Creative Process = Life Process

Posted on May 16, 2018 by Karen Light, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

One day it just hit me. I really, really like myself when I am making art. I really, really like life when I am making art. I really, really love the magic of bringing something into the world that didn’t exist before. Why wasn’t my whole life like this? And could it be?

The answer is yes. Whether or not you see yourself as an “artist” you can be the artist of your life with the ability to create everything you want to manifest and become everything you want to be. You just apply the creative process:

SEEK INSPIRATION
Most of us are starved for inspiration. Life gets busy and we don’t always make it a priority. It doesn’t check any boxes off our long to-do lists, but what it does do is FEED your soul and BOOST your energy and STIMULATE your creative thinking. We need it in everything we do.

CAPTURE A VISION
Seeking inspiration also helps us to SLOW DOWN. In these spaces, we can actually hear callings and feel how we are being pulled to look at something a little deeper. Our eyes open to see a path we didn’t see before and, if we travel it, we begin to get a new vision, big or small, for an area of our life.

CREATE, BUILD, DEVELOP – DO THE WORK
This is the meat of the creative process, but many never move to this stage or get far within it. They might love their brilliant visions, but putting them into action is actually quite a vulnerable task. It requires valuing your own deepest desires and then making them known to others. It can shake up your beliefs and others perceptions about who you are. Artists are willing to shake it up. They jump in. They do it by playing with how to make things work, asking, “What if…”, seeking out a teacher, learning new skills and practicing, practicing, practicing. They acquire resources and prioritize their time and energy. They understand that inspiration may have initiated the process, but discipline and courage is necessary to see it through.

ASK FOR FEEDBACK
We do not succeed alone. Some artists may appear to work in isolation, but even the most secluded artist knows when to get another perspective. We get very attached to what we are trying to do. We get very invested in the way we are trying to do it. Everyone must have trusted people who can help us step back and re-evaluate, especially when we feel stuck.

FAIL FORWARD
An artist’s idea and love for the process is bigger than their fear of failure. You have to be in it for the ride – not just the destination – and you have to know that failures will happen. Those failures can consume you or they can lead you to what you needed to learn. Failures can lead to “AH-HA!” moments, new connections, bigger ideas, sustainable solutions, new inspiration and new visions. Failure is a necessary ingredient for ultimate success.

EXPERIENCE TRANSFORMATION
Having the ability to fail forward leads to one of the most fulfilling experiences of life: transformation. Many mistakenly measure success by things turning out exactly as they pictured, but if that is what has happened, then there has been no growth. We have to be willing to follow those “happy accidents” and see where the unexpected wants to take us. It’s a bit juicier, more adventurous and very satisfying.

CELEBRATE AND SHARE
If you have had the courage and the discipline to actualize a vision; if you have failed and picked yourself up and learned and grew and experienced transformation; then it is time to celebrate! Take that time to revel in how amazing you are. And know that this needs to be shared. Artists celebrate with shows and concerts, productions, viewings and readings. It also can take courage, but it will forge even more connections for you and bring even more meaning to your journey. Your gifts are meant to be shared with the world in big ways and small. It is your purpose.

REFLECTION FOR GROWTH
And lastly, artists are never done creating. They experience joy and growth in the process AND the product. So what’s next?