Ask Up

 Way back at the beginning of 2020, when we freely walked the streets and went to work with other people and sat in theatres with other people, I read a simple IG post from LaTonya Wilkins. 

Ask up. Ask up to five people. Ask up to five people at a higher level in your industry.

This was an excellent challenge for me, and a necessary challenge. I am an expert at leaving my career (and therefore my creativity) at a comfortable level. Which means things move along smoothly, with the occasional burst, usually brought about by some outside force.

Pre-pandemic, I asked up to two different people. Believe it or not (I know I present as confident and pulled together), both Asks took WEEKS and myriad conversations with my Self. In both cases, emails were finally sent and in both cases, extremely positive responses came, almost immediately. 

The third Ask came much later in the year. 

A little background: this PAHL (Person at a Higher Level) had been on my radar for years, as someone I knew I needed to meet. Circumstances never worked out. Finally, in this pandemic year, I was able to sign up for a seminar with this PAHL (Lesson #1 - Remote can be a positive). At the end of the seminar, which went extremely well, I was invited to reach out for a cup of coffee in the future.

Being me, I didn't believe this invitation to be real. "He's just being nice. Don't waste his time". Geez, my mother's voice is still in my head!

Still, I ignored that voice and reached out. Couldn't happen right then was the response. "See??? Don't waste his time!", screamed the voice.

Again, I chose to ignore the voice and utilize some patience. I would know the right time. 

So I waited. Two months, to be exact.  Until I actually had something of value to pass on, which ended up being -- 

Gratitude. Yup, authentic gratitude. I sent an email expressing my gratitude for the seminar. Because honestly, that seminar was a gamechanger, not so much in terms of business information, but in terms of creative information. That seminar taught me that I needed to open my heart in my work. I know that sounds ridiculous. How can you sing and now have your heart open? Sure, mine was open, but not as much as it could and should be. I had focused on getting the technical side of my craft in solid working order, and in the process, my heart got left behind. So that's what I've been playing with for the past three months. It's been a great pandemic project.

After expressing that authentic gratitude, I said I would love to have that virtual cup of coffee, assuming there would be no response.

Guess what? We're having the coffee this week.

To recap:

• Ask Up
• Open Your Heart
• Express Authentic Gratitude

If you're still reading, you'll notice I only mentioned three people. That's right, I never got to five. Looks like I already have a 2021 goal.

1/14/21 Update: The virtual coffee was delightful! We talked like friends, about life, a little bit about business. PAHL ended by saying, "This was such a pleasure, connecting as humans. Please, Heidi, let's chat again in the New Year." What a lesson I learned in the year of the pandemic.

A Winter Solstice Offering

As we approach the winter solstice, Creatavita has an offering for you.

Creating Light in the Dark

In preparation for the longest night of the year, come along on a 5-day mini-excursion. Each day you'll receive a private message featuring a light-related theme, a quote and creative actions you can do, in either 5 minutes or 50 minutes.

The excursion departs this Thursday, Dec. 17 with a scheduled arrival at the Winter Solstice on Monday, Dec. 21.

Interested? Click here to sign up!

UPDATE 12/14/20 at 12:50 pm EST - We are working to fix the sign up link. In the meantime, please reach out through comments (below), Instagram or Facebook. Thanks for your patience!

This Great Pause

To the 5 of you who checked in last weekend,

You’re lucky people. You got to see part of my process. I’m happy to know you missed Creatavita that much! My apologies for inadvertently posting a draft. Below is the final post.


I’m back.

When I announced my sabbatical from Creatavita last year, one of my reasons was my desire to lessen the noise in the digital world. And while most of what you’re about to read has, at this point, already been written or said, I now think adding my voice will make a difference.

I guess that’s what a pandemic does.

I’ll address the pain first. Around the globe, there is serious illness and death from one disease, in numbers that we, the modern human species, have rarely experienced. A disease for which we do not have, at this time, either specific treatments or a vaccine. That one disease is also creating anxiety and fear. Even though we might not personally be experiencing the pain, anxiety or fear, we need to acknowledge that others are.

Yet, as there is pain and death, there is also birth. Birthing can be, and usually is, a painful process. I gave birth only once in my life, and indeed, there were 45 minutes in that process when I felt the most intense pain I have ever felt. I remember looking into Beloved’s eyes and wondering if this was the moment I would die. I’m not exaggerating.

So yes, there is extreme pain. But out of that pain there exists the possibility of a miracle - life. Wow. Just sit with that for a bit. Out of pain comes a miracle. Out of pain comes life.

In all of the pain, anxiety, fear and death coronavirus has brought to Planet Earth, perhaps we are all collectively birthing new life.

Has anyone else been sensing a shifting of energy? A cleansing? Space being cleared for new possibilities?

That sense has been incredibly strong for me. I had to live with it for a couple of weeks to even be able to comprehend what I was experiencing. I have to come to recognize that, in the midst of this Great Pause, there is opportunity.

I’ve been approaching that opportunity by asking myself two questions. I do this every day, for a minimum of 5 minutes. Hey, I’ve got time.

The questions are:

#1 - What do I want my life to look like on the other side?

#2 - What do I want the world to look like on the other side?

Consider the possibility that your life circumstances are going to be very different, and in a good way. I know that might feel ridiculous, but play along. Visualize what you really want your life to be. I visualize the places I want to be, the experiences I want to experience, the people I want to be with, the art I want to create. What does that feel like in your gut? What’s your emotional state? If you don’t like this emotional state, can you transform it to one you do like?

As for the world, there are moments when it feels like the world is falling apart. But again, breathe and look at it as an opportunity.

Go ahead, visualize your ideal world. How do the people of the planet in your ideal world interact? Is there war? Is there peace? Is there prosperity for all? For just a few minutes, turn off your realistic brain. Build the societies you envision. Play Sims in your mind. Don't hold back your feelings and ideas. Go ahead, visualize the impossible, no matter how silly it feels. Leave the wrath for greater powers. I have the feeling they’ll take care of it.

What have you got to lose?

Above all, cultivate love and compassion.
Above all, stay open.
Above all, listen.

We’re all in this together.