i have a special journal where i keep ideas for new creative projects and most of the time i love that that journal is absolutely overflowing.
but sometimes i look at it and feel completely and hopelessly behind and that i will never catch up.
sometimes it feels disjointed, like my creativity is so far ahead of where i am and how will i ever catch up?
there is so much i want to have done already.
i have to take a step back and look at my whole life and not just my art. i have to remember that it all comes down to choices. in new thought, this is referred to as the law of sacrifice. we can do, be or have anything we want but that doesn’t mean we get everything we want. every choice involves a sacrifice, we are constantly shifting and re-balancing, every choice impacts every part of our lives.
if i choose to stay home today and work solely on my wonderful creative projects i am sacrificing spending a day at the beach. and not just any day at the beach, this is probably the last nice hot beach day we’re going to get this year. (and i LOVE the beach)
photo i took while lying on the beach this summer when i could have been in my art room working
looking at it this way i look at the fullness of my life and not just creative progress. and i truly appreciate the time i have spend building and nurturing friendships, playing and having fun, learning how to sing and actually enjoying doing karaoke IN FRONT OF PEOPLE, baking cupcakes and surprising people with them, gardening, going for long walks, spa days, taking naps, leading guided meditations and being actively involved in my spiritual community, taking lots of bubble baths, taking mind expanding classes and heart opening workshops… the list goes on and on. all of these things make me who i am and make my life what it is today.
and then i remember.
if my life wasn’t so full i wouldn’t have such an abundance of creative ideas.
it’s the fullness of my life that inspires and sparks my creativity.
and it’s the nature of life that the same fullness that inspires all of these ideas also limits the amount of time i have available to work on them. we live in a paradox.
so today i appreciate all that i have already done.
i continue to move forward, one step at a time.
i re-commit to enjoying the journey and appreciating the sweetness along the way.
i am going to the beach.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Andrea, your thoughts have been the very ones, I have been having with myself. Is this the connecting thread of all creative people? As a creative person I often feel that I have to be busy every moment in order to achieve my goals. Do I lower my expectations? I can’t but I have had to teach myself – and I am still learning this – to look at my life as a continuous journey and sometimes the journey means taking a walk along the harbor or going to have a mocha at a cafe on my favorite shopping street. The ‘idea’ over flows and I get frustrated that the ideas do not take fruit. I give excuses – I am an assistant principal at a charter high school I am too tired to doing anything but read a book…or, I have to clean the house…oh, no someone asked me to come over and play! Excuses, Excuses! So, my mantra is – this is a journey detour, enjoy it and perhaps inspiration will come!
Enjoy the beach! Enjoy the journey! Cheers! Angela
Yes – I can so relate to this post! Thank you!
I just got a new book called “Visual Poetry” by Chris Orwig. It’s about photography, but the first part is really about life and how it affects our art. Much of the writing in the first part (I just got it – so I have not read that far) compares poetry and photography. I thought of this quote from the book while I was reading your post. “Poetry is a way of living that requires you to look, listen and live well”. It was the “live well” part that got my attention.
Thanks for the reminder!
thanks angela. i think these are very common thoughts for creative people. i really like your mantra.
thanks dianne. “live well” that really sums it up, doesn’t it!
Really great insight, I have been feeling the same way lately.
Such a powerful post and I’m moved by it. I do, from time to time, torn between working on my story or going out to have some fun. And whenever I chose not to write but say watching TV or shopping, I felt tremendously guilty.
But your wonderful post helped to resolve this struggle …
Thank you!
thanks julie
thank you! we are so multifaceted, we have to enjoy ourself and relax and be silly and have fun as well as get the work done. i’m so glad you are letting go of guilt.
I have had some very similar thoughts. These thoughts seem to be dancing through the air lately, everywhere. I have just recently tried to block my time in an incredibly simplified manner, large blocks allotted for non-specific spans of creative time.
You are wise to enjoy the journey. I’ll be thinking about that today.
Thanks!
I too understand fully,you must take time out,a lesson I finally have learned the hard way.I now suffer with a chronic condition because I pushed myself too hard, even though being an artist is one of the most rewarding , inspiring ,creative jobs possible!!!You can get so caught up in the moments you forget or feel guilty or push aside other relaxing just as important “ME” times much needed in life….going to the beach!! I have now after soul searching,rearranging and sorting through my life have found a “Balance”…Your health is soooo important…. so give to yourself,so you can share with others.I was inspired by these simple words recently……….
“Live what you Dream…Dream what you Want……Want what you have….Have what you Deserve….Deserve to LIVE!!!!
That Sky Andrea says it all …The beauty of creation… how inspiring!!!!
Thankyou and JOY to you!!