CREATIVITY TAKES COURAGE
“COURAGE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL THE VIRTUES, BECAUSE WITHOUT COURAGE YOU CAN’T PRACTICE ANY OTHER VIRTUE CONSISTENTLY. YOU CAN PRACTICE ANY VIRTUE ERRATICALLY, BUT NOTHING CONSISTENTLY WITHOUT COURAGE.” – MAYA ANGELOU
The new year always conjures up lots of excitement at the potential of a fresh slate. The possibilities seem endless at the prospects of new and better life habits and goals and achievements.
Needless to say I usually look forward with both excitement and nervousness. I can’t see everything that’s going to happen.
Hoping and wishing can only go so far. I can plan, but I don’t control much of anything except my thoughts. (which I’m not that great at controlling anyway… so that doesn’t say much).
Are you like that? What are your reactions to all the goal setting, habit forming or resolutions making that’s everywhere right now?
Thinking of this year and all the usual hopes and dreams I have for every new year - lead me to think about the courage and persistence you need to take each baby step forward. Especially when there are set backs which inevitably occur when you are growing and learning.
My work involves a lot of… work & involvement with creativity. Working with it, begging the muse for more of it, working with it in an unusual way because you get inspired, because you are called to, because the problem requires it.
creativity is like a muscle that gets easier to access the more you use it.
It’s also like a skill in that, some aspects of it comes naturally to me, while others I have learnt through trial and error, through years of experience to hone and get better at expressing it.
CREATIVITY IS PROBLEM SOLVING.
Creativity is working out a solution to problems that on the face of it can stump you.
How do I express that sense of longing using paint and colour on a canvas? How do I fix this broken thing that just isn’t working with what i currently have? How do I change this toddler’s hugely messy nappy when I realise I forgot to pack enough wipes in the nappy bag?
It’s basically using different parts of your mind and soul to find bits of wisdom and memory -- along with a dash of experience -- to connect dots that need to be connected in a new way. In order to come to a destination that is the perfect place you’ve been looking for but didn’t know you were missing.
Sometimes this is in a big way - like how iPhone’s changed the way we use phones, interact and the whole mobile experience now. Sometimes it’s in small but yet personally significant ways - like that toddler messy nappy situation.
The thing is, I can talk about all the different angles and facets of this. (And I will over this year) We can have long and interesting discussions and conversations about what this means for you, for me and for our world (And I hope to create more opportunities for this in 2016) but one thing has to be understood.
CREATIVITY IS IN THE DOING
Creativity isn’t just in the thinking. It’s also in the doing. The taking of that step towards testing out the idea, the baby step of asking the question out loud and seeing where the next dot to connect is.
The investment in time and energy in going down a new path and seeing what comes out of it, whether 10 minutes or 10 days.
All this requires the courage that Henry Matisse speaks of.
Courage to step out from behind the safety of our minds and into the vulnerable arena. The courage to try something out and failing, but knowing you’ll have to try again because, well, you just have to.
Courage to step forward and be a leader (of a community or just yourself) into a new world (even if it’s just new to you).
The courage to surrender certain parts you don’t want to let go of, to focus on just ONE thing instead of the 2-3 other GOLDEN things that’s calling out to you.
only with courage can you keep the persistence and consistency that you’ll need to keep practicing the habits you need to create the success you’re looking for.
You’ll need it to pick yourself up and see another connection you missed when you previously chose one path (with great courage!) that didn’t quite work out.
CREATIVITY TAKES COURAGE
I created this wallpaper for the New Year in 2016, but it will serve as a gentle but loud reminder (kick in the ass) for all the things you (& really I mean me) want to do, create & be anytime of the year.
Everything you see around you, all the new things you’ve learnt and all the goals you’ve achieved - in some way or another required a dose of creativity in making it happen.
So don’t undervalue your own creativity, and don’t underestimate it. And don’t neglect the nurture of it either. That means flexing that courage muscle and feeding your creative well in your pursuit of your dreams. It's really the only way to do it properly - in full colour & joy.
may your 2016 be filled with courage and creativity as well as all the laughs, joy and rainbows you’ll love and need, to be all your heart desires.
x Brenda
p.s Access to this new wallpaper is available in the members Insider Library (passwords are given in your email) Sign up HERE for membership...it's FREE