A friend who is between jobs recently asked me, “Is there one piece of advice you would give to a creative person when they are looking for their next job, or project?”
I responded, “Notice what ‘sparkles’ for you.”
I think of “sparkles” as things that make you smile, makes time fly, or that you all of a sudden become very curious about (even if you don’t understand why).
If you are a “creative” type, you already know that most creative projects don’t usually happen in a straight line: A to Z. They often begin with something small: a craving for an ingredient, a phrase you can’t stop thinking about, an attraction to a color, or a problem that piques your interest. My experience has been that if you follow that sparkle, and the next one and the next one, they will take you on a curvy route to your next big vision.
If you’re in the middle of a transition and trying to figure out what to do next, follow you sparkles, even if they don’t make logical sense. They will light the way.
Try this:
Over the next three days, notice what “sparkles” for you:
- What brings you joy?
- What are you attracted to?
- What are you curious about?
Capture your “sparkles” in your journal, in a conversation with a friend, or with photos.
- Are there any themes that run through all of your sparkles?
- How can you bring more of what sparkles into your life?
