The words Cluck, Howl, Crow came to me out of thin air two years ago when I decided to test myself and begin the Live Your Legend seven day blog challenge. You may think of cluck, howl, crow, as silly barnyard sounds. That is true. They are the basic animal sounds we learn in early childhood from nursery rhymes and songs. And here I am, using them to express the experience of reshaping your life, your career, your relationships, or your mindset in my blog.

 

I admit that it is quite an odd name for a personal growth blog. I could have spent days agonizing over a name by talking with friends and researching trends. Instead, I obliged the mystical force of inspiration that had sent them my way and chose to start the process. I relied on the “done is better than good” approach. I found some daring to sound ridiculous and permitted myself to begin understanding that no one starts out as an expert and no one becomes an expert without starting.

Much later as I reflected on my choice of words, I realized that they also represented the powerful voices of the animals themselves in our folktales, myths, legends, and lore. Think of the story of “The Little Red Hen.” The Hen works every day to tend to the grains of wheat that will take care of her family in the future while the other animals play. Cluck, the daily choices, and actions that we make. They often feel routine and less than exciting, but they are necessary to take us where we want to go.

Then there is the Coyote, the trickster. He is a sacred animal in Native American legends that can deceive, amuse, and give wisdom. His adventures are both humorous and serious sometimes ending in fatal disasters. Howl, the lessons we learn, the fears we feel, the anger, the frustrations, and at the same time the laughter our experiences can bring to us.

In the famous story of Chanticleer, the Rooster is the king of the barnyard, and he beams with pride in his ability to raise the sun into the sky with his voice each morning. The character of Peter Pan takes a note out of this story and crows to boast of his successes and feeling of freedom. Crow, the feelings of self-worth, pleasure, glory, and accomplishment when we have completed a task or moved past a trial.

Here is the fascinating part of this story. I did not put all of the subtexts and meanings together until much later into my writing. I allowed inspiration to speak the words into me “Cluck, Howl, Crow,” they resonated on a level that I was not even on yet, and I trusted my understanding would unfold and that the underlying meanings would resonate with others as well.

A few months ago I listened to Elizabeth Gilbert’s “Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear.” She talks about four key areas: Courage, Enchantment, Permission, and Persistence. When I reflect, I can see where those elements all played a role in helping me to grow and explore this creative work I am sharing with you. I found the courage to try. I trusted enchantment to inspire me. I gave myself permission to be vulnerable, imperfect, creative, and authentic. I have been persistent and continued on this path of creation procuring new skills, confidence, and sustained curiosity.

 

I set out to find my voice when I started this blog. Looking back, I see a bit of that trickster Coyote at work. Maybe it was Coyote who decided to send me the voices of the animals to guide me on this journey. Whatever, or whoever, the source of inspiration may be, my desire to live a creative life and help others to live braver, bolder, and more prosperous lives continues each day on these pages and in my work. I hope that you will be inspired to join me and cluck, howl, crow your way to the life you are searching for.