For me, 2004 was a year of change. I shifted the focus of my business from graphic design to training and writing, the two activities that I most enjoy. I wrote newsletters, website text, biographies, and grant proposals. I started teaching more classes. I was asked to do training for state agencies, county departments, non-profit organizations, and large corporations. For the first time, I held a public workshop - Live Your Dream!

Like most businesses, mine requires flexible creative muscles. Trust me. I've stared at an empty computer screen with total desperation before writing a single word. I've cleaned house rather than come up with new ideas for training. (Cleaning house is not one of my core strengths, but it's a great avoidance activity.) Tapping into your creative well can be a difficult process.

Do you describe yourself as "not creative"? Or do you think of yourself as creative, but you hit a wall every once in awhile? It turns out that creativity is like any other skill. It works best when it is practiced. But how do you practice creativity?

Remember that there are two very different types of thinking skills:

• Divergent thinking - the ability to come up with many diverse ideas.
• Convergent thinking - the ability to logically evaluate and choose the best idea or answer.

I think of these as similar to the right and left sides of the brain. The left brain processes information in a logical, linear sequence. The right side processes information randomly, holistically, using intuition. In order to be truly creative and productive, we have to develop both skills.

Here's a quick exercise to develop your divergent thinking skills. Pick any object in your office and brainstorm other uses for that object. Get irrational. Do not censor yourself. After all, you are not really going to use your computer monitor as a shot-put or your coffee cup as a cap. The idea is to get your creative juices percolating. Let me know what you come up with as a result of this exercise. The craziest ideas will win gift certificates at one of my favorite restaurants.

Over the next few months, I hope to share some tips on unlocking your creative ideas, as well as choosing and focusing on your best ones, so you can enjoy the changes that 2005 will bring.

Happy New Year!

My friend Cheryl Cook has a wonderful newsletter (and if you like this one, you'll like hers, too.) Learn how to get more cash in your pocket, more sales in the door, and reduce the amount of cash leaving your business. To visit her website and sign up for this biweekly ezine, click here.

MAKING YOUR WEBSITE WORK FOR YOU
Wednesday, February 23, 2005
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

GETTING PEOPLE TO YOUR WEBSITE
Wednesday, March 9, 2005
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

CRAFTING YOUR WEBSITE TEXT
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

CONDUCTING BUSINESS BY EMAIL
Wednesday, April 6, 2005
6:00 - 9:00 p.m.

Each class: $21.00, John Marshall High School, 8000 Lobo.

I've been living my dream for the last year, doing what I enjoy and aligning my activities with the values that are most important to me. Now I want to share this journey with you. Let me help you discover the joy of living a purpose-filled life.

If you want to do what you love and still pay the bills...or you're making the money, but there's something missing, come to my workshop and learn to Live Your Dream!

Choose from the following dates:

• Friday, February 25
• Monday, March 28
• Friday, April 29

All events are held from 8:30 - 12 noon at the Greater San Antonio Chamber's Small Business Resource Center, 1100 NW Loop 410 at Blanco.