The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women

January 31, 2000
Earnestly recounting how 45 successful women achieved their dreams, McMeekin aims to provide "mentors" who can help readers transcend creative blocks as they follow her program for personal transformation. Drawing heavily on the work of Shakti Gawain, the originator of "creative visualization," and Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of Simple Abundance, McMeekin's approach rests on three "gateways": honoring one's creativity, assembling inner and outer resources, and maintaining "abundance" through "positive priorities." Within each area, McMeekin offers familiar "secrets" for tapping inner resources to reach one's goals, such as through building a team of empowering allies or facing down one's fear of criticism. Numerous case studies of remarkable women--ranging from Jungian analyst Clarissa Pinkola Est s and entrepreneur Joline Godfrey to children's book illustrator Jan Brett and restaurateur Lydia Shire, as well as McMeekin herself, who triumphed over chronic fatigue syndrome--illustrate each point. Unfortunately, the biographical profiles rarely convey the emotional highs and lows of each woman's transformative journey. In addition, readers who must contend with physical or financial barriers to success may also feel distanced from the women in the book, whose obstacles are addressed primarily in psychological terms. Still, McMeekin's practical guide will help highly motivated readers reflect on their past failures and successes in order to design their own road map for an inspired life.