One of my favorite feelings in the world is when I open the oven to take out something I’ve baked—and it looks and smells awesome. Whether it’s a batch of cookies, a loaf of bread, or a pie, there is an incredible feeling of joy and pride that surges through me. Which makes me wonder,
What do you create that makes you feel this way?
As we live in a culture where everything is graded, measured by “likes,” or easily compared to a million other people’s similar attempts, it can be hard to believe our work is good. To celebrate our creations with joy, rather than a critical eye. To know it doesn’t have to be posted on Instagram to prove we’ve done well.
For today’s Love Learn Lead, I am sharing some ways for us to overcome the creative comparison in our culture, so that we can focus on—and enjoy—the things we’re meant to make. Not every baked good I pull from the oven comes out the way I want it to. But the only way to experience the pride and joy I feel in baking, is to keep doing it. My prayer is that you too, keep at it when it comes to the creative endeavors that fill your heart and mind.
Love
If you’ve ever been told by someone important to you that you’re not creative or artistic enough, chances are you’ve shut down. You’ve closed the door to the right brained part of you, and you’ve busied yourself doing everything else in life. But—
Your creative self is still calling to you.
There is still a longing inside you to build, bake, draw, write—to put your hands, heart, and soul into making something. Only, if you’ve closed this part of yourself off, chances are, it’s hard to get going again. So I want to share two questions to help you open up:
- What did you love about what you used to create?
- What are you curious about?
Creativity in all its forms is really about love. Seek to find the thing or things you love to make.
Learn
The most important creative lesson I had to learn—after being told I wasn’t creative enough—was that it is ok to suck. When you first start out or return to an old craft, give yourself permission to be bad. In this season, instead of making what you produce the point, make the process or the journey your focus.
Instead of making what you produce the point, make the process or the journey your focus.
There is this story about a study that was done with a bunch of potters. The potters were divided into two groups. The first group was told to focus on making one perfect vase. The other group was told to make as many vases as they could—quality didn’t matter. Sure enough, at the end of the study, those who made more vases, made better vases.
We’ve all been told practice makes perfect. Perhaps more importantly, practice is how we become the creators (artists, writers, bakers, etc.), we long to be.
What do you need to practice?
Where do you need to give yourself permission to suck?
Lead
“You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.”
― Maya Angelou
I have found this to be true with writing. So often we believe creativity is a jug of water to be used up, but what if it’s a spring that never stops flowing?
How do you need to test this creative truth?
What do you need to create without fear of running out of inspiration?
Often, before we create, we need to clear some space for ourselves—not just physically, but mentally too. Sign up for my email list, and get my Five Ways to Declutter Your Mind resource. In it I share five ways to cut through the noise in your life, to find more peace and clarity.
