I thought it was ironic. Of course I'd be ask to speak on a topic I wasn't entirely comfortable with…isn't that how life works? I had the privilege of speaking at the Catalyst Leadership Conference this week and while it was an honor in it and of itself, the opportunity was made sweeter to present alongside Bianca, my twin sister and anti-human trafficking champion for A21.

The premise of our presentation was dealing with how to get unstuck in communication (Bianca) and from a creative perspective (me). As I was preparing for my presentation, I felt like I was talking to myself. I wrestled with questions and put forth what I, truly, believe helped me move past moments of artistic impotency.

For sake of brevity, I won't go into all the details, but I was reminded of what I need to do to get creative…even when I feel like I can't create. Yes, there are desperate moments when I feel my camera and I are playing for different teams, or we speak different languages. Days when I sit in front of my computer and lack the words needed to convey my thoughts. Nights spent staring at the ceiling knowing I can't form my dreams, even if they're resting just below the surface of my mind.

Moving past moments of creative conundrums–working through being stuck–is best addressed by:
1. Writing down your goals.
2. Setting a due date to make it happen.
3. Practicing your craft.
4. Asking for help.
5. Doing the work.

Sure, there are tons of other elements we can dilute the creative process with, but boiled down to the necessities, these five steps aren't just attainable, they give us the permission to believe in our dreams.

Just before the presentation, I had the pleasure of being interviewed for Backstage West by Carlos Whittaker…who later confessed he read my blog because HIS MOM MADE HIM DO IT.
Dear Mrs. Whittaker…thanks for having great taste. Love you, boo.

I've never given a presentation with Bianca, so it was a cool experience and something I'll cherish…she introduced me to the organizers of Catalyst and it was an honor to collaborate with such a great group of people.

The night before our presentation, I invited my sister over for a practice run of our presentation. We argued, laughed, belittled each other, swore we weren't related, yet somehow found a way to make it all come together in the end. I guess our mom was right…no matter how much you wanna punch your sister in the face, there's nothing a hug can't fix.

Happy Friday!