Reconnecting with Creativity: Following Life’s Little Nudges
We live in a world that was imagined into being by people who no longer even walk the earth, people who lived in very different circumstances, in times when life was scarier and survival was much more of a day-to-day issue. We have by default inherited so much of what they created: habits, traditions, ideas, beliefs, systems - all relics of that past and so much of it based in fear.
One of the strategies they came up with to survive all that danger was “don’t move & stay small”
Since creativity embodies the exact opposite of these things, it was a big threat to safety. So they set to work solidifying an all encompassing set of ideas and beliefs that they thought would help them stay well clear of creativity, and all the ways it made them vulnerable to danger.
Things like:
-new, ideas are scary and dangerous
-being different is bad, you won’t fit in or belong (survival)
-creativity is not in everyone, that not everyone “has it” and you probably don’t so don’t bother trying you’ll be embarrassed (fitting in, survival again)
-that creativity is only in ‘Art stuff” (and you are not an artist, so….)
-creativity is for girls (that’ll take care of a bunch of people wanting to try)
-in order to be good or accepted, the products of creativity must look or feel or sound a certain way and you probably can’t make those things that way so you better not try.
Friends, these are all lies, and they are all based in fear. And our widespread acceptance of these beliefs and not questioning them, is why humanity is glitching. We have allowed our collective fear of the unknown to make us retreat from, shove down, ignore and avoid the most incredible gift the universe has to offer us, Creative Intelligence. We’ve literally powered down an integral part of being human in order to survive.
But we don’t need to do that anymore. While it may have been a good idea at the time to stay still and small, maybe doing so even saved our lives. That danger has passed. This is a new world now, one where it is safe to expand into our fullest selves.
The truth is, Creativity is about so much more than “art stuff” painting or drawing or even music, dance or writing. Creativity is the source of inspiration, ideas, curiosity, intuition, gut instincts, inner knowings & desire. It is the radiant, alive, playful intelligence that animates the entire universe. It is in you. It is what is breathing your body as you write this.
Just as our ancestors systematically trained creativity out of themselves, by doubting, shaming and diminishing it, we can systematically relearn how to connect with this important aspect of ourselves.
Something beautiful is inside, waiting for you to remember it
Creativity can’t create without you, and you can’t create without creativity. It's a partnership.
A relationship with Creativity is quite possibly the most important relationship you will ever be invited to take part in.
To begin to step more deeply into this partnership may feel like uncharted territory. But this intelligence has been in you all along, it never left you, and you already know this even as you read these words.
A great place to start to breathe life into your own inner creativity is to begin to play with and notice the little inner nudges you feel. Andrea Garvey talks about this a lot in Episode 08 of The Creative Genius Podcast. Creativity comes from a part of us that can't speak to us with language, it speaks to us through feelings like these little nudges.
Start small.
There is something inside of you in every moment that has preferences. “I like this colour not that colour, I want to read this book, not that book, I feel like going out to this restaurant, I don't feel like going out at all” those are all nudges and every moment is an opportunity to strengthen and refine our ability to be able to notice the nudges and act on them.
It may take time for you to realize that these inner nudges are trustworthy. That’s ok. Keep experimenting. Start small. Listen to what you want to make for dinner. Do you want to accept that invitation for lunch? Do you want to hang out with this person today? Or even sitting on the couch, wait until you feel a nudge to get up, then notice where your body wants to take you. Have fun with it. Play with it. When we practice following our inner nudges we make space for more of them to come AND we put ourselves squarely on a path of magic.
At the end of the day no matter how big or small these nudges and whispers are, they are creativity talking to us, and the invitation is to stay open to the nudges and whispers and to follow them to the joy that awaits.
The creativity inside us is excitedly waiting for us to jump on board so she can take us on the incredible adventure of THIS ONE WILD LIFE. When we recognize that it was never our job to lead the adventure, when we show up with our hearts & minds peacefully partnered, poised & ready to respond with creativity for all that is to come, then the magic happens.
You got this.
love,
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