On Permission to Live a Creative Life

Over the last few days, I have been reading a book by Elizabeth Gilbert called Big Magic, Creative Living Beyond Fear. At the time I bought the book, I grabbed it to soothe a grieving heart over a friend that is moving away. Has it worked? Somewhat, yes. Each time I think of my friend and begin to cry, I grab the book to focus my mind on my writing life.

Just this morning I read an interesting chapter on Permission to Live a Creative Life. When I saw the title of the chapter - I thought, wow, what an interesting perspective! Intrigued, I read on. Elizabeth Gilbert writes:

                  You do not need anybody's permission to live a creative life. 

She speaks of the influences of our parents. What kind of people were they? Were they afraid to take risks? Were they afraid of what other people were to say if they followed their dreams? Were they rule followers?

It really doesn't matter , she states. If you look back far enough into your family line, you will find people who just loved to make things and spent their lives making things.

"The earliest evidence of recognizable human art is forty thousand years old." It's older than humans tending to their agricultural tasks! Wow.. pretty profound I would say!  What does that say about the human species? We are destined to create, more so than our desire to eat?

Well I can tell you when I am writing and creating, food is the last thing I think about - in fact, when I am in the flow of my writing or decorating my home for the holidays or baking batches of cookies - I forget about eating all together! So, I kind of get this!

Artists and creators don't necessarily have to be DaVinci or Michaelangelo- they can be the piece of pottery you created last weekend or the Christmas decorations you so meticulously and lovingly adorned your house with.

"Keep in mind that for most of history people just made things , and they didn't make such a big freaking deal out of it."

I love that line from this chapter. Especially as I am designing a new, creative life for myself.

"We make things because we LIKE making things." Well, I cannot help but think of my parents when I read this line, because you see my parents have always been "makers" as far as I can remember. Yes, my Dad was a great provider and worked a "regular job." But, he always made time for home renovations and working on his cars. You see, he is an amazing craftsman when it comes to home improvements. I have a fond memory of him knocking a big hole in the wall of my childhood home to make way for a beautiful arched window that would let the sunshine into our small, side entryway.   My Mom and he were always conjuring up some renovations to that house.

My Mom on the other hand, has been writing since I was a child. Essay and prose mostly, and they are beautifully written. She is an amazing interior designer , coming by it naturally - no schooling needed. She is a self-taught seamstress, cook, card maker, holiday set designer and knits beautiful sweaters.

So, do I come from parents who were rule followers or "makers?"  What do you think? Pretty obvious I would say.

In his retirement, my Dad is renovating a beach house that he and his wife just bought and my Mom is teaching herself a computer program, making memory boxes for all of her children and grandchildren. And she is dabbling with a children's book!

"Inspiration works with us," Elizabeth says. Yes, it does, it collaborates with us, calling at our doors to see if we will answer. Will we answer? On the weekends, weekdays, or call "creating" our vocation?

This chapter was so timely for me as I in the midst of designing my own creative life and struggling with what is going to be the primary focus for me? I love to do so many things. I love my writing, I love to bake, decorate, design, I love to help people become the best they can be at whatever they desire in their life and I love to create that "new outfit". And I am a BnB proprietor - which I love. Why do we have to choose one over the other, can we not incorporate all of those things into a life we love? I believe we can. And I am trying to figure it all out.  Perhaps some of these are our vocation and others are our weekend hobbies.

I move through my days, letting my heart lead the way ever mindful of paying the mortgage, asking Spirit/God to guide me. I am grateful to have had this opportunity to share my gifts with the world  and I am so grateful to Elizabeth Gilbert for giving me "permission" to "make things" and create a life I absolutely love!

Here is to all of us! The "makers" of the world. For we all have the ability to be makers! Give yourself Permission as Elizabeth Gilbert has given to me!

Happy Creating!

Kimberley

Inspiration - "InSpirit"

Wayne Dyer continues to fill my morning writings and my thoughts as I walk through these days looking for motivation and support to continue on my life's purpose. I need him to see me through this. My books call to me - publish me. Write me.  Answer my calling. Share yourself with the world.

My cat Bailey sits all cozy on my red bathroom on the chair next to me keeping me company and watching me type. He is content and happy watching the letters appear on the page. The house is quiet as I write. I listen with attentive ears for my friend who is downstairs in my guest bedroom, healing from hip surgery. Will he stir while I write? I hope that I will be able to keep my morning writing ritual this morning without him needing me.

This is my favorite time of day to write as there are no distractions from the world quite yet and I can be alone with my books and my thoughts. And so I listen to Wayne Dyer talk about Inspiration and those that have inspired him in his life. Does he know that "He" has been my inspiration? My spiritual inspiration, my mentor as each day I reaffirm my purpose with his voice in my ears.

In his video on Inspiration, he talks of the story of Vincent Van Gogh  and Don Mclean's song that he wrote in the honor of the famous painter. I didn't know that this painter shot himself because his soul was in such turmoil. And who knew that his paintings never sold until his death? When I listen to Serena Dyer sing the song, Starry Starry Night, my heart was filled with sadness over such greatness feeling such grief within himself. How can that be? How can he create such amazing works, yet feel such depths of darkness?

His mother gave him the same name as she had given to a son born about a year prior who was still born. He felt like a replacement child? Oh, I see it as another chance, another try to bring the baby who was meant to be on this earth to life. Yet, he struggled. How I wish he could have known how wonderful he was while he was still alive. He died too young.

"One of the essential principles of living an inspired life is the knowing that our desires don't always arrive on our schedule. They arrive when they are supposed to. "  I stopped the youtube video several types to hear Wayne Dyer tell me that over and over and over again. I know he was speaking to me as I long for my first book to be published.

And so as I struggle to keep my promise to myself that I would write everyday and that yes, I will be a published author and my other private dreams will come true, I think of Wayne Dyer and all the people that inspired his life's work and his story of  Vincent Van Gogh. I don't think I will ever forget it.

I will not let my dreams die with me. I will live to see them come alive, no matter the effort , no matter when the time.

Dear Dr. Dyer - You Inspire Me! I hope you are hearing these words as I speak them in my head and type them on the computer screen. Thank you , I love you for being there for me, each day, each piece I write, each word I speak. You Inspire Me!

Kimberley