Some people have asked me what makes me a creativity expert…
In truth, I hate the word “expert” and it’s not how I like to describe myself, but I have to call myself something and I need to explain what I do.
And you might have also been wondering what a woman who who has devoted her life to creativity actually does… My approach is different than many others who talk about creativity.
I’ll explain why.
Art and the process of art mirrors life. I can help blocked artists make art, but not by putting clay in their hand or teaching them to paint or telling them what to write or giving prompts for what to create…
I help by asking people to look inside and sculpt/create/paint/write/CREATE themselves. I help shift the internal block first.
Because nothing can happen on the outside until we meet our insides.
To make art, it takes a willingness to be present with our inner-selves. It depends on how open and willing we are to connect within and then share that inner world with others.
Any creative who feels may not look to themselves to understand the problem. They might think it’s about the painting, or that they don’t know what to write about, or they’re forgetting their lines.
The same goes for the person who doesn’t identify as an artist. They can experience blocks, get stuck, feel depressed, not know what to do next, and fight with their resistances. They don’t see this as an opportunity to make a change within either. They look at the end result rather than the process of discovery. They search for answers from their head (not their heart where true insight lies.)
So what does it take to change your relationship with blocks and resistance?
To create art/ourselves/life we need an essence of play, a curiosity, and inquiry to explore ourselves.
And yet…
When we’re open, taking risks, and willing to lose it all, and when we’re interested in the process and the discovery rather than the result/outcome/perfect artistic vision/coloring in the lines things can get messy.
And being messy reveals a lot and teaches us about our own humanness. It helps us to find humility and acceptance, take the pressure of, get out of our way, surrender control, and allow the current of creativity/life to work through us.
Any artist knows what it’s like to get blocked or feel dried up, to think they can’t do anything better than their last work of art, —but that’s because they’re looking outside of themselves for the answers. The resistance is simply the mind stopping us from being truly present with all that we feel on the inside. When we touch our heart a world of creativity (and happiness) opens up to us.
Usually, when resistance happens there’s a self-judgment, a “should”, an expectation, or a preference in the way. Ultimately, it’s only a fear that’s surfacing, and that fear is really a bell ringing for change…
Ultimately, creativity isn’t interested in preferences, or our judgments, or our fears. Creativity is like Calgon rushing through a pipe taking everything corroded along with it. It’s the flow of the connection—and that connection is inside.
So anyone who feels stuck, an identified artist or not, can apply these same creativity principles to their life.
When I paint or get hooked up in my writing or in any creative endeavor, I’m HIGH. And I’m high because I’ve synced up to the power of presence within me.
So I use creativity as a platform to jump off into life. For me, art mirroring life is my greatest teacher to show me what has the highest opportunity to resolve in myself.
And when I meet my insides fully, face my fears fearlessly and touch the wide open expanse of my heart, creativity reflects the beauty of life—even if it’s messy.
And this is what I want: For each person to be their most magnificent, powerful, unique selves and to claim this fully.
Wishing you connection to your purposes, passions, and dreams, and sending all my love!