Where does creativity come from?

This might very well be something you can relate to on many levels... So many times, when I want to create something, I'm held back by that voice in my head that says,

"Don't bother. Its not going to be good enough. A thousand other people must be having the same idea. Its already been done. You're wasting your time."

Sound familiar?

In the end, most of the time, that voice wins. Is that voice really me talking? It certainly doesn't feel like it. It feels like some crazy old demon that sits on my shoulder, gobbling up any good energy I might have for ideas, taking it for himself and thriving on it. Using my ideas as sustenance for himself to get stronger and his voice to get louder.

So how do I fight it? Am I really the one in charge? When I write a story, take a picture, or cook a meal, can I really be the one to take credit for the outcome? Is it really me that creates anything? Or is it another entity working through me? If I can step back and see all the elements at play, I can start to see the control board with the switches all through the body of my mind. Among the switches are the volume control for the demon voice and the play button for the ideas ready to surge through.

This way of being seems to really take the fear out of going ahead with an idea. A great tool for anyone aspiring to make a living through creating. I first heard about this concept by listening to the author Elizabeth Gilbert who wrote "Eat, Love, Pray." Her talk makes a lot of sense and gets the enthusiasm going to go ahead a create something... anything! Check it out!

What is the difference between "chunk light" and "albacore" tuna?

When I shop for groceries I like to get good quality for as cheap as I can. I realize that with most products, you'll end up paying a few cents more for a fancy label when you can get stuff just as good with a generic label. Those few cents per item really add up!

Anyway, tonight, Cam and I went shopping together. Everything was a breeze until we got to the tuna. Since I don't buy it that often, its been a while since I've looked at the price. I was amazed to find that the albacore was almost a dollar more per can than the chunk light. I looked for some generic labels and found that the generic albacore was still more expensive than the name brand chunk light.

My immediate reaction was that the albacore was better quality. I compared labels and they seemed pretty similar. The albacore had a few more grams of protein and a few less calories, but not enough for me to justify spending so much more for it. So we opted for the chunk light and I left the store feeling a little defeated. Like I somehow compromised my health by getting the cheaper stuff.

Once I got home, I couldn't resist finding some little tidbit of information that would make me feel better about my purchase. Sure enough, immediately I found that because albacore is caught and canned at an older age, its mercury content is over double of the amount found in the fish used in the chunk light variety.

What does that all mean? The warning for mercury is mostly directed at pregnant women and children, but it can affect anyone. Just look at Jeremy Piven from "Entourage." He got mercury poisoning from eating too much sushi. He claims to have suffered through extreme exhaustion from the ordeal. Its also known to cause brain function impairment and various auto-immune issues.

I don't know about sushi, but as far as the canned stuff goes, the experts say its safe to eat one can of albacore every 10 days while you can eat one can of chunk light every 4 days. This is good news to me since I do like the occasional tuna sandwich and tomato soup combo. Discovering this information made me feel better about the chunk light I got. I'm also reminded, yet again, that just because something costs more, doesn't necessarily mean its better.

What is it about Tiger?

It hasn't even been a year since Tiger Woods has been gone from golf, but to me it feels like an eternity. His return today reminds me of how much I've actually missed the guy. My partner, the man in charge of the remote is crazy into golf. Me, I'm not much into it. Actually, I cringe every time the t.v. gets turned to the golf channel except if Tiger is playing. As long as he's on the screen, it doesn't seem so bad.

Some people say he's so great because he's a man that has everything... an amazing golf career, wife, two kids, and he finds time to give to charity. Maybe its his exotic look with his big beautiful eyes and bulging biceps? All else aside, I think the thing about Tiger is that he is so frickin' good and is able to take the game seriously without taking himself too seriously. But, what makes him so good? Put simply, its his philosophy.

When he goes up to the tee, his concentration is phenomenal. Who knows how he focuses so well. Not that he's not nervous. After all, even he said,

"When you get nervous, it just means that you care."

Such an ability to recognize what a feeling means and to put it so simply not only helps himself and the golf industry, but also empowers millions of regular people like you and me to look at life a little differently.

To look at a challenge and realize that that sickening feeling in the pit of your stomach is simply a spark of compassion inside of you to face it and do your best can transform the thought process to overcome and be a champion. Of course that's only one of his quotes. Here are some others that conjure inspiration:

"I smile at obstacles."
"My will will move mountains"
"I get to play golf for a living. What more can you ask for? Getting paid to do what you love."
"It will always be the ball and me"
"You can always become better"