Fed up of putting your creative dreams on the back burner?
✨ No quick solutions 🎶 But you already knew that
When people tell me they have creative dreams but aren’t taking any action on them, it makes sense. They’ve tried this, they’ve tried that. They’ve maybe dabbled in ideas. They often harbour a deeply held dream… But mostly, they can’t seem to get going.
The reason we find it so hard to 'get going' is because we’re not in the practice of it. This is understandable. Perhaps you’ve spent a lot of your life thinking about others and putting their needs first. Perhaps you’ve been told your work wasn’t good enough, and so abandoned the idea of having a creative dream entirely — until you could no longer ignore it.
Either way, you’re not in the practice. You’re not in the practice of advocating for what you want — because, in part, you’re not sure what you want in the first place.
When people start working with me, they are ready to make a change. They don’t always know what that change is, but they know they’re ready for something to be different.
Here’s the thing I think is important to say: You don’t need to know what the change is going to look like, in order to start changing.
I know people often say 'start with a vision.' And that’s wonderful, if you have one.
But honestly, sometimes, all we see is fog. Sometimes, we have the vaguest sense of the direction we want to head in, and that’s okay.
If you sense you have creative dreams, but aren’t doing anything about it, there are various options open to you. Here, I have outlined three:
One is do nothing. (Yes, really, that’s an option. You may not like it — and notice if you don’t — but it is an option. One that you might be choosing at the moment.)
Second option: speak to someone. Choose a trusted friend; or someone you know who isn’t going to judge you. Ask them if they would kindly give you some time to help you talk it through. Explore what you’re worried about, and what you might be able to do about it.
Third option: start doing something.
I know that sounds a bit 'Gee, thanks. Why didn’t I think of that,' but at the fundamental level, it’s usually a case of 'do or do not.'
Practise being here for yourself and your work.
Pick a project. It can be any project, maybe something you’ve considered in the past.
Maybe it’s a challenge like write every day for 30 days. Maybe it’s the classic morning pages. Maybe it’s a series of drawings or photographs.
Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you need to spend a mildly-substantial length of time on. Not something that can be finished in an afternoon.
Make it something that spans a number of days, or weeks, or even months.
The purpose is to give you something to focus on. It’s to get you in the practice of advocating for time to create something to pour your ideas into.
It’s space and time for you to experiment.
It’s space and time for you to learn and to see yourself making progress.
It’s probably going to be challenging. You may even want to give up at certain points.
This is a good test. It’s a test to see what comes up; what’s challenging for you. It’s not a test that you pass or fail. If you don’t complete the project in the timeframe you wanted, or even if you abandon it altogether, you will have learned something very valuable — if you reflect on it. Bring those lessons to your next project.
If you want some accountability, put in the comments or email me privately what you want to work on.
And then, when your project is completed, or if you don’t end up doing it, email or comment about what you’ve learned.
There are so many things you can learn from doing a project. You might learn what mediums you like and don’t like. You might learn what time of day works best for you. You might learn something about the types of conditions that are conducive to your creativity, and which ones completely hamper them.
The main thing is you need to do it. Or at least, commit to doing it. And then if you don’t do it, don’t see it as a failure. Because now you can see what’s happened.
As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I told myself I would do something and then I didn’t do it. This led to insights about my own thinking; and after gaining this insight (making those thoughts that had been lurking below the surface, conscious), things, almost automatically, started shifting.
To repeat, not completing a project does not mean you’ve failed and it’s time to give up. This is a stepping stone. Use it.
And if you’d like to share what happens, I would love to hear from you — either in the comments below or via email :)
Much love and exploration,
Kathryn
PS. If I had a fancy group programme 'six weeks to kickstart your creativity!' or something like that I would offer it. However, I tend to work slow and steady. So, if you would like some support and you’re open to a longer, more private container (1:1), let’s see if we’re a good fit. Sometimes we know we want more and we’re not quite sure what that is. The important thing is, you sense you’re ready for more. You don’t need to know everything; but you are open to trust and exploration. Book a call and let’s discuss what you want to create.