creativity
life is the canvas for our imagination
Creativity is about bringing an abstract idea from the imagination into the material world. It is about choosing how to respond, solve problems, and adapt to unexpected obstacles. It is about intervening to set in motion a different outcome from what would otherwise occur.
Life is full of opportunities to play with and realise our creative spirit in gently rebellious ways. We can participate in and model a different way of being. We can choose not to participate in the destructive games people play.
Small choices accumulate into big shifts over time.
Our creativity also offers beautiful ways to process experiences, discover our voice, and express ourselves naturally.
Noticing Your Creativity
Many people never consider themselves creative because of stories they've adopted and believed throughout their lives. However, I've repeatedly seen the weight of those old stories fall away, inviting new possibilities to take root.
Rebuilding trust and confidence in our creative spirit can be slow. It doesn't happen with a mindset hack. It starts close in and small, by observing what we are naturally drawn towards.
In The Haven, we make time to notice the creative thorns that the sleeve of our attention tends to get caught on. As we do so, we begin to see what we might want to play with and explore with our own hands.
There's no rush. Don't try to force it, and don't be down on yourself for any blocks that are holding you back. Just trust that your creative spirit is already oozing through you.
As you begin to explore and experiment without pressure or perfectionism, it will eventually breach the defences that have kept it behind walls until now and flow abundantly in everything you do.
Putting Creativity into Practice
Our creativity offers beautiful ways to process experiences, discover our voice, and express ourselves naturally.
Perhaps you’ve always enjoyed creating things and wish to share your creative interests with others. Maybe you once loved creating but have lost touch with your spark. Or you might feel creativity nudging you, yet you’re unsure of how to respond to this quiet, intuitive longing.
You don't need to share a creative practice. It's yours to hold however you need for now. It's about building a rhythm, routine, and ritual in sync with your curiosity and attention. These posts will help you explore the ins and outs of starting, engaging, and growing a creative practice in everyday life.
Putting Your Voice Out There
There may come a time when you feel ready to share your creativity with the world, perhaps through art or a personal project. Having the courage to recognise this is a big step, and finding the bravery to make it happen is worth celebrating.
Having done this so many times, in different forms throughout my life, I am aware of the inner and outer obstacles that can dampen or derail our creative energy. I also believe there is nothing more beautiful than seeing someone realise a creative vision or affect the world around them by letting their voice be heard. I want this to be a source of support and encouragement for your creativity.
Stories of Accidental Creativity
No matter where we've been or what we've done so far, there is always a chance to write another chapter in the story of who we are becoming and how we want to affect the world within, around, and between us. I think of creativity as the capacity to adapt to situations and find unexpected surprises that then become part of our journey.
I love to feature stories from people who have found a creative practice that helps them better understand themselves (and how they relate to the world) and express parts of themselves that can't quite be put into words. Sometimes these practices come out of the blue and change the trajectory of life.
Zines
Zines are one of my favourite ways to engage and explore creativity without pressure and perfectionism.
Zines are DIY collections of writing, art, and ideas, traditionally created by those looking to share something in accessible, unpolished, and low cost ways. They are made by the poets, activists, and gentle rebels. And that's why it fits us so perfectly in The Haven.
Each season, we develop and launch a collaborative zine called Coming To Our Senses.
Every issue is built around a different theme and we gather together at the end of the season to watch the video collage I create from the different contributions. Everyone is welcome to get involved.
Prompts
We use a variety of prompts for exploration in The Haven. From our Journal Circle Questions For The Week to the phrases of our Seasonal Themes, they invite us through doorways into imagination, conversation, and discovery.
