These creative conversations focus on a shared journey in which both participants consider the nuances of new ideas in order to understand the best ways to cultivate these fragile gifts before sharing them with others. This requires trust in yourself, your ideas and your companion as you begin these discussions.

So, it is important to take certain key issues into consideration before beginning these discussions.

• Are you nervous about the conversation?

Creative conversations should be affirming, not threatening. So, you do not need to be. While they may uncover uncomfortable aspects of your psychological or emotional life, these confidential conversations should be seen as an exchange with an accepting friend and you need to be as open as possible for these conversations to bear the greatest fruit.

• Do you think you can be completely honest, with yourself and with me?

Often, the things that you discover during the conversations will be earlier insights you may have glossed over because of the distractions of daily life or you may have tried to avoid these leadings because they revealed something uncomfortable to you. In these creative conversations, you are meant to become the person you are meant to be. So, reinforced by the presence of an open and caring companion, you should be more open to the nuances of your desires and better able to feel the joy of sharing your gifts with others.

• Will you be able to speak from your own experience?

One of the greatest temptations we face in life is to denigrate our own experiences and ideas. We are told that genius is a special gifts given to few. But it is important to remember that the significant ideas of past geniuses often gained acceptance since they were things that ordinary people would often see as “hiding in plain sight”. Sometimes, it is tempting to use other people's words and images to express our ideas because we do not trust our own insights. While others have much to teach us, their experiences are not ours and their words do not completely explain our situation. So, to the extent possible, you should always try to situate any comment or idea in your own lived experience.

Then…
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