This is gonna be a double one since I missed last week, & there’s a crapload of craptastic stuff here (not that it’s crap at all, I just like to say “crap.” Boy I’m tired). I’m trying a bit of a different format today because of the sheer number of these things/crap in the hopes that it will be less overwhelming & easier for you to sift through.

Creativity &/or Careers

• Shop Girl: Career Advice for Creatives by decor8
• Creativity Can Help Save Your Job: Here’s How to Find Yours by 45Things
• What I’ve Learned About Networking by Starshyne Productions
• A Step Down That’s A Step Up by Entrepreneur Magazine
• Creativity & Stretching the Sweatshirt by Seth Godin
• Breaking Up Teen Angst Style by Emily Kinney on Unscripted
• Using Ritual to Cultivate Creativity by Carrie + Danielle
• How a Music Teacher Rocked My World by Starshyne Productions
• MINT ICETEA’s Photostream on Flickr

Inauguration (Humor. Yup, I only bookmarked funny stuff relating to the Inauguration. I’m weird.) (more…)

I’m leaving at 5:30p EST today for sunnier skies (& a torrential downpour once a day at 3p) to be a part of my Dad’s wedding this Sunday in Boca Raton, FL. He liked it, so he put a ring on it (sorry, it’s my favorite song right now).

Here are my favorite posts of the week:

• I need to start with the silly & introduce you to the $80 book brush. What a small price to pay to be able to dust off the top of your books! If you love sarcasm as much as I do, you’ll love Unitasker Wednesdays on Unclutterer.
• I’m so excited that decor8 is starting a weekly Creativity Series every Thursday on her blog for 10 weeks, with a new tip each week. The first one is here, & don’t forget to comment! 
• What does it take the succeed in 2009? No, not a 4 hour workweek, but Hustle & Patience. I’m glad Get Rich Slowly dispelled that other rumor.
• Every blog I read has blown up this week with the release of the book Career Renegade: How to Make a Great Living Doing What You Love. If you’ve read it, I’d love to hear your comments! I haven’t read it, but I liked the interview that Zen Habits had with the author, Jonathan Fields – especially because he truly believes that the money won’t necessarily follow if you pursue what you love.
• I found decor8’s Career Advice for Creatives post from June, & had the feeling I had read it already. Then I realized I hadn’t – it was just such a similar story to my own that it felt familiar. Hopefully my story will have the same ending as Holly’s.
• One of the Top 5 Reasons I’ll Have a House Someday: to have a studio like Kelly Rae Roberts’. So what if I don’t paint? I have a business to run & need a place to sing too!
• Still feel the urge to declutter even though it’s 2+ weeks into the New Year? Small Notebook gives you the Top 10 Rules for Decluttering. Worth reading the comments, too. Also loved the Unclutter’s guest post from Danielle (of Carrie + Danielle & White Hot Truth), as it’s the only one I’ve read that gets to my WHY of clutter: it was a gift from someone close to me, it was free, I hate this but need to have it until I have $ to buy a new one, “but what if I need it someday?”.
• Seth Godin posted links to new Twitter tools! I’m going to write a post next week about my Twexperience (sorry, it’s so hard not to do that when talking about Twitter) so I though I’d include this link this week.
• My former coach, Joanne Hunold, pointed me to the blog Escape from Cubicle Nation today. I wish I had time to read the entire Archive, but for now I’ll just link to Are Creative People Doomed to Scraping Out A Miserable Experience? Powerful, powerful, powerful stuff.
• And to end with the silly, every musical theater nerd out there should watch the Save Broadway sketch from SNL last week. For those of you who were a fan of Doogie Howser MD you have to watch this Digital Short, also from last week’s SNL. And in case you can’t guess, I’m in love with Neil Patrick Harris. For some reason, Luke is not threatened.

If you’re stuck in the cold & the snow this weekend, enjoy it with some card games, some movies, a bath or two, some hot chocolate, a pair of flannel pjs & a game of Monopoly. If you’re in a warmer climate then paint your toenails hot pink (like me!) & soak up enough sun for the rest of us. Have a great weekend! (more…)

I’m cuttin’ out the small talk today. Let’s get to it:

• Free books & e-books! Really looking forward to reading Lateral Actions’ 58-pg e-book How to Motivate Creative People (Including Yourself). Also, you can download Suze Orman’s 2009 Action Plan for free until 1/15. Get on it, people!
• Continuing on the theme of goals/resolutions/it’s-a-new-year-so-get-off-your-butt, Kelly Rae Roberts shares her words of 2009. I share mine in the comments, and enjoyed reading the words of others as well. What will your word(s) be?
• And continuining on the continuing on the theme of goals/resolutions/it’s-a-new-year-so-get-off-your-butt, Dreaminder is a website where you can write an email to your future self! Email yourself with that goal you want to accomplish, and then when your future self gets the email he/she can be all, “I did that, past self! Shove it!” or “Oh crapballs, I wanted to do that….” Your choice.
• Carrie & Danielle made me want to be French this week. Definitely worth a read if you’re having trouble being in the moment, or if the To Do List Monster is rearing it’s ugly head and invading all of your time.
• Amen to 7 Simple Time Management Rules for the Super Busy. Double amen, actually.
• It’a a bit tough for me to read Jamie Ridler’s posts on the new book in the Soul Coaching book club, because I really wanted to join in on this one. However, I listened to my gut and heard it say, “Wait what?! I got no time for this until the spring, fool!” It wasn’t nice for my gut to call me fool but I listened anyway. I loved her first post, though, on Secret 1: Acknowledging Your Creative Self. Read it if your mean gut speaks in the voice of your high school director who didn’t give you the lead in the musical your senior year.
• These Oddest Etsy Finds are hysterical, but #4 takes the cake. I’ll leave it at that.

And in case you didn’t get here last night, I implore (what a good SAT word!) you to read & comment on my last post, Goals should have CHUTZPAH, just like you! It would have totally been included on this list if I didn’t write it. (more…)

Happy 2009! Hope you all had a great New Years Eve & an easy breezy New Years Day (I, for one, did not get out of my pjs, which means I had a great daty)!

As suspected, the blogs were nice and slow this week (just like me!). But what I didn’t suspect is that a lot of the blogs had Best of 2008 lists, so I got some stuff to share. Here ya go:

• What Jobseekers Can Learn From A Panhandler was an amazing story on Keppie Careers‘ blog. I’ve rode the subway for 12 years and have never seen anything like it, but I can believe it.
• I read The Year of Saying Yes! on the same day as another post just like it (the release of The Yes Man caused a slew of them) and thought it was an interesting idea. But as someone who says “Yes” too often I’d have to be much pickier than the author!
• Lateral Action is back again with another great post about organization for creatives, with 10 Creative Lessons from Bowie in Berlin. #5 is my current fave but I have a feeling it would change depending on my mood.
• Zen Habits is one of the blogs that posted their favorite/most popular posts of the year. As I’m currently in de-clutter/simplifying mode (call it New Years-itis), my faves are The Minimalist’s Guide to Fighting (& Beating) Clutter Entropy, The Ultimate Guide to Motivation – How to Achieve Any Goal, The Four Laws of Simplicity & How to Apply Them to Life, Living Simply: The Ultimate Guide to Conquering Your Clutter,  and 21 Easy Hacks to Simplify Your Life (although I don’t see myself just eating 7 foods or wearing only a few colors).
• I don’t think I’m the only one in 2009 whose resolution includes Launching My Dream Career, so I’m hoping that this post from The Simple Dollar will help others as well as myself!
• I love how Gretchen from The Happiness Project lives by her 12 Commandments. Take Gretchen’s advice on how to write your own commandments & live by your values every day. I have a feeling this will be a future blog post, as the more I read Gretchen’s tips the more my own brain starts a-buzzing.

I’m going to take a blogging break this weekend but will be back on Monday. Have a great start to 2009! (more…)

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas/5th night of Hanukkah yesterday! I had both, with presents in the morning, an amazing dinner made by the hubby (ham=Christmas) and ended the day with lighting the menorah (and kicking Luke’s butt in Gin Rummy).

It’s a short one this week:

• Love Dumb Little Man’s post on How to Separate ‘Real’ Wants from ‘Should’ Wants.  I can often tell how passionate my clients are about a girl just by listening to how their voice changes. Is there enthusiasm behind the words? If not, that goal might be a “should” and not a “want.”
• I felt like this post was written by me, circa 2005.
• On Giving Up The Dream offers some advice on how not to give up the dream, or how to change your focus on a dream that “failed” to make it “succeed”.
• In the Fun category: I love (I mean LOVE) latkes, but this is ridiculous.

Enjoy The Day After Christmas/Hanukkah Night 6! See you back here this weekend for another post. (more…)

I gotta admit that I didn’t feel a lot of love for the blogs this week. But don’t take it personally, my blog authors - it was me, not you. And this is not a prelude to a break-up – you are still as awesome and motivational and educational and inspiring as always.

It’s just that, well, I got some bad news this week and I just didn’t seem to connect with many things. I’m doing better despite the sadness and worry. I think everything should be OK, I’m just a bit sad and scared is all. Thankfully I have an amazing family that has amazing strength and a kick-ass attitude. I’m conforted by the fact that we’re ensured the best possible outcome just because these family members are in the drivers seat.

I was going to post the links now but I so brought down the room that I don’t think it’s right to segue into, “Enjoy these links! (insert jazz hands here)”. To lighten the mood, please view 16 Gangsta Car Poses That Should Have Never Been Taken. Then, in case you missed it when it was on NBC, Hulu has A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa in its entirety. We missed the first 15 minutes (which were more important than you would think), but the last 30 were heart-warming and funny. I am also now in love with Pepe the King Prawn. Luke – he’s on the list with Justin Timberlake.

Here’s some other good stuff, my lovely readers: (more…)

Happy Friday! Am I the only one that thinks that was the longest week ever? It feels like it should be Monday by now! But the sun is peeking through the NYC skyscrapers I can see out my window, so I’m in good spirits today! Hence all the exclamation points!

Here’s what I was lovin’ this week:

•  Make More Pretty Little Mistakes – I Dare You by Kammie Kobyleski, one of my newest twiends. You can follow her here.
• Carrie & Danielle make another appearance here with You Already Know What You Need: Avoiding Giving and Getting Unwanted Advice. If you want someone to help you make your own decisions – and not tell you what you need/should do – then a coach would be a great help! (Sorry, the shameless self-promotion couldn’t be passed up).
• Twyla Tharp on Creative Motivations explains intrinsic & extrinsic motivations (it’s not as scary as it sounds) and asks you where your creative focus lies. It also led me to find her book, The Creative Habit, now featured in Stuff to help ya discover what you wanna be when you grow up Page.
• Keri Smith was interview by some brainy science mag about creativity. Really interesting stuff which shows she’s super intelligent as well as extremely talented. Jerk.
• I put “Keep a Best Moment of Your Day journal for 1 month” in my 101 Goals in 1001 Days list based on this Simple Dollar post.
• Laura Neff is another recent twiend of mine, and she collected 10 great questions to answer before you leave 2008. I’m definitely planning on some jounaling time before New Year’s to reflect on 2008 and empower myself for 2009!
• 11 Ways to Cure Someday Syndrome goes beyond “just suck it up, woman!”

Always wanted to give all y’all the heads up that I’ll be away from my computer all weekend, enjoying the Boston suburbs with good friends & this adorable little man: (more…)

Sorry for the absence of Freakin’ (Great Links) Friday last week, guys! I was cemented to the couch all day after stuffing myself with Thanksgiving goodies. The computer was at least 6 steps away! What could I have done?

Here’s what I’m digging from this week & last:

• Wondering How To Figure Out What You Want In Life? Uh, probably, which is why you’re here (unless you’re related to me). Pick the Brain’s post starts off with the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Duh I had to feature it here.
• Just Five More Minutes‘ admission that I’m A Recovering Unconscious Consumer offers a checklist to see if you should go to Unconscious Consumers Anonymous.
• Starshyne Productions spoke about A Home for the Soul, and how a home is a place where you feel safe. Confirmed that I’m a city girl, because being anyplace rural at night freaks me the hell out.
• Finding Contentment Where You Are Right Now speaks especially to those aching to buy a home and watching others do it around them first. I, personally, have no idea what Small Notebook is talking about. If it was opposite day.
• Oprah Talks To Daniel Pink is, yes, finally an Oprah post. I have to admit I have a tendency to stay away from Oprah, for no reason whatsoever except for the fact that if you stare into her eyes for more than 20 minutes at a time she can control your mind. Thankfully my client Sophie Hainsworth turned me onto this article about how the right-brained will rule the future. If you’ve ever been told “You shoulda been a doctah” (even if it wasn’t in a heavy Jewish accent) you should read this, too.
• And just for fun, I loved A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All. So I’ve only watched the first 15 minutes thus far. OK, you got me. But those 15 minutes were so great that you should get the DVD if you missed it. Or at least rent it from Netflix. And then rent it again next year. And the next. And every year at holiday time until infinity.
• And just for super fun, I loved seeing Lily’s full 50 Reasons to Have S*x – handwritten on a napkin – that was featured in the last new episode of How I Met Your Mother. 25, 30, 35 & 50 are my recent faves, but that changes on a daily basis.

For the other installments of Freakin’ (Great Links) Friday, click here. (more…)

Happy 1 month anniversary to Freakin’ (Great Links) Friday! I know it’s not much, but as a newlywed who is still celebrating monthly anniversaries it seems like a lot!

Here’s the stuff I loved this week (& last, as two of these links got left out of installment 3):

• The Perfectionism Monster plagues many of the creative types I know. But did you ever think it could plague someone like Michelangelo? Mark McGuiness explores this topic – while providing really interesting background on this genius – in Lateral Action’s Why You Don’t Need to Be a Genius to Achieve Creative Success. Alternate: Words post It Doesn’t Have To Be Perfect works hand-in-hand under this umbrella (-ella, -ella, hey, hey, hey).
• I might steal this question for a Tough (Question) Tuesday, but if you read More in You’s What Would You Regret? please forget that you saw it. I just loved what Laura wrote around it I had to include the post in it’s entirety.
• Christy at Shine Your Light is a coach that created the ABCs of Achieving Your Dreams. So elementary but so smart and inspiring!
• Mark McGuiness of Lateral Action does it again by coming up with The 3 Critical Characteristics of the Creative Entrepreneur. I honestly belive that creative types are well suited for becoming successful entrepreneurs, & for those of you out there looking for a new direction don’t be surprised if you end up working for yourself!
• Freelance Switch was extremely vulnerable and brave this week with her post, Friends with Structure. With my mini-breakdown last week I can relate to the feeling of overwhelm she describes, especially with such “simple things to do.” It’s tough to own up to the fact that “simple things” might end up being “simply impossible things” for you.
• Woody Allen said it best when he said “80% of success is about showing up.” The Creativity Coach expands on that in his post, A Simple Formula for Creative Success.
• And last but not least, some shameless self-promotion: Luke wrote a beautiful post about me being a kick-ass actress in Ah, My Wife, which makes me happy because I thought he just told me I was good in that showcase to get into my pants. And over at CastleBride Couture, my veil designer featured Luke & I (& my veil!) in photos here (& please note that the link is called Meet-Beautiful-Michelle-Solomon. That’s my favorite part).

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Stay tuned next week for the post on Clearing Out the Attic (if the Attic = my brain) aka I-Got-Punched-In-The-Face-But-It-Got-Rid-Of-My-Anxiety-Because-It-Made-Me-See-Some-Crap-I-Didn’t-Wanna-See. Until then, here are some freakin’ great links:

• Looking to find something to be passionate about? Or maybe you’re looking for a new passion? Scott H Young offers How to Discover What You’re Passionate About (summary: do a bit of everything and see what fits!).
• Dumb Little Man offers 7 Steps to Zap Your Creativity. And he means “zap” like “boost” not like “shoot-you-with-a-taser-and-make-you-comatose.”
• My favorite post of the week came from Pick the Brain. As someone who has trouble sticking with goals that make me wait to see results (401K anyone?), Setting Goals for the Present, Not the Future helps you put your goal into the present tense. So instead of saying, “Eh, I can save money next year for retirement. I’m not going to see it for 35 years anyway!” I can say, “I better put money away now so I don’t have to work the rest of my life!” The latter seems scarier for some reason.
• And of course, the lovely Kelly Rae Roberts has to keep writing beautiful entries (I can’t describe them as posts, since I almost feel like I’m reading her diary). Buon Giorno shares her experience in Italy & also asks for assistance with moving to Seattle (anyone?)!

Here are just some personal things I’m loving that have nothing to do with coaching or personal development or creativity or any of that junk, but just make me happy:
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