Creativity

This time of year is crazy, when we brag about all the things we are grateful for and then rush around, gathering up stuff that people may be grateful for. It is silly if you think about it. My friend is so stressed about what she got each person. All I hear is frustration and hesitation, hoping these people will be happy with her choices. Now several of these people will, of course, be overjoyed by the sentiment of the gift. But there are a few who won't be thankful. She knows it, because it is the same way every year.

A silly admission on my part, being an author, writer, columnist etc., etc., but I am going to make it anyway – the other day it sort of dawned on me that the entertainment industry is not limited to actors/singers/songwriters/models etc but it also encompasses a much wider range of talented artists, including writers – and – so many more.

Holiday time for me means shopping for unique gifts and accessories on my favorite global gift website, Novica.com. I have supported and promoted this wonderful business for over 3 years now. I've always been so impressed by the company's attention to detail in customer service and in each hand-wrapped item I anticipate to arrive in the mail. This year they have added a new service called Premium Gift Wrapping that I'm happy to tell you about and try out for myself.

I thought about how our lives can get lackluster and boring if we don’t express our true selves. What if we could just “decorate” our lives like we do our homes for the holidays? I believe it’s possible. The key is discovering your unique style of self-expression.

Have things in your life been a struggle? Maybe things have just been constrictive or you feel stuck. Maybe you are frustrated with a situation you just cannot seem to get past. Lately I have had butterflies on my mind. No, not the nervous butterflies in the tummy but the beautiful, flighty, colorful creatures that take to the sky and land on the wild flowers. They do not stay in one place long, but before those beautiful moments of flight, it was a caterpillar snug tight in it's cocoon. That is where it goes through metamorphosis. Changes. There are stages to it's growth. And then, when the time is right, the cocoon tears away to reveal the colorful wings that take flight.

How many times have we not paid attention to the beauty right in front of us? We go searching for beauty in magazines and in nature and in our experiences...But what are the simply beautiful things that we should take notice of all around us?

I am always held spellbound by semantics and linguistics; words can say so much and mean so many different things to different people. This struck me the other day regarding the word ‘recreation’. Think about the word recreation; it might conjure images of fun, down time, sports and hobbies, time with the kids, relaxation and enjoyment. It’s the time spent away from your working life, the chores and the 'should be doing' tasks your mind keeps reminding you of.

Ahhhhhh summertime! I just love ice clinking in a glass and then adding the lemonade. Wait. I am not done. I would also like a slice of lime, a slice of lemon, a cherry - stem on because it looks so much more decadent that way, and a sliced strawberry. Oh sure...add a slice of orange and some pineapple too. What do you mean, "That's not lemonade?" It is lemonade...with a twist.

How do you express your wishes to whom or whatever you hold faith in...Universe/Source/God? How do you express your gratitude? Have you ever considered that those expressions are imperative? About 7 years ago on a visit to one of my oldest and dearest friends, we went to a pottery painting place. They had all kinds of pieces that you could paint to your liking and then they would glaze and fire them. Generally they were ready for pick up within a week. It was a great evening, filled with laughter,paint, and messy hands!

Recently, I moved. This move involved foreclosure on a home I loved and had lived in for the past 14 years. The loss of the house was part of the fall-out of my divorce. I saw it coming long ago, so it wasn’t a surprise. I had plenty of time to come to terms with the need to move away from rooms I had spent three years faux-finishing and the garden I had grown from barren clay soil. During the move, my sex drive diminished. I was exhausted, and when I sat down to write, I couldn't focus. For the first time in 5 years, I experienced writer's block.

Today I drove down to Carter Dock. It is a lovely area that is like a lagoon. Half of the parking lot was covered in water. I parked and got my lawn chair out and strategically placed it at the water's edge. Then I sat down, planting my feet in ankle deep water on this warm and sunny, delightful day. As the water played with my ankles, I opened my book to a new page.

Just for a minute, try to imagine what it would be like to see yourself through the eyes of a child. Remember or not, we all did this at one time. After all, there is a little girl in there somewhere. She is your best friend, your confidant, your endless source of creative ideas. But first let's look at ourselves through the eyes of who we are now...a grown ups, maybe middle-aged women.

Do you ever sit in a inoperable slump, waiting for your foul mood to pass, or for something good to happen to change things? I have. And, while in a state of self-pity and emotional compromise, my creativity has been stifled. Yes, nil, zip, zilch...it was in those times when I tended to focus on what I didn't want, instead of what I did. It was like a steel trap, in the sense that I struggled to escape. Well, at least for those moments.

Kathleen began to notice a disturbing trend. All the books she was reading featured male heroes. As she began to study childhood classics by Dr. Seuss, she noticed the only female characters were negative ones – lazy mothers, gossipy women, or colorless sisters who had no dialog.

I'm always on the look out for ingenious ideas to help release creativity. One trend I've noticed lately involves groups of people getting together at a local bar, restaurant or designated studio to explore a specific creative medium. There is one in Indianapolis called Wine & Canvas.