Marney's Musings:
One First Chance
Artellagram 2-9-13




I always love early February. The manic-like, resolution-oriented pressure of January is over, but that new feeling of the new year is still lingering around, kind of like  "new car scent", LOL. There's nothing like starting fresh to help inspire creative momentum.

Recently, when handling a dinnertime behavioral situation with my son Kai, he asked me, in typically four-year-old fashion, "please, one last chance…."  This particular phrase is a soft spot for me. I vividly believe that it's never too late to make new choices that can have lasting, powerful effects for ourselves and others.  I think we always can get another chance, even when we think we can't. Nowhere is this truer than with our creative dreams.

I notice that the language we tend to use about "second chances" is a bit disempowering.  The underlying assumption with "second chances" is that we've failed, but we get to try again. When we think of "second chances", or "please, one last chance", we automatically are bringing our old story with us. I've seen this time and time again with my clients and students as well as in myself: the feelings of failure permeate our new endeavors before we really get started. In short, our "last chances" don't stand a chance.

When we truly live in the present moment, there is no second, third, fourth, or last chance…because it doesn't matter what has happened before now.  This means that every moment can be a first chance… our first chance to do or be whatever we want in this moment, right now.

Here are some ways to move from "one last chance" to "a new first chance" and find the fresh new car smell in any moment:

  • Create a ritual to release your old stories and beliefs, such as writing down "what happened before" and then burning it or turning the paper into an unrecognizable piece of art.

  • Pay attention whenever you say or think, "second chance" or "last chance", and immediately replace it with "first chance".

  • Collect information about what is different now. Try this: I have never been more ready to ____________ because ________________. Complete this phrase over and over, aiming for at least a dozen times.  This is gathering written evidence that this present moment is different than the past, and why. You can refer to this when you're feeling doubtful.

  • I jokingly referred to the "new car scent" earlier in this article but what if it's not a joke? What smells, sights, or sounds do you powerfully associate with "newness” or “freshness”? How might you bring them into your new project?
If you'd like more creative ideas for tapping into the freshness of your own creative power, I invite you to join me for my free teleclass on Monday, February 18, called Sun Money Smoothies…and 37 other self-powered creative solutions. We'll be making art, playing games and doing other fun things to create a new First Chance in making money with your creative dreams!


If you’re intrigued by the idea of what creative mapping might do for your project, goal, or creative business, you might like to take a look at Mapping and Mentoring with Marney, which begins in early March (applications due Feb 25). If you’ve begun to have a sense of direction of where you'd like to head, but could use an expert hand to guide you, this innovative program provides the structure and support to help you reach your goals quicker, more efficiently, and with greater results than doing it all on your own

If you were forwarded this Artellagram or serendipitously found it travelling online, you can sign up here to receive the Artellagram, your map to creative inspiration & discovery from ArtellaLand.com.