For the past 5 weeks, my husband and I have been in the throes of a renovation project. We purchased a sweet little house that we plan to turn into a rental and we are trying to hustle our little bustles so that we can complete it this month.
From conception to action and now towards realization, the project has been so freaking fun! It has been energizing and electric, rewarding and joyful and has added such color and richness (not just to the walls of the house) to all other areas of my world too.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s also been utterly exhaustinggggggg physically – turns out we’re a lot older than we used to be! But I find myself wholly inspired by the experience of it all. While selecting tiles and paint, building shelves and lighting, sanding decks and laying brick could seem a bit mundane, it has sparked something in me. And it has extended beyond the four walls of our sweet dwelling.
I find myself more energized and with creative solutions with my clients, more present in my relationships and conversations and in the world at large. Nature has become more vibrant, my conversations richer and the love I have capacity for? Expansive. I am downright giddy, folks!
I often preach the benefits of creativity to my coaching clients. We know that tapping into our creativity is not only a simple tool to interrupt the loop of old stories and patterns, it actually can be the antidote to anxiety, depression and the so very common feeling of “stuckness”.
Creativity, in whatever form it takes, has the most beautiful and joyful way of redirecting our attention to the present moment and leads us right into a “Flow State”. Here, we can let go of the past stories and the future planning and flow in a state of presence and fun. And for some reason, it leads to clarity, direction, motivation, productivity, wisdom and pure unadulterated joy. It quiets the incessant noise in our brains and in our outside world so that we can tap into something deeper and more true to our souls.
But here’s the hang up, creativity requires vulnerability, trust and faith in one’s self. There is no room for perfectionism or control of outcome, only space to surrender to the flow. And let’s face it, that’s scary as heck.
Also, how many of us think that we are not creative? That’s the perfectionism talking. Creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. Sure, there are the traditional forms that we often think of – painting, drawing, musical talents, etc. But there’s also cooking, gardening, innovative solutions to problems, teaching, communication, dancing, and in my case, tile selection. I’m not sure that the vehicle is what matters here but more the experience of it itself.
So if you find yourself suffering from anything that feels overwhelming; anxiety, depression, stuckness, grief and the lot, I encourage you to put on a great song and dance your heart out, or pick wildflowers to arrange in a vase or plan and cook a new meal. Allow yourself to be swept up in the flow of the present moment and marvel at how much larger and colorful your days become.
For me? I’ll be eyeball deep in paint, grout and my new friend, the belt sander with a smile on my face . . . and an epsom salt bath nearby.
Wishing you so much love, art and downright giddiness!