3 things: Remove the roadblocks that take away your joy and creativity

Living a creative life, and pursing creativity can be stress-relieving and relaxing.
An outlet in a hectic and sometimes painful world.
But sharing our hearts, thoughts, art, words, makes us vulnerable too.
To create and share, means we have to expose that side of us.

Being daring and adventurous enough to see not just what is broken, but what
is good, and lovely, and right in the world.
To see hope.

To just see that each of us has a gift to be used to help and serve each other,
and the fun and sometimes challenging part is to figure out what exactly it is.
But when we do, how do we get going?
Find the time to pursue our heart’s calling?
Or get out of that giant rut we find ourselves in at times.

3 ways to get started today:


1. Money does not equal success
The first thing that we seem to think of is making money.
“Do what you love, and the money will follow” that’s what we hear, right?
Well what if it doesn’t? Does that mean that we don’t really have a talent
in that area, or we aren’t good enough at something because otherwise
we would be making a great amount of money with our gift?

Don’t listen to that voice.

To live a creative life we first must separate our God-given gifts and money.
I am beginning to think that we are given our talents to use with a heart of
service and love first and foremost.
And after that, we are sometimes able to turn them into a career or extra
income.
But if we don’t or they never do, those gifts are not any less valuable or
important.
They are very important, and I tend to think we have them for a very special
reason that we don’t always see.
At least not right away.

2. Don’t compare yourself or measure your worth
The second roadblock, at least for me has been comparison.
If comparing ourselves to each other were a category in the Olympics I
wonder how many of us would medal at it.
I have some bronze around here somewhere…

Any seasons or moments of resentment and bitterness (and there have been
some) have always been rooted for me in paying attention to what others
have or don’t have.  Or that they seem to have it figured it out.

They haven’t.  We are all kind of working at it, in different ways and it just
looks different on the outside.
It makes me think of The Breakfast Club.

I have to be honest, it’s very freeing to let go of the notion that I have to
be good at everything.
If I want a candy bar, I eat a candy bar.
If I feel like curling up on the couch with my kids and letting the crusty
dishes go a day (or two) the kitchen will not implode and we will not
contract a terrible illness.
A few dirty dishes are not near as fun as plugging in my hot glue gun.

3. Let some old stuff leave for good

The third stumbling block, is kind of like comparison but it’s more than that.
It’s grace.
We are so willing to give everyone else a break.

I want you do something that will bless me.
And you.
I would love, with every pore of my being, heart and soul to see you let
something go.  Something you don’t need that is negative and holding
you back from living the life you want.
We always look for something huge, that will make a giant impact.
Because that’s the stuff we are willing to let go of, we already want it gone.
I want you to let go of an idea or thought you have been carrying around
that is not serving you in any good way.
It’s bigger than you think it is, I know mine are.

The real stuff is quiet, and doesn’t boast or fight for our attention.
Keep on taking pictures, and work on your craft.
Bake something.
Paint stuff, hot glue the day away.
Make the neighbors wonder exactly what it is that you do.
Don’t keep the beautiful YOU that you are a secret another day,
because you already have one huge fan right here!
And I think you are amazing 🙂

So, it’s truth time.
Don’t just get on with your day and not leave a note telling me what you
are going to rock this year, come on, what is it?

Ok, i’ll go first, I’m working on #3, and it isn’t always easy but it feels
good to just let go-

Ok, your turn.  Don’t leave me hangin’ 😉

  {weekly link party every Sunday at 11am PST !!}

10 Responses

  1. Wow! That was a fantastic post! I have let go of a lot of baggage and feel freer and lighter. My problem is having to constantly stifle the creativity because of the other things in life calling me, then when I do have the time I`m too tired and want to take a nap. 🙁

  2. Trisha,

    Thank you, I'm glad you like it. It sounds like you already have a lot of the hard work done just by seeing a need for balance. Excited for you and the journey you are on 🙂
    Tanya

  3. Ok here it it's. I love to craft, try new things, make things. But I stopped because I had no avenue to sell them. And I stopped because I thought everything else was more important. Not any more! This year my love for making things comes first even before the housework. 🙂

  4. Melody,

    I love it! Your determination and passion for your art are right there. It sounds like by resetting your focus on what brings you joy, you will probably find the time and energy to create. And more energy because you fed your spirit. Reading your message just makes me HAPPY!!

    Tanya

  5. great post!! I especially love #1. Not really that I think I should be making money at what I do (although I sure could use the money!) but that I need to keep in mind that the gifts and talents I've been given are for glorifying God and uplifting others. And that's enough. I don't need praise, admiration or even recognition, really. Just making someone smile is enough. Reading your

  6. Tanya, Wow! I have been struggling with letting things go for a while, but your post has come at a most opportune time. I have just recently discovered that guilt and regret have no place in my life. I lived my childhood dream as a Stay At Home Mom. Now new dreams are on the horizon as my boys are building their dreams.

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hi there !!

Welcome to twelveOeight! I’m Tanya and I am so glad you are here. If you are ready to start loving the home you have now, then join me on my mission. One thrifty project at a time we can make our today homes our dream homes.

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