Coaching Guides > McMeekin's 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

A Self-Coaching Journey through Gail McMeekin's

The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women: a Portable Mentor

By Chris Dunmire

Features interviews with 45 women including Barbara Sher, Sarah Ban Breathnach, Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Shakti Gawain, Chris Madden, Sigrid Olsen, Jan Brett, and C. C. H. Pounder.

Introduction

When I first read the cover to Gail McMeekin's The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women: a Portable Mentor (Conari Press © 2000), I assumed the book would focus on the prolific creative habits successful women artists, writers, and performers dedicated themselves to on a regular basis. I expected tried-and-true action-oriented nudges such as "writing every day", "painting in a well-organized studio", and "acting when inspiration strikes."

Then I read the book and found the material was developed far beyond a mere list of secrets and habits. Yes, through inspiring examples and interviews with 45 successful and "highly creative" women — artists, teachers, coaches, activists, speakers, actors, authors, and everything in between — McMeekin accomplished an amazing feat of taking me on a journey through three Gateways and infusing my creative life: "Engaging Your Creativity", "Mastering Your Challenges as a Creative Woman", and "Actualizing Creative Results: The Power of Positive Priorities." So rich and valuable was this journey for me that the book rightly become my own "portable mentor".

My Self-Coaching Journey

12 Secrets was a welcome self-coaching journey for me and full of many gains. Although the book is geared towards women and features a cast of women interviewees, I don't see any reason why men should not also find the information invaluable. McMeekin discusses why she wrote the book for women and not men, and her reasoning is sound. However, many challenges related to the creative path are not always gender-specific, which is why I stated the above and feel that men can also benefit from the book.

As for me (a woman), I felt my perceptions positively shift as I made my way through its chapters; I gained strength where I was weak; I attained insight where insight was lacking; and I gathered knowledge that filled in the gaps of my previous understandings. As a direct result of reading this book and evaluating my life along the way, I found it necessary to make some huge adjustments in my working life that immediately brought me relief and rejuvenated my creative spirit to move forward with a renewed outlook and attitude.

Because I know that others on the creative path will benefit from reading and digesting the material in McMeekin's book, I'm happy to share some questions I've designed for reflection on the three Gateways which have helped me along in my self-coaching practice. These questions will help you think more deeply about the books' secrets, and make applying its principles easier for you.

To get the most out of McMeekin's portable mentor and these reflective questions, I highly suggest that you purchase your own copy of 12 Secrets or check it out from your local library and read every page. It's one book that I believe every creative woman (and man) needs to have in her personal library.

Next: First Gateway: Engaging Your Creativity »