“The concept of creativeness and the concept of the healthy, self-actualizing fully human person, seem to be coming closer and closer together, and may turn out to be the same thing.” ~ Abraham Maslow
At the beginning of this year I threw out an idea to you – to become part of my Creative Challenge Project for 2013. (If you haven’t had a chance to read that post you can catch up on it here.)
I promised that as well as asking you to publicly name your project, I would be posting check ins to keep you on track. So here we are at the beginning of February and it’s time for our first Challenge Activity and for you to update us on where you are at.
The interesting thing about creativity is that once you really commit to it, unexpected creative project magic and other strange but pleasing synchronicities will begin showing up in your life.
Creative people are multi-faceted, and it is healthy for them to express that creativity in many different ways. This month’s challenge activity will help you explore that!
Creative Challenge Activity for February
Creativity is a place for exploration, dreams and adventures. Some of what you do will work, and some of it won’t. What works is art, what doesn’t is experience. And to be a creative ‘artist’, no matter what your field, you need both.
So here are some simple challenges to keep that creative fire burning through February. You may want to record them in your journal, and explore them in more detail. Give yourself permission to feed your hungry inner artist!
1. Commit to some creative time. Don’t see it as needing to be productive, instead thing of it as play time. Take out your diary, calendar or day planner and find yourself one hour a week every week for the month. Call this time your Creative Engagement. If you can devote more time to creativity that’s great, but everyone can manage a one hour window. Go mark those times in your diary NOW. Block them off. Make them a personal invitation to yourself. Something you look forward to. Something that makes you feel that delicious combination of anticipation, edginess, comfort and thrill. This is your time for actually working on that project you named back in January. (if you haven’t named a project scoot back to that post here – it’s not too late!)
2. Now give some thought to how you will spend those little creative blocks of time. Jot down a few ideas or a rough plan beside each Creative Engagement. Feel free to explore this even more in your journal.
3. Creative Date. Your Creative Date is separate to your Creative Engagement. We’ll be doing a Creative Date every month. It’s a date you spend on your own, filling up your well of ideas. The reason you need to do it on your own is that when you plan an outing and invite other people, so many of you (me included) end up making it about the other person’s comfort, enjoyment and fun. Dear friend, in 2013, you need to give a little care back to yourself, so fly solo for this date time. It doesn’t mean you need to be alone – you may find yourself at a book store, a workshop, a craft fair, an art gallery or a knitting circle. But you need to be there just for YOU.
So find one hour a month (it can be twenty minutes if that’s all you can spare, or more if you have that luxury of time) and go explore something that inspires your creative juices. It may not be directly related to your creative project. It just needs to help put you into a space where you are free to think about new ideas, and be inspired by the world around you. Take some time and journal a list of places you’d like to visit and things you’d like to do this year to inspire you and give you new ideas. During the year keep adding to your list. It’s important to have a wide range of things to choose from.
4. Dress like an Artist. This is just for fun, but honestly, it works! Pick a day and do one thing with your appearance that makes you feel more like your inner vision of yourself. It might be wearing a button on your lapel, some lace at your collar, or a striking necklace. It could be purple hair, a crazy vest, or an ultra-cool band t-shirt. Choose something that is a secret language with yourself,something that reminds you of your project. My pirate book project is dear to my heart. Ideas I’ve used include a lick n’ stick tattoo on my arm of a pirate boat and a skull and crossbones, a bracelet with little skulls on it, a funky pirate necklace and a satchel to hold my books that has a pirate motif on the front of it.
And don’t forget to leave a comment below and tell us about what you’ve been up to creatively. I’ve done a few hours editing on Mapping the Heart, cut and pasted all of last year’s Gratitude Challenge posts to turn into an ebook, and ordered a delicious tapestry pillow kit from www.erhmantapestry.com – here’s a picture of it:
Have assembled the tools to be in place and have cleared the psyche detritus to be able to embrace the next step. For the storytelling, much mulling and planning have been building the foundation to have February be the month to continue words on page.
This is very exciting and really inspiring. Today i want to work on my glass pieces. I have starting painting jars and glasses. I am definately making dates wirh myself for my creative moments. I like your pirate idea. I have always been fond of pirates and discovered i am descedant of reall pirates from 1610. Something i would love to do is illustrate books. I might try that at the end of this years learning.
This is awsome! I now own a pair of tap shoes & going for a lesson this week. Much love to you x
Hi Nicole Am well settled into Lapidairy with 4 lessons under my belt and two beautiful stones completed, 1st Jasper and the 2nd Brazilian Agate both completed learning new ways and now have two peices of river stone on the go.Once the river stones are finished I will then be able to try my hand at my own choice Rhyolite, it’s so amazing watching the stones come to life through all the stages. Lovely to hear you are moving forward with your challenge too. Much Love Gil 🙂
Thank you for this invitation Nicole. I have started with doing chi kung every day and notice it on my diary. I have planned to teach it to my collegues but there was an other training at the same time so I have to replan it. My own time is doing biodanza. During dancing I can express and embody my ideas.
I wear necklaces and colorful clothes. I ‘m looking to expess my individuallity.
Love and Light to all, <3 😀
Thanks, food for thought, I have been creative everyday with my sketchbook. Best wishes.
Am booked into a key person of influence discovery session tomorrow. Looking to access more clearly the value that I bring and what the next few years look like. Thanks for reminding to take regular time out for creativity and discovery so I have booked time in my diary. xo
I’ve found my first crochet pattern and materials needed. Have blocked out time in my diary. The ideas are flowing.
Thx for the reminder Nic (I completely missed the first post so have just read and commented now) Am currently working on my diary/year planner, so must diarise my project ‘Night Myst’ and public speaking in 🙂
Woman, you put me to shame – how do you do it all?! : ) xx
I am so into this!
The outcreating thingy is going gangbusters – so many really amazing business projects coming my way already this year, including ghostwriting a book! I’ve been a little slower on the painting/drawing bit, but have a painting day scheduled this week… and yesterday’s excursion to a fabric shop that’s closing down has lead to an impromptu adventure of making a whole new look for my bedroom – duvet, pillows, throws… so it’s happening!
Oh yeah and I got invited to a music jam yesterday… which lead to an invitation to join a choir that is actually fun (ie they don’t take themselves too seriously!) And I’m playing with FABruary – where you get to dress to a different theme everyday… so what else is possible?
And thanks for the prompt Nicole – it’s fun to actually acknowledge all the ways creativity is showing up, besides my writing, which is always there!
Thank you for the check-in!
Um, I already look like an artist most of the time . . . so now what should I do?!
🙂
I’m onto it and I didn’t even realise it…funny how that works hey! Knitting/Crochet circle starting at my home next Tuesday evening (when your down at the farm would love to have you join us)…herb garden to be planted today…and work room to be redesigned from home crafter to the “Atelier of a Createur”…ooohh!!! I am giving you the biggest hug right now..did you feel it? XX
Ii’ve finished the first crochet mat I’ve found in Mum’s basket of goodies I’ll post some pictures of the progress on my blog and link it here. It’s been wonderful and I’m on the second one.
The tapestry frame has needed to be remade so that’s in progress. Really finding some peace and almost a ‘moving meditation ‘as I do this. Thanks for such a great idea Nicole. Blessings <3. Susan