As the year comes to a close I have thanks in my heart for all I’ve learned and created, paired with a simmering passion for my next creative edge.
In many ways I took the things I’ve learned (and continue to learn) through my personal experience and turned them into tools and insights to support and guide others to dive deeper into creative self-exploration. Through my weekly blog posts, classes, G+ Hangout on Air appearances and connections with clients my goal is always the same – to offer tools and insights to refresh your perspective, change your attitude or encourage you to ask the inner questions that aren’t always easy to tackle, but bust your heart wide open to creative possibility.
Why does this matter to me? Why do I care about what you are sharing in the world? The creative journey is the path to seeing the truth of who you are and what you are meant to share with the rest of us. If you aren’t pushing towards your next creative edge, you aren’t really living as much as you are “existing” and the rest of us miss out on the strengths and gifts you bring to the table. I care about this because I feel there is nothing more beautiful in the world than seeing someone fully express their truth in a way that lights their heart, bringing that joy into their work and personal relationships to inspire even more people. It’s part of what motivates me to walk my ever-expanding creative edge so I can be of service to others.
Why Creativity is so Hard to for People to Define or Believe in for Themselves
Creativity is still a mystery to many people, me included. Where does it come from? Is it learned or simply part of who you are, your natural expression? Can you be creative in your work, no matter what kind of work you do? Is it possible to not be creative at all?
To me, creativity isn’t limited to words on a page, a series of brush strokes or a knack for woodworking. It’s all that PLUS the little things you don’t even realize are talents but a part of who you are naturally. Things like fixing a broken bike, balancing your checkbook, making your kids smile when they need it most or knowing how to jiggle the toilet handle just right to keep it from running are all creative talents. Yet, people often find it difficult to perceive these things as “talents” or view them as having value because they are simple and easy.
In other words, people have a self-perception or “inner creative connection” problem, not a lack of creativity problem.
I get it – truly looking at yourself is challenging, especially the areas that don’t feel great, and owning them. Yet, how can you create what is really in your heart when you don’t know what that is? Where is the inspiration to create going to come from when you are embroiled in an inner battle of self-worth or weighed down with expectations?
In the context of being human these questions don’t have concrete, specific universal answers, but they certainly have personal ones. It’s the purpose of being alive, of having a human body to connect through and explore all the ways you can create and walk yourself towards a new creative edge of learning time and time again.
Your Creative Edge Evolves When you Take Inspiration into Action
My main goal in January 2014 was to take on opportunities that allow me to connect with and shape my creative instincts in new ways. Not everything I tried exploded into a full flower. I did manage to plant lots of seeds, explore new tools and write lots of heart-centered content about working through personal development challenges and finding ways to strengthen the inner creative connection – while diving deeper into my own.
Now, 52 Creativity Kick-Starts later, I feel proud to complete what I set out to do and realize that with every post I was expanding my personal creative edge. I had no idea if people would like these posts, find them useful or even read them – so I want to thank every single person who has taken the time to honor the creative spark within themselves through reading my weekly musings. I would love to hear if any specific post inspired you most!
And as the year quickly comes to a close I get to play with how to change up my Creativity Kick-Start posts and expand the ways I connect with readers and clients in 2015 – all while exploring my next creative edge (stay tuned for details). What are you going to do differently in the New Year to find yours?
Need a sounding board for new creative ideas or feeling a little stuck when it comes to gaining traction towards your goals in 2015? Let’s connect for a creative reflection reading. Want simple steps to shift perception about your creative self? Download my Mini Guide for Connecting with your Inner Guidance and Creative Fire.
Photo credit: Susan Ford Collins, *BlueMoon, Theen Moy