The Healthy & Creative Podcast Tiny Talks: Recent Episodes
Laree Griffith
The Healthy and Creative Podcast offers straight talk, strategies, and mini-workshop episodes to inspire creatives to live their very best life.
Today’s Tiny Talk is about claiming full responsibility for your solutions and results when it comes to your creative projects, your dreams, and your goals.
When you believe your results are the fault of someone else or due to a set of circumstances, it’s easy to get stuck in a place of confusion where it feels like there are no solutions available. This is because circumstances and other people are largely out of our control.
P.S. We are halfway through 2022 already!
Are you ready to get on the playing field? As a creativity coach and screenwriter, I can help you take your idea from concept to final draft so you can finally get your work out into the world where it belongs.
This episode is for the person who clearly wants to create something but making it happen is outside their comfort zone.
When they think about it and actually know the next step they need to take, they go into a state of fight or flight and their brain is shouting, “We’re all going to die!”
I’ve been experiencing this response in almost every area of my life. But for the first time, I’m actually working through it instead of running back into my comfort zone or settling for a feeling of constant, low-grade anxiety. I’ve actually gotten comfortable with that feeling because it’s been my default to wake up with a feeling of anxiety, but enough is enough.
Rejection sucks, and for many creatives, particularly the highly sensitive ones like myself, it can feel debilitating to have your work rejected over and over again.
Our default brain is always going to bring up the fight or flight sensation when we experience rejection, even when we are just thinking about the possibility of rejection.
But we don’t have to accept this response, and the more you practice this reframing of rejection, the easier it will be to move through it.
So, I want to offer you a perspective that may help you process rejection in a healthier way, one that will keep you motivated and sharing your work with the world.
It’s the idea of learning to take rejection like a professional.
It’s a valuable skill so I hope you will try this idea on if it resonates with you.
PS. As a creativity coach, I listen and focus on what you want and what is keeping you from getting there. If you are finding yourself constantly stuck in the same rut and you’re not sure how to get out of it, I can help. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together and get your projects out into the world where they belong.
How do you make progress on your projects or in your career, or even just manage your day, when life gets under your skin? This sometimes happens for extended periods and even for seasons.
I have a great little tool for that!
If you would like to dive deeper and work with a coach on any of the topics I talk about on the podcast, please sign up for a free consult and see if we might be a good fit to work together on your creative projects. For more information visit me at www.lareegriffith.com
We have accomplished results that we have achieved and we have working results that we’re still working on. Those are the only two results you can possibly have.
An accomplished result is any result you currently have. For instance, you could have a result of optioning your screenplay or you can have a result of your screenplay being rejected. You could lose 25 pounds or gain 25 pounds. Those are accomplished results, although some people might perceive the results as positive or negative. But when we take the drama out of the story, they are all just neutral accomplished results.
Listen to this week's tiny talk on how to use any result to move forward.
As I was thinking about my coaching style and process, I decided I would write a manifesto of what I believe are the seven pillars of my practice and what I want to work on with others.
I also plan on revisiting this manifesto every quarter to elevate it and hone in even more on the power of these seven pillars.
These pillars have allowed me to move toward a bigger version of myself, not just as a creator but as a human being. They allow me to experience life more fully and make the most of my time on earth.
These are the pillars that have changed my life and that I want to build my practice upon so they can change the lives of my clients, too.
Too many creatives focus only on the result or reward of what they create or consume. They think they have to earn a happy life and that success is what brings them happiness. They are waiting for happiness – or success – and they think it’s out there somewhere and that it must be earned and given to them by someone else.
There is a better way, and I believe that cultivating these seven areas of your life will create a life that is lived fully, one where you take responsibility for how you walk in the world and have your own back no matter what is happening in the outside world.
Read or listen here.
This week I struggled to put together the podcast.I let myself get distracted with the news and all the awful things and I started spiraling into this sort of reactive state of mind. For me, it looks like freezing in place while my mind spins endlessly.
And that’s okay – it happens. I caught it and I’m back!
So, I thought I would share with you today how I got out of the spiral and finally got this Tiny Talk done that you’re listening to, even when I really didn’t feel like doing it at all.
I’m going to take you quickly through this exercise in real-time as I write this Tiny Talk so you can see how powerful it is and how easy it is. It’s going to help you avoid spending hours, weeks, or months in a funk over something you want to do but can’t seem to get started.
If you want to create amazing things in this life and at an elevated level, you need two things: an outside perspective that’s not your own and time to think. That is the value of getting coached. Sign up for a complimentary consult here.
Why should I put all this time and energy into writing this screenplay if I can’t get it produced?
I used to have this thought.
Why would you put all of your energy into a project if you could only see that one outcome as inevitable? That would be an excruciatingly painful experience.
If you can’t come up with a good enough reason to continue and are attached to that all-or-nothing outcome, you may want to let that project go.
But I’d like to offer the idea of starting with a better question.
What are ALL the reasons you chose to begin this project? And, do you like those reasons?
You get to choose the success of any project. You may not get the exact outcome you thought you wanted, but you can still have it be a success if you allow that success to come to you through the infinite number of channels of what’s possible.
Most of all, make room for what matters. That might mean embracing a project or letting it go. The real waste of time is sitting in the middle with a question that is not useful like, “What’s the point if no one will produce it?”
The decision to continue a project or not is always yours. You are the only one who needs to like your reason for quitting or staying with it.
If you need some creativity coaching on this topic, I can help. I know how painful it is to be in this place, and I’d love nothing more than to see you get back on the playing field. Quit your suffering and schedule a free consult!
How to Receive and Process Feedback
When I first started getting feedback on my scripts, I focused on self-validation. It never occurred to me to focus on anything else. I was either a good writer or a bad one.
One fellow writer swooned about my writing and asked if I had written a lot of scripts. My characters were amazing, the dialogue was phenomenal…I felt like a screenwriting prodigy.
Later that same day, I received feedback from another writer, pages and pages of it, about what was not working in my screenplay. This person warned me not to send it to producers, that it was not anywhere near ready, that it was basically a hot mess.
I was devastated. I made that negative feedback mean everything about who I was as a person and my ability to write. I shut down that project at that moment. In my mind, I completely canceled out the good feedback I had gotten prior to that.
I used to blame the person who gave me that feedback for being the reason I never finished the script or continued to market it. Fast forward 15 years; I see now it was me who shut that project down. Not because of the feedback, but because I was not willing to learn anything new about what I had written.
I’ve seen my demise replayed over and over through other writers. Writers, or any creative, can be their own worst enemy on every level. I finally said, “Someone needs to stop this madness!” and that is why I became a creative coach.
So, I’m going to share with you four tips for receiving and processing feedback on your creative projects.
If you need coaching on this topic, I can help you. Let’s start with a free 45-minute consultation!
One of my clients asked me to address on a Tiny Talk how much time writers should be spending on social media or networking on platforms like Stage 32 or other online forums and Facebook groups.
Of course, this will be different for everyone and you really have to look at your current lifestyle and career goals to come up with the answer that is going to best work for you. That being said, I do have some thoughts and suggestions on this topic.
I first want to echo what you have probably heard a thousand times before – relationships are everything. If you don’t have them, you are going to really struggle to get the inspiration, motivation, and support to move your projects forward and get them out there once you have completed them.
So, it’s very important to spend time building relationships.
If this episode struck a chord and you really want some help developing a process or system that helps you move your creative goals forward, I’m accepting clients for my one-on-one coaching program. You can visit my coaching page on my website for more information there.
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to work with a writing partner or enlist people to help you make a film, you will love this week’s Tiny Talk. I talk with my good friend, Linda Palmer, about the art of collaboration.
Linda is a writer, producer, and director. Her production company is Runaway Productions and she also has a Patreon page where she shares weekly filmmaking and writing tips. Her generosity and the knowledge she shares with her Patreon supporters are 10X in value. I highly recommend hanging out with her.
It’s February already! Ready to get on the playing field? As a creativity coach and screenwriter, I can help you take your idea from concept to final draft so you can finally get your work out into the world where it belongs. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together.
We don’t actually fear failure – we fear what we make “failure” mean about us.
Listen to today's Tiny Talk and learn how to use fear of failure to help you succeed.
I’m now accepting clients for my one-on-one coaching program. If you’re developing a project, rewriting a current one, or marketing a completed one, I can help. Book a free 30-minute consultation here and find out how we can turn your obstacles into your successes.
“Know thy story,” and your story is the answer to these eight questions
If you’ve ever finished the first draft of your screenplay and then received feedback suggesting that your character is boring, unlikeable, not driving the story, or that the supporting characters are more impressive than your protagonist; or you find that people just don’t get it; or you yourself draw a blank when someone asks you what your story is about, answering the eight questions in this article will take care of all of that plus help you...
- Write faster
- Create a protagonist who drives the story
- Write a powerful antagonist or antagonistic force
- Not paint yourself into a corner
- Write scenes that almost write themselves
- Create a touchstone for when you get derailed or stuck
- Brainstorm settings, scenes, dialogue
- Create powerful turning points
- Find the best inciting incident
- Eliminate the overwhelm of approaching a first draft or rewrite
- Make writing your marketing content easy
If you need rewrite coverage or rewrite coaching, I’m here to help. And, if you sign up already having the above questions answered, you get 25% off as a bonus! How’s that for a little incentive.
I love deadlines. They can be a motivating and fun way to gamify a task and help you stay on track with your projects.
Deadlines give you something to aim for that will get you closer to your big dreams and goals.
But sometimes, we use deadlines against ourselves and today I want to talk about how to stop doing that.
If you're committed to becoming the person it takes to realize your big dream or you need clarity around what your big dream is, I can help you. Sign up for a free consult right here. Let's get you moving in the right direction!
Do you do your best to fill up your creativity tank every day?
Or maybe you don't even think about it – like many of us – until you start feeling burnt out, apathetic, or indifferent to the projects you were once crazy passionate about.
You know you're running out of fuel if you're writing your screenplay, trudging through pages more focused on doing it right than you are on telling your story. If you're feeling apathetic or you're letting the critic in your head entertain you, these are all signs that you need to stop and fill up that creativity tank.
Writing is all about creativity and you can't afford to run out of creative fuel. Let's make this the year we do something every day to keep our creativity tanks from ever running on empty.
How do we fill our creativity tanks?
There are some things you can do that have a compound effect and are the most sustainable ways of filling up your tank, and then there are some instant, on-demand ways you can use every day.
Listen to this Tiny Talk for 10 ways to make sure you never run out of creativity, inspiration, and joy for the projects you love.
Need help incubating your project? As a creative coach and screenwriter, I help you take your idea from concept to final draft and finally get it out into the world where it belongs. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together.
When creating and implementing a strategy or scheduling your tasks and projects for your Big Goal, keep things as simple as possible.
You will want to use what works best for your particular goal, lifestyle, and personality type. It's important that whatever method you use to plan and execute your goals is going to be one you can consistently show up for and follow through with.
By doing the planning and prep work upfront, you're far more likely to follow through and get the results you’re after. (You can catch up on the work we have already done for this by checking out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 of this series.)
If you're ready to go all-in on your goals in 2022, I would love to be your personal coach! Right now, I'm offering 35% off all my coaching programs for 2022. Book a free consult to see how we can work together in 2022.
I'm taking a tiny break from Tiny Talks and will be back on January 7th. If you have ideas for some Tiny Talks, please email me and tell me what you would like to hear! Send a message or request here.
In Part One, we reconnected with our values. In Part Two, we created a vision for life based on and honoring those values.
In Part Three, we brainstormed all the goals we have for the upcoming year. We talked about the difference between projects and goals and converted some of those projects into goals.
For Part 4, we want to narrow down those goals to the top four most closely aligned with our vision and values. Then, we will choose one Big Goal to focus on.
"A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it's an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.” – Rosabeth Kanter
This week's Tiny Talk is Part 2 of my series, Creating an Intentional 2022.
Last week in Part 1, I talked about reconnection with your core values. If you haven't listened to that one yet, I highly recommend doing so before listening to this one. The exercise I will share in this Tiny Talk is all about creating a compelling vision based on those values.
If your vision is not based on your own values, what often ends up happening is you create from the energy of obligation, people-pleasing, or from a place that is out of alignment with your truth. That is not an inspiring vision for your life.
Are you ready to start putting your work out in the world?
Whether you have a big project or a bunch of small ones, if you’re making a creative career pivot, writing a book, making a movie, producing a play, or taking any other big step in your creative life, I can help.
I’m currently enrolling six-month and annual coaching clients for 2022! You can book a free consult so we can chat about how I can help you see success in finishing your work and getting it out into the world.
How to Create an Intentional 2022 Series
Part 1: Revisiting and Connecting with Your Core Values
I thought I would spend the next few weeks of Tiny Talks setting up a framework to create an intentional 2022.
I'm going to share the process that I'll be using, and you are, of course, welcome to use it or modify it so that it works for whatever you want to create in 2022.
Why is it important to take the time to work on this? Because if we don't, we're just going to continue living in a state of reaction as the world comes at us.
Here's what you'll learn in this series:
- How to reconnect with your values
- How to create a vision that’s inspired by and woven together with those values
- How to choose just one Big Goal for the year to move you into your vision for 2022 and beyond
- How to decide on the objectives or projects to take on to reach your goal
- How to schedule and implement those objectives
Enjoy!
P.S. Are you ready to start putting your work out in the world? Whether you have a big project or a bunch of small ones, if you’re making a creative career pivot, writing a book, making a movie, producing a play, or taking any other big step in your creative life, and you need an accountability coach, I can help. I’m currently enrolling six-month and annual coaching clients for 2022! You can book a free consult so we can chat about how I can help you see success in finishing your work and getting it out into the world.
Are you willing to allow people to have critical thoughts about you? If not, then you’re using other people’s thoughts as an excuse to not do your own life.
So what if people are going to be confused by you?
Are you willing to have that happen for you to do your life’s work? And if not, how do you think that is showing up in your craft?
Quit putting the things you most want in life on hold for other people
P.S. Are you ready to start putting your work out in the world? Whether you have a big project or a bunch of small ones, if you’re making a creative career pivot, writing a book, making a movie, producing a play, or taking any other big step in your creative life, and you need an accountability coach, I can help. I’m currently enrolling six-month and annual coaching clients for 2022! You can book a free consult so we can chat about how I can help you see success in finishing your work and getting it out into the world.
Are you waiting for the new year to get a clean slate and start fresh?
I've got one question for you: Why not start right now?
What if you just decided to give yourself a fresh start every week, and instead of calling any setbacks along the way “failures,” you call them “experiments”?
If you begin using the tool I'm going to share with you right now, by the time January rolls around, you will have had eight fresh starts already! (This assumes you started using it when I published this article, which would be the final week of October 2021.)
This Tiny Talk is about looking at fun in a whole new way that will increase your ability to make it to the finish line on your projects and enjoy the process so much more.
I recently spent some time on a couple of introvert forums on Facebook, and I noticed that the conversations seemed to be focused on how to shape their lives around being an introvert so they don’t get triggered or pushed out of their comfort zone.
It’s sad because people were saying things like “I could never do this or that because I’m an introvert – that would totally trigger me.” One person said, “I love my job, but it’s really not a good position for an introvert.”
They’ve put themselves into a position of constantly looking for evidence as to why they shouldn’t do something or pursue something, even if they really want to experience it, because it might trigger or amplify their introverted traits, as if it were a bad thing to get knocked out of their comfort zone once in a while.
Ready to get on the playing field? As a creative life coach and screenwriter, I can help you take your idea from concept to final draft so you can finally get your work out into the world where it belongs. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together.
People talk about breakthroughs the same way they talk about waiting for inspiration – as if it’s something magical they have to wait for.
That’s simply not true.
In this Tiny Talk, I’ll teach you a process you can use to have consistent creative breakthroughs instead of waiting for one to randomly fall on your head.
I’m very excited to offer this three-month one-on-one coaching package for those of you who want to finish up a rewrite or develop an idea into a first draft.
I have 10 spots for the final quarter of 2021. It would be an honor to help you get your projects out into the world where they belong.
Sign up before October 10th and get free page-by-page coverage on one of your projects.
Book a free consult here.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of cleaning up my external environment to obtain more focus and creativity. But let’s face it; it’s not always enough. That’s because sometimes it’s the other way around – my mind is cluttered and my environment is just reflecting that back to me.
You might struggle with completing your projects because you have so much clutter in your mind that you can’t think on purpose or in alignment with what you want.
That’s what today’s Tiny Talk is about: a simple process to help you clean up your mind so you can access your creativity.
Unless you have a full-time Musekeeper, this is one of the best tools to help you get unstuck, and move forward on your projects or any other area in your life.
Today’s Tiny Talk is actually a spin on a newsletter I sent out several months ago called “23 Reasons to Keep Marketing Your Screenplay.” I had so many writers respond and tell me how much it inspired them.
I was thinking about it again recently and it just feels like there are people who really need to hear this right now, including myself!
Are you stuck in a marketing rut or just have no clue how to start putting your work out into the world? I’m taking on 10-12 clients for my second One-on-One Marketing Mentorship workshop starting in October. You can check out all the details right here.I couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of the Marketing Mentorship program. With Laree’s guidance, I developed a polished portfolio of marketing materials and solid marketing plan tailored specifically for my manuscript. I enjoyed the individualized nature of the program and how Laree’ took into account my experience level, personal goals and needs. It enabled me to approach the marketplace with confidence, target the right individuals resulting in multiple read requests and valuable connections. I highly recommend it!
~ Esther Shihabi
T**oday’s Tiny Talk is a bit different; I will be interviewing the founder of the Open-Door Playhouse podcast.
She talks about her journey to creating the podcast and how it has profoundly changed the lives of so many creative artists when their craft was shuttered due to the COVID crisis.**
A little over a year ago, I answered an opportunity to help produce a podcast that a writer was trying to get launched. The writer was Bernadette Armstrong, and she is not only a writer; she is an award-winning playwright, screenwriter, director, and filmmaker, and now a theatrical podcaster.
Her mission is to get her work out into the world while taking as many people with her as she can. She’s a powerhouse and the mother of many cats.
Today, September 15th, 2021, is the podcast’s first anniversary.Visit Open-Door Playhouse Podcast here.
Should I develop this idea or that one? Should I finish this script or rewrite this other one? Do I work on a TV pilot, a feature, or do I write a stage play?
Welcome to this week’s tiny talk. Let’s discuss how to choose your next project or idea.
Many writers come to me for help figuring out what projects they should be working on. It can be exhausting to decide where to focus when most of these projects require six to 12 months, sometimes more, to see through to the end.
There’s always that little voice that says, What if I pick the wrong one?Ready to get on the playing field? As a creative life coach and screenwriter, I can help you take your idea from concept to final draft so you can finally get your work out into the world where it belongs. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together.It’s what I do, and I love it!
I recently had an “a-ha!” moment in my own life and realized that the lovely and well-intentioned thought of “Just one step at a time” was keeping me stuck. It was also keeping me blind from seeing where all the gold really was.
That’s what I’m going to talk about in today’s tiny talk. There’s this place called “the stretch” and you definitely don’t want to miss it.
Ready to get on the playing field? As a creative life coach and screenwriter, I can help you take your idea from concept to final draft so you can finally get your work out into the world where it belongs. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together.
**This is the final part of my five-part series on how to deal with low motivation and stuckness.
We’ve covered:**
- Distraction Actions
- Indecision
- Fixed Mindset
- Perfectionism
Today is about the DIY distraction, “Not Enough Time.”
Ready to get on the playing field? As a creative life coach and screenwriter, I can help you take your idea from concept to final draft so you can finally get your work out into the world where it belongs. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together.
In this five-part series, I’ve been talking about how we can overcome low motivation and that feeling of “stuckness” caused by obstacles that come up anywhere between starting and finishing a goal or project.
This week’s Tiny Talk is Part 4 of my 5-part series about what I call “DIY obstacles.”
Last week we talked about the DIY obstacle Fixed Mindset.
This week’s DIY obstacle is Perfectionism which rides in on the back of the fixed mindset.
When you’re focused on doing something perfectly, you tend to highlight all that is not perfect, and that becomes the background music to which you write or create.
That’s just not very inspiring music, is it!
Ready to get on the playing field? As a creative life coach and screenwriter, I can help you take your idea from concept to final draft so you can finally get your work out into the world where it belongs. Book a free consultation and find out how we can work together.
In this five-part series, I’ve been talking about how we can overcome low motivation and that feeling of “stuckness” caused by obstacles that come up anywhere between starting and finishing a goal or project.
This week’s Tiny Talk is Part 3 of my 5-part series about what I call “DIY obstacles.”
DIY obstacles are obstacles we create on our own. So far, we’ve covered Distraction Action and Indecision. This week, it’s about the DIY obstacle Fixed Mindset.
Enjoy!
A creativity coach offers an environment and space so you can bounce ideas and have project breakthroughs. Book a free consultation here and find out how we can work together to get your projects out into the world where they belong.
In this five-part series, I’m going to talk about how we can overcome low motivation and that feeling of “stuckness” caused by obstacles that come up anywhere between starting and finishing a goal or project.
We often surrender to obstacles because it’s much easier than managing our minds and our brains around them.
That’s because our brains naturally gravitate toward what is easy and comfortable.
I know mine does, anyway!
I’m now offering a three-month Fast-Track Coaching Package that includes six bi-weekly 50-minute calls with unlimited feedback on your project. It’s perfect for those wanting to finish a project or get one started without a long term long-term commitment. Book a free consultation to see how we can work together and get your project out into the world where it belongs.
Relationships are the best form of value you can create, not just in your business but in your personal life.
Strong connections create success. Every person you meet comes with a chance to exchange value, whether in the form of a friend, business contact, or colleague. An exchange of value can be as simple as a smile or a shared laugh, or it could be the opportunity of a lifetime.
We need to stop thinking of exchanging value with another human being as just a numerical transaction or a mafia-type “You owe me one” mentality.
Why not just add value to someone’s life because you can? You have nothing to lose by doing so, and just the act of adding value to another’s life adds value to your own life. It’s the best thing in the world.
When you’re building personal relationships and business connections, you don’t need a checkbook to exchange value with others. You just need a heart and a willingness to be vulnerable.
Listen to today's tiny talk for five ideas to help you build fantastic relationships and strong connections.
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Grab this Free Mini-Training 5-Step Marketing Strategy for screenwriters and other creative artists. Never get stuck on how to market your creative projects again.
A creativity coach is your very own human sounding board, with no agenda but to see you succeed. Book a free consult here and find out how we can work together and get your projects out into the world where they belong.
Let’s talk about blooming where you’re planted. Of all the things you can do to start moving your projects and goals forward, this is the biggest key.
Visit me at www.lareegriffith.com
A coach believes in you and your projects even on the days when you may be struggling to believe in yourself. Book a free consultation here and find out how we can work together so you can get your projects out into the world where they belong.
In this tiny talk, I want to share how I do my quarterly planning, but most importantly, what I’m going to be doing differently this time around.
The concept of marrying the logical and analytical with the creative arts has always fascinated me and made a huge difference in my life.
This past year, though, I had a massive breakthrough around productivity, goals, and creating the results I want in life, and it’s a powerful one that I want to share with all of you because your life will never be the same once you put it into play.
P.S. As a creative life coach, I help you focus on what will make the biggest difference in moving your projects forward. If that sounds interesting, book a free consultation and find out how we can work together to get your projects out into the world – where they belong.
This is the final episode of my three-part belief triad for putting your work out into the world so you can make connections, further your creative career, and get your projects made.
In this episode, I share how to build the most important muscle in your life.
If this message resonated with you and you would like support building your show-up muscle and get your projects done and out into the world where they belong, book a free call with me. I live for this!
Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu
There couldn’t be a more perfect quote for this free mini-training that I created for you.
In this free mini-workshop, you will have a marketing framework you can use over and over.
Never get stuck on how to market your creative projects again.
It’s a five-step process to get all your projects out into the world where they belong.
I think you’ll find it super valuable, particularly, if you have no idea how to begin marketing your creative projects.
Are you ready? Grab a beverage, some writing tools, and let’s do this.
Oh, one more thing--you might want to give your inner critic five dollars and send him to your local coffee shop while you do this training.If you would like to dive deeper and get one-on-one coaching for each step, join me in this We'll work together and create a plan just for your lifestyle and projects.
Find out more here:
https://lareegriffith.com/marketingworkshop/
Either way, put this training into practice and get your work out into the world where it belongs!