Take Me Away

Tell me if you can relate:

"We need something that takes us so far out of ourselves that we forget to eat, forget to pee, forget to mow the lawn, forget to resent our enemies, forget to brood over our insecurities."

Elizabeth Gilbert continues to speak to my creative soul! I used to work on projects for nearly 8 hours straight, taking 5-second bathroom breaks, finding the most convenient snacks and meals in my kitchen, not wanting to disrupt my creative flow.

... Okay, so "5-second bathroom breaks" might be an exaggeration ... I also can't live this way anymore, since I need to take the dog out every 2-3 hours ... but my point is, I have definitely been there! I've had those days where I've been so invested in a project that I've forgotten to eat, drink water, and pee, for HOURS. In those states, I didn't have the capacity to let my anxiety determine my day, I didn't worry about other people or what's going on with the rest of the world ... my sole focus was on my art.

I know now from my year of researching creativity, as a topic of interest, is that breaks are actually beneficial for the creative process -- for example: I learned firsthand that taking my dog out helps my writing. When I get stuck, unsure what to write, having those 5-10 minutes away from a project clears my head and opens my mind up for inspiration to come to me, rather than trying to force it. (You don't need to own a dog -- you could go for a walk, or clean something for a few minutes ... any task that can take you away from your project and give your mind a break.)

So while 20-year-old Kaitlyn would recommend putting aside a full 8-12 hours a day for creativity, 27-year-old Life & Creativity Coach Kaitlyn is constantly encouraging others towards daily creativity, whether it's 5 minutes of brainstorming an idea or finding an hour to actively work on a project.

I loved the feelings that came with extended periods of creative flow; I'd feel joyful and exhilarated, and I'd feel productive and accomplished. And, to quote Gilbert again,

"… if I am not actively creating something, then I am probably actively destroying something (myself, a relationship, or my own peace of mind)."

I briefly mentioned earlier, I struggle with anxiety. So, with my creative passions, by giving my mind a task, I'm preventing my mind from focusing on something unwanted (something that will not serve me). As well, if I don't have a project on the go (which is rare!) or if I'm stuck on a project, my brain goes "Well, what am I going to do today?" ... and then it decides we're going to watch Netflix for 8 hours.

Now that I have my coaching business, I can't REALLY afford to spend that time JUST watching Netflix. (I'll absolutely put a show on in the background though -- while I'm typing this, I'm "watching" One Piece!) And if I can't afford to watch 8 hours of Netflix, I also can't really afford to spend 8 hours straight on my writing, or any other creative passion outside of my business.

You know what I've found though? I get the same incredible feelings I've always had from an 8-hour creativity sessions, from just 1-2 hours of creativity! I wrote 3 article drafts the other day (which took me about a couple hours), and I thought "I can happily move on to another task -- I've done well today!".

So ... what is the message here?

You don't need to spend enormous amounts of time in one day on one project. Chances are you won't actually complete the project faster by doing that -- you're better off to spend 5 minutes here, 10 minutes there, a full hour straight once or twice a week (whenever you can fit creativity time into your schedule).

You want to have creativity in your life though. And you want to have that creative passion that you love so much you COULD easily forget to eat and drink, and forget about the world around you. You want to have a passion in your life that could take you away from reality, if you let it.

If you're searching for that kind of passion, or you're hoping to reintroduce a creative outlet into your life (perhaps one from your childhood or teen years that has since been forgotten, thanks to life's responsibilities), please feel free to send me a DM on Instagram. (I'd love to chat!)

(Note: This is my fourth article relating to BIG MAGIC. If you enjoyed this article, please check out my other three: Hidden Jewels; Ideas are Searching ... for YOU; and, Creative Entitlement)