Creating time to be creative

We all suffer from it. It is constantly getting in the way of our creative drive, robbing of us of our energy, and creative spark. Its called Life.

But that's not art!
We are driven to create. Its is what makes us, us. We can't NOT do it. And when we can't, we start to feel guilty. It begins to feel like one more failure in your life. Which makes us feel even LESS like picking up the brushes and getting to work.

Knock it off! Stop for a minute. Look around you. What are you doing? Are you getting dressed in the morning? Are you making lunch? Are you solving a difficult problem at work? Are you comforting a friend? Guess what? You are being creative! You are making creative choices every day, you just don't see them. Quiet that guilty voice in your head by acknowledging the every day creative things you ARE doing. Then take a breath, and start carving out time to do the things you really want to do.

I'm too creative to have routines!
I'm sorry, but that is a bunch of bull. The truth is, routines put us on autopilot, so that our brains can be free to be creative.

Setting up routines for yourself to take care of those everyday things that HAVE to be done, gives you the freedom to give into your artistic whims. If you had things at home & work under control, you would be able to stop and paint, or scrapbook, or sculpt, or whatever, whenever the Muse calls. You wouldn't be worrying about the dishes or laundry or trash or dusting....

So what's an artist to do when life is determined to stomp out our Muse? Simple: don't let it! This is life. Its not going to go away. If it is important to you, find a way. See the art in everything you do. If you can't paint, make that pb&j sandwich the best looking sandwich you've ever seen! That is art too, and don't you ever forget it.

For tools for setting up routines, visit www.flylady.net