Week Seven: Growth

Two steps forward, one step back. That is often the pattern of creative growth. We are encouraged with the changes we see in our lives. We are reprioritizing our time so as to express the creative giftings within and whamo, we are stuck again in some sort of morass of confusion. We brainstorm the first act of a play only to struggle to actually write it down due to a schedule gone haywire. We enroll in a class only to realize that we need to clear more time and space to work outside class to benefit from it. This is normal in creative growth.

The result of one change necessitates another which in turn demands a response in order to keep growing. It is vital that we recognize and honor the growth that we have undergone in order to continue to move forward without discouragement. We must have the mind-set of an athlete in training - one small push after another. We must validate the conquering of small growth goals knowing that they are building toward monumental changes. If we are consistently making small daily or weekly changes toward creative expression the pace, though it may seem painstakingly slow to us, will be in actuality be amazingly fast. Often it is hard to see from an internal perspective how quickly we are changing. Just as in parasailing when you are over the open water it is difficult to tell whether you are 200 or 400 feet in the air whereas from the boat looking up you can easily see the difference. So others around you will begin to notice the increase in creative output and productivity as you reprioritize your life.

But, I don’t seem to be changing. I am stuck, you might say. Here is a solution, a jumpstart for forward momentum. Think of this as a prescription for creative block: One week of media deprivation. Seriously. Try it. No radio, T.V., DVDs, internet, email or EVEN BOOKS. These activities are passive observances of life and the thoughts of others. Try one week of isolation in your own thoughts, nights free with no media or books helping you to escape the present into other lands. What will you do? Many of you will actually go through withdrawl symptoms as with an addiction. Some of you will even feel it physically the itchy squirmy craving for escape. The strong desire for something to lull you, to relieve the anxiety and pressure of the day, to cause you to drift away, to occupy your mind and help you check out.

Keep going. No media. Stick with it, push past this withdrawl to the clear place on the other side. What will you do with your extra time? With your extra emotional space? Perhaps you will take a walk at sunset and be inspired by the colors, or sit for an evening staring into fire, only to find the characters of a new short story taking shape in your imagination. Perhaps you will pick up your guitar and do scales, write a song, a poem, perhaps you will do some complimentary color charts, or spend time working on the composition for a new painting. Perhaps you will EXPERIENCE YOUR LIFE rather than be lulled to the sleep.

This is your assignment this week. To experiment with one full week of media deprivation and watch creative spurt forward.