Sustainable Creativity

The heart of creativity is not in its grand spurts of brilliance, but in the tenacity of its sustainability over time.

This is important because burn out happens.  And when it does, we need to remember that not doing anything for stretches of time is part of rejuvenating our creative center. Sometimes other things take precedence that have nothing to do with our creative lives.  Which is perfect.  Because the food for creativity is living, not producing. Producing is what digests the creative food.  But if we don't occasionally step back into quiet, we'll become depleted.  So there's a balance to be found - a balance between creating and rejuvenating.

Our work becomes more meaningful, deeper, and more vulnerable if we let our lives' experiences infuse our creative tea.  The edges become softer.  Wisdom is present in the work. Whether we're writing, potting, painting, teaching, or building, doing so from a place of peace and relaxation always beats forcing it during a period of depletion.  It took me years to learn this.  I thought creativity was about what I was producing, not about what I was living.  I am here to tell you this was a mistake. Our creativity comes from living.  It's what make our creativity sustainable.

This is nowhere more important than when we want our creativity to sustain us financially.  As creative entrepreneurs, we rely on the health of our bodies and souls to pay the bills.  This is an intricate balance of all that is good, and our work becomes our joy becomes our sustenance. So it's very important to remember that being true to our craft means taking care of ourselves and our creative needs.