New
Year’s Revolution
Copyright 2009 by Kathy Hughes
You CAN
do it! By getting out of your own
way you can allow your creative forces to emerge.
If you are reading this, there is a small voice inside urging you to try,
urging you on. Just try. Don’t show anyone. You
do not need their approval. Do this
for YOU.
First
steps:
Get
yourself something with paper in it – any kind of paper – plain, lined, a
spiral notebook, a sketchbook, a coloring book (yes, you read that correctly!),
basically anything portable. Commit
to a page a day.
To begin:
Choose a
time just for you. Sit in a quiet
place, preferably a spot you love. Maybe
by a window, a favorite chair, the kitchen table, just somewhere you can be YOU
without interruptions. Now, simply
begin making marks on a page (if you are a writer, just begin
writing…anything). NO JUDGING. NO
INTERPRETING. Just flow.
Play. Doodle.
Write. Draw.
Scribble. It doesn’t
matter what you do as long as you begin.
Your inner voice will take over. Shut
off the voices screaming in your head, “You’re
kidding, right? Who told you that
you could draw/write? This is
stupid! Why am I doing this?”
Tell those quacky ducks to go away.
Keep listening. Small peeps
will emerge wanting to be born. You
will feel an inner warmth. There is
a peace, a joy.
Okay.
No inner warmth? No peeps? No
peace and joy? If you give up, the
quacky voices win. They love to
win. They have won for way too
long. Silence them! Stop making those faces!
I can see your crinkled nose and shaking head from here.
Your mind will believe whatever you tell it.
Personal growth comes from exploring and trying new things.
Borrow a
three or four-year-old and a box of crayons to help you begin if you like.
One of my favorite getting started exercises is scribbling.
Watch that three-year- old. What
is the first thing they do with a coloring book (or paper) and crayons?
They just start placing colors. And
they are usually smiling with glee when doing it.
And what are we doing? Telling
them to slow down and try to stay in the lines.
Hmmmm. Let’s rethink this.
Who is the one gleeful and smiling?
We have been known to tell our kids and grandkids to “grow up!”
Well, I’m telling you to act like a kid!
Have some fun. Catch
yourself smiling.
Sign
and date your work. Make
notes on it about your feelings.
Even add your grocery list if you want.
Be YOU. Try
not to take yourself so seriously.
Play around with different media.
Try pencil, pen, colored pencil, crayons, watercolors, anything you can
put your hands on.
I
understand wanting to paint like daVinci and write like Shakespeare (or whoever
your favorites are), but YOUR voice and images express what is in YOUR heart and
soul. Just show up at the page.
Open yourself to creativity.
Refinement
comes when you relax, build confidence, and keep your sense of play alive.
Repeat
after me, “I
am creative. I
am creative. I
am creative.”
Kathy teaches non-judgmental art and creativity classes at the Kaleidoscope Art Studio in Rantoul on Tuesday mornings and at Hobby Lobby in Champaign on Thursday mornings. Classes meet 10:00-11:30 and are $15 per class ($10 for seniors). Kathy has taught art in the public schools for over 15 years and is a member of the Creativity Coaching Association. For more information visit her website at http://.room200.com, call her at 351-1680, or email kathy@room200.com.