I recently saw a video interview on  DifferentBrains.com with Stephen Shore, Ed.D.- who is an author, autism advocate, professor at Adelphi University and actually autistic.

In the video he spoke about autistic individuals finding employment. This is of interest to me because I have a son on the autism spectrum and I’m always trying to educate myself to better the work I’m doing on  AutismHR.com.

The information that Shore shared is something true for autistic individuals seeking meaningful employment, but also true of anyone seeking meaningful employment, or the means to a fulfilling profession.

I’m paraphrasing a bit here, but the essence is, that when interest, skill and ability intersect that’s the recipe for a happy, productive life. I encourage you to check out that post/video interview  here.

Shore eloquently summed it up, in my opinion. I would only add that one needs to continuously work at discovering who s/he is and be self-aware to help constantly course-correct their path to a happy, productive life. I believe this because as time passes often our interests, skills and abilities evolve, grow and change.

Sometimes those interests, skills and abilities develop over time in far different directions from where they originated. That’s okay if you continue to have a solid relationship with yourself and figure out what you need and want to remain focused on your main directional heading — North, toward Happy and Productive.

“What about the money?” You say. Yes, people need to make a certain amount of money from their work to cover the basic necessities of human living, and other financial obligations/saving for the future.

But, if you’ve figured out what your intersection of interests, skills and abilities looks like to produce a happy and productive life for yourself you will remain motivated by that to put in the time and effort to figure out how to create income from it.

If the passion is there and you put in the work, you can find the money. It won’t be easy, but it is possible.
​
However, if you’re not interested in being happy and productive and you don’t know where your interests, skills and abilities intersect then you will most certainly have a hard time finding fulfillment from whatever money you are able to earn.

​Posted by: Nick Venturella

Join the email list and get Nick’s exclusive regular newsletter, not available anywhere else online.

I have a thought that fear is just anxiety about the unknown.
We get worked up about different things that may or may not happen, but the anxiety of not knowing whether or not those fears will come to fruition is the part that tends to drive people crazy — myself included.

Funny thing happens though when you embrace your fear and instead of trying to avoid it, head straight for it and threw it.
​
It’s this mindset that allows you to overcome, or at least accept, whatever outcome results from your actions, in the face of your anxiety.

This is far easier said than done, but if you can learn to harness your fear and turn it into positive energy you push through your fear instead of going around it, and come out on the other side in tact. or reasonably okay or equipped enough to adjust to whatever the outcome is, even if it was not what you wanted it to be. You gain a sense of accomplishment, a sense of confidence, that builds on itself overtime to a point where you aren’t afraid to be anxious.

I am not suggesting to numb yourself out so you don’t have anxiety or fears anymore, but more so being able to recognize that anxious old friend, identify it, label it and view it for what it is without allowing it to be a bigger deal than it needs to be.

One way I used to deal with being anxious was to carry around a pocket journal, and every time I was anxious about something I would write down what I was anxious about. Just releasing it from my brain immediately helped the anxiety to subside and that was just enough to take the edge off to move through the fear and leave it behind me.

Perhaps this could work for you, too.

​Posted by: Nick Venturella

Sign up for the newsletter. It contains Nick's exclusive content that you won't find anywhere else.

You set out to write every day, or draw, or create music, or something else to hone your craft, but once you get started it's hard to maintain momentum and motivation towards regular output over time.

Is this a mental roadblock or more of a physical time and space hurdle?

Sure, it takes time management, and like everyone else, you're very busy with other things. However, you do understand that like anything you know you need to do, you find a way to do it.

For example, I need to pay my bills every month and somehow I always make sure that I do. So why does trying to find the time to consistently be involved in your creative practice seem harder than ensuring your bills are paid regularly?

Again, I come back to the idea that this seems more of a mental problem to be solved versus a true time management problem. Although, I do think the two are linked in that if you can't get into the right mindset it's going to be very difficult to find the motivation to appropriately manage your time to fit your creative practice into your daily life.

Great, so we've identified that it's a mental problem versus a physical time and space problem, so what can you do about it?

Think of a time when you felt creatively energized. What were you doing that gave you that kind of energy? Do that.

It may not be quite that easy. If not, think of things to clear your mind? For some, this might be taking a walk or working out -- something to get the blood flowing and endorphins firing. For others it might be doodling while you're watching TV or listening to music, or simply meditating quietly for a few minutes.  I often like to aimlessly noodle on the guitar.

The point is, try to do something that clears your head so you're not trying to force the creativity as much as your are inviting creativity in. You're trying to clear your mind to get out of your creativity's way.

One thing you can do is write daily. I mean with a piece of paper and a pen, and simply write whatever comes to your mind, even if it's nonsense (you don't have to show this to anyone -- it's just an exercise for you).

​Set a timer for 5 minutes and do this daily for an entire month. I guarantee you're going to have transcendent moments where you feel like you've unlocked something great inside your creative mind. 

Or if you are a visual arts kind of person take on the same 5 minutes a day challenge with drawing -- draw whatever objects are in front of you for 5 minutes a day for a month. Then see how you feel.

It can be tough to start and sustain a creative habit to help your creative muscle grow, but even 5 minutes a day is better than no minutes a day, and who can't come up with 5 minutes a day?

The cool thing is that this is not exclusive to creative people. The 5 minutes a day idea can help anyone get started building a regular positive habit that helps your mindset. 

The whole purpose is to get you into, or at least better your chances of getting you into, that highly energized, motivated, happy, healthy state of mind that allows you to think and perform at your best. 

It won't happen every time, or even every other time, but you increase your chances of hitting that highly energized state the more you engage in such a practice.

And over time you'll get there more easily, frequently and sustain it longer -- all because you had the discipline and patience to conquer mind over matter.

Posted by  Nick Venturella

Get Exclusive Content in My Regular Newsletter!
(this content isn't available anywhere esle)

I like writing as an expressive creative practice because it takes little too almost no equipment, which allows one to quickly and easily catch their inspiration when it strikes.

…and that’s the main point of having a creative practice — to regularly practice using your creative muscle and being poised and ready to capture inspiration when it hits.

Simply grab a sheet of paper and a pen, or in our modern times your iPhone and the Notes app where you can even dictate what you’d like to write and have it written out — that’s how this post originated for me.

The point is, writing is an accessible creative muscle-builder with very little barriers of entry. Thus, there is really no excuse for not working in some way on your creative practice.

Join the email list and get Nick’s exclusive regular newsletter, not available anywhere else online.

Posted by Nick Venturella

​

"I feel like I'm having a heart attack! I can't breathe. My heart is racing ."

"I'm here to help. You're not dying. Let's focus on slowing down your breathing."

Later...

"What was that?"

"You were having a panic attack. I've had them before. It feels like you're having a heart attack, but there's really nothing physically wrong with you. It's just a physical reaction to your mental and emotional state. Do you have any understanding as to why you would have a panic attack? Are you stressed, overwhelmed, upset about something?"

"Yes, yes and yes."

-------------------------------------

Don't Panic, Take Action
Have you ever had a feeling, or a situation pan out like the one described above?

I know I personally have.

I was in a job years ago that was not an ideal fit. I took it when it was offered to me due to my own desperate circumstances at the time -- my wife and I just moved and she was months away from giving birth to our first child.

That job took an emotional toll on me, to the point that I felt physically ill on a regular basis.

Unfortunately, I think this same scenario is true of many people. Perhaps even you.

For me, I was denying myself the ability to be myself in any recognizable form by being in that job.

That job and the organization I was working for at the time didn't really allow it. They took several measures to squelch individuality.

As a result it was extremely damaging to my spirit, motivation, psyche and personal relationships.

I knew something had to change, but I was unsure how to change it, and I unfortunately knew that change wouldn't happen all at once like I wanted.

Building Small Positive Habits
So, I promised myself that I would do at least one thing every single day that was an effort to move me into a new job away from the organization and position I was currently in.

I started reading -- daily -- what I used to consider very cheesey positive affirmations and related books. Over a short period of time the effect of this was clear to me -- it worked to help move past my negative mindset.

I carried around a small pocket sized notebook to use as an anxiety journal. Every time I started to feel anxious I would pull out the notebook and quickly jot down what I was feeling anxious about. Releasing it from my brain proved to be very beneficial.

Then on my lunch hours and in the evenings -- long evenings taking care of my newborn son -- I sent out job resumes, connected with professional contacts via email and social media to make forward progress on my goal of leaving that job for something that would allow me to be more authentic.

Why Protecting Your Authenticity is Not Selfish
From the moment I made the commitment to myself, my wife and my young growing family that I was going to positively change my employment circumstance, it took me almost 8 months of grinding it out, everyday.

However, I had an interview with a small entrepreneurial HR software organization that went well.

I don't even really remember the interview process -- I was so exhausted and running on adrenaline at the time, but I do remember mustering all my energy to present myself and my marketing portfolio of work.

Later, my boss who hired me, told me that I was the only candidate that came in with a portfolio of work examples to share. He said the candidate race wasn't even close after he met me.

Wow, that felt good!

Getting hired at that job, at that moment in my life, helped me turn the corner on what I was capable of if I relied on my authentic self.

That situation made me realize that I'm most successful when I'm my authentic self (I'm not necessarily speaking about monetary success, but that follows when you truly are who you are and you protect that).

I learned that it's not selfish to protect your ability to play to your strengths and be your authentic self so you can stay positive, productive and happy for yourself and those you care about -- it's a necessary survival skill.

​Posted by: Nick Venturella

Join the email list and get Nick's exclusive regular  newsletter, not available anywhere else online.