Over the past few months, I have been working, on and off, on a project that has sapped my creative energy. At first, I avoided it; pretended it wasn’t there; focused on different things, but with a deadline approaching and no way out, I got stuck in. And then I got stuck again.
As a Creator, I felt far from in flow. I had been asked to write out and turn into lessons the work I had been doing off the cuff for a period of years… the work that came freely and easily to me when faced with a room full of artists. This recent request was work, not play. How lucky I am that my work does, at times when I am in flow, feel like play and how blessed I am to be in a position that allows me to work alongside artists with whom I can share thoughts, ideas and inspiration in both directions: I am inspired as much as I inspire in this and in any teaching role. It is a privilege to be paid for such work. But turning my thoughts and ideas into a teaching manual? That is something entirely different. My creative energy dried up. There was little room for inspiration or for art, but hindsight it a marvellous thing. With hindsight, I should have said no. I should have rejected this part which has taken over my brain and killed my creativity for way too long (and a week would be way too long, but this has been months!). The energy taken in doing this work left little room for my creative heart. And now… now that it is almost done and I have a little bit of space for myself and for my creative mind to take flight once again, patterns are emerging.
Today and yesterday, for example, the patterns took the form of mandalas, drawn out unconsciously, elaborate embellishments to the notes I was taking whilst speaking with people who ignite and inspire me. No brain-sucking energy there… just uplifting conversation with Creator friends whose spirit and ideas motivate and excite me. And guess what…? As I move back towards my creative friends, the creative energy flows naturally, spilling out of me without me even noticing until pages are decorated and ideas and energy spreads, outwards and on… from my notes to a fresh new page where the mandalas continue, a focus for my restless hands. That is the pattern… sharing freely with creative souls, I am at my most creative. Block my mind and my hands are also tied.
My creativity helps me focus and relax. I’m inviting and welcoming it back in and recognising the patterns. Play more, make more art, do more of what I love and more creative energy will flow. Next time I am faced with a task that is so far from in flow, I will simply say no. There is always a way round it… someone else for whom that task will be easy; even fun. Next time, I will find them and free myself to do what I do best.
What boosts your creativity? What saps your creative energy?
What can you do today to remain in the zone of flow?
This is so true, and you’ve put into words what my problem has been for some time. Thanks
Glad to hear that my post resonated Jo. What can you do to feed your creative energy this week? It’s amazing how the energy starts to flow and things begin to fall into place when we follow our hearts and commit to our creative path. x
I think I have been doing this for fifteen years! Only recently I started doing something creative for me, then I was elated when a couple of people asked me to do some work for them. It was fine but my energy definitely changed and I’m kind of glad the collaboration has finished. For now I’m going to try and stick with using my creativity to help me help other people rather than creating on demand! At least until I really need the money 😉 ……
There are messages in these little observations and energy shifts aren’t there Lynsey? Great that you have noticed the difference in energy between what you want to do and what you’re asked to do. By using your creativity to help you help other people rather than creating on demand, you will be feeding that wonderful creative energy and everyone will benefit. Go for it! x
It is interesting, isn’t it, how having to do something shifts the energy like that. I have seen it in friends… how the creating art for specific commissions has a totally different energy to it than the work they create for themselves. There is a different energy around doing the work and so a different energy in the work itself. A good friend of mine who has been (reluctantly) working on commissions for a year or so (in an attempt to earn money) committed to following her heart with her art this year. Her work has taken on incredible new depths and she sold two pieces to strangers within hours of putting them up on Artfinder and in doing so probably made more money from the heart art in a day than in commissions in a year. I will be seeking to follow my heart where I can from now on… to work in flow rather than against it, but yes, you are right, when we can’t avoid something, it’s a case of finding a more suitable way. x
I’m finding this too. Often I think when we feel we have to do certain things it changes the way we feel about them. Sometimes we can’t avoid them by saying no, but often there is a different way to get things done that suits us more, or that suits our natural energy flows better.