If you want to sustain your creative life, you have to lay down a firm foundation. You ever notice how easily you make excuses for why you can not be creative? You know the ones; you are too busy, you have to take care of the family, this is silly, you are not creative, blah, blah, blah… Well, dismiss them. Making time to feed your creative side is important. We all need a little time to play, relax and return to center. By using the following tips, you will be well on your way to establishing your creative life.
One of the first things you have to do is be in a creative frame of mind. You have to believe you are creative. Without this simple and critical step, you will not reach your full potential. Don’t wait for others to tell you how good you are, KNOW how good you are. One of our biggest problems is we compare ourselves to others. You are uniquely you and can not be like anyone else. Comparing yourself and your artistic skills to someone else’s is a waste of your time. So, start off by believing with everything in you that you are creative.
Secondly, make a commitment to create everyday. If making art is your chosen creative area, art does not have to mean a 30′ x 40′ canvas. Your art can be small, playing card sized, in fact. I have done a series of fabric postcards that were no larger than 4” x 6”. I would create all of my backgrounds one day and work on another layer as each day went by. By the end of a week’s time, I had a set of completed postcards ready to mail to my writing buddies. When I scrapbook, I do not always finish a page the same day I start. Again, I may select my images or do my journaling first, then pick the papers and elements I plan to use and by the third day, start assembling the page. I make time to be creative, even if it is only 15 mintues a day, it is still time I commit to growing as an artist.
Third, create an environment that nurtures your creativity. Dedicate a space, no matter how big or small, to be creative. My creativity spot is mobile most of the time. Since I work a lot with the computer, I have a favorite area on my living room couch next to a large window. I set the mood with some music, my journal and all of the materials I need to work with. If I am being more organic, like painting or working with paper, I have a dedicated area in the basement where most of my materials reside. It is not a big space and I have been known to grab what I need and work on the dining room table instead (hence all the paint and ink marks on the table). I am flexible about my environment, but where ever I am, I make it work for me.
Next, start a creativity file. You never know when you may need some inspiration. I have a morgue to store just about anything that inspires me. My morgue consist of quotes, pictures, color palettes, words, ephemera, blogs and so on. You can read more about starting a creativity morgue here. I read a lot, so I am always finding something new to add to my files.
Finally, surround yourself with like-minded people. If you are serious about building a creative life, one of the best things you can do to help sustain it is build a creative community around yourself. There is nothing like having a support system when you are in a creative slump or having an, “I completely suck at this!” moment. I have a variety of kindred spirits around me who give it to me straight and encourage me to follow my heart and my dreams. We share techniques, uplifting words and empower each other and ourselves with our friendship.
Having a creative life is a lot easier than it may seem. We are all born creative; sometimes we forget that, but we are. Taking the time to nurture and grow your creative life is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Give yourself permission to play, learn and grow. Give yourself permission to just be. I wish you much joy on your journey and wild, free spirited creativity on the way.
