Ten for Creativity Day.23 Dreams

I haven’t really worked out all these thoughts in my head yet, but some times that is exactly when blogging is best.

Today, I’m thinking about dreams.  We all have them, some more than others.  Rather, some realize their dreams more than others.  Some people fight  and work hard to achieve these dreams for years and years.  Some people sit around waiting for dreams to happen.

For example, I’m hoping for the entire Anthropologie store to end up in my closet, kitchen, bathroom, living room, and bedroom.  However, I don’t spend time each day trying to make that happen.   A girl can dream.

But, I don’t sit around each day wishing and hoping to become a successful artist.   I have to put in the time, dedication, energy, and emotion, daily, because this is a dream worth fighting for.  Yes, I’m already an artist.  Yes, I’m a wife and mother.  Yes, I have an impressive collection of coffee mugs.  I’m already living these dreams and they take a lifetime of commitment.   If I

I can’t measure success by the popularity or high demand for my work.  I can’t measure it by the dollars earned.  Success is the daily act of realizing and pursuing the dream.  It’s showing up everyday, especially when, you’d rather take a nap.  It’s surrounding yourself with inspiration and turning off the outside voices that distract you.  It’s being satisfied and pleased with your work, but knowing you can do more.  It’s setting up your life, your schedule, and your mind to allow for inspiration and creativity.

Creativity won’t happen unless you take time for yourself.  It won’t happen if you say yes to everything that everyone wants you to do.  It won’t happen if you don’t restructure your life towards it.  I mean, your house isn’t going to clean itself, just like creativity isn’t just going to happen.

We water plants to make them grow.  We educate our minds.  We clothe and feed and nurture our families.  We eat healthy and strengthen our bodies.

What are you doing for your creativity?  Are you waiting for it to strike?  Or are you aligning your life to work in sync with your creative dreams?  Are you making time to write in your journal, to walk through rose gardens, to glean wisdom from brilliant writers? 

Today’s activity is simple and not so simple.

Show up.  Nurture your creativity.  Soak up the inspiration all around you.  Take another step towards realizing your dreams.

I promise, it will be worth it.

I found I could say things with color and shapes that I couldn't say any other way - things I had no words for.

  -Georgia O'Keeffe

-Olivia