creativity

What Makes For a Creative Life?

What Makes for a Creative Life?

Yesterday I helped John load and unload two trailer’s full of wood for our woodstove which we burn during the winter months. We have a furnace, but enjoy trying to be more self-sufficient when we can. Besides the ambiance of a woodburning stove is so soothing to one’s soul.

But as we loaded and unloaded the wood I was fascinated by some of the shapes of the pieces, such as this one above. It’s an an art statement just as it is.

It had me wondering what it is that makes a creative life. I always used to closely associate it with what medium we may work with or try out such as writing, painting, drawing, or sculpting to name just a few.

When I think about my life, so much of it is creative in the way that we make choices for what works for John and I. Neither of us work in the corporate world having left there over 20-years ago. John with his own construction business which lends itself often to his own sense of creativity, and me with my writing, animal advocacy, and SoulCollage® workshops I teach.

But it’s more than that really. To see life as one big creative playground no matter what you are doing.

Like yesterday setting out with John to travel about 20 minutes on a sunny Sunday morning to get the wood. Feeling blessed to have the life I do with John who is so good to me and makes me happy.

Working with our hands, throwing the pieces into the trailer, being out in nature listening to the birds, feeling the wind in our faces and the sun on our backs.

Seeing the beauty in each piece of wood, imagining how it started out as a seedling and grew into a magnificent tree, then chopped down for many different purposes.

Creativity is all around me at all times. It’s in the way I plan our meals, decorate our house, hang out with my dogs, talk with John, go for walks, practice yoga, and meditate. This is, in part, what makes my life feel so creative.

It’s about being open to how we see the world through our own eyes and feel into it into the depth of our hearts. It’s about making the conscious choice of staying in awareness of this thing called life and accepting all that we can see, but also the mystery of it, too.

It’s about following your hearts calling even when times feel tough. It’s making it work despite the odds stacked against you at times. It’s really, to me, about listening to the inner truth that is there if you wish to hear it.

And I think it really is about pausing often, listening to that inner realm, and capturing what it is that matters most to you… and then living from that place within that makes your heart sing.

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Weaving in Creativity. If not now, When?

Weaving in Creativity. If not now, when?
Begonia outside my writing cottage door.

Creativity is the essential expression of the human spirit, the rising of the soul, the essence of identity, the great equalizer,  the source of one’s truth.

I began to find myself, to come of age, to free my own spirit when I came to understand that creativity is not an interruption of life or work, it is the the work. -Jon Katz

Talking creativity as author, Jon Katz did recently on his blog really struck a chord with me.

I just can’t imagine my life without it.

So many times I’ve heard others say they will write a book when they retire, or take photographs, or paint, or whatever it is that they are waiting until that “magical” day in the distant future to make it happen. But what if that day never comes?

I know well enough myself I’ve gotten caught in the trap that it will take too much time.

Today is the perfect example. I really wanted to write something for my blog. I love coming here to the page to share thoughts that run through my mind.

But it was a busy day and as the day began to wind down I remembered Jon’s post about creativity. I was upset with myself I’d not come to the page sooner. And I was also feeling tired and thinking I’d just let it go for the day.

But how can we not find a way in which to weave creativity into our days? It does not have to take up a half day, whole hour or half hour for that matter. It truly is like food for our soul.

But a concentrated effort to sit still for just 15 minutes and do something creative that we love can make a huge difference….

And pay attention to what that does for your soul for the rest of the day.

I know that when I find ways in which to weave creativity into each day they are richer—my soul feels like it is perched on a cloud, as if floating and I want to experience that feeling as often as possible.

Creativity does not have to be about art either. Hopping on my bike and riding around my small town, taking in the different sights and sounds always makes me appreciate and value where I live and all the beauty around me.

And one does not need to necessarily take lessons first or take a course on something you want to learn. I’ve been thinking that about wanting to learn how to use John’s really nice camera lately.

But instead, I decided this weekend to just pick it up and give it a try — see what pictures I could take. It wasn’t perfect and I have much to learn (and I can still take lessons someday down the road!). But it was fun and I saw the world in a whole new way through the lens of a different camera.

A snippet here, and a snippet there…. each and everyday…even if for just a few moments add up to  a year of smiles for your soul that you may not have if you don’t just start.

Listen to what makes your heart happy… and just do it. Start today. I double dog dare you.

And see what happens. I just did and I feel refreshed and energized for having done so….and it only took me 15-minutes to write this post. But the feeling I have is worth a million bucks….and it is what makes my life so very meaningful.

New Spot to Let My Creativity Flow

art spaceNo, I didn’t get rid of my writing cottage. I don’t know how I will ever be able to leave it as we think about retirement in a warmer climate. But that is a few years off, so no need to worry my little head about that right now.

This past last week I’ve been waking up at 11:33 pm quite often, wondering how I could fit a table into my writing cottage to accommodate my new creative ventures I’m exploring and playing with.

Then I had lunch with my friend Shannon yesterday who told me she placed a table in front of her windows next to her fireplace so she has a spot to go and paint.

Then it came to me this morning! I thought I could find a way in which to do this in my writing cottage. And wa-la!  I did it!

When I’m not working on my computer at my desk, I can simply turn my chair around and get out my watercolor marker brush pens and sketch pad our or work on some SoulCollage cards when I want.

I don’t want to have my desk messy with too much stuff, so I’m able to store my supplies under the table, out of sight, which I like. I’m so excited I was able to make this work!

A week from today I leave for a weekend away in Madison, WI, about two hours from my house. I’ll be going to a training to learn SoulCollage.

I’m very intrigued by this process I discovered a few months ago. A process of “accessing your intuition and creating a deck of cards with a deep personal meaning that will help you with life’s questions and transitions.”

The training is being held at Holy Wisdom Monastery, which is fascinating in itself to me. I’m really looking forward to this time of quiet, community with like-minded souls, and reflection.

When I return it will be so nice to have my little art space in my writing cottage in which I can create.

Hmmmm, perhaps I need to rename my cottage once again. For awhile I was calling it my zen writing cottage, which it still is as I also love to mediate here too. Maybe I shall now have to call it my writing, creative, zen, cottage!