Delight your Creative Self
It's your job...
(Why not grab a cuppa and let me read the newsletter to you?)
I’ve been writing a lot of stories these past few weeks. I am in one of those moments of inspiration where people around me need to be careful what they say or it might end up in a story (truly- it may have already happened). However, one of the stories I was working on had me a little stumped. I couldn’t quite work out what I was trying to say. Sometimes this happens, I will get about halfway through and then I am unsure where the story is headed. Instead of staring at it, I let it be, knowing that (or was it hoping that) the answer would come to me.
Today, (yesterday by the time you are reading this) I took a little trip up the coast to a vibrant beach town north of Sayulita. I LOVE the bus journey to this town through jungle, with small roadside shacks selling coconuts and signs telling you to watch out for jaguars. I never fail to be inspired on this bus. I cannot believe how lucky I am to live in a place where I get to ride this bus, no matter how hot and sweaty the old, un-airconditioned ones can be. I was going to visit a tea shop that I had been coveting on social media for a few weeks and pick up a kilo of cacao paste (as you do). I had a couple of writing wins I wanted to celebrate so, what better way than with tea and a two month’s supply of cacao? I stuffed my notebook in my bag and headed off up the coast.
The café was better than I had imagined (which is rarely the case in this Instagram-filtered world). It was a cosy nook, encircled by tropical palms and ferns. When I looked up, the bright blue sky was peeking out beyond all the greens. I ordered a tea made with rose, mint, lemon balm and elderflower, sat at a cute little table, added a touch of honey to my brew and pulled out my notebook. I doodled for a while and made notes about a few workshops I want to run. I listened to the chatter of people around me. I talked to some locals (people were very friendly in that café), bumped into someone I knew, and generally just enjoyed staring at the buzz of life beyond the café. It was market day in the town so the energy was communal, vibrant and fizzy.
Then, with a hot water top up on my tea (I love when a café does that), I wrote down the name of the story I was stuck on. Within moments, I was no longer stuck. I suddenly knew what I was trying to say where the story was going. It was like magic, except it wasn’t.
Our creative self delights in being inspired, in being nourished and cared for. I had lit up that part of me with things that bring me to life- adventure, tea, chatting to new people, watching the world around me. In lighting it up, I was rewarded with clarity and inspiration.
It is not skiving to take time out of being sensible to delight your creative self, it is a necessity for all artists. It is part of our job.
What are the things that light you up? Write a list. They are different for all of us. Now, commit to doing one of those things in the next week and see what happens!
Mentoring
This week a client said, “I like how you ask me how things feel for me rather than telling me what to do.” I told her that was because it was her book and she knows best. Also, no one likes being told what to do! (Although I did kinda tell you what to do in the previous section, but it doesn’t count because I was telling you to do something nice 😊)
I’ve had a couple of spaces open up for four-session mentorship packages. I would love to hear from you if you would like my support in bringing a project to life, to the finish line, or anything in between.
You took me away with you with this newsletter, Susannah. I loved the atmosphere. Thank you 🌷
Oh to find oneself lost (and found) in presence… . ..