On being creative

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My daughter and I spend lots of time talking about things and creativity is one of them. She is new to this artist journey and I have been at it for most of my life.

We often try to keep each other energized, give our thoughts on just about everything and help each other when we are stuck. There is always something to learn about your creative process and getting out of your own way can be one of them.

She often prods me for deep thoughts and questions, hoping to glean some understanding of her own process and blocks that keep her from reaching her goals and at the same time teaches me about my own.

Now i must tell you the my daughter and I , while we are different people, we are also very much alike in many ways and so exploring things together often gives both of us better insight into who we are.  She asks questions of me and I find myself coming to realizations I might not have otherwise seen. And in turn she might overcome some hurdles much sooner in her creative pursuits and venture on past the stumbling blocks.

She is currently taking an online course about writing, she has always wanted to write. And she is a good at it , and is learning also to get out of her own way.

One of the things she is learning about that she shared with me are the thoughts “safe never starts and perfect never finishes”.

These two phrases caught my attention!

I can relate to those two things only too well. How many times have I procrastinated on some little detail or went on thinking too long about a project or direction. Found myself saying I’ll do this when all things are in place, or when I have this or I cant do this because…. I am sure you all know, we have all had something we must do or have before we can get started.

This, to me, would be the safe factor, when its all in place, has a purpose and I learned more then I can get started.

There is only one thing wrong with that thought, nothing is ever all the way its suppose to be, that’s our subconscious filling our heads with distractions that keep us from our path. So we never really start or we never really finish.

It’s amazing how little thoughts, things we think we are doing to move us forward are really keeping us from getting there.

Oh what power those little things have! They take our attention away from the process at hand and busy us with thought, preparation, over thought….

It appears that we cant get out of our own way. Have you ever found yourself there? I have, that is why this little phrase rang so true with me!

And while you are busy being safe you may also be concerned about being perfect! Much to my surprise I had that one too in more ways than one. My daughter was all to happy about pointing that out! I never saw myself that way.

That also creeps into so many things we do.

If only the we had the right tool, the right supplies, the time, the money, the desire, the ideas…..it can amount to a long list. If only I knew what I was doing, or I did it better……again another long list.

We can keep adding to this list and then we would be busy making lists and excuses and not art.

Truth is it will never be perfect! And if we dont start how will we learn, grow, get better etc? And it’s ok if it doesn’t come out perfect!

Why does it need to be safe or perfect?  Why cant it just be? Why cant we just do? After all if we are doing, are we not learning, growing and succeeding? Are those goals not beginning to happen and getting closer all the time?

So don’t let those little demons take you from your path, if you want it! DO IT! no matter what. There is always a way! There is always time! You just have to want it enough to go get it.