SURPRISE YOURSELF THIS YEAR This month I have met the most amazing people, some I expected to meet and others, wow, just showed up. CHILDREN'S STOREFRONT At the edge of Harlem is a school where I went to teach Visual Goal Setting two weeks ago, to the students in grades 2nd - 8th. I met the Board President in a restaurant in upstate NY, in one of those "chance encounters" while working for PepsiCo.  He asked if I would come teach his students my process.  So I volunteered to go and it was a complete BLAST! That's not to say it was not challenging,  In a radio interview with the ever fabulous Serene Mastrianni fromRadio2Women, she asked what did I hope for in my experience there?  I said, "To be relevant."  Honestly that's the goal with every audience, but in this case, I knew the kids might possibly be the hardest. Was I ever surprised! They challenged me and loved me into bringing 500% of myself. Here's a little about this amazing community at CS: it’s a place of genuine hope for the families of this Harlem neighborhood. The landscape of New York City is ever changing and continually presents new challenges. The Children’s Storefront prepares young people to rise to those challenges and to expand their ideas of what is possible for them.   These kids were ON FIRE so I expected the best from them and they delivered.   The biggest surprise was that on the day I arrived, the Canadian Tenors were also at the school.  YES!  When my last class finished, I got to go down and be treated to the most amazing experience.  The Tenors singing with the Children's Storefront choir. SURPRISE! super thanks to Principal Wendy Reynoso and Ray Cameron, Board President for making this happen. Why Surprising Yourself is Important Whether you like it or not, you can get stuck in a rut in your thinking. It's the way that pattern making machine of a brain works.  Taking risks, doing something unexpected gets the neurons firing in your brain, makes you more resilient to change, ups your serotonin level and shows you new aspects of your true self. Getting in the Church I was also invited to lead the morning services and also a workshop at the Seattle Unity church.  Here, thanks to Rymii Kaio, I was able to talk about what's outside that 10% box that we know about how our brain works and speak to the 90% unknown. This was a great experience.  If you are interested in having me at your church, please pass this video on to your events coordinator.  It begins with some lovely music by the fantastic Erin McGaughan and friends, then leads into my talk, so listen and enjoy. COMING UP there are some exciting things happening that have come from meeting you.  I'll be presenting with OD expert Julie Boardman on Accelerating Change Using a Visual for the Junior League in Seattle, I'm speaking at the National Governors Association Meeting in DC, (thanks to lobbyist Lee Cowen who I met on a plane) and getting ready to go to Denver to do a workshop at the Annual Women's Conference.  I hope our paths cross and until they do, remember -  you create your own reality by how you respond to what is happening. Challenge yourself to be all that you are so you can step beyond what you already know into who you truly are. GOAL SETTING SEATTLE UNITY CHURCH Congregations and friends learn the power of visual goal setting using Drawing Solutions, Visual Goalsetting.  If you want to get revitalized or realigned, this 90 minute workshop  is a perfect way to do it! CHILDREN'S STOREFRONT VISUAL GOAL SETTING Have you been drawing your dreams into reality?It's not too late, nor too early to get started!   TRUEBLUE SALES CONFERENCE 2013 One of my favorite clients is TrueBlue. This company puts people to work and changes lives everyday.  If you want to create a visual that will help you tell your story to employees, to your clients, to the world, we can help you.

BRING YOUR 500% TO THE NEW YEAR When my partner Julie and I were first together, we lived in Denver and she was between jobs. She had been job hunting for awhile and was feeling disparaging about herself and her ability to ever get one. In my mind, she was (and is) a truly fantastic leadership and talent development expert, so I couldn't go down that slippery slope with her.  I was leaving on a business trip to work in Slovakia, but before I left I said to her, "I see you as 500% more than what you can see in yourself right now. If you could see yourself from that 500% bigger person that you really are, why not look for a job from that perspective?" The second night in Slovakia, my cell phone rang.  It was Julie, she was over the top with excitement, "You said 500%, right?" Cool! I responded, "Where did you get a job?"  "Seattle!" she shouted.  I thought, Seattle?  Now how did your 500% suddenly become my 500%?! That job brought us to this great city. Here we have had one adventure after another. We've worked with amazing companies, met new friends, expanded our abilities to serve and be served by life. Her 500% took me to my 500% as well and I can't thank her enough! WHY NOT BRING YOUR 500% TO 2013? Ask yourself, if I were being 500% of the person I see myself to be, what would I be doing right now?  Then, get going.  Take a moment to draw a simple picture of that new you.  If you have forgotten the power of the visual, review my 8 minute TEDx talk.  Then take a few small bites of that elephant to get yourself started living that "500% you", today. MAKE GIVING GO VIRAL  This is my theme for 2013.  I had a fantastic 2012 and this year, in addition to my regular paid speaking and client work, I'll be giving back.  If you know of an organization or company who needs a kick start, please send them my way. I will be speaking to the following groups in January and leading workshops across the country.  I'd like to come to your city or your team. JANUARY 6: Seattle UNITY Church Services & Spiritual Goal Setting Workshop: 9AM & 11AM Services - "Love is the Portal" The UNITY church is an all embracing church located at 200 8th Avenue just off of Denny Way in Seattle. Their music and services are magnificent and this is a lovely community of people. They have invited me to be the speaker for both services. I'd love to see you there, no matter your faith. 1-3 PM NEW YEAR, NEW YOU:  Spiritual Goal Setting to Help You Lead Your Best Life If you or that "friend of yours" needs a boost in 2013, give them this workshop as a gift and kick start 2013 by goal setting from the highest place.  I can't wait to meet you or them there! $25 in advance, $35 at the door. www.seattleunity.org JANUARY 15 & 16: Children's Storefront - Harlem I met the Board President for this amazing school, in a restaurant in New York, when I was stuck during a snowstorm. He invited me to teach visual goal setting to this school's students. I'll be there during the week of January 14th.  If you are a teacher, a parent or principal, and know a school that would like to bring visual goal setting to your students, send me an email: patti@upyourcreativegenius.com and let's add you to this year's schedule. For workshops or talks in your area, check the calendar on my home page.  If your city isn't there, contact me and let's make it happen! Join me to make 2013 a 500% year for you.  You deserve it and those around you will be lifted up by your belief and action. MAPS YOU DREW DRAW YOUR FUTURE Here was Rohit's map that he drew for last year! Send me your map so I can feature it here! SUSTAINABLE YOU KYLE ZEPPELIN NEXT TO THE SHIPPING CRATE POOL Zeppelin Development are doing some amazing things in Denver. If you live there, go see the TAXI loft area.  We did a team/company visioning session a few years back and that vision came to be and more! SECRET WEAPONS CREATIVE GENIUS TEAM Scott Ward Art.  Yep I know you all think it is all me all the time, but honestly Scott Ward (Seattle) and Brad Clemmons (Denver) are the secret sauce in Up your Creative Genius.

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU Make This Year Count Every turn of the year offers an opportunity to bring your best self to life.  It's a chance to set goals from the highest place, from the part of you that sees beyond what you make or have to the deeper reason for why you are here in the world right now.  Why you?  Why now?  Simon Sinek, in his book, Start With Why,writes,"It all starts with clarity. You have to know WHY you do WHAT you do. If people don’t buy WHAT you do, they buy WHY you do it, so it follows that if you don’t know WHY you do WHAT you do, how will anyone else?"  While Simon is writing about your business, your products or services, in this new year why not ask that of yourself?  Why am I here?  Why me, why now? This is a time of unprecedented opportunity and people around the world are shifting their focus to align what they do to something that matters, something that fulfills their passion, their purpose.  I recently read that there are so many non profits in existence that it would take you 3 days to simply scroll through their names on the internet.  Our young people are playing a major part in this sea change to embrace all of life and consider some of the inequities or imbalances part of our responsibility. Why you?  Why now?  You are here on the planet at this time for a reason.  It's a new year, so as you begin to thing about how you want to step into 2013, try this: Close your eyes, block out the outside stimuli and get quiet.  Ask yourself, "What is my purpose right now and why am I here?  Why me? Why now?  What can I do this year to bring all of who I am to life?" Listen, then write down the first things that come to you.  Draw a simple icon to help you solidify it into memory. In his recent best selling book, Proof of Heaven, Eben Alexander III, MD, neurosurgeon, writes of his powerful near death experience.  He shares that soul, or our innate nature, knows far faster than our brain does what our next choice should be.  Trust that part of you to guide you into this New Year, New You. I will be leading a number of workshops this year (see below) to help you set your goals using  the power of the visual.  If your business, organization, church or child's school wants to learn more about visual goal setting, email me here.  I look forward to stepping into this New Year together.   NEW YEAR NEW YOU: Spiritual Goal Setting to Help You Lead Your Best Life SEATTLE UNITY CHURCH Join me Sunday, January 6th, from 1-3PM. I will be speaking at both their 9AM & 11AM Sunday services, then leading a visual goal setting workshop. $25 in advance, $35 at the door. Make this year count! CLASSES LEARN TO GRAPHIC RECORD Anyone can learn the basic skills of graphic recording.  A simple 5 hour class can get you and your HR/OD/Facilitation team started. Contact us. HOLIDAY GIFT GIFT THE GIFT OF CHANGE The odds against you making change in your life are 9 to 1.  This bookwill show you how to beat those odds.  Give a copy to a friend, relative, co-worker who wants to make a change but isn't sure how.

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