Creativity Reset and Recover - Homework Optional ;)
Mention creativity and all of a sudden…..
Fears, gremlins, emotional roller coasters, avoidance of accountability, resistance to rest and play, and an overbooked scheduled with overwhelming to-do lists.
On top of that, high-achieving, successful kickass folks - like those I work with, know, and love - overwork their creativity into high levels of productivity chasing unrealistic expectations of perfectionism. [Yes, takes one to know one. Turning that mirror right back at myself.]
Back up. Some context.
Starting this summer, I created these seasonal workshop series called Grow Boldly where each season we focus on one theme. For summer, I was inspired to do (Re)Igniting your Creativity.
Today’s workshop was on - OMG - summer is almost over - how can we reclaim what’s left and feel into our ideal spacious feel.
Top lessons:
Make friends with your creativity gremlins who love to pop out on your shoulder and tell you ‘no, no, no, not that, not you….’
Face and feel into those fears and then recognize them as the stories that they are rather than the reality.
Follow the creativity flow good feelings as a YES. If it’s a maybe, guess what, it’s probably a NO. And if it’s a YES, it can be a NOT NOW BUT LATER option.
Make friends with the phrase, ‘Thank you, but no, xyz doesn’t fit my ANYTHING.’
Create spaciousness in your logical daily routines. Time between meetings and events. Chunk out time for projects. Schedule nap time.
Write out personal boundaries so that you no longer allow people and things to hijack your time and energy.
Homework:
1. Make a list of your ingredients for joy and meaning.
2. Draw connection from those ingredients to what meaningful work means to you.
3. Now take something(s) off your to-do list - say NO.
4. Move on to rest, play, and nature connection.
Keep reseting and find those around you who can support your creativity and honor its vulnerable fire flames.
In the meantime, there’s still one more in this series coming up so sign yourself up for:
Creativity Celebration & Choice August 11, 2021 Wednesday at noon MST
We wrap up our summer creativity reset as we start to transition back to school or into autumn with time to celebrate the choices we made for ourselves. By savoring our good stuff, we build up resiliency, community, and connection. We embrace the challenge by choice so you can celebrate your inner wisdom and empowerment!
quote from The Creative Habit, Twyla Tharp