Buoyant

Buoyant Plot Summary

Introduction

Have you ever felt stuck in your business, pushing harder and harder but getting diminishing returns? That overwhelming sensation of being trapped in a cycle of hustle, where no matter how many hours you work, something essential seems to be missing? You're not alone. Countless entrepreneurs find themselves in this painful quagmire – exhausted, disconnected from their spark, and unable to see a clear path forward. What if the answer to your business challenges isn't more grinding work or better strategies, but rather reconnecting with your innate creativity and authentic self? This counterintuitive approach might sound surprising, but throughout these pages, you'll discover how bringing yourself alive through inspiration and creative practices can transform not just your business but your entire life. The journey ahead is about reclaiming your power, rediscovering joy in your work, and creating a sustainable path to success that feels like freedom rather than imprisonment.

Chapter 1: Embrace the Creator's Mindset

The creator's mindset is the foundation of sustainable success and genuine fulfillment as an entrepreneur. At its core, it's about shifting from a place of depletion, overwork, and disconnection to one of inspiration, intuitive problem-solving, and authentic expression. This mindset isn't about adding more productivity hacks to your already overburdened schedule; it's about reconnecting with what brings you alive. Susie deVille's own transformative journey began during a professional rock bottom. With $250,000 in debt, a house in foreclosure, a failing business, and carrying an extra seventy pounds, she was desperate for solutions. The conventional entrepreneurial advice—hustle harder, push more, execute better strategies—only led her deeper into burnout and disconnection. She had lost touch with her creativity and intuition, the very tools that could have guided her forward. The turning point came unexpectedly, during an art class where her instructor asked her to sketch some peaches. As she truly saw the peaches for perhaps the first time in her life, tears began to flow. This moment of pure presence and awareness awakened something long dormant in her. Later that same day, a difficult client called, demanding she cover repair costs. Instead of immediately capitulating as she would have done before, she paused, let the client's anger pass by like water, and responded calmly. The situation resolved itself without her intervention, and she realized she had accessed a different way of being. To develop your own creator's mindset, start by carving out time for inspiration before production. Begin each day with activities that fill your creative well rather than immediately diving into emails and tasks. Set aside just 15-30 minutes for journaling, sketching, or simply observing the world around you with fresh eyes. This seemingly unproductive time will paradoxically make you more effective when you do turn to business tasks. Remember that the creator's mindset requires both letting go and leaning in. Let go of the need to control outcomes and the fear of judgment; lean into curiosity, play, and the willingness to make "bad" art as part of your process. Start with small, daily creative practices rather than aiming for masterpieces. The path to entrepreneurial transformation begins not with more action but with a fundamental shift in how you approach your work and life. When you embrace the creator's mindset, you'll find that solutions emerge organically, your market can hear you more clearly, and your business becomes an authentic expression of your unique vision and voice.

Chapter 2: Establish Your Daily Inspiration Practice

The 5Ms form the foundation of a powerful daily inspiration practice that can transform your entrepreneurial journey. This simple yet profound routine consists of Meditation, Morning Pages, Movement, Moments of Inspired Learning, and Making Something. Each element works together to clear mental clutter, generate insights, and reconnect you with your innate creativity. Meet Jen, a client who initially scoffed at this approach. When presented with creativity supplies instead of marketing strategies, she was frustrated: "I'm in a sea of alligators, DEFCON 1, ya know? Razor-thin margins, competitors everywhere, and zero client loyalty that I swear is gonna put me in an early grave." She desperately wanted tactical business advice, not creative practices. However, after reluctantly agreeing to try the 5Ms for a few weeks, her perspective completely shifted. When they reconnected later, Jen bounded into the cafe with newfound energy. "First," she said, "you were right." She explained how meditation, though initially challenging, had become a centering force in her day. Morning Pages helped her recognize the "crap" she was carrying around mentally. Movement through yoga reconnected her to her body and brought clarity. For her Moments of Inspired Learning, she listened to audiobooks during her commute instead of reliving arguments in her head. Even Making Something, which she approached tentatively through simple doodling, had begun generating unexpected ideas. To implement your own 5Ms practice, start small but be consistent. For meditation, begin with just five minutes of sitting quietly, observing your thoughts without judgment. Morning Pages involve writing three pages longhand first thing each day, a brain dump that clears mental space. Movement can be a 30-60 minute walk, run, or yoga session where you resist the urge to multitask. Moments of Inspired Learning might include reading poetry, watching an inspiring video, or listening to a thought-provoking podcast. Making Something often provokes the most resistance, especially if you don't consider yourself creative. Remember that the purpose isn't to create masterpieces but to engage your hands in creation, which activates different neural pathways. Start with simple doodling, coloring, or even cooking a new recipe. Within four months of implementing the 5Ms, Jen transformed her business. Her energy and messaging landed powerfully with clients. She no longer chased business or competed on price, and she worked exclusively with clients who valued her unique talents. The 5Ms had become her formula for sustainable success and ease—proof that filling your inspiration pipeline is the surprising answer to entrepreneurial challenges.

Chapter 3: Access Your Creative Back Channels

Your creativity back channels are the vast, often untapped reservoirs of ideas, intuition, and innovative thinking that exist beneath your conscious mind. When accessed, they provide solutions to business problems that strategic thinking alone cannot solve. The key to reaching these back channels is moving beyond your analytical mind through creative practices that engage your body and quiet your inner critic. In a retreat setting in California, the author had a pivotal conversation with cartoonist and teacher Lynda Barry about what Barry calls "back of mind" creativity. This concept illuminated why many entrepreneurs struggle: they're disconnected from their creative power centers. Consider a client named Claire who faced a tight deadline for completing a sales page for a new product launch. Frustrated with writer's block and stalled creative flow, she texted the author in panic. The surprising recommendation? Take fifteen minutes to do a blind contour drawing exercise. Claire resisted vehemently, sending a colorful all-caps text message in protest. Nevertheless, she complied with the unusual instruction. Two hours later, she sent an apologetic message along with an image of a tight first draft. The simple act of drawing without looking at the paper had unlocked her creativity back channels, allowing her to produce compelling copy when all her usual approaches had failed. To access your own creativity back channels, try this upside-down drawing exercise: Find an image of an elephant (or any object), turn it upside down, and attempt to draw what you see. When the image is inverted, your analytical brain can't label and judge what you're drawing; instead, you simply follow lines and curves. This state of "not knowing" paradoxically unlocks your intuitive creativity. Another powerful technique is blind contour drawing, where you never look at your paper while drawing an object, keeping your eyes fixed on what you're observing. The benefits extend far beyond improved drawing skills. These exercises train you to enter a different mental state—one where your usual self-criticism is muted and your intuitive problem-solving abilities are heightened. After completing such exercises, turn immediately to a business problem you've been struggling with. You'll likely find fresh perspectives and solutions emerging effortlessly. Remember that accessing your creativity back channels isn't about the quality of what you produce; it's about the state of mind you enter. This is why even business leaders with no artistic aspirations can benefit tremendously from these practices. When you learn to quiet your analytical mind and trust your intuitive creativity, you'll discover solutions that are uniquely yours, connecting with your market in ways your competitors cannot replicate.

Chapter 4: Reclaim Your Authentic Self

Reclaiming your authentic self means removing the layers of others' expectations and cultural conditioning to rediscover who you truly are at your core. This journey is essential for entrepreneurs because your business is ultimately a reflection of you—when you're disconnected from your authentic nature, your market can't truly see or hear you. David, a brilliantly gifted coach for artists, struggled with constant comparison to other successful entrepreneurs. During a coaching session, he confessed, "I watch them, you know. The seven-figure entrepreneurs. How they are running their businesses. What kind of lifestyles they have." Though his clients adored him and his business was objectively successful, he couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't measuring up to an external standard of entrepreneurship. What David couldn't see was how his unique approach—helping artists reconnect with their passion and creativity—was precisely what made him irreplaceable to his clients. His business reflected his authentic gifts, yet he kept looking over his shoulder at others' paths, questioning his own. This comparison mindset was the very thing blocking him from fully stepping into his power and expanding his impact. The path to reclaiming your authentic self begins with archaeology of the self—digging beneath the accumulated layers of who you think you should be. Start by asking yourself: What did you love doing as a child before anyone told you what was practical or valuable? What activities make you lose track of time? What would you do if no one was watching or judging? These questions illuminate the authentic core that may have been buried for years. Next, consciously release the tyranny of perfectionism, which keeps you frozen in fear of judgment. Like many entrepreneurs, you may believe that everything you produce must be flawless. Instead, try what author Anne Lamott calls the "shitty first draft" approach—give yourself permission to create without judgment, knowing you can refine later. This liberates your creativity and allows your authentic voice to emerge. Pay special attention to your energy levels as you engage in different activities. Your body never lies, even when your mind rationalizes choices that don't serve you. When you're aligned with your authentic self, you'll experience a sense of expansiveness, lightness, and flow. When you're forcing yourself into someone else's mold, you'll feel contracted, heavy, and drained. The paradox of authenticity in business is that when you stop trying to appeal to everyone and instead express your true nature, you become magnetic to your ideal clients. They recognize in you what they've been searching for, and this connection transcends typical marketing approaches. Your authentic self isn't just your competitive advantage—it's the source of your entrepreneurial freedom.

Chapter 5: Protect Your Creative Energy

Protecting your creative energy is perhaps the most overlooked yet critical aspect of entrepreneurial success. Every day, countless forces drain the very energy needed for innovation, problem-solving, and authentic connection with your market. Understanding how to safeguard this precious resource transforms not just your business but your entire experience of entrepreneurship. The author shares a revealing childhood memory of throwing up every morning before first grade, despite loving school. Years later, a palm reader offered insight: "You must be very, very careful about who you are around. I can see just how much you soak up the energy of everyone you are near... good and bad." This understanding became a Rosetta Stone for interpreting energy's impact on thoughts, feelings, and actions throughout her life. For a powerful example of energy protection in action, consider Darren, a talented interior designer who came for help during a creative slump. When asked about his typical workday, he described a schedule packed with administrative tasks, client calls, meetings, and picking up kids after school. Only late in the day would he finally sit down to design—by which point his creative energy was completely depleted. His work had become generic, his client pipeline had dried up, and he was considering abandoning his career entirely. The solution wasn't working harder or longer but restructuring his schedule to protect his creative energy. Together, they cleared his weekends completely, blocked out specific days for client meetings and calls, hired a virtual assistant for administrative tasks, and joined a carpool for school pickups. This reorganization gave Darren three full days of uninterrupted creative work each week. To protect your own creative energy, start by identifying your boundaries and energy drains. Where do you allow your boundaries to become porous? What activities, people, or habits deplete you? Keep a journal tracking your energy levels throughout the day, noting when you feel most creative and when you feel drained. Next, implement what the author calls "The 7-Inch Plate" approach. Just as eating from a smaller plate helps with portion control, imagine your energy capacity as a 7-inch plate rather than a 12-inch one. This mental shift prevents overbooking and overdoing, leaving vital space for creativity, rest, and unexpected opportunities. Finally, examine your relationship with "numbing agents"—whether that's overworking, excessive social media, alcohol, or other behaviors that disconnect you from feeling. These habits might temporarily relieve anxiety but ultimately rob you of creative energy. Try an experiment: select one numbing habit and take a break from it for 30 days, tracking the impact on your creativity and clarity. The results of protecting your creative energy can be transformational. Six months after implementing his new schedule, Darren won a coveted design award, and word of his innovative work spread rapidly. With more business than he could handle, he raised his rates and selected only the design work that truly inspired him. By protecting his creative energy, he didn't just save his career—he elevated it to unprecedented heights.

Chapter 6: Transform Through Creative Play

Creative play is not a frivolous activity but a powerful catalyst for personal and business transformation. When we engage in playful creativity without attachment to outcomes, we access parts of ourselves that have been dormant, opening doorways to innovation and authentic self-expression that analytical thinking alone cannot provide. Nate, the CEO of a top-shelf mastermind group for male entrepreneurs, exemplified the resistance many busy professionals have to creative play. Always booked with back-to-back meetings, he hired the author to teach his clients about creativity and vulnerability. While he observed powerful transformations in his group members, he continually dodged doing the work himself. "I've noticed there is a strong response every time you introduce concepts and exercises that help everyone tap into parts of themselves they didn't even know they had lost," he acknowledged, before quickly changing the subject to avoid his own vulnerability. The breakthrough came when Nate witnessed his clients modeling what was possible—the strength, clarity, and calm that landed when hard-charging leaders were willing to break open and allow themselves to be seen. During a pivotal session, Nate finally revealed to his group where he had been resisting and hiding. He shared how much energy he had been burning each day just to keep up a facade, and how he was now reconnecting with himself through new daily creative practices. To begin your own journey with creative play, start with blind contour drawing—a practice where you draw an object without looking at your paper. This simple exercise trains you to be present, let go of perfectionism, and enter a flow state. Another powerful practice is watercolor experimentation: create nine small squares of watercolor paper, draw a circle in each, and fill them with colors that blend and run together. The uncontrollable nature of watercolors teaches surrender and working with rather than against uncertainty. The magic of creative play extends far beyond the artistic output. As you engage in these practices, you'll notice shifts in how you approach business challenges. Problems that seemed insurmountable become manageable when viewed through the lens of playful experimentation. Ideas flow more freely, and you'll find yourself more willing to take calculated risks and pursue innovative solutions. For Nate, embracing creative play transformed not just his business but his entire life. He channeled his newfound vitality into his work, which caught fire with fresh energy and ideas. He rebuilt broken relationships with his wife and children, devoting quality time to them each weekend. Word spread about his masterfully transformed mastermind group, now led by a relatable leader who could pull greatness from each participant because he had learned to do the same for himself. Remember that transformation doesn't happen overnight but through consistent small actions. The daily choice to engage in creative play, even when resistance arises, gradually reshapes your relationship with yourself and your business, leading to sustainable success that feels like freedom rather than imprisonment.

Chapter 7: Align Your Business with Your True Nature

Aligning your business with your true nature means creating an enterprise that authentically reflects who you are rather than who you think you should be. This alignment is not just personally fulfilling—it's the cornerstone of sustainable success and market differentiation that cannot be replicated by competitors. The author shares a poignant memory of her father's shop, The Stone Lantern, an Asian art gallery he opened in 1960 in the small mountain town of Highlands, North Carolina. When he announced his plans, everyone thought he was insane. How could an Asian art gallery survive in a remote town of just 1,500 year-round residents? Yet her father recognized that the verdant mountains would attract sophisticated collectors seeking respite from summer heat, and that the beauty and tranquility of the setting perfectly complemented his offerings. One summer, sixteen-year-old Susie spent hours each day carefully cleaning Japanese bronze vases for the shop. What made this seemingly mundane task joyful wasn't the work itself but her father's transmission of passion and reverence. He had shown her how each piece connected them to the artisans who had created it centuries earlier, and how revealing its beauty was a form of honoring that connection across time. This wasn't "grunt work"—it was "a mission on Beauty's behalf." To align your own business with your true nature, begin by examining what Japanese artisans call the "provenance of becoming"—the sum of your experiences, influences, and authentic impulses that make you uniquely you. Ask yourself: What environments energize you? What problems do you solve in a way that others can't? What aspects of your work make you lose track of time? The answers reveal your true nature and the authentic foundation for your business. Next, experiment with sketching your ideal business world. Divide a journal page into morning, afternoon, and evening sections, and sketch or collage images representing how you truly want to spend your time. What clients do you genuinely enjoy serving? What work consistently brings you alive? Allow yourself to imagine without limitation, then look for patterns and themes. A crucial part of alignment is developing what the author calls your "unique voice and vision." This isn't about creating a catchy tagline but about expressing your authentic perspective. Recall moments when you felt extraordinarily special and profoundly connected. What values did these experiences resonate with? What do they reveal about what you want to create? These insights form the raw material for your distinctive market presence. Remember that alignment is an ongoing process, not a one-time event. The author recommends a "multiple passes" approach to your business vision—revisiting and refining it regularly as you evolve. Each time you return to your vision with new experiences and insights, you add depth and clarity, much like an artist adding layers to a painting. When you align your business with your true nature, you create what the author calls an "indelible" presence in the marketplace. Like the Japanese bronze vases crafted centuries ago, your business becomes a one-of-a-kind creation that carries your unique imprint. Clients who resonate with your authentic expression are naturally drawn to you, eliminating the need for aggressive marketing tactics and creating sustainable success that feels like freedom rather than obligation.

Summary

The journey to entrepreneurial freedom is not about hustling harder or implementing better strategies—it's about reclaiming your creative power and authentic self. Throughout these pages, we've explored how daily inspiration practices, accessing your creativity back channels, protecting your energy, engaging in creative play, and aligning your business with your true nature can transform not just your enterprise but your entire life. As the author reminds us, "We can choose to live sumptuous lives, gleefully letting everything happen to us—letting in all the colors, emotions, and experiences of having a whole-hearted, open approach to each day." Your path forward begins with a single step: choose one practice from this book that resonates most deeply with you and commit to it for the next 30 days. Perhaps it's establishing a morning routine with The 5Ms, setting aside time for creative play through sketching or watercolors, or journaling about how to align your business more authentically with your true nature. The specific practice matters less than your willingness to begin. Remember that transformation doesn't happen overnight but through consistent small actions that gradually shift your relationship with yourself, your creativity, and your business. As you embrace the buoyant path, you'll discover that success and freedom arise not from working harder but from bringing yourself fully alive.

About Author

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Susie deVille

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