How to Solve Problems
Most people when they come to a coach are craving transformation, they know they need to change something to feel happier, more fulfilled, get more out of life. My job as a coach is to show them how this transformation can be done and then navigate them lovingly towards their goal. I use many different tools, some rooted in psychology, NLP, some spiritual and intuitive, and some straight forward common sense push-your-boundaries tools, all designed to get the clients out of their comfort zone, inspiring them them to do things and use resources they never tried before.
Today I want to show you how art can be one of those tools, how making an art work can activate your creativity, help you process your fears and solve inner conflicts, and equip you to be pro-active and productive in your professional and personal life.
There are different ways to think about a problem. Most of us try to understand it, calculate our way out it, look for a logical solution.
Making art puts you in a different frame of mind. Not only you'll be using a different part of your brain, but you'll also be doing something you haven't done before. And that is the key.
As a coach I first validate my client for all the ways he or she tried to manage the situation, but then I propose them to think outside the box. You'd be surprised how just doing something out-of-ordinary can boost your problem solving abilities.
'Out-of-box' is different for everybody.
For an artistic, entrepreneurial types it's often means to get organized and focused on one particular task, kind of get their head out of clouds, start implementing and actually finishing projects and, as a consequence, seeing the most needed results. Working on the art work in a very structured way gives them an opportunity to try out their new strategy.
The logical, analytical types enjoy art for how easy and fun it can be. And this is the message I want them to get first: problem solving can be just that, easy and fun. After having the experience most people want to continue playing with 'elements' and 'energies' and create a different reality for themselves rather than deal ​with an issue.
You can see how 'creating' can be much more approachable and inviting in context of problem solving or achieving goals.
As usual, I will give you simple steps you can take to boost your creative powers and show you how you can solve your everyday issues through using art as a tool.
Step one: identify the issue or a problem you want to solve.
It can be relationship related, like not getting enough attention from your spouse, or feeling exhausted in dealing with your unruly teenager, or seeing your horrible boss and dreading going to work every day. Or it can be a professional one: feeling stuck in a position your had overgrown, or being laid off and tryng to find employment, or not getting the clients you want to work with.
Step two: flip from thinking about your issue, or trying to solve the problem, to creating a different reality for yourself.
Ask yourself: what do I want?
Do you want to feel appreciated and admired by your partner, have a peaceful day at home and an exiting relationship with your teen? Or come to work and feel safe and supported.
Would you like to get a promotion, or make an extra amount of dollars per months. What do you want? Make the intention to 'create' that new reality for yourself.
Step three: get ready to make an artwork, a painting, a drawing, an art installation, using materials and objects you have in hand to create some kind of arraignment, even if a temporary one. Keep in mind that what you are doing doesn't have to have an artistic value, it just the way you get to experience 'creating' something new, something you want.
Begin making your art work.
Every element of your artwork represents the element you need in your life to make your new reality happen for you. For example, use color blue as it could symbolize calm and peaceful mind, use red if what you need is the courage to ask for what you want. And so on. You can be as precise or as loose in putting meaning into the elements of your artwork. The main thing, you keep your intention in place, you make the artwork, knowing you are really experimenting, playing, getting it out of your system and also enjoying the creative process.
Making art is just that, an experience in processing your life in a new way.
Step four: get back to your intention, the goal you set for yourself, and continue 'creating' your new reality in which your goal is a dream come true, remembering all you learned during your artistic experiment.
I'll be posting more tools you can use in getting what you want, so let's keep in touch. You can subscribe for updates and a freebie video course to boost your love appeal on my home page at shesgotpassion.com. See you there.
Lira Kay an author, life coach and a founder of She's Got Passion and the School of Inspired Life a training center for purpose-driven professionals to find information and inspiration to stay on their mission to create a meaningful change in the world. Every Wednesday Lira answers one question she 's been asked by a member of her audience around the globe. If you have a question, please, go to CONTACT and send Lira your question. She will create a post to answer it or will send you a personal answer in the email. Know, that your question will help many others to find clarity and motivation. We are all connected and your input is important. Thank you.
