The creative process is never a tidy one.
When I start to feel the tugs of a new idea, I know I’m in for one helluva ride. It’s a cross between giving birth and bull riding — and can last anywhere between 8 seconds and 9 months. (Or, for those really BIG ideas, gestation can drag out for years. Ouch.)
One thing is always certain, though. No matter how big or how small or how silly, my soul NEEDS to see this through. Even if I have to turn myself inside out at some point, this must be brought into the world. There is no choice to ignore it, or even to put it off for very long. The more I try to push it away, the more persistent and insistent and LOUD it becomes. (Besides, we all know how this works. Those times I do manage to walk away from these magical sparks, I turn around a few weeks or a few months later just to see someone else has done it anyways.)
I’m in the middle of some very big, very powerful birthing, and it doesn’t matter how many times I do this. It’s always just as daunting a process. Halfway through, where I sit now, I’m feeling as though it’s swallowed me whole. I know my job from here is just to hold on tight and pray hard, but I still find myself trying to fight against it. To take control (ha!) and rewrite the story as it’s unfolding.
Here are the truths I know:
1. I can’t fight it.
The faster I surrender to it, the easier the whole process becomes. Any time I try to take control, or steer it in the direction I think it should go, shit gets painful. And difficult. I bring on struggle and drama and all sorts of unnecessary chaos.
2. I have all the answers I need.
It’s so so tempting to look to others for a “tried-and-true” system or a one-size-fits-all solution. But I don’t need any of that. I have the pieces to the puzzle, and when I look within, I find that I’ve already been given the picture on the box. It’s my job to just assemble and make sense of the mess in my hands.
3. I have the guidance I need.
The signs are everywhere. I just have to look at the damn map. It will all make sense if I keep my eyes and ears open — and PAY ATTENTION. God has already mapped out the course I need to take, and is leaving me breadcrumbs every step of the way. Tapping into my intuition will show me exactly what I need to do, as long as I keep listening and following the instructions given.
4. I have to pay attention to my body, mind and soul.
Anytime the creative process takes over, it requires a LOT of me. Physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. I’ve got to nurture myself through the process in order to avoid burnout, illness, depression, crabbiness, you name it. When I’m tired, I nap. When I’m hungry, I nourish myself. When I feel lost, I pray. These rules should apply always, anyways…but particularly during this time of creation.
5. It will be worth it.
At some point, I have to trust that whatever comes of this, it will be worth it. Maybe it’s a new business model. Maybe it’s a book. Maybe it’s a whole new philosophy or spiritual outlook. Whatever I find myself holding at the end of this, it will be beautiful, it will be remarkable. It will be miraculous.
What are you busy creating these days? Where do you find these truths can be applied for you?
xo,
