident that I will be able to create a thriving community and business through taking the steps recommended by Courtney. 

Sandra is expanding her writing and editing business at Envision Writing & Editing and attracting clients that are just right for what she does best. The Goodblog Project helped me establish clear priorities and eliminate the unnecessary, time-consuming fluff.  Courtney’s personal guidance helped me hone in on what it is I really what to do and then differentiate my services accordingly.  As a result, I have a regular flow of new clients.  I’m writing online articles for a natural skin care company and just finished editing a thesis on Buddhism and caregiving.

Ally transformed her site: Find Your Flow. The Goodblogger course helped me cut out the unnecessary and focus on what really matters. With Courtney’s guidance I was able to find clarity in the direction I wanted to go in with my blog and how to differentiate myself in a very crowded niche. The course was a perfect blend of inspiration and practical information. I also enjoyed connecting with the other Goodbloggers and getting their input as well.

Jennie at Bighorn Mountain Mama is using her blog to face depression head on and inspiring moms to love themselves as much as the people they give birth to.

Daniela expanded and redesigned Little Platypus – life with a tiny traveler. The goodblog project reinforced the concept of trusting myself. I met great and inspiring people. I learned some technical stuff and we shared tools, websites and ideas, and last but not least (and the main reason I took it) it helped me to create my blog.

Paula Jo started a Paula Jo Photo Designs, a photo blog to feature her art and to teach people to become better photographers. I had some real aha moments during the GoodBlog class in January this year.  I realized I was going at my blog and business backwards.  I was setting up my blog really for what I liked and wanted and wasn’t thinking about what people would want or need.  Courtney helped me pare down my site and seek to meet the needs of my readers, think through who my ideal customer might be, and how to provide them with value and great content.   

Monica from Low Impact Betty is launching a new site and skin care line called Bare Bones. These skin care products contain no animal products and are not tested on animals. The new site and products will be available for men and women on Tuesday, April 16 at barebonesbody.com.

Brigitte sharpened her German site den Stift versehen. This was a very professional course in the sense of materials provided and coaching offered, in such a warm and loving attitude that you can discuss every fear and objection you ever feelt regarding you’re writing and promotion. I’m so glad i did it , and it will take me further. It was no problem at all, that my site is in German and I’m living in a different time zone.

Mark started a brand to site Minimalist Couple to share his journey with minimalism and to inspire couples to work together. Less stuff = more love! The support, advice and depth of knowledge from both Courtney and the whole group made the Goodblog experience so worthwhile. I was so inspired, that I started a new website with my fiance Jess, called Minimalist Couple. We are so excited about our new direction, thanks to the inspiration from the GoodBlog Project.

Robert is working on a 30-day digital minimalism e-course. The e-course will give subscribers practical information about how to manage their entire digital life including social media, email, photos, backups and more, as well as helping them create useful mental frameworks for processing digital information in the future.

Beverly from PoMo Golightly pitched a proposal to teach “Savvy Storytelling” at a big fiber arts event and it was accepted. I’m thrilled, especially since the idea for the class developed out of my good blog project work!

So what makes them special? How did they face fear and uncertainty and send their work out to the world? They are men and women from different backgrounds, living all over the world, so what did they have in common that made them turn their spark into fire and their ideas into reality?

3 Simple Common Factors

  • They asked for help. Each of them had the guts to reach out and say, I think I have this great idea, what do you think. Or, I know I want to do something different, but I don’t know what.
  • They took action. Fear and uncertainty were just as present for them as it is for everyone, but they moved through it. They didn’t fight it or swallow it or spend much time trying to overcome it. They simply kept moving.
  • They were gracious. Every person I’ve worked with is so open and grateful and they demonstrate that not just in words, but by helping and encouraging each other.

These creative risk takers have other special qualities, but if you are looking for the answer to how to get started, how to launch your idea or how to make a spark a flame, ask for help, take action, and be gracious. The rest will follow.

Comments

  2. Community and encouragement are so important when you make the leap to pursue something you love. These folks are truly inspirational and move me to buckle down and get busy.

  3. This list is amazing – full of people who are not letting fear get in the way of doing something, anything that fulfills them and moves them closer to their real purpose on this planet. It is hard to know what you are here to do, but even harder to figure it out and do it. We have been told all of our lives that when our true purpose in living comes to light, everything will just fall in place. But they didn’t tell us how much fear, doubt and anxiety would be involved in taking hold of the bull by the horns. Congratulations to all for doing what needs to be done, despite the emotions.

  4. Thanks for bringing together all of the great work from the participants of this course. I am still learning more and more by working through your course, and I know my future work’s success has a lot to do with you and your course. Thanks again Courtney.

  5. Hey Courtney,

    Thanks for putting together such a great list.

    Fear is what stops so many of us from fulfilling our potential and from creating our best life. In truth, there are many things on the list of likely obstacles: procrastination, laziness, ignorance, indifference, ego and a bunch of other stuff, but without doubt, at the top of most lists, is fear.

    Craig

  7. Courtney, I can’t thank you enough for your help during the course. Not only did I get some great ideas and input in January, I now have resources and a community that will help me going forward. I am so honored to have participated!

  8. This is one of the most inspirational entries for me. It pushes me to make my blog better and produce good quality information. Thank you for sharing all of these new bloggers with us.

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