The notion of personality preferences is not controversial - we all have our likes and dislikes - but the notion that we fit into a "type" or a "style" is controversial because it suggests that once I know your type, I can make predictions about you.  It means that I can suggest what kind of world where you should live, work, and love in order to optimize your happiness and productivity (1).  People also resist personality typing because it means that they should fit into a box drawn by a dead white guy.

(It's worth noting that MBTI was created by a mother-daughter team and they had no training in psychology  Academics hate it for that reason too!)

Nonetheless, tests of styles, and types are very, very popular - especially in business, education, and fashion magazines.  There are tests for management styles, learning styles, attachment styles, productivity styles, conflict styles, leadership types, and so many more.  The idea that once you know your type or style, you can tailor your life to match it is big business!  

I have fallen in love with drawing trees.  There is a Doodle & Flow practice in the Find Your Joy miniCourse that asks you to draw trees. 

Most of the time when I draw trees, I show what the world sees above ground and what they don't see below ground.  As an introvert, I have a rich interior life that other people don't see... some of them intuitively sense it, but it really isn't visible.  Oftentimes my inner world isn't even visible to me until I draw it.  Other times, I draw what brings joy and happiness to my life (above ground) and what I must do to nourish and sustain those things (below ground).  Here's a sample:

My inspiration for drawing trees comes from singer / songwriter / creative human David Byrne's book Arborteum.  I found the book years ago while browsing the shelves of Powell's Books in Portland.  I was teaching experiential education at the time and was doing a lot of doodling and journaling to cope with the intensely social experience of living and working with other people 24/7 for 100 days in a row. 

The brief glimpse at Byrne's book - drawing what we see above ground and what lurks beneath - was a strong metaphor for my experience of being constantly around people but also feeling lonely and disconnected from them at the same time.  My role as a professor on the field semester I was teaching had me constantly answering student questions, guiding them in their learning, and facilitating conversations, but couldn't connect with them as peers.  So I felt lonely. 

After leaving the bookstore, I was sad that I hadn't bought the book, but my life moved on so I couldn't return to get it.  Several years ago I learned that the book was reprinted and I quickly ordered a copy.  It has become a favorite source of inspiration... not only does Byrne let his mind wander throughout his sketchbook but he invites us to look at what grows there - above and below ground.

A few pages from Arboretum:

This weekend's challenge is inspired by one of my doodling heroes - Kai Skye (a.k.a. Brian Andreas) - who says that sometimes when he needs inspiration for writing and doodling he does this.

Day 1: Wavy Lines
Using a pencil, gray marker, or fine pen, draw a series of parallel lines on a page with your non-dominant hand (we want them to be wavy). You want to see these but they shouldn't overwhelm the page.  Think of this as a meditation, not a drawing exercise.

Day 2:  Flair
Slowly fill in these lines with words that come to you. Use a bigger, darker marker for the letters. Write slowly and deliberately. It is okay if they don't make sense. Think of this as a meditation, not a writing exercise.

Day 3: Doodles
Color in any letters that make a closed shape - like the middles of A, B, D, P. You can use the same colors or alternate colors.  Add doodles around your writing. Draw anything that comes to mind for you.

Share a photo of your doodle on social media and in the Doodle & Flow online community! 
Hashtags: #doodleandflowpractice #flowersandvines #molinecreative

Doodle & Flow is a process that is designed to put you in a "flow" mindset and help you tap your intuition, your creativity by allowing your mind to wander, gently.  The flow space allows your spontaneous brilliance to emerge, so please do not get caught up in the drawing and art-making of Doodle & Flow. This is about process, not product.  Allow yourself play and see what arises!

I'm guessing if you're reading this post, you like the Doodle & Flow process enough to invest in fancier doodling supplies - or, like me, you have an art supply addiction.  Either way, this is fantastic news.  Congratulations!

Let me keep this brief.  I use three main things in my practice: silky smooth marker paper, pigment-based black markers, and colorful watercolor markers.  I also carry my markers in a neat little case and sometimes use Avery labels to cover up my mistakes.

Paper: Spiral bound, smooth, thick, perfectly white pages
I have tried dozens of types of paper and I will write a review about the pros and cons of all of them at some point, but I like spiral bound blank sketchbooks when I draw with markers.  I like them because I am often doodling on my lap and I never know how to manage the other side of the sketchbook if it is hard bound. 

I also like thick, smooth, perfectly white paper.  I like thick paper so my markers don't "ghost" or show up on the next page.  I like smooth paper because it uses less marker ink.  I like perfectly white paper so I can use labels to cover up my mistakes.

My favorites:

• Bee Paper Markerbook
  
• Bee Paper Pen Sketcher
  

Black Markers:  Pigment-based twin tips
I wrote a whole blog post about my marker trials. I bought dozens of markers and tried them all!  You can check my review here and my recommendation here.  Briefly, I settled on Uchida Pigment-based Artist Markers.  I like them because they dry fast, don't smear, and (most importantly) don't smell toxic to me.  I also like that they have two nibs - skinny and thick.  I don't like that they are expensive and seem to run out of ink really fast.

Colorful Markers:  Water-based brush tips
I go back and forth between Tombow Dual Brush Pens and Neuland Fine Liners (brush tip).  I like the dual tip feature because I mostly use my colorful markers for coloring, but occasionally I use the fine nib to write text.  I like the water-based ink because it isn't toxic.

If I am traveling and can't find Tombow markers, I will sometimes buy the generic Artist Loft version from Michaels.  I don't like them quite as well because they aren't as juicy as the Tombow markers, but they work in a pinch.  They are also a tiny bit shorter so they fit in smaller pen cases.

Avery Labels:  The littlest ones
I also use sticky labels - the white ones you use to put on envelopes for mailing - to cover up my mistakes.  My two favorite sizes for Doodle & Flow are 60 and 80 labels to a page. 

This challenge is designed to be completed in tiny little chunks (5-10 minutes) over seven days, but as with everything in Doodle & Flow, complete it at your pace on your timeline.  Feel free to string it out over seven weeks or binge it in seventy minutes.  It is your practice. Do as you wish.

Share a photo of your doodle on social media and in the Doodle & Flow online community! 
Hashtags: #doodleandflowpractice #flowersandvines #molinecreative

Doodle & Flow is a process that is designed to put you in a "flow" mindset and help you tap your intuition, your creativity by allowing your mind to wander, gently.  The flow space allows your spontaneous brilliance to emerge, so please do not get caught up in the drawing and art-making of Doodle & Flow. This is about process, not product.  Allow yourself play and see what arises!

Day 1: Flowers
Draw a series of slightly wobbly spirals that will become simple roses... or you can draw any other type of flower.  This is about the process, not the product.  Draw whatever brings you joy.

Day 2: Vines
Add vines. Consider adding curls to your vines and working out what it looks like when the vine winds around itself (it appears smaller as it moves away from you).

Day 3: Flair
Add color to your vine and consider adding flair like grapes, flowers, bugs, bees, birds.

Share a photo of your doodle on social media and in the Doodle & Flow online community! 
Hashtags: #doodleandflowpractice #flowersandvines #molinecreative

Doodle & Flow is a process that is designed to put you in a "flow" mindset and help you tap your intuition, your creativity by allowing your mind to wander, gently.  The flow space allows your spontaneous brilliance to emerge, so please do not get caught up in the drawing and art-making of Doodle & Flow. This is about process, not product.  Allow yourself play and see what arises!

Have you woken up in the middle of the night because your mind was racing through your busy to do list?  And then drifted peacefully off to sleep after you wrote the list on a notepad beside your bed? 

If so, this post is for you...

I have been keeping a journal, diary, or sketchbook for the past 30 years.  Over that time, I've learned to use doodling and writing to shift the speed of my thinking depending on what life requires of me.  There are times when my brain is moving slowly and I can't get motivated to work on a writing project, so I sketch out what I am going to say - not outline what I am going to say, but doodle a picture of what I am going to say - and my mind warms up   Other times my mind is racing so fast that I can't think deeply enough to solve a client's problem, so I clear the chatter by writing quickly or making lists.  I use this process, which I call Doodle & Flow, daily to meet life's challenges. 

Recently I have started sharing the process of Doodle & Flow with colleagues and friends.  Because much of my own learning has come from personal writing, that's where we're starting.  Together we are building a community of creatively curious people who want to shape their own thinking to quickly generate new ideas, thoughtfully consider their lives, cultivate stronger relationships, and live intentionally.   I can't wait to share the doodles that these amazing humans are creating and the insights that are emerging for them.  Stay tuned for Doodle & Flow... coming July 20th.

Sign up to receive Doodle & Flow warm up exercises, doodle challenges, and info about new courses. 

I enjoy strategic visioning.  It brings me a lot of joy to unroll a clean sheet of paper, pull out my markers, and use my listening, drawing, and improv skills to help a group see their future more clearly. 

Recently, I was asked to speak at the 1st Annual Northern Arizona Center for Nonprofit Entrepreneurship Conference, which was hosted by Northern Arizona University, Moonshot, and your Part Time Controller.  It was attended by dozens of nonprofit leaders, so I used this as an opportunity to share my love of working visually with a talented audience. 

Sometimes the most effective tools are the simplest, which is why I keep coming back to visual timelines for strategic planning.  Visual timelines allow a groups to see where they have been and envision where they are going.  They allow a team to celebrate their recent successes and study recent failures, so they can set realistic goals for the next few years.  Visual timelines are a valuable map of the orgnizational landscape that meeting participants refer to throughout the planning process.

After we draw a historical timelines during a strategic planning session, I like to ask the meeting participants to describe the future of their organization for me.  This is a bluesky conversation. A brainstorming session.  Then I draw their vision as quickly as they speak, so they see their ideas unfold.  Once we have a sketch of the future, we discuss the big ideas and set priorities.  Future priorities become future goals and an  implementation plan.  For some organizations the implementation plan is a concrete, step-by-step plan and others it is just a promise to follow the vibe that takes them towards their goals. 

What are the steps to create a visual timeline?

1. Start with a very big blank sheet of paper (or whiteboard).  Draw a timeline along the bottom. It works well to have this timeline match the length of your planning horizon (i.e. if you are doing a 5-year strategic plan, look back over the past 5 years for this exercise).
   
2. Set out post it notes, notecards or scrap paper at each set along with markers.
3. Ask participants to reflect on the past X years and make notes on paper at their seat of the significant events (5-10 minutes).
4. A recorder will draw / write / stick key ideas on the timeline as people report out. It works well to have each person report their best idea first.  Then go around the room again for the second best ideas.
   
5. Processing: The visual can be used for discussion, people can vote on significant accomplishments, or take this away from the meeting to foster discussions with stakeholders.

Note: If the thought of drawing in front of a group scares you, you can always pre-print clip art or bring magazines that are relevant to your organization.  Use scissors and glue to have fun creating a timeline collage. 

Of course, you are also welcome to email me for support.  I love to draw and have assistance available for non-profit organizations who can't otherwise afford my services.

I attended a Local First AZ workshop last week in Tucson that was partially an excuse to drive deep into the Sonoran Desert during wildflower season and partially a great opportunity to meet local business people.  Who knew that sitting in a furniture showroom for two hours with strangers could change my perspective on capitalism?  Let me explain...

The event was focused on Conscious Capitalism, which is a business philosophy that was articulated by John Mackey (the founder of Whole Foods Market) and Raj Sisodia in a book of the same name.  In my words, Conscious Capitalism is the idea that free trade is good for communities, individuals, and the planet when it exists to serve a higher purpose - such as helping people eat better foods or supporting local communities or making the world a more creative place - not just to make money for shareholders.  Conscious Capitalism proposes that business should seek a higher purpose and consider how business decisions impact all STAKEholders (customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, mama earth), NOT just corporate SHAREholders.  The book is a quick and interesting read.

As an entrepreneur with a background in ecology and 10+ years teaching university students about sustainability, Conscious Capitalism seems like the kind of business philosophy that I would have taught if it had occurred to me to teach about business at the university (maybe I'll go back and do that in a few years :).  While I had not articulated a clear philosophy for my business, I find myself moving towards more conscious business decisions as I become more profitable.  I'm giving away my time through the Contagious Creativity Awards. I try to treat my best customers like dear friends.  I use the most environmentally- and human-friendly markers that I can find (refillable Neuland markers) and draw on recyclable surfaces whenever possible. 

I am planning to attend several Conscious Capitalism meetings in Arizona over the next month and I look forward to learning more!  If you are curious about this philosophy - and the people who are turning it into a movement - you can watch this TEDx talk by Adam Goodman and attend the international conference in Phoenix at the end of April.

Visual notes help a listener remember what a speaker says and also seem to help an audience track the flow of a presentation (more on this in an online workshop I am developing now).  Drawing visual notes is a first step to developing a visual practice.  When people see me work live, they often ask what materials I use for visual note-taking and graphic facilitation.  This is a quick resource for people getting started with visual notes.

I love taking visual notes in a sketchbook or journal while I watch TED talks online, listen to live lectures, or have coffee with friends.  I typically write text and draw doodles in black marker and then add splashes of color here and there.  My style and materials are constantly evolving as I gain practice and learn what works, but this is what I am doing now.

Black outlines. I go back and forth between several black markers. I haven't found the best ink-nib combination, so I oscillate among four types of markers.

• My favorite black marker for sketch notes is the Marvy Memories Artist Pigmented Marker (bullet nib) by Uchida.  You can find it at Michaels stores or order it directly from Uchida.  It also comes in a calligraphy nib.  The Zig Memory System Writer is similar.  Both are pigment-based markers with different size nibs on either end.  These markers don't smear when I color over them with water-based ink.  However, the nibs get flat spots and dry out even before the marker is out of ink.
• My second favorite is the Neuland Outliner.  I love the Outliner ink.  I don't love the 1.0 mm nib on the small Outliner marker.  So I sometimes get empty markers (0.8 mm nib) and fill them with Outliner ink.  The Outliner ink also sometimes dries out and gets flat spots on the nibs.
• Sharpies work well (last a long time, don't get flat spots, and don't smear) but I think they are too toxic to use in public or anywhere except outdoors.