Crazy COVID times have been difficult for many. Fear and anxiety have been running rampant. Let’s put an end to that. Let’s move to a place of peace where we know we belong. Let’s be love and light in this world.
There seems to be no better time than now to use our creativity. My creative practice has seen me through more tumultuous times than this. Having a son with a brain tumour and needing three neurosurgeries was certainly more challenging. Spending time in my studio allowed me to process my fears through my art. It got me out of my head where there was an endless loop of what-ifs. It can do the same for you.
Don’t let a negative comment from your past squash your love of creating. I have heard too many stories about how one comment derailed someone. Does the opinion of someone from so long ago really matter? Wouldn’t you love to take that power away from them? Prove them wrong? Reframe that story so that you can emerge victorious! Let your creativity give you a new-found sense of power that no one can take away from you.
There is a giddy pleasure in creating something with your own hands. Mass marketing pushes consumerism above self-expression. There is a reason for that. It keeps the economy growing. But can’t we find a happy balance? Wouldn’t choosing a creative life over obsessive consumerism and debt be a healthy choice? Wouldn’t putting something into the world that you created be more delightful? Using our time creatively can be invigorating to the soul.
Creativity comes in many forms. Can’t draw a straight line? Me either. You don’t have to draw a straight line to be an artist. What if you are a dancer, singer, writer, chef or gardener? What if taking a small step down the creative path opens up a whole new world for you? What if it is a world that is just for you? No need to be productive. No pressure. Just pleasure. Is doing something for your own pleasure a foreign concept?
Creativity is intelligence having fun. Einstein
An art practise can bring us back to ourselves. To our true nature. To a sense of freedom and liberation. It can be therapy or a self-soothing meditative process. A time to play and be outrageous. A time to heal. It can help us express our voice as only we can. Our creativity can be a container where we put our messy thoughts and emotions. Allow creativity to transform you.
The practice of keeping a visual journal is so freeing. The blank page invites experimentation and exploration. No one needs to see this journal and therefore there is not perfection paralysis. Write, scribble, splatter paint and let your inner five-year-old takeover. Wouldn’t you love to play like a child again? This is the place to practice bravery. There is nothing better than letting your hands work to shut up your chattering mind.
No art supplies, no problem. Be resourceful. That is my superpower. I could make art anywhere at any time! There is an abundance of free or inexpensive materials that can be found everywhere. Use an old book you are no longer interested in reading. Bust out your kid’s crayons and markers. If you truly have nothing, reach out to an artist/friend. Most artists are happy to share.
Let your creativity loose. You will be surprised how quickly everything else falls away. There is no time or hunger. Issues fall into the background and your mind becomes a beautiful playground where anything is possible. I dream of a world where everyone connects with their true creativity. How beautiful it will be. Go forth, create!
