Betsy's comment on my last post addresses a common problem for creatives. She mentioned how daily responsibilities keep from doing her creative work at the time of day that she feels she's at her best. She feels drained by the time she gets to her art. Here's my suggestion: patchwork creativity.
Step One: Before going to sleep at night, set an intention for what you want to create the next day. Be sure to write it down. By doing this, you're sending a message to your subconscious mind, along with a self-addressed, stamped envelope for its reply. The subconscious is great to have in your employ, because it works tirelessly 24/7. Just before sleep is the best time to jumpstart it.
Step Two: Reread your intention as soon as you wake up, preferably aloud. The subconscious mind is very open to suggestion at this time before you are fully alert.
Step Three: Always carry something with you to jot down or electronically record any bits and pieces that pop up while you are carrying out your other responsibilities. These become your patches for your patchwork creativity.
Step Four: When your time of day to create finally arrives, make it a ritual to sit down and "sew" your patches together. You can create this way even when you feel drained from your other activities, because you've already built a foundation for it in bits and pieces. As "The Artist's Way" author Julia Cameron would say, you have made your creative work into "no big deal." And I know when I'm tired, everything feels like a big deal, so I'd better have my creative goals cut down to size in this way.
My wish for all of you this week is a beautiful piece of patchwork creativity, whatever that means for you. Give it a try and let me know how it goes. Or if you have another method that works for you, please tell us about your experiences and results. Thanks!
Blessings,
Susan
P.S. A note to local folks: Last call for the "Design Your Future" workshop on Saturday, February 25, from 1 to 5. The registration deadline is Wednesday, February 15!
Monday, February 13, 2006
Friday, February 03, 2006
Dumping the Myths Around Inspiration
Thank you, Betsy and J for your comments! You both mentioned inspiration, so let's go there today....
"No matter what our attempts to inform, it is our ability to inspire that will turn the tides." (Author unknown.) So.... Go, Betsy and other artists of every stripe! The world needs what you have to offer. (For more about what Betsy has to offer, go to www.opendoorfitness.com.)
There are a lot of myths around the idea of inspiration. Let's dump 'em! The first myth is that inspiration is going to show up at your doorstep and say, "Congratulations! You have just won the Idea-of-a-Lifetime Sweepstakes!"
Writer Brenda Ueland explains how it really works: "I learned that inspiration does not come like a bolt...but it comes to us slowly and quietly and all the time, though we must regularly...give it a little chance to start flowing, prime it with a little solitude and idleness." So don't just do something, sit there! Meditation works great for this, as does journaling.
The second myth to dump is the one that says that artistic souls need to have total freedom in order to create. Not so! Structure is not such a bad word after all.
In her book, "Pencil Dancing," Mari Messer says, "Why impose structure when you don't have to? You do it to make a framework to hang your thoughts on."
Structure doesn't have to be boring! For example, you can create an interesting structure instantly by choosing three words randomly from a book and challenging yourself to use them in the same paragraph. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Blessings,
Susan
P.S. For more info on the guided journal, "The Whispering Heart," that J mentioned in her comment, please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com. Thanks!
"No matter what our attempts to inform, it is our ability to inspire that will turn the tides." (Author unknown.) So.... Go, Betsy and other artists of every stripe! The world needs what you have to offer. (For more about what Betsy has to offer, go to www.opendoorfitness.com.)
There are a lot of myths around the idea of inspiration. Let's dump 'em! The first myth is that inspiration is going to show up at your doorstep and say, "Congratulations! You have just won the Idea-of-a-Lifetime Sweepstakes!"
Writer Brenda Ueland explains how it really works: "I learned that inspiration does not come like a bolt...but it comes to us slowly and quietly and all the time, though we must regularly...give it a little chance to start flowing, prime it with a little solitude and idleness." So don't just do something, sit there! Meditation works great for this, as does journaling.
The second myth to dump is the one that says that artistic souls need to have total freedom in order to create. Not so! Structure is not such a bad word after all.
In her book, "Pencil Dancing," Mari Messer says, "Why impose structure when you don't have to? You do it to make a framework to hang your thoughts on."
Structure doesn't have to be boring! For example, you can create an interesting structure instantly by choosing three words randomly from a book and challenging yourself to use them in the same paragraph. Give it a try and let me know how it goes!
Blessings,
Susan
P.S. For more info on the guided journal, "The Whispering Heart," that J mentioned in her comment, please email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com. Thanks!
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