Greetings!
As I began thinking about the month ahead, I of course focused on the fact that it's St. Valentine's month. My husband and I have been together for 30 years, so this will be our 31st Valentine's Day together. All this got me thinking about the importance of connecting.
I began thinking about all the ways we connect - in person, phone, skype, social media, etc. It also made me think about who we connect with.
This in turn made me wonder whether or not you have been connecting with your Creative Nature - Your Inner Artist - Your Creativity - whichever moniker you feel comfortable giving it. That part of yourself that gets silly, loves to express, and enjoys getting her/his hands dirty. The person who yearns to write a book, produce a film, paint, dance, sing, knit, etc.
I'm wondering what you are doing to nurture your connection with this person? If you've taken my
Artist's Way Workshop, then you know about Morning Pages - the three-page, daily brain-dump that you do upon rising, and Artist's Dates - opportunities to you take your creative spirit out on a "date" - just the two of you, to a museum, or a movie or where-ever she/he wishes to go.
But what else is there? Hopefully, when you were deciding on new year's goals and resolutions you resolved to express more, and feed that wonderful part of yourself. If you're trying to build/break habits check out my blog post at
www.engaginginnerwisdom.blogspot.comfor more insight into ways to support your changing habits.
I say all this to you, because I know your creative yearnings. I too have them, and it's easy to lose site of them. It's easy to put them off to the back burner, to push them aside to get the "more important things" done.
And I also know pain this can bring. The sadness as we reflect on our creative accomplishments. If you're out their painting, singing, writing and doing Your Work, then great! Write me an email and let me know what you are up to I'd love to relish with you!
If you find yourself wanting and needing support consider the following:
- Find a creative buddy (quickly!). This is someone who will encourage you to do your art, who will want to see what you are doing, who will help to "hold you accountable" in a gentle and loving way. This person should look to you as her/his creative buddy too. Inspire one another, have play dates together, call each other in the middle of art making to yell, "I'm DOING IT!"
- Connect with the artists you love. In his book "Steal Like an Artist", Austin Kleon suggests that you deeply get to know the artists you love. You start this by "chew(ing) on one thinker (aka artist)...Study everything there is to know about that thinker. Then find three people that thinker loved, and find out everything about them. Repeat this as many times as you can." In this way you are building a family tree of artists, and in so doing you will uncover what makes you tick as an artist.
- Take time to reflect and play! I can't stress this enough. You've got to allow yourself time. Think about how much time you spend watching tv (maybe it's time to repeat no media for a week), or on facebook, or gabbing with a friend on the phone. Could you be dancing, filming, taking photos, etc. instead? What would happen if you dedicated just one hour a week to your craft (a mere pittance by the way).
The point is, you've got to feed your inner artist if you expect him or her to grow!
Here are a few other ways to connect and support your creative self -
13 Ways to support your Inner ArtistI wish you all the success with exploring what it is you need to support your creative inner spirit! Consider taking my upcoming SoulCollage� workshop (info below) to use your intuition to provide you answers and to shore up your inner artist, or come share your art and play at art making at my upcoming mini-retreat (info to the right).
See you soon!
Chantel
