The idea of breaking free from the familiar can seem complicated and messy, but it’s how you move beyond the rules you create for yourself to connect with creative simplicity.
Creative simplicity is a term I’ve come up with to describe what I strive for in my own life. It’s that sweet spot of being in the creative flow while freeing the mind, emotions and releasing judgments so I can be with what is.
I see creative simplicity as practice not a goal, and it’s often a focus of my daily self-reflections. Why? I want to practice getting out of my own way as much as possible and when I’m doing familiar things, it’s not easy to break creative boundaries or follow where my creativity wants to lead me. My mind or fear can get in the way of stepping into a new experience – and the digging a little further past these blocks can be enlightening fun.
What’s Sparks your Desire for Simplicity or Chaos? Do you Know Why?
Often when you hear the words “simple life” it’s easy to conjure the image of life on a beach far from distractions, noise and people, or keeping a low-profile, chaos-free existence. While these concepts are accurate, they are not realistic or necessary to find creative simplicity. A simple life without chaos becomes a stagnant one without growth or desire to break free from what you know into a simpler, more refined form.
In this way simplicity is a cycle, something you open up to once chaos prompts you towards change or creative insight. It’s the flow of growing, changing and coming into a full expression of yourself, time and time again.
As an entrepreneur I like to keep things interesting and dynamic, yet, there’s something about knowing I can strive to create something to work in it’s simplest form, flowing and self-sufficient, that brings me the highest level of joy and fulfillment. That’s one of my “why’s”. What are some of yours?
Release the Shell When It’s Used as Armor Instead of a Boundary
When the protective “shell” you’ve crafted is tightly wound you can feel compelled to stay in it, even though it’s super uncomfortable, heavy and complicated to maintain and everything seems hard. Or, you can break free of the known and take a chance at something new and more fulfilling without the safety net to learn that flying IS an option.
The fear you feel doesn’t mean stop. Fear signals you to sit up, listen and see what’s behind it in order to open up to more colorful, exciting and fulfilling possibilities than you currently have in the deep ruts within your shell.
A few ways to practice finding your creative simplicity sweet spot:
- Take a walk and watch the birds play or dance in the sky and imagine being one, seeing from their perspective
- In the mornings tune in and ask yourself for a “focus word” you can come back to during the day that reminds you to keep things simple
- Find a book on simplicity or a few mantras to practice
- Take deep, cleansing breaths when you feel fear or stress creep in
- De-clutter, organize and make space to grow into something fresher and more sustainable
Creativity is one of the few places where we have no boundaries except the ones we place on our experience. Connecting with your desire for creative simplicity allows you to be in alignment with the truth, as it is, right now. It’s also where the creative spark is waiting to be ignited by you.
Want a little more on simplicity? Read my past blog posts: Honoring the Death and Birth Cycle of Creativity and Creativity Kick-Start: Tips to Find your Core Creative Motivators. Feeling a bit stuck? Connect with me for some creativity coaching. Curious about how to tune into your own intuition and expand your creativity? Book a creative reflection reading with me or check out my podcast.
Photo credit: Alice Popkorn, Sonny Abesamis (egg shells)