Welcome to Week 2 of Creative Summer 2021! I hope this week finds you feeling creative and hopefully happy!
This week we’ll be working on building the creative habit.
I’m guessing that you’ve already heard it many times, how important it is to create a daily habit. And that even 5-10 minutes is a great start. It’s worth giving yourself this time to do something creative you enjoy. And that thing of just showing up day after day really works to build the habit.
It’s not always that simple, as I have found. It could be any number of things that keep you away, work, distraction, too busy, too tired, overwhelmed, don’t know where to start. Or even some days, you may feel like you need just a breather from doing anything. A rest to recharge your energy.
Sometimes it’s our own selves that get in the way. The voices in our minds start talking to us and they don’t say pretty things. They can be downright mean and nasty. Most of us have heard them at some point, probably even listened and believed them.
I sure have. I sometimes find myself giving up way too easily on my ideas. I don’t follow through and continue the journey. I swerve off, and while it may be the right decision to make a swerve at times, letting the critic take over keeps us from discovering more about ourselves and our art.
Keeping the creative habit alive
So, what can we do to make sure we start and then build our creative habit? What helps?
Of course, we are all different, so it is individual, but here are a few ideas and questions to consider as you work on making the daily effort to just show up.
- What does creativity mean for you and how does it help your life?
- How does it make you feel to spend time on your creative pursuits?
- What are the blocks, fears, distractions you have around you that keep you away? Ask yourself where they are coming from.
- How do you use your creativity to express yourself?
- Do you make it fun and playful? If not what would help?
- What is the minimum commitment you can make to your art on a daily basis?
- Go easy on yourself. I sometimes have to remind myself to be gentle on myself and my creations. Harsh criticism really isn’t helpful or necessary. That doesn’t mean I don’t look for improvement, but little is gained by going beyond that.
- Make it simple for yourself. I really love this idea. When life is complicated and busy, simplicity is like an oasis of ease and simplicity. Whatever you do, make it easy, no pressure, no stress or worry, just easy explorations with simple materials work fine. Pen and paper, nature materials, a camera. Infinity of ideas await you!
- Plan, plan, plan. It might feel like it blocks the spontaneity of life and self-expression to have to make plans, but they can signal to your brain it’s important. I usually plan early in the day which of my creative projects I want to spend time on and when in the day I will. Then the decision is made, and it’s just showing up.
Summing up, watch what you tell yourself. The answers to the questions above are likely the things you are saying over and over. Are they really helpful? If not, perhaps it’s time to rework what you are saying and feeling, especially if they leave you blocking your creativity.
So, this week, what can you do to build on the creative habit in a sustainable way? We’re here to offer you support and inspiration along your journey! Feel free to join and share your thoughts, we would love to hear them!
