Creativity When You Are Tired

366 Days of Creativity Week 20 in Review: May 13th-19th & Days 134-140

I've not wanted to build several days this week.

I've been busy, tired, and have too often left it until the end of the day, which is never good for me mentally.

It was in those moments that I did it anyways, but at the same time I gave myself permission to do it differently, and I think in some ways it turned out more creative.

Maybe sometimes when we don't have a lot of time or don't have a lot of cognitive power, our intuition can take over. We can be more free and less rigid. We can think more simply in the quest to get something done.

I don't think that's the case every time, and would still prefer not to leave it until the end of the day, but I actually liked some of my quicker and less complicated creations.

The lesson I've learned this week in creativity and in life is to take a deep breath and keep going, but with kindness, play, and permission.

Things are always changing and happening and it truly is what we think about them that counts. When I took away the expectation that I should have had more time to build or should have done it early when I had more energy, I was so much freer. I accepted what was and made the most of it.

And that's what I've been practicing with life this week too. I've had some sad and disappointing moments and realized it was because I was expecting something else. When I accepted and rolled with it, and applied some self-care, and trusted it wouldn't last forever, eventually it changed.

We get to build with what we have. Instead of assuming we don't have the right pieces, or we don't have enough, let's accept what we have and make the most of it.

I hope you love yourself well this week and trust the pieces you have. You might surprise yourself with what can happen or what you can create when you apply a little love, gratitude, trust, and permission. And singing, singing always helps.

Follow me daily on Instagram @DaringDiscoveries for the daily quote, creation, and musings.

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Day 134
​"Keep her from taking herself too seriously. Protect her from comparison, self-doubt, and discouragement. Be to her a kind companion as she inhales peace and exhales confidence in the form of one word on the page. And then another. Do not allow her to write from a frantic place of hurry. Remind her to be kind to herself when she hurries anyway. And be her peace. Slowly change her definition of success, reminding her that anything that helps her to become more fully herself is never a waste of time." Taken from A Prayer for the Writer by Emily Freeman

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Day 135
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman

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Day 136
"Of all God's gifts to the sighted man, color is holiest, the most divine, the most solemn." -Ruskin

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Day 137:
“All the reasons we make art are all valid and we all have different reasons….There is so much healing and learning and understanding of ourselves that comes through the creative process. So whether or not that means anything to anyone else, in my opinion, it doesn’t really matter, you know I think this is a personal practice. So do what feels good to you and know that it’s enough. Your reasons are enough” –Flora Bowley

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Day 138:
"And remember that the flip side of passion is fear - so know that it's going to be there, embrace it and do it anyway." -Shannon Kinney-Duh

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Day 139:
"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." -Melody Beattie

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Day 140:
"Remember, the more we play and explore without 'finished product' in mind, the more we discover along the way." -Flora Bowley