| Recently a friend was talking to me about her | | | | seem to be the last one hanging around admiring |
| first experience in a store where you can paint | | | | all the small, finite details, wanting to know all |
| your own pottery. She was excited and animated | | | | about it? Look at those areas first. |
| while talking about this experience, and explained | | | | Invest in yourself. Take a class, get a book or |
| how she wanted to be there everyday during | | | | find a possible mentor. Put into action a |
| lunch to paint. That she could just live in that | | | | commitment to learn. Each one who has |
| store and paint all day. I understand that passion | | | | mastered a skill goes through a learning process |
| and loved seeing it in her. | | | | and starts at step one. Start. Put away the |
| Then she said something that I nearly fell off my | | | | excuses and fears. It doesn't have to be perfect; |
| chair. "I've never done anything like this before in | | | | you don't even need to show it to others if you |
| my life, I'm one of those people who have no | | | | don't want to. Give yourself permission to fail, but |
| talent, or an artistic bone in my body." I asked her | | | | give it enough time and dedication to see if it's |
| if she really truly believed that, and she indicated | | | | something that fits you or not. If it doesn't, move |
| that she did honestly feel that way. | | | | on to try something else, but keep looking until |
| I do not believe that about any person. I believe | | | | you find that fit. |
| especially in people who haven't found their "niche" | | | | Don't be terribly surprised if doing this however, |
| yet, that there is a wealth of hidden, | | | | brings up issues in your life. I've found in mine that |
| undiscovered talent, which just hasn't been found | | | | to be true. I'm not sure if it's because it's working |
| yet. I love meeting people like this because to | | | | another part of your brain and taps into that |
| me, I sense a treasure hunt. | | | | creative side or what. But I've found that to push |
| I have found in my life that the seasons where | | | | through those feelings, to talk to a good friend or |
| I'm not doing something creative, there was | | | | safe person about those feelings. In the last few |
| something vital missing. That I'm off balance | | | | years I've taken up candlemaking, and I had |
| somewhat. I've been that way since I was a child. | | | | made candles as a child as well, so it was a return |
| I believe people are born with a need to express | | | | for me to an art form I long ago loved doing. I |
| their creativity. The obstacles to blocked | | | | was very surprised at some major issues to |
| creativity are finding what that medium should be, | | | | come to the surface in my life, things far too |
| and probably also defining some goals, and | | | | personal to go into here, but they were so major |
| perhaps some defined reasons they are blocked. | | | | that I nearly quit; despite that it was something I |
| Expand your thinking and definition of what | | | | loved doing and had invested heavily in. I cried for |
| creativity is. It isn't only a person who can draw | | | | 2 weeks. After grieving an ugly truth I had long |
| or paint or write. Most didn't just take it up and | | | | ago pushed down and ignored in my spirit, I |
| were good at it at their first attempt. It was a | | | | realized that ugly thing had robbed me too much |
| natural talent, but it needed developed. They | | | | in my life already, and it was time for it's power |
| learned and practiced to become good at what | | | | over me to stop. Through the pain, I chose to |
| they do. Just about anything and any medium can | | | | make it a business and it came forth with the |
| be created into art. Gardening can be an art form | | | | name: Joyful Designs in Soy. I gained some real |
| for instance. I've seen some gardens that truly | | | | personal freedom through that process which I |
| were a work of art and almost breath taking. I've | | | | am deeply grateful for, and my business name is |
| seen junk turned into art, there's jewelry making, | | | | a declaration of a new truth in my life. I also carry |
| basket weaving, knitting, spinning your own yarn, | | | | a new joy that I didn't have before, into the rest |
| photography, too much to list. Start thinking big. | | | | of my life. |
| Where does your interest lie? Take some time to | | | | Our creative side isn't just about what we're |
| really think about that. What are some areas | | | | doing, it's also about who we are, and that |
| you've told yourself, "someday I'd like to learn | | | | touches people near us. Just like tossing a stone |
| that." What are some areas that you've seen | | | | into a pond, those ripples it creates, flow out and |
| others do that you find totally amazing and you | | | | affects others. |