Living a creative life is so much more than being an artist. It is about being an active participant of life, respecting your body and the planet, and being passionate. You don’t need to have some life shattering vision for the future, or the natural talent of great artists past, all you need is some drive. It’s not about changing the world as a whole – it’s about changing the way you see the world. Living a creative lifestyle is about doing what you need to in order to stay sane. It’s about celebrating your body and the earth. I believe in passion and creativity being the key components of happiness. Many things can come in the way of living a full life though, which is a bummer.
A lot of people are more creative than they give themselves credit for. This lack of confidence or extreme self-deprecation can be terribly inhibiting behavior. If our minds are filled with negative self talk it is really hard to have the confidence to pursue anything. It takes courage to step out and try something new. Many times people will say “I love doing X, but I’m just not very good at it”. That shouldn’t be a reason to not continue anyway. What is the purpose of art if not for enjoyment?
Taking time out of a busy day to care for ourselves is hard and not something that is taught in our society. With all of our lives focused on work and school it’s difficult to do anything besides melt into the couch and watch TV at night. I’ve noticed that if I push myself to get out of the house or pursue a creative outlet everyday after a week or so I have the energy and the will to keep up the habit. Living a creative and passionate life is, I believe, the key to happiness.
Get out into nature. Its calling. Even if you live in a city there is nature somewhere, I promise. Whether it be just sitting in a park or at the beach, it will perk you up. Growing up my mom always taught me that you should touch the earth every day. Not concrete or asphalt, carpet or tile, but actual earth. Dirt. Sand. Grass. While currently living in a city one of the only ways I stay grounded and sane is by getting out into Golden Gate Park or walking along the beach. It’s hard when the weather isn’t pleasant, but I never regret it once I’m out. Taking time to camp or picnic is good for the soul. I think getting into water is the best though. You are surrounded by a force greater than yourself and it allows you to let go.
Get moving. Our bodies weren’t made to sit at desks all day. Sadly though that is what a lot of people have to do in order to make a living. I urge you to wake up early to go run, bike, or swim. There has got to be an exercise that you enjoy and it gives our bodies the ability to take control over our minds and just go. It is a way of zoning out and it can be meditative many times. I know that whenever I’m feeling overwhelmed I just get out and go for a run. I’m not an amazing runner and will probably never win any races, but I love it. Nobody is judging me while I’m out there and I have no standards to meet.
Take a class. Art classes are one of the best ways to move you to a more passionate existence. They force you to set aside time every week to work on art. Not many people will do that on their own without a push. Art classes have tools and knowledge that without them you wouldn’t have access to. The biggest reason why I love taking art classes is the people in the classes. Because most of these classes allow for a lot of mingling, it is easy to make friends. The people taking art classes are usually awesome and many times live passionate lifestyles which can help you in your journey. It’s really easy to get into new mediums if you have a friend explain it to you. Community centers and colleges are great ways to find affordable art classes, which leaves you with no excuse not to!
Visualize what you want. Harnessing the power of your mind can be really beneficial in your journey to a creative life. Here is an article that talks about the power of the brain, have a read. By manifesting your reality you can rid yourself of negative self talk, focus on a plan, and find out what will really make you happy. Spending time working on visualization is easy. You can visualize away while you commute to work, in boring meetings, or while you’re in the shower. If you want to get real serious about it you can do what I do which is do some E.F.T. while you focus on what you want in the future.
A passionate and creative life takes time and energy, but is well worth it. I urge you to step out of the shadows and out of your rut and get to living.
Beloved Delirium 