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Weekly Wings... a weekly
coaching challenge to motivate and inspire you to realize your dreams
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______________________________________________________________________Holistic Creativity
Be an everyday creative person, creative in everything you do. - Eric Maisel
As I approach the start of another academic year, I'm pondering the sometimes precarious balancing act I perform as I move among the various roles I play as coach, artist, and educator. Often it seems like there isn't enough time in the day or the week to accomplish everything I want to do, and it's easy to fall into a sense of overwhelm, a feeling most of us experience at times in our demanding lives. We juggle job, family, relationships, hobbies, and self-care with a stubborn sameness each day, and often find ourselves physically and emotionally depleted.
One technique that I use when the waters of life start to rise around me is to retreat to the higher ground of inspiration - check in with my creative muse to discover fresh ways to perceive my situation and create new approaches for navigating through my various roles. Although each area is distinct with its unique demands, everything I do is nurtured by my creative energy. When that energy is stifled, I feel as if I could drown in the mundane tasks of each day. When I let that energy flow, I sail gracefully over the water, exhilarated by new challenges. So, as I approach each day and each new task, I seek creative inspiration as a catalyst for growth.
Inviting Creative Inspiration
Creativity can come to us at any time and in any form, bearing marvelous ideas, enlightening insights, and the energy to try new things without fear. Whatever your field or interest may be, creative inspiration is an essential element for innovative growth and a joyful process. When we use creativity as a conscious tool, we not only discover who we are - we become better problem solvers and even the most ordinary tasks can take on an element of interest. Inviting creativity into our lives allows us to receive wonderful, unexpected gifts.
In her book The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women, Gail McMeekin suggests two simple ways to foster creative thinking: create a sanctuary and invent creative rituals. These two practices can work well together by providing a "sacred space" that belongs to you and your muse and by providing specific structures that welcome your muse to visit! Neither the space nor the rituals need be elaborate; the important thing is that they are meaningful to you in a deep and personal way that brings feelings of peace, joy, and creative energy.
- Start by creating your sanctuary, a "sacred space" dedicated to visits with your muse. It can be as defined as a room of your own or as informal as a corner of a room. Surround yourself with things that feed your senses, emotions, and intellect. If you can't decorate a room or a corner, consider something portable - a box of objects that inspire you and create a mood that's conducive to reflection and inspiration.
- Schedule time to spend in your sanctuary, knowing that it is the special place where you invite creative thinking and practices. Be sure to have the tools of creative expression ready - paper, pen, computer, paints, etc.
- Invent rituals that spark creativity. These rituals can range from listening to certain music, taking a walk, journaling, reading poetry, doodling, meditating... whatever comes naturally to you that helps loosen you up and free your mind. It's when your mind is free and clear that inspiration appears.
- Be conscious of what supports your individual creativity. Is there a particular time of day when you feel more receptive to inspiration? Do you get your best ideas when you're active or when you're relaxing? Be mindful of what conditions allow your mind to switch into creativity mode, and honor them.
- Welcome inspiration without judgment! Your muse is sensitive, and if you are critical and disdainful, she won't visit very often. Sometimes her gifts may seem strange or irrelevant. Just stash them away for a while; they may be very useful to you at a later date! Always keep in mind the wise words of creativity expert Sir Ken Robinson - If you’re not prepared to be wrong, you’ll never come up with anything original.
Wrapping it Up
Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil are located in the same individual. - Arthur Koestler
Creativity is tool that isn't limited to just artists . We can all use a creative approach to enrich our personal and professional lives - no matter who you are and what you do. It grows out of a desire for change and can easily be nurtured by giving it a place and some time to appear.
Namaste,
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