I have been waiting for a very long time for someone to hand me a little box.
I feel like this box would be quite small, purple maybe and preferably with a beautiful silk bow. This box would contain all the answers of what I should be doing with my life and it should all be leading up to this one massive thing. There would be fireworks, champagne flowing, people would be saying lots of nice things about me. Following my meeting with business coach, Sarah of Shine Brighter with Sarah Clarke last week however, I had a lovely realisation.
I already have the answers.
I think I was so desperate to be able to refer to myself with one job title, that I'd over looked the main thread all the projects I'm currently working on, have in common.
Creativity.
Now, for me, it's something I kind of take for granted and therefore, I guess, haven't seen the worth in as such. To call yourself creative, seems wishy washy, meaningless, made up. Where as, to be *A* creative, a crafter, an artist, an illustrator, an actor, a dancer, a photographer in my mind, seems to carry much more substance.
Until now.
I've been meeting with my boys' school recently, discussing the idea of nurturing creativity as a habit. A constant theme I keep reiterating in these meetings and in my written communication is that I don't want parents to feel art and creativity (this includes drama and dance) should be viewed as a fluffy subject, that is used to fill time or make the classroom walls look pretty. It can be used as a tool to create new ideas, a new way of looking at things, of finding solutions. The process can be joyful and promote positive change both in the physical and mental sense. These same messages flow through on my social media, with friends and those I meet professionally too. Creativity is massively beneficial and I wish children would be encouraged to OWN it. Schools generally seem reluctant to.* However, while I pitch from my podium, I've obviously been reluctant to fully OWN that status and accept it as a skill for myself.
So, here I am shouting to the world... I am creative and that is who I am. And, I want to keep on being creative to nurture that creativity even more to strengthen my roles as a Mother, a writer, an artist, a creative 'Facilitator' (I hated this word until two days ago), but doing it with warmth, sensitivity and kindness to ensure everything I put out into the world is done with the Lisa stamp of authenticity.
Surely as a creative, or as anyone actually, we can give ourselves our own title. What would yours be? (Jo Phillips you inspired this, following our chat last Friday)
There's a quote by Gail Sheeny I found which I have glued on my Vison board. It reads, 'Creativity can be described as letting go of Certainties.' So much truth in that.... I've been so desperate to be certain of what I want, that I'm surrendering my most precious of gift of all and all just to have that feeling of certainty and have something quick and simple to tell someone at all those fancy dinner parties I attend (fictional dinner parties of course). Where's the fun in feeling sure all the time and the freedom (Sarah picked up this was central to my values also).
So, I'm hoping this is how conversations go from now on...
"What do you do?" "Oh, me. I'm a free and creative thinker upperer and ideas makerer!"
I wonder how many skills and strengths you own that you take for granted and therefore discount them as meaningless?
Are you fab at launching into imaginative play mode to keep your children smiling , are you brilliant at throwing together odds and ends from the fridge to make a nutritious meal, are you excellent at remembering birthdays or acknowledging days when others may be feeling a little sad with a kind text? They are all super powers but it takes fully OWNING them, that you realise that is your magic, your strength, your gift to the world!
Right, I'm off to make myself a cape!
x
Because I'm trying to own the writer part of being creative, I'm gradually popping up all my past posts and accompanying illustrations onto my blog, click here if you'd like a look. https://www.firstmummiesclub.co.uk/blog
*For an awesome Ted talk 'Do schools kill creativity?' watch this by Sir Ken Robinson https://www.ted.com/…/sir_ken_robinson_do_schools_kill_crea…