Creative Courage
“I now know what writer’s block is. It’s the fear you cannot do what you’ve announced to someone else you can do, or else the fear that it isn’t worth doing. That’s the rarer form.” Tom Wolfe
Creative Courage
It’s time for me to write an article and I have absolutely no idea or inspiration for writing. I do have a desire to keep my commitment but under this “doll drum” I don’t know how to fulfill my promise. What to do.
I usually write an article and then look for a quote to support it. So, I thought I’d reverse the process and find a quote that inspired me to write. I found lots of great inspirational quotes, but didn’t feel inspired to give my opinion on any of them. Again, what to do.
I have talked with you about putting pen to paper and seeing what comes out. It is the creative process at its best. But, it hasn’t been working. So I sit, looking at the blank document on my MAC, gazing through the window at the palm trees swaying against the grey sky, stumped. A red, Hawaiian cardinal sits on a branch, gaining my attention. I hear the chirping of all the birds hanging out, singing their sweet song, blocking out the sound of the refrigerator motor. I can feel a light breeze that makes its way through the open window grazing the back of my neck. I’m definitely present but it seems like no one is at home.
Commitment is an interesting concept at a time like this. What happens when your “juice” temporarily runs out and you don’t think you can fill your commitment? It’s an honest dilemma. Do you go through the motions and not perform your best? Do you ask the “committee” if they will excuse you this one time? But what if it happens again? It’s been said that commitment sets you free and that being committed 99% is a b—-. What happens when 100% still doesn’t get the expected result?
These are the times it takes creative courage. When I was younger, these times made me doubt even berate myself. They had a major affect on my mood and energy. Now, luckily, I’m able to get a bit of perspective. Personal history shows me that this has happened before and it too shall pass.
David Whyte used this analogy, and I’m paraphrasing; when we can’t see the moon, it doesn’t mean it’s not there. It cycles from being full to waning. We know it will come around again. It’s just a matter of time.
It’s time I remind myself what I tell my clients – a) even great swimmers tread water occasionally; b) change is inevitable; and c) if the going is real easy, you may be headed down hill.
Every cycle has a period of void or what we sometimes call a slump. There are a number of ways to react to this part of the creative revolution. If we let it get to us, thinking it is a permanent condition or something that takes a lot of fixing, we’re in for misery at our own hand. If we look at it as a time when inactivity may be our best ally, a time when new information can find its way to us because we’re all ears, we’re less likely to suffer. What we have to make friends with is the time it takes until the creative force is again flowing through our veins. This is called creative patience.
I used to say that when patience was passed out, I hadn’t yet been born. The revelation for me was that patience is a skill, not an inherited trait I happened not to inherit. It leads to relaxation, not self-harassment. It gives you the freedom to be at peace in restless situations. It converts the helpless boredom or rage of impatience into a delicious sense of spaciousness.
Spaciousness gives way to creativity on its own time. If your canvass is full, or your page has no room for one more word, you often have to start over. Same goes for your mind – your creative mind especially. Sometimes the most creative thing you can do is nothing.
Nothing can be done anywhere. Sometimes it’s harder to do it at home. Going for a walk, listening to the waves crash on the shore, or just watching the clouds change formation are some of my favorite ways to do nothing. It allows for the mind to be at rest, ready for what’s next. That’s where I’m headed.
Feel free to email Jasmyne with questions for future articles.
Jasmyne Boswell is a writing teacher/coach/editor/marketing consultant. For over 28 years she has been a midwife to professionals in all fields, helping them successfully overcome personal stumbling blocks and birth their businesses, practices and projects. She uses her creative gift with the written word to help bring your ideas into form. Jasmyne can be reached at (808) 268-5807 or by visiting www.jasmyneconsulting.com.
