Crafting Clarity: The Art of Mindful Creation
Mastering Focus and Intention for a More Meaningful Creative Process
The world is beginning to awaken to the fact that doing something creative is good for you. Finally! Maybe one positive outcome of the pandemic?
Now, as a creative person myself, this is not really a revelation. Although, understanding the concept maybe is. I knew creating made me feel good, but I can't really say I ever analysed why. It’s just always been what I do.
There have been times in my life where I’ve stepped back from my creative side, for one reason or another, but I am always pulled back in. My mind starts secretly plotting. Tiny thoughts, creeping in here and there, and suddenly an idea ignites and I have the beginnings of something new and wonderful to explore.
I get obsessed, totally in ‘flow’ state. Immerse myself in the possibilities. The endless possibilities. My mood alters, I feel happier, calmer, excited.
Effectively, I play!
I do know that as adults we find it an incredibly alien idea to allow ourselves to play. To investigate, to create and invent things, instinctively, intuitively, without fear of judgement!
I'm not talking about re-inventing the wheel or anything remotely like that. I simply mean drawing a flower, colouring a rainbow, knitting a scarf, taking a photograph. All for our own pleasure.
Simple, rewarding, mindful and fun.
Playtime is for kids
I'll admit that when I returned to education when my boys were little, I got very frustrated with all the little projects that seemed to have nothing to do with my subject. Even though I loved drawing and painting, I was there to sew. To update my qualifications and start my new business venture. I was being asked to complete exercises that I'd done when I was younger.
I had more important things to do with my time!
Fortunately, I had a fantastic tutor. She explained the importance of allowing ourselves the time to play. That by drawing and painting without an end goal, just having fun, doing nothing more than mark making, we were opening ourselves up to inspiration. This in turn would help to focus our minds on our sewing and develop our ideas.
She was right.
As it turned out, I loved this time. It was like being eighteen again. Freedom. No pressure. The stresses of family life eased for those 4 hours on a Wednesday afternoon and…
I had fun
Rekindling our imagination
Living in our ever increasingly busy world, it is getting more and more difficult to switch off. To give our eyes a rest from looking at screens for hours on end. To give our minds the chance to escape the incessant mind monkeys and internal chatter that we all experience.
One way to free ourselves, even for a little while, is to allow ourselves to focus on something just for us. To allow ourselves the opportunity to play.
No fancy or expensive equipment required.
Remember doodling? All you need is a pen or pencil and something to draw on.
Some people have even made a living from their doodles.
Take the pen or pencil and let your hand wander aimlessly across the surface of the paper. See where the line takes you. For added interest, can you see any particular shapes emerging in your doodle? What do they remind you of?
Perhaps you like drawing a particular shape, go ahead and fill a page with them. I often drew boxes in perspective, over and over again. I remember doing this when I was talking on the telephone - the one that was plugged into the wall! The only mobiles we had heard of back then were decorations that hung over a baby’s cot.
Note down how you feel after this little creative exercise? Did you feel calmer? Did your mind stop racing? Did it wander along with your pencil? Notice any thoughts that came up for you, even if you think it was a waste of time!
There are lots of simple, fun, creative exercises like this that we can try together. Perhaps we can use the Chat section for these creative exercises and even share a photo of what we create, but only if you would like to do that. No pressure.
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Until next time…
Gaynor xx