4. Living integrity. When we are actively working on our projects, we honor our innate creativity. We live belief that creativity does matter. This feels better than wishing we were writing, or talking about writing, but not doing it.

5. Save money. Expressing yourself can control urge to impulse buy. Do you ever find yourself shopping just for something to do? Expressing yourself creatively can often fill need to shop for heck of it. Save money and do something creative instead of buying something you don’t really need or want.

6. Energetic, lighter quality to life. Call it a good mood. Call it a natural high. When we’ve done our creative work, we gain energy for our other responsibilities.

7. Connection with other creative people. When we are creating, we are connected to all of those who have gone before us and those who work now in challenging but rewarding field of artistic creativity. What a gift in a world where we feel more and more isolated from each other.

8. Faith and confidence in our impulses. When we create, we recognize that our work does matter even if it is not published, displayed or presented to public. We trust our instincts and gain confidence from expressing them. This confidence carries over into decisions we make in other areas of life.

9. Honoring source of creative ideas. Where does creative inspiration come from? Some think it is God, or other divine source. We honor gift of creative inspiration when we listen and act on our ideas, and by doing so, we are connecting to a deeper wisdom than our own.

10. Self-knowledge and discovery. Creativity is route to authenticity. As we create, we plumb depths of our being, accessing what we think and believe. You may be surprised at resources, thoughts and impulses that you discover there.

These ten benefits do add up to more fulfillment and balance in life. I invite you to create a plan to match your creative vision. Give yourself time and space to be a beginner. Write to me and let me know what benefits you have experienced. Have fun!

Here is an example from my own life. Recently, I've been paying closer attention to what I want and how quick I sometimes am to deny myself. For instance, I'm developing some new strategic alliances in my business. I've noticed how rapidly limiting beliefs will surface, such as, "Don't even bother to call that person. She won't return your call." If I don't stay conscious and aware, I'm stopped in my tracks. I have to keep recognizing what I want and giving myself full permission to have it without judgment.

Here are some steps to get you started: 1. Recognize what you want. 2. Refrain from judgment. 3. Give yourself permission to want what you want. 4. Take action required -- for example, asking, buying, giving. 5. Notice what opportunities open up for you and what opens up inside of you.

Following these steps may feel uncomfortable; you might feel fear. That's okay. These are simply signs that you are moving away from what's been comfortable to you. You are growing!

Each time you acknowledge what you want, refrain from judging it and act on it, you enter flow of life. Life wants to give you what you want. Our socialization (see ten limiting beliefs above) tends to complicate matters and have us believe otherwise. Recognizing what you want and giving it to yourself is a skill. And like most new skills, it requires building "muscle." The more you work muscle, easier it is to move.

In end, you are only one who can sign your own permission slip. As 2003 draws to a close, what's permission slip you want to sign?

------------------------------------------------------------------ Claudette Rowley, coach and author, helps professionals identify and pursue their true purpose and calling in life. Contact her today for a complimentary consultation at 781-676-5633 or claudette@metavoice.org. Sign up for her free newsletter "Insights for Savvy" at http://www.metavoice.org.