As I sat down to paint this weekend, a mixture of calm and excitement washed over me.  I had been chomping at the bit all week for time to relax alone with my canvas and supplies;  I just love my painting sessions because it gives me space to wander and dream in my own artistic haven.  My everyday job requires me to be analytical and practical so I cherish my no-rules-let-it-roll-creative time to stoke my creative fire.

I would love to say that because I enjoy painting, it’s easy; that the movement of my brush comes readily and ideas come fast, but the reality is there are a lot of times it just doesn’t flow.  And forcing progress only results in squelching my creative fire;  I have to periodically remind myself to trust the process and see how it unfolds.   It’s only during these times of frustration that I realize I’m getting stuck because I’m not being clear about the feelings I’m trying to convey.

Through my painting, I’ve come to learn that creativity is about expressing a feeling; being creative is a process of getting what’s on the inside to show up on the outside, no matter what the medium.

The same goes with life–we’re all artists in our own way.  

The process of painting is a lot like how we create in our everyday lives: each day we start with a new canvas and our emotions that create our thoughts are the paint.  Those thoughts create actions that get strung together to look like a unique work of art, which happens to be our life.

But sometimes we forget that we’re actually creating.

We get bogged down by everyday tasks and we don’t tap into our unique process; we forget that we have the ability to change course +create what we really want in our lives.   The more intentional we are about our feelings, the stronger they will work for us to create what we want. Identifying the what will help create it faster.  

When I want to create (in life OR art), I try to think more about what excites me and gives me butterflies, rather than what gives me belly aches.   For example: when I paint, I think about color combinations, symbols to include and themes I like because that gets me into the abundant, fun flow of my painting process; It lightens me up and makes me giddy.

And in everyday life, I keep an eye on my moods + outlook because they are the foundation for kicking me into action.  I am careful about keeping my inner talk positive and hopeful; those small shifts of awareness help get me to where I want to go.

The feelings we foster are directly connected to what shows up in our life.  Those feelings dictate what we put energy towards, and as a result, what we bring into our reality.  And there are unlimited ways to be expressive!  We all have our own method, do you know yours?

Be bold and make mistakes as you follow your feelings; imperfections let the light through.

Nurturing and honoring those feelings will make your inner fire burn strong, and it will always light your way.