We were lucky to catch up with Valerie Naiman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Valerie, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Creativity stays at the forefront of my life through my use of wonder. When I don’t take things at face value, I wonder how they can be different. That allows me to think outside the box. I encourage my mind to let my imagination run wild when approaching a task. Whether it be healing a broken wrist, designing a costume, creating an eco-village, or wrapping a package, I use a propose/dispose method. I’ll propose something outrageous and only give it up when I think of something that might work better. Nothing is out of the question.
I’m not one to go to the store and buy wrapping paper. I prefer wrapping in cornhusks, fabric pieces, paper bags, or anything re-useable. Can you tell I’m a diehard recycler?
Another thing that keeps my creativity alive is banning the words can’t, should, would, and could. Would & could seem like wishy-washy words…although I get into a lot of debates around that. Can’t is an overused word. I hear it from people all the time. Instead, I give myself positive affirmations. Sure, we are taught that humans don’t fly, except for Superheroes. But what about in our dreams? I believe that saying can’t limits the divine energy playing through us. I think it’s a dishonor to our higher power to verbalize we can’t do something. It also helps that I believe in miracles.
When I was told I was an epileptic and needed to be on medication for the rest of my life, I sought out creative ways to deal with it. I used methods of the great psychic Edgar Cayce. It worked.
When I was told I needed surgery to correct my broken wrist, I again found an alternative method that fused my bones back together. Believe it or not, it healed with a tuning fork.
One thing that keeps many people from their creativity is fear. Thinking differently than the norm can make you an oddball. That’s scary for some people. Creativity can be a risky business. It can also be a path to freedom.
I encourage folks to face their fears by doing something risky. Start with something small, like creating an impromptu meal with whatever is around. Dress up in mismatched clothes & laugh at yourself as you enter a store. Do something out of the norm…often. It feeds your creativity and hampers fear.
Another thing that stirs up my creative juices is jumping into unoccupied niches. I started the first costume company in Asheville, NC, as well as the first character balloon delivery service. Both businesses were risky in a town of only 50 thousand people. I was advised not to do it. I did it anyway, and both were successful.
The next niche was founding the first eco-village in North America. It took four years to figure out how to do it and gather people around the vision. It wasn’t easy. After finding the land, everyone got cold feet. But I seldom give up, even when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges. I persevered, and Earthaven Eco-Village has thrived now for over 30 years.
The saying “Go with the flow” rubs me wrong. A yogi sign in my home reads, “Always remember my child, only dead fish go with the flow.”
I think being adopted and having my identity stripped away made me weary of the norm. I was hacked by a governmental system that was supposed to protect me. My reaction to that as I matured was to role-play. Trying on different characters stretched my imagination.
In my quest to discover the truth about my origins, I had to investigate creatively. After three DNA tests giving no results, I turned to unusual means. I’ll stop here as I don’t want to give you a spoiler for my newly released book, Mystic Masquerade, an Adoptee’s Search for Truth.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I call myself an Ontologist because the study of ‘being-ness’ provides a large arena to play in. I’m an author, singer, adoptee, goat mama, apiarist (honeybee keeper), and the managing director of the Spirit Foundation, where I’ve served for over 30 years. The NPO’s work includes supporting disenfranchised children in the USA & India, where I lived for 11 years. 20% of all my book sales go to spiritfound.org
Mystic Masquerade, an Adoptee’s Search for Truth, launched a few months ago, rising to #1 in the categories of Mysticism, Personal Transformation, and Adoption. That made the two years I spent writing and getting published worthwhile. The book is a spiritual and biological search for truth that took decades to unravel.
My focus now is releasing the audiobook version and a music album of story songs about the search. Beyond that is finishing my next book, The Making of Earthaven Eco-Village.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Learn your craft with enthusiasm and perseverance. I jumped into many projects without having the skills to achieve my goals. Being a costume designer for film and television was a far cry from establishing the first eco-village in America or publishing books. Keeping my visions at the forefront helped me move through many challenges along the way. I recommend establishing a mission for your project and holding that as a touchstone when things get rocky. I choose some item I see daily that reminds me of my mission, vision, or goal. For my book, the touchstone was a white feather. What will you choose for your endeavor?
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’d love to collaborate with other authors and musicians in reviewing, promoting, and general camaraderie with our respective works. If you’re on Instagram, please check me out and send a message. http://www.instagram.com/valnaimanauthor or go to my website to hear a story song and listen to part of my audiobook. valerienaiman.com
Contact Info:
- Website: http://valerienaiman.com
- Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/valnaimanauthor
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valnaimanauthor
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ValerieNaiman
- Other: Book trailer: http://youtu.be/7_elbBiDwyU https://1link.st/MysticMasquerade
Image Credits
NBC Howdy Doody Show
