DAY NINE
back to the playground
Many of us have grown accustomed to letting our inner critics decide how we show up and how we express ourselves. We repress our creative urges because we are not willing to sound dumb, or change our minds or look too eager or intense. We don't want to be perceived as uncool or out of line.
Remember when that wasn't the case and you explored your imagination and capabilities willingly and with endless curiosity? To get back to our raw imaginations and reestablish that connection we must find our way back to our playgrounds — the creative freedom we had as children.
Think of your creativity as the muse, the groove, the mojo, the feeling that won’t let you leave it alone. Think of the critic as the voice inside that says you don’t matter, no one cares about your creativity and you’re not good enough.
Think about it, what inspires children to play? What inspires adults to be creative? Is it the same thing?
One of my favorite quotes by author Donald Miller says, “I am willing to sound dumb. I am willing to be wrong. I am willing to be passionate about something that isn’t perceived as cool. I am willing to express a theory. I am willing to admit that I’m afraid. I’m willing to contradict something I’ve said before. I’m willing to have a knee-jerk reaction, even a wrong one. I’m willing to apologize. I’m perfectly willing to be perfectly human.”
I revisit this quote often when I’m seeking creative courage and need a reminder to be authentic and not chase praise or run from criticism.
creative expression
Creative self-care can take many forms in your life. I express my creativity through my writing, facilitating and speaking. In other ways, I express my creativity through how I decorate my home, how I entertain my kids and the way I do my hair. We all perform creative acts daily, whether we realize it or not.
If you think you’re not creative, it’s time to change how you think about it. Some people are creative in drawing, painting or design, while others might take pictures, code computer programs, or organize closets. Anytime you are tapping into your natural gifts and curiosities in a way that inspires you and makes you feel good, that is creative self-care.
Many people don’t think they are creative because they’ve absorbed a story about artfulness being exclusively for those who are good at certain disciplines or are pursuing art professionally. Creative expression is an act of exploration and connection that is available to everyone. In fact, we need your specific, unique gifts. In Big Magic Elizabeth Gilbert says, “The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.”
trust what you care about
Practice being honest with yourself and embracing your natural curiosities and interests. What do you care about? What gives you a sense of creative fulfillment?
Figuring out what truly matters to you and allowing yourself free reign to explore it will give you the most natural, wonderful sense of fulfillment that helps the noise of the rest of the world fall away.
Creative self-care includes identifying your burning interests and connecting them to a higher sense of purpose. When I worked in financial services, I dreaded doing presentations for my clients. I love public speaking now because I’m speaking about topics that are aligned with my passions. Creating is a spiritual experience for me that not only calms and centers me but gives me hope and deepens my faith. Think about what simple joys you may have forgotten about, as well as the things that you currently do — like cooking, gardening, or creating playlists — that you could pour more love and uniqueness into.
This must involve some level of letting go of who the world tells you that you’re supposed to be. The person who always needed to say the right thing. The person who doesn’t believe in the value of her perspective or her stories. By giving a voice to what’s meaningful to you, you are caring for your soul and the other areas of your life will benefit as well.
If you would like to share your thoughts and reflections on creative self-care, we’d love to read them! Please share on the private blog.
reflection questions
When you were a child and you played by yourself, what were your favorite things to do?
Make a list of things that you once loved but gave up on because of rejection, criticism or embarrassment.
Which of those things are calling to you to come back?
Make a list of things that you’ve learned and practiced over a period of time.
What role do these things play in your life now and what have you learned from the process of gradual improvement?