Growing up and into early adulthood, I was fascinated with the number of creative people I attracted. However, it never occurred to me that I might have an inkling of creativity myself, even though as a child my interests were music and dance.
Creative people were a cut above, in a class of their own. So I continued standing on the outside, peering in the window of a world I loved, not realizing until later that the window was my looking glass.
What about you? Have you ever thought that creativity was exclusively for others? Many people do, especially if their talents weren’t recognized or nurtured as a child. Also, it’s common for people to deny their creativity because their talents don’t easily fit into artistic fields.
When that happens it’s easy to allow your gifts and talents to stagnate, which can result in a host of negative thoughts about yourself and life in general. People then discredit themselves by not using their talents, and that can result in a feeling of loss, sadness or even illness. It also can lead to dependency on alcohol and/or drugs. To have talents and not use them is a form of self-sabotage.
The good news is that people come alive when they honor and use their gifts. Clock-watching stops. The love of their work energizes and re-energizes them.
I have seen this time after time. Perhaps a half-written book is haunting you, or it’s time to start a new business. When people jump into action and are willing to put one foot in front of the other, goals become reality and their serotonin rises.
Pacing ourselves, however, is an art. When we work with only two gears — stop and go — it is detrimental to our health. To take one small step at a time and then the next with consistency leads to success and the completion of projects. So many, however, rush ahead to XYZ before ever starting at ABC, then wonder why they crash and burn out.
And then there are those nasty little self-doubts that sneak up and try to defeat your best intentions. You know what I mean. How about the inner critic who jumps out of bed, goes downstairs and has a cup of coffee before you even get up? That’s when you fill your arsenal with visualization and positive thoughts.
Everyone, whether they refer to themselves as an artist, a football player or a CEO, stands before a blank canvas. Then through imagination and focused intention the intangible become tangible. A tightly stretched canvas, a football field or an idea is brought to life and filled with images, sounds and colors. Vision is made concrete by an act of the will and power of the mind.
Are you ready to use your talents and stretch beyond your comfort zone to explore the amazing possibilities that lay before you? Are you ready to watch your vision become a reality?
Good as I will use this column to motivate and inspire you to do so. Let’s make it a better world — together.
— Susan Ann Darley is a creativity coach, arts writer and author. Through coaching and writing, she motivates people to use their talents and market their creative projects. For more information, click here, e-mail her at susan@susananndarley.com or call 805.845.3036.