Creativity is a language everyone can speak; we just have different dialects. Tell a crowd you’re a writer and editor, and you might hear a spontaneous confession of what people believe about their own creative voices. “I wish I could do that, but I’m not…” Or, “I used to paint on the weekends, but then…” Or, “I thought about writing a book, but that will never…”
We all have bouts of creative laryngitis. The good news? We can heal ourselves by remembering the power of play.
I love words, and I’m learning to write fiction. Paper crafting, making jewelry and sewing became fun as soon as I stopped trying to collect all the instructions and just dove in. Kids have a lot to teach us about the joy of being a beginner.
The act of creation grows us, even when we’re not “good” at it. Making something opens us to new ideas that may have nothing to do with whatever we’re holding in our hands.
Several years ago, I bought a few strands of beads at a shop in Illinois. I combined pale green prehnite with tiny aquamarine stones, and, after adding carnelian beads from a different store, I had two bracelets. One was for me. I pondered what to do with the other. Would I give it away, or was this a prototype for an Etsy shop? I imagined ways to combine my writing with any jewelry I offered in this potential online store. Would I package a few inspirational paragraphs with each item I sold?
Creativity is never wasted. I didn’t open the shop, but I kept my bracelet and the words I scribbled into a small notebook.
“Let go. Open.”
As we acknowledge the need to release something in our lives – an object, an idea, a habit, a grudge, a person and so on – STRENGTH is required.
The process moves smoothly when we acknowledge the strength we already demonstrated in trying to cling to the “old.” We have all the power we need, ready for the moment of release. We just switch our energy from hanging on to cutting loose.
Life gives us signals about what and when to JUST LET GO.
And CREATIVITY sculpts our next acquisition or adventure, as we make the space for it.
You’re the author of your own story. And it’s never too late to change it.
Candace Schilling offers PR and Marketing Communication. For more inspiration as well as tips about branding and strategic communication, check out her articles or find Candace on LinkedIn.