7 Soul-Searching Solutions for Satisfaction: An Introspective Path For Creative Development
“If you want to work on your art,
work on your life.”
-- Anton Chekhov --
One of the biggest mistakes people make as they venture into any kind of creative life is opting for a path that ultimately leaves them winding through unnecessary twists and turns, struggling to make it to their destination. The path to creativity is straight and smooth, and truly is an enjoyable process - enjoyable, that is, IF you understand the importance of some kind of basic map to help chart your journey. First and foremost, you must internalize the plans for a creative expedition, before you can ever hope to see them materialize.
{1} Shut Up and Listen to Yourself.
This may sound a bit on the schizophrenic side of things, but makes total (and rational) sense when you start to practice it.
Think of a time when you set out to create something - writing or painting or sewing - and you found yourself at serious crossroads. All the effort in the world, and still you got stuck in a rut. Next time, don’t try so hard.
The Crafty Conduit
As a writer, if I insist on too much control over the words I put down on my paper, my story will end up just as strained and as unnatural as I feel after such a tense process for writing.
To break free from this inhibited, self-conscious attitude, it is necessary to check your ego at the door. You’ll be amazed at how easy it is to soak up the experiences around you and just listen. Your artistic craft becomes an exercise in revelation, a genuine vehicle for creative self-expression.
{2} No Debbie Downers Allowed
Once you’ve allowed yourself to ditch the self-important tone, the stream of possibilities and ideas will flow mightily. Don’t let the experience be overwhelming for you - be prepared.
With so many ideas freely flowing, you have to remember to let them do exactly that: flow freely. Don’t try and make sense of the creative brainstorm by trying to polish as you go. You might end up buffing out a thought that had more potential than any of those you kept - you just to didn’t give it the chance to develop.
I have to say it to myself over and over again, but it always helps me settle into the best creative mindset: “In order to be a good writer, I have to be willing to be a bad writer.” (Julia Cameron)
{3} Keep Your Heart Full of Patience
Knock out steps 1 and 2, and you’ve already made major progress on your creativity trek - you’re opening yourself to listen more than you dictate and direct, and you’ve become a true vehicle for self-expression. So, why in the hell do you feel like everything you’ve created is one grade above absolute crap?
Patience, my young Paduan.
I’m preaching patience? Man, I’m so not good at that one.
We all long to be swept away by our own creativity — enraptured by the process. I know I do. And, occasionally we do find ourselves blessed with these divine moments, but most of the time our best work does not come in one fell swoop with a pretty bow to tie everything together.
{4} Save the Drama for Your Mama - Then Use It
Cell phones, email, codependent family members, friends who think you’re Dr. Phil, deadlines, whining children, whining spouses — we have to combat quite a bit of noise in everyday life. Often, you’ll find it way too easy to let yourself be consumed by all the drama.
Instead, let the drama consume the keys as you type, the brush as you paint, the guitar as you compose.
Drama is often our excuse for avoiding creative action. That’s why it’s essential for you to make a conscious commitment: creativity now, drama later.
{5} Broccoli and Rock Stars are Key
Did I throw you for a loop on the title for this one?
This is something that I’ve posted about in the past - Anne Lamott’s concept for rediscovering how to listen to your own intuition and silence your inner critic. By continuing to ignore your broccoli and your rock star, your creativity will be shackled to the wall until you relinquish some control.
{6} Pay Attention to the World Around You
People who live creative lives are often some of the most curious souls you will encounter. They crave knowledge about anything and everything. And, as they collect these bits of input with each day and each new encounter, they gradually build up this eclectic grab bag to draw from in their own creativity.
In Jack Foster’s “How To Get Ideas,” his advice is to buy a notebook, not loose notebook paper, but a ledger that has more of a sense of permanence to it:
Then every day write in it something you’ve seen. Every day. It doesn’t make any difference what you see; only that you see something and record it…When your ledger is full, then sit down and read it. The start filling up another one. And another one. And another one. For the rest of your life.
{7} Have Fun Storming the Castle
Make everyday a fresh, new, exhilarating, crazy-scary, unique, fun adventure. Monotony and predictability stifle creativity. In fact, they are in mutually exclusive categories. If you run from a little randomness in your life, it becomes so difficult embrace creativity.
Attitude is everything. If you’re not having fun, then why are you here?
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