Have you ever thought about where you stand in your relationship with rules around creativity or self-expression? Are you a rule breaker and trend setter, or do you find comfort in a bit of conformity because it keeps you feeling safer, less exposed? Maybe you just complain about the rules in society or work and how they impact your creativity because changing them feels overwhelming. But there is another possibility…
Are you building and enforcing your own rules around creative expression, keeping yourself boxed in?
Who Wrote this Rule Book Anyway?
If you have never actually thought about your own self-made rulebook, now may be a good time. You can start by making a quick list off the top of your head and committing your rules to paper. Then, when you have a few ideas down, sit and meditate to expand on them, diving a little deeper into how the rules have come to be, and if you are ready to break them.
As I dug into the nooks and crannies of my own creativity and self-expression, there are a few rules I’ve had to bend to step more fully into my own way of being. I’m an innovative thinker, but also a perfectionist. I think of tons of ideas, but have to be mindful that I don’t spend too much time trying to make them perfect before just getting them out into the world.
Another rule I’ve noticed pops up for me is permission. I sometimes tend to get into work mode and push myself hard to get things done when what my body and creative spirit really need is a break and a refresher. That’s why throughout my day I’m careful with how I plan my schedule and make sure I’m fitting in down time throughout, not just at the “end” of the work day. As an entrepreneur who works from home there is no technical “workday schedule” unless I set one, so I’ve learned to take more care in creating a work lifestyle that supports what I need, with flexibility to change it if needed.
However, to get to this self-aware point, I had to be honest with myself about what self-imposed rules were keeping me in behaviors that no longer served me and stifled my creativity.
Find a New Way to Express Creativity in the Everyday
I encourage you to take a little time to meditate or tune into your own rules. See which ones may need a little bending or breaking so that more of the real, authentic expression of you can show up as often as possible – guilt-free. The only way to rewrite the rule book is to take an honest look at what they are and why they came to be. Are you willing?
Photo credit: Dave McCourt