CHAPTER
7

Reframing Your Viewpoint

In This Chapter

• Suggestions for overcoming your blocks
• Getting in the right frame of mind to be creative
• How to use affirmations to shift your thinking
• How creativity redefines your life

You can breathe a sigh of relief now that you’ve made it through that last chapter and identified your blocks. But you can’t stop there; it’s time to start working through them. By doing this, you prime yourself to experience the wonderful world of your own creativity!

In this chapter, I give you tips for getting past your personal blocks. I also take you through how you can foster creative freedom and how to understand the beliefs surrounding your own creativity. I finish by giving you ways to bolster yourself with some affirmations.

Overcoming Your Obstacles

Becoming more self-aware is sometimes a process people avoid. It can bring up painful memories that many don’t wish to revisit. However, if the last chapter triggered unpleasant, forgettable, or regrettable stories from your past, that’s actually a good thing. Why? Because they’re tied into the obstacles on your path to creativity. Being aware they are there is the first step. Now that they’ve risen to the surface, it’s time to sweep them away entirely! The following are some suggestions for getting past your blocks.

Setting Your Priorities

If I had to identify one statement I’ve heard more than any other in my creativity coaching practice and in my own head, it would be “I wish I could but I don’t have enough time.” As I pointed out in the last chapter, the number of seconds in a day remains constant. What it really boils down to is the choices you make, which are based on your priorities.

Sometimes the things you deem as most important are done so out of a need. For example, in this physical world, everyone needs a certain amount of money to pay his bills. Unless you have achieved financial independence and have all the money you’ll ever need, doing what it takes to generate income is probably a high priority. Choosing to work is the responsible thing to do. However, you may also have priorities that aren’t necessarily critical to your most basic needs of food and shelter but are highly important to you. For example, if you’re a parent, caring for your children would be high on your priority list. Or maybe staying physically fit or spending time daily in prayer is essential to you.

Where does your creative expression fit in? Only you can make that determination. However, don’t think of creativity as something to slot into a schedule; instead, think of it as something you either give (or don’t give) priority to. If one of the ways you would like to express yourself creatively is painting but you’re not doing it because you don’t think you have enough time, shift your statement from “I’m not painting because I don’t have enough time” to “I’m not painting because I have chosen to spend my time on other things.” That’s what is really true—not that you’re lacking time. Sure, a lot of people wish there could be more hours in a day, but even if that were so, chances are, you would still be wishing for even more time.

CREATIVITY KEY

Stop telling yourself the lie that you don’t have enough time to be creative. If it’s important enough to you, you will find the time. That’s what commitment is all about. Even if it means squeaking out 15 minutes here and there, that’s a start!

Once you’ve reframed how you see time in terms of priorities, take a hard look at all of the things in your life that are essential. Are you filling your time with these priorities? Or—and this is a significant question—are you spending time on things that really aren’t all that important? Again, you’re the only person who can answer that. Just know that bypassing your creative opportunities is not because you don’t have time; it’s because you have chosen to prioritize other things above it, whether they’re actually meaningful and vital or not.

The same principle applies to the other areas you perceive are lacking. In keeping with the painting example, it may be true you don’t have the money to go buy an expensive set of artistic painting supplies, but what can you afford? What is really necessary to get started? Maybe it doesn’t have to cost you anything if you pair up with a friend who would be willing to share his materials. Bartering—where you exchange something of value that you have with another person and they, in return, give you something they have that you desire—is a great way to get you started and perhaps keep you going. Or if you feel you lack the skills necessary to pursue your creative interests, how much is it worth to you to develop your abilities? Are you willing to give up or spend less time in another area of your life to do that? Again, it comes down to your priorities. No matter what it is you feel you’re lacking, none of it will change unless you place a high-enough value on your creative expression. Simply put: think priorities, not time.

Being Willing to Be a Beginner

Did you identify with fear of success and fear of failure in the last chapter? If fear (whether temporary or deep rooted) is one of your primary creativity blocks, one shift you could consider is being willing to crawl before you walk, which will eventually allow you to run—in other words, allow yourself be a beginner. Are you willing to start slowly? Agreeing to be a beginner at something throughout your life will keep you open to newness, support brain functioning, and invite growth.

Sometimes learning a new skill or spending time engaged with an unfamiliar activity can be frustrating, especially if you fall into the comparison game and watch other people do the same activity and make it look so easy. When playing that game, it doesn’t seem to matter that those people have been perfecting their craft for years because you’re so fixated on what they can do that you can’t. It’s easy to forget they didn’t shoot out of some cannon with instant know-how and magical perfection.

If you’re afraid you’ll look like a failure because “you’re not good enough,” is that really true? Good enough in whose eyes? If it’s due to a lack of experience, take baby steps and get the support you need. You can work with a mentor or role model, take lessons, attend related workshops or conferences, or simply practice your craft more on your own (the last of which you can do with the creative plays in the chapters and Appendix C). By being patient with yourself, avoiding comparisons to others, and taking small steps, your fear will begin to diminish.

Dealing with Mistakes

Mistakes—everybody makes them. They’ve been around since the beginning of time. Even if you don’t consider yourself to be a perfectionist, I’m guessing you would prefer not to make any blunders. But there are positive ways of dealing with mistakes. The most common advice is to learn what you can from them. Naturally, some have a higher price to pay, and those expensive lessons are usually the ones that offer you the most personal growth. But how do you deal with everyday mistakes—those on a smaller scale in which you catch yourself in the moment? Do you laugh it off or berate yourself? What if someone else points out that you made a mistake? Do you become defensive or do you thank the person?

In his book Fearless Creating, author and creativity coach Eric Maisel suggests that mistakes should not be ignored, defended, or left uncorrected. They also should not be accepted as something you deserve nor mourned forever. So if you’re in the middle of a creative project and it doesn’t go exactly as planned because you didn’t properly execute the step or made some other gaffe, you can fix or modify the work, complete it, start over, or quit. By accepting that you are human, hopefully you will forgive yourself, work through it, and continue.

CREATIVITY COMPASS

Benjamin Zander, conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, tells a story about dealing with mistakes in the Art of Possibility (co-written with his partner, Rosamund Stone Zander) that I love. He speaks of how mistakes in performances help the performers and him realize what requires more attention. Recognizing this value, he trains his students to deal with their mistakes by hoisting their arms in the air, smiling, and declaring “How fascinating!” Are you willing to give this lighthearted approach a shot?

Allowing Yourself to Be Vulnerable

To be vulnerable means you’re subjecting yourself to physical or emotional attack. Neither of those things may happen, but the possibility is there. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable means you’re willing to leave yourself “wide open,” and that can be a scary place from which to operate. It’s what keeps people from sharing their creative works. I know that feeling personally; I was a closeted singer-songwriter for more than two decades! Yet “vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change,” according to researcher Brene Brown, who is an expert on the subject of shame and vulnerability.

You may think of vulnerability as a weakness, but it’s actually a strength. Give yourself a pat on the back for being courageous enough to show your true colors and risk judgment from others. Over time, you’ll realize that your vulnerability is what enables your creative expression to fully flourish because you’re allowing others to see the real you. Sure, you risk criticism from others and in Chapter 18, you’ll learn different ways of dealing with feedback from others. For now, though, start with being aware that vulnerability is part of the creative process. It’s a matter of acceptance and being comfortable and confident enough in your own skin to breathe through what can feel like personal attacks. For example, I realize there could be critics and readers who may criticize certain aspects of this book. I could let that stop me, or I can accept the possibility is there and write regardless. (Obviously, I’m doing the latter!)

INSPIRATIONAL INSIGHT

“I spent a lot of years trying to outrun or outsmart vulnerability by making things certain and definite, black and white, good and bad. My inability to lean into the discomfort of vulnerability limited the fullness of those important experiences that are wrought with uncertainty: Love, belonging, trust, joy, and creativity to name a few.”

—Brene Brown

Reclaiming Your Power

What does it mean to be self-empowered? It means taking control of your life by making what you think, believe, and feel matter more than the opinions of others. If you can master that, you’ve found one of the biggest keys to unlocking your creativity.

You may have experienced times when you have felt others were unduly judging you. This can happen because of their own feelings of insecurity, arrogance, or even jealousy. In order to reclaim your power, start to pay attention to how you feel during and after an interaction with a friend or family member, especially if you’ve just shared one of your creative projects. Whether it’s a poem, song, or book you’ve just written; a painting you started or completed; or an idea for how to decorate your child’s room, if you don’t get the reaction you were hoping for, will you still be okay? Will you still feel proud of your accomplishment or will you withdraw?

Even if you’re not sharing a creative project, it’s still important to notice how you feel when spending time with others. Do they zap your energy or leave you feeling invigorated? Does it happen every time with certain individuals or only on specific occasions? These observations may prove to be valuable to your creative process. If you hang out with a friend who inspires you, setting up a lunch date may be just what you need to get your started on a new creative project! By the same token, you can learn to limit your time around those who bring you down. Hanging around with such individuals can suck the life right out of you; however, rather than cutting the “energy vampires” out of your life, you may decide to give them a chance by being open and honest with them by sharing your feelings. Only you can stand up for yourself. That’s reclaiming your power.

This is not to say you shouldn’t ever listen to feedback from others. Sometimes their comments can be very helpful, as long as they’re constructive and delivered in a way that is supportive. You can do your part by letting people know what you want from them up front. If you’re looking for them to voice their honest opinions and give advice, tell them that. If you’d rather have them just listen quietly and not comment, let them know that, too. That way, others will be more likely to give you what you want and need in the moment. For example, I had a friend who had a very nice way about her whenever I would discuss a matter that concerned me. Before launching into giving me advice, she would preface her feedback with a question: “Would you like my support on this?” That always made me relax and feel comfortable because it made me realize from the outset that her concern was genuine, even if what she said afterward wasn’t what I really wanted to hear. In most cases, it was what I needed to hear!

One last thing you should consider when reclaiming your power is the effect you have on others. Do you come across as encouraging, caring, or understanding? Or are you critical and judgmental? Sometimes what you’re getting back from people is a direct reflection of what you’re putting out. You may not mean to come across negatively, so that’s where more self-awareness is necessary. By telling people what you need in a manner that invites feedback in a way you desire, you can truly reclaim your power.

CREATIVITY COMPASS

Some people have a way of inspiring you to take action. I recall an experience when my late friend Sue and I sat on her dock and discussed our dreams. I told her I had always wanted to play classical guitar. She asked, “Then why aren’t you taking lessons? Life’s too short.” She always seemed to motivate me, and the next day, I made some calls and found a classical guitar teacher near my home. I immediately began taking lessons. She was right about life being too short, as hers was cut short a few years later when she died suddenly. The memory of this conversation and Sue’s overall being continue to inspire me to act on my dreams.

Setting Reasonable Expectations

One of the quickest ways to set yourself up for disappointment or perceived failure is by placing unreasonable or even impossible expectations upon yourself. If you’re in the beginning stages of exercising your creativity or getting back in the creative game, it’s especially important to let go of all expectations related to outcome. You’ll do yourself a favor if you can make whatever it is you’ve chosen to do simply be about letting your light shine.

While you can always set long-term goals you can build up to achieving, in the meantime, set yourself up with manageable, enjoyable activities that may not have meaning to anyone else but you. In other words, if shaping modeling clay into animals or building a prayer altar in a corner of your room brings you pleasure, let that be enough!

Sometimes the tendency is to expect too much of yourself too quickly. When the outcome falls short, you may feel disappointed and discouraged to the point where you decide not to take on anything else. Rather than giving up, remove any expectations and instead focus on creating for the sake of illuminating your creative soul and spirit. Be authentic in the process, and you may just light up someone else’s life, too, as you openly share what’s in your heart and make a connection.

Not Being Afraid of Risks

Learning to take risks with your own creativity is an important aspect. Why? Because so much of creativity goes into unknown territory, which is precisely why and how many new concepts, products, artwork, and services are born. Each person has his own tolerance level for risk. On one end of the scale are daredevils who are willing to go as far as risking their lives, while on the opposite end are people who are literally afraid to leave their homes for fear something bad will happen to them. When it comes to your creativity, what feels like a risk to you? How expansive or narrow are your limits? Are the fears you have realistic or something you’ve told yourself due to a lack of self-esteem or confidence? For example, have you ever taken a risk that didn’t pay off? Did you then “should” on yourself, become filled with regret, and say to yourself “I should have known better”? That reaction is a common one when the chance you took turned in a direction you may have anticipated but didn’t think would actually happen. If you can look at these risks as learning lessons, you’ll live with a lot less regret.

Even the most educated risks, where you weigh the true pros and cons of the situation to whatever extent that you can, can have good or bad results. This is no different than deciding whether to buy an extended warranty for a new car; you could impulsively decide to buy it or you might research the item in question to learn more about its failure rate and reputation. Whether or not you buy the warranty, you’re taking a risk—of either not purchasing a warranty and ending up needing repairs or getting a warranty but your car never needing the fixes covered by it. It’s the same with creativity; you are always taking a calculated risk.

However, that doesn’t mean taking a risk typically results in something bad happening. You’ve probably also experienced coming out on the other side of risk. There are few things that feel better when that happens, which can only add to your feeling of self-empowerment. Expressions such as “Yes! I did it!” become the battle cry, making you much more likely to continue on creatively.

CREATIVITY KEY

The next time you feel your work has been harshly judged, you can either ignore it or learn from it. For example, if an artist completes a painting and then destroys it out of anger because he received negative feedback, that may stop him from painting for a while or perhaps forever. But if any of the feedback was indeed valid, instead of demolishing the painting, the artist could have applied the lessons learned from that piece of artwork, painted over the canvas, and focused on how to improve the next piece. That’s the difference between the self-critic and the pupil.

To help yourself feel more at ease with taking risks so you can have those “I did it!” moments, start noticing when you feel discomfort in situations that are unfamiliar to you. Tune into the reason behind your hesitation. This may require some deep contemplation, depending on the situation. Are you reluctant to get started on a creative project because it’s risky? One example of this is a person who decides not to pursue his dream of becoming an artist because he thinks it would be too financially risky as a career. Instead, he becomes a graphic designer at an agency. Another example is a writer who has fictional story lines running through his head since childhood but determines there’s not enough security in becoming a novelist. He therefore opts to work toward a career in journalism. Ask yourself if the risks can be calculated and if it’s worth it to you. What kind of meaning does it hold? If it’s part of a lifelong dream, do you treasure yourself enough to move forward?

You can start building your risk muscle by starting small. For example, you may have the dream of owning and operating your own business but you don’t feel ready to quit your current job. As long as it doesn’t present a conflict of interest, you could work toward that goal by taking on some freelance jobs on the weekend or at night. This not only allows you to reduce the risk, you’ll also get a taste of whether being on your own is for you. If you’ve been making crafts and giving them as gifts to friends and family, you may decide you’d like to begin selling them but you’re not ready to invest in buying a tent, showcases, and other supplies necessary to display your work at juried shows. Instead, start with local church fairs and other events where the requirements are not as demanding and the entry fees are less. These types of smaller risks can help you make friends with uncertainty.

Being Open to Getting Help

Whether you feel stuck or are ready to dive in to your creative expression, it’s always a good idea to surround yourself with supportive and loving people who truly believe in you and accept you for who you are. If you have a trusted friend who can serve as a confidant, that may work. However, if your creativity blocks are deep rooted, you may consider getting help from a professional. Value yourself enough to get the help you need if you are finding it difficult to move forward on your own. This could be your local clergy person, a spiritual counselor, therapist, or doctor. Getting help doesn’t necessarily mean it will require months of your time. Sometimes a trained professional can hasten the process by helping you get to the heart of the matter quickly.

The following are some tips to help you know when to seek professional counseling:

• Talking with friends hasn’t worked and you are still feeling very depressed or anxious.
• You’re feeling withdrawn and are spending more time alone. This is especially a crucial sign if you are normally very social.
• You feel like your emotions are out of control. Anger, sadness, or mood swings dominate your state of being, and these feelings are getting in the way of your responsibilities and interests.
• You have a lot of difficulty concentrating.
• You’ve lost interest in important things that used to engage you and feel lethargic.
• Friends or family have noticed a major shift in you and have suggested getting help.
• You’re absorbed in habits that are detrimental to your well-being, such as using drugs and alcohol to excess, and this behavior is interfering with your daily life.
• You’re grieving a loss—due to a death, divorce, job loss, or something else—and you wish to move on but find you can’t do it on your own.
• You have thoughts that go round and round. Your thinking has become obsessive and you don’t know how to let go.
• You are having flashbacks to traumatic events.

Ways to Foster Creative Freedom

Now that you’ve been given some suggestions on how to overcome your blocks, it’s important to realize that working through them is a process that may take some time. These obstacles didn’t just appear instantly; they took time to develop. It’s like making a snowball. If you form a snowball in your hand and keep adding to it, eventually it will become large enough to place on the ground, where you can give it a push and watch it roll while it takes on a life of its own. That’s what happens with creative blocks. But just as with snow, they can melt away given the right environment and resolve.

Fostering creative freedom involves being gentle and patient with yourself as you navigate your way out of the creativity closet and into your creativity calling. There are many ways to find your way out to enjoy the wide-open field of creative expression, but I’ve provided a couple suggestions to get you in the right frame of mind. If you discover a strategy that works for you that goes beyond these, pat yourself on the back and by all means follow your intuition.

There’s No Such Thing as Trying

Have you ever noticed that when someone uses the words “I’ll try,” it usually has a negative connotation? For example, when you invite friends to a party and ask if they can come, and they respond “We’ll try,” 9 times out of 10 they don’t attend because they really weren’t planning to come in the first place. Rather than tell you “No” up front, they felt it was easier to let you down easy. As you can see from this example, there is no such thing as trying; either it happens or it doesn’t happen.

CREATIVITY COMPASS

Consider this example from my own experience at author and speaker Neale Donald Walsch’s retreat, where he demonstrated the concept of “try” when I questioned him about it. He told me to try to take off my shoe, and I responded by taking off my shoe. With a sly look and a smile upon his face, he said, “I didn’t tell you to take off your shoe. I told you to try to remove your shoe.” Point well taken!

When it comes to creativity, are you “trying” to be creative—gently letting yourself off the hook due to one of your blocks? Maybe you tell yourself “I’m going to try painting someday,” but you never actually do it because “trying” automatically gives you leeway or freedom to escape. In order to get away from this mentality, when you start thinking about whether to partake in one of your creative interests, let go of the word try. In fact, removing or decreasing the use of that word from your vocabulary isn’t a bad idea. I’ve tried that (kidding!). In all seriousness, I set that very intention when I realized there is only doing or not doing—creating or not creating.

As you think about or are involved in a creative pursuit, think twice whenever you catch yourself about to say the word try. Do you see the difference in telling yourself “I’m setting an intention to paint someday,” as opposed to “I’m going to try to paint someday”? The difference is subtle, but the word intention carries with it more of a focus and may actually prompt you to think about a game plan of when you might actually do the activity, rather than the vague try.

Giving Yourself Permission to Create

Sometimes people put off creating because they’re waiting for someone else to give them permission—in other words, they’re seeking approval. Do you ever find yourself in this position? This can happen when you feel others view your interest in creative projects and activities as superfluous or low on the priority list. Perhaps your spouse has asked you, “How can you spend time drawing when you have all of that laundry stacked up?” or “Don’t you think you already spend enough time on your own stuff? After all, you’re working and going to school.” That can make your guilt set in and cause you to put off something you love one more time. You’re putting the opinions of others before your own, even though you know creative activity really feeds your soul.

Give yourself permission to create on a regular basis, rather than wait for someone else to give you the green light. This will not only have a positive effect on your inner being and overall outlook, it will probably extend to those around you because you will feel so much more contentment. I’m not suggesting you shirk your responsibilities; rather, it’s about finding a balance. If you find yourself surrounded by loved ones who don’t understand your need and desire to create, perhaps you can sit down with them to explain just what it means to you and how your creative expression can actually benefit everyone, rather than pull away from spending time with them. If taking time to create ultimately makes you a happier person, the quality of time you spend with others will improve as well.

It Begins with a Belief

When I was in middle school, the thought “Those who believe achieve” came to me, and it’s a phrase I’ve held onto ever since then. What is a belief? I describe beliefs as thoughts people form based on what they’ve been told, what they’ve experienced, and what they’ve read. They are not necessarily based on any truths. Oftentimes, these convictions are based largely on assumptions. Some people believe without seeing (which can be described as faith), while others must see to believe. When it comes to your creativity, do you already believe you are creative, or do you need to see evidence of that first?

In my opinion, there are two ways people view themselves creatively. Quite simply, there are those who believe they are creative and those who do not. What’s your paradigm—in other words, how do you view yourself? Do you believe in your own creative abilities? If you don’t, what will it take to begin changing that belief? If you already believe you are creative, do you wish to be even more creative? Believing in your creative self is crucial but does not guarantee you’ll act on your creativity. In fact, some who believe they’re creative do not take advantage of their skills and talents for reasons they may or may not realize. Are you one of them? I have yet to meet anyone with the desire to be less creative. But what does “being more creative” actually look like to you? What does it feel like? Being more creative may mean the following:

• Starting projects or a creative initiative you’ve thought about but haven’t moved forward with
• Following through on projects you started but never finished
• Taking your creativity to the next level by evaluating your creative efforts and determining how to improve upon them
• Taking a class or getting more training in your area of choice
• Working on your own or with a coach to remove your creativity blocks
• Discovering new creative outlets and acting upon one or more of them
• Getting back in touch with your original enthusiasm to create
• Gaining a better understanding of your creative process

These are all possibilities that tie into being more creative. See if you can identify any other ideas for yourself that would mean “being more creative.”

DEFINITION

A paradigm is a set of beliefs that drive your thoughts and actions. Sometimes paradigm shifts are necessary if your belief structure is getting in the way of your creativity.

Another thing you should consider when it comes to your beliefs about your creativity is whether you view your creative pursuits as a luxury or a necessity. Your answer to this also will affect your creative output. As a luxury, your belief would be that creativity may add an element of pleasure but it’s not essential; it’s more of an indulgence. Maintaining that belief may result in you putting off taking any action toward one of your creative interests. This is especially true if you believe you don’t “deserve” much time to play. On the other hand, seeing creativity as a necessity means it’s not optional; you feel it’s a requirement in your life. Otherwise, it feels like you’re missing a key, meaningful ingredient. This belief alone can make the difference between tapping into your creativity or not. You wouldn’t dream of allowing your creative dreams to lie dormant if you view creativity as a necessity.

For example, I know if I go too long without at least dipping into one of my many creative interests, I start to feel a void. If I ignore that feeling, the gap widens and the only way I can close it is to allow my creative sensibilities to take over. For me, that’s primarily singing, songwriting, playing an instrument, photography, or writing. What is it for you? Is it any of those things I just named, or perhaps it’s cooking, sewing, quilting, designing jewelry, acting, sculpting, making greeting cards, finding solutions to problems, painting, drawing, poetry, teaching, public speaking, praying, planning, inventing, or training your dog to do tricks? There is no end to creative possibilities. They are only limited by your beliefs.

Changing Your Attitude with Gratitude

Although there are many examples of creativity that have emerged from a space of heartache and sorrow, it’s not a place most people wish to stay in for long. Living with an attitude of gratitude will not only give rise to your creative expression, it also will sustain your entire life. One of the quickest ways you can adjust your attitude when you’re feeling sad, angry, bored, jealous, depressed, confused, or any emotion you wish to transform into joy and peace is through appreciation. Many negative emotions are fear based, making it impossible to be in fear and gratitude at the same time.

There are different ways to put gratitude into practice. One way is to verbally express your appreciation to others. Not only does it make them feel good, it can make you happy to see them happy! Another way is to keep a gratitude journal in which you write all the things for which you are grateful on a daily basis. Perhaps your friend treated you to lunch, a stranger let you go ahead of him in the grocery line, or your boss let you leave work early. You can even write about everyday happenings, such as the unconditional love your dogs give to you and the weather—whether it’s rain watering your garden or sun helping flowers blossom. In order to keep your journal from becoming repetitive, you can challenge yourself to make every journal entry unique. Whatever you decide to do, find new things every day that fill your gratitude cup. The more you can come from a space of appreciation, the more likely your creativity will flow.

Affirming Your Creativity

Now that you’ve learned some ways to overcome your creative blocks and get into the right frame of mind for creative freedom, it’s time to affirm your creativity. An affirmation is a positive statement that helps reinforce a belief or attitude. It’s the opposite of the negative voices that sometimes take up residence in your head. Writing down your affirmations and then putting them in places you’ll see every day can help to support your creative process. Take a moment now to think about the various negative phrases about your creativity that have passed through your consciousness. Some of the statements may be “I’m too old,” “Learning to play the piano is too hard,” “No one will ever want to read what I have to say, so why write?”, or “I’m just not creative.” How often do you make kind, loving, and supportive statements to yourself? Well, here’s your chance.

DEFINITION

An affirmation is a positive declaration that uplifts, encourages, and strengthens a particular feeling or viewpoint and can be helpful in bolstering your creativity.

The following are some tips for writing your own affirmations:

• Focus on your desires—what you wish to have or experience rather than what you don’t have or aren’t accomplishing.
• Keep your language positive. For example, it’s better to say “I am prosperous and enjoy all of my gifts in life” rather than “I no longer struggle for money in my life.”
• Leave out all doubt, even if you feel uncertain about what you’re writing. Write in the present tense, as if you already are or have what you want.
• Aim for words and phrases that are simple and easy to remember and recite. A simple way to begin is with the words “I am” or “I feel,” followed by what you wish to be, do, have, or experience. In fact, some people have expressed that saying “I feel” brings a deeper, more emotional attachment than saying “I am.” Write it in a way that works best for you.
• Use language that is familiar to you so you can speak it with conviction.

While you may not believe what you’re declaring right now, given enough commitment, dedication, repetition, and practice, you’ll begin to notice a shift toward the positive.

Redefining Your Life

In Chapter 1, you were asked to sign a creativity commitment—to do what it takes to enhance and see your creativity as a necessity. You’ve made a pledge to devote at least a portion of your life to your creative expression. If you truly remain 100 percent dedicated to that promise and have started following the tips in this chapter to move forward creatively, you have already begun to redefine your life.

I can speak from my own creative experiences and say, with unwavering conviction, that my life feels more complete, more joyous, more free, and more life-giving to others and me when I allow myself to explore and express my creativity—in whatever form it takes. If I feel I’m having a bad day, sometimes all it takes is to pick up my ukulele and play a song before returning to my workspace. Other times, my creative pursuits are more involved and may take days, weeks, or months to complete. Either way, I am using my creative interests, skills, and abilities to enrich my life.

Your life will take on a new definition as you begin to really believe in yourself and all that you have to creatively offer the world. By consciously and intentionally allowing your creativity to redefine your life, you are living “on purpose.” Reading about creativity and learning new ways to tap into your own “think tank” is just one positive step on your creative path. Engaging in this book’s creative plays is another proactive step you’re taking. As you use what you’ve learned in this and other chapters, you may begin to notice even the smallest shifts that occur in your attitude and behavior. Observe whether you react differently to the things that used to upset you, and see how quickly your feelings transform from a negative to a positive space when you’re engrossed in a creative project. Through these actions, your life will begin to take on a new meaning. Perhaps it already has.

The Least You Need to Know

• Reclaiming your power and giving yourself permission to create are essential to realize your creative potential.
• While working through your creative blocks is entirely possible, it is a process that requires awareness, commitment, action, and time. Having the right mind-set will keep you moving forward.
• Believing in yourself, living in gratitude, and affirming and expressing your creativity will help redefine your life in a way you never thought possible!