This month is all about gratitude, and Christine and I couldn't wait to brainstorm ways to help you (and us!) nurture our inner artists!
Here are the top 5 ways we'd like to recommend. Want more? Just say the word and we will add to the list! :)
- Honor Your Creativity Seeds: Reconnect with the little sparks that first inspired your project. The first image you saw in your imagination. The first bit of dialogue you "heard." The first "what if" you pondered. The first blend of colors that caught your eye. The first itch you had to create... honor it! Remember it. Take action on it. <3
- Gratitude Warm-Up: List a few things you're grateful for about your imagination before diving in. It is our firm belief that everyone has creativity in them, but not everyone breathes life into it. YOU do. :) Or you want to, anyway. So be grateful that your imagination exists. What do you love about it? What excites you about it? Be happy that your imagination makes you special.
- Celebrate Creative Milestones: Thank yourself for every scene, chapter, or effort--big or small. Did you sketch a drawing you've been dreaming of? Did you get out the notebook and jot down story ideas? Did you unpack your old knitting needles? What action did you take to move forward on your creative vision? Creativity comes in so many forms. Celebrate them! And be grateful for every step you take.
- Keep a Glory File: Save encouraging words and creative wins to revisit with gratitude. Did someone compliment something creative you did? Write it down! Did you get a great review from a critique partner or a reader? Keep it in a special file. Did someone say the baked good you brought to the potluck was the best they'd ever tasted? Record that so you can go back to it. When you're feeeling unsure of yourself, go back and read these notes and allow yourself to feel grateful for the people who praised you and the creativity that you unleashed.
- Thank the Tough Moments: When something stings--critique, rejection, confusion--give gratitude for the clarity it brings. Sometimes it helps to hear that something we did could use some work or practice. Sure, it can hurt, but it's also an opportunity to explore whether there is indeed something we can do better. (Just remember that just because someone says something, it doesn't make it true.) But imagine if that rejection helps you dig in deeper to create something even more amazing? What a feeling that can be!
Happy creating, my fellow creatives! <3 I'm thankful for everyone who puts their art out there for the rest of us to enjoy. <3