It is in awareness that we bring everything to life that lives within us. There is no time like the present to give birth to creativity. - Kathleen Anderson
Learning to live in the present moment is part of the path of joy. - Sarah Ban Breathnach
Our own lives and the world could certainly use a bit more joy to help us through these challenging times. Engaging creativity can help.
I call my creativity coaching The Joy of Being Creative because that is exactly what engaging our creativity brings us. When we are really in that flow we are completely in the present moment which gives us a sense of joy and deep satisfaction. We can get this same feeling by really being present when we watch a sunset, play peek-a-boo with a baby or tend the soil in your garden to plant seeds. Anything that consistently brings us into the present moment, the now, allows us to naturally feel a sense of happiness and joy and peace.
If we want to know more abut what it means to live in the moment we only need to watch children. They bring a freshness and innocence to every experience. They find magic and wonder everywhere. A toddler can spent hours playing in a rain puddle, squealing in delight.
What would it look like for us to return to this state where we are free from the accumulations of past experiences and the ways we project them on the future. What would it be like if we didn't care if anyone thought we were silly or crazy or ridiculous. As adults we spend so much time censoring and judging ourselves, that we have lost our ability to be playful and spontaneous.
Reclaiming our innocence and a sense of wonder for ourselves and the world around us can really aid our creativity. Rather than thinking we already know what the tree in our backyard or the face of our spouse looks like what would it be like to look at them as if seeing them for the first time. What would it be like to come to every experience with a fresh eye and a willingness to really listen and be fully in the moment.
Like any change in our behavior, it takes awareness and practice. It's a lot like meditation where you have to catch your mind wondering and focus on being present. I've been practicing this myself, pulling myself back to the moment and the awareness of the beauty around me. Every time I do this I feel a peaceful and the joy of inspiration that has me sitting down to write a poem which leads me deeper into joy. Try it for yourself and see what ways you might want to express the inspiration that comes to you, creatively.