I've been doing this a long time. By "this" I mean being an artist, a writer, a creative. There is nothing like being engaged in the fire of inspiration. Feeling that heat bubble up inside you and burst out onto the page or the stage or the canvas or whatever is your chosen medium. There is nothing like being caught up in the divine flow of creating. It's a natural high. Ecstasy.
There are some people who chase that inspiration their whole lives.
But I'll tell you something else a lot of people don't understand about creating. It isn't actually ABOUT inspiration. Sure inspiration is a part of it, but the biggest part of being creative, I've found is actually the commitment to being creative.
When you commit to being creative, you commit to being present and putting the time into making that art. You commit to facing the things that scare you and working through them. You commit to putting that ass in that chair and just getting to work.
Why do I bring this up today? Because it struck me anew yesterday. Yesterday I was inspired. Thanks to Corey Moortgart and her wonderful art. The pump was primed and the ideas were flowing, but when the kids went down for their nap and I was supposed to pick up my drawing pens and create... I chickened out.
I spent the whole afternoon going through and editing old digital photos, using the excuse that it was "creative" editing. But I knew the truth. I knew I was taking the easy way out, and what I really should have been doing was facing my fears of the blank page, not taking up my valuable nap time with busy work.
I was more committed to my fears and laziness than to my inspiration and creating.
Ahh.
The first step, though, is to realize what the story is. This I did. I realized my stoppage. Good for me.
Next step, re-commit myself to facing the uncertainty of what will come when I put pen to paper.
It doesn't have to be a big step. It doesn't have to be a masterpiece, but it is a step that MUST be taken.
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4 weeks ago
3 comments:
I love this ...I do the EXACT same thing and then I get upset with myself for wasting "nap" time...why do you think that the next time you face nap time you will be able to commit yourself to the page? What will your motivating factor be? I like how you have given yourself room to simply create - it doesn't have to be a masterpiece, it just has to happen....good for you..in doing that, in talking about this you are an inspiration to me....thanks
AGGHHH
I wish I knew what would get me going during naptime.
Part of the time is that there is so much to do, and nap time is when it can get done, from showering to sweeping up cheerios to making dinner.
Time is valuable.
But I painted something I had already done in my journal. Then the kids got inspired and wanted to paint, too, so I got out their paints.
Then nap time was spent cleaning up spilled paint.
doh.
But you got it done - you made art AND you were an inspiration to the kids which meant that nap time should have been cleanup and a little Mommy relaxation. I'm proud of you...you should be proud of you too! You got stuff going and left the most amazing, unforgettable mark on the lives of your children...is there anything better?
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