Creative Redirection
Hello dear hearts,
When I started this blog, I set the intention of writing messages on the new and full moons. This is a creative expectation that I set for myself that while provides a sense of rhythm and accountability, quickly becomes a structure that can be a source of stress and shame when I don’t show up to it.
Last week was rough.
For the collective of our humanity in the world, and for me personally. You know those times when it feels like every area of your life (and beyond) is feeling hard, even though in the big picture of your life things are actually OK- but you can’t see that cause you are in a funk spiral? Yeah that. When things feel overwhelming, I tend to retreat into a ball on the couch to sleep or numb out with TV and scrolling. Sometimes I can resource my way out of a funk after a day or so, sometimes it takes, well, as long as it takes. And while I do somehow manage to show up for the things I absolutely need to, (class, rehearsals, family, appointments, etc), the thought of doing anything for my own creative practice and my business is paralyzing. So back to the couch I go.
Can you identify with this?
What strikes me is how often we as self-driven creative individuals can become trapped inside of the structures and expectations we set for ourselves. How automatic it is to override emotions that are “inconvenient” when we meet resistance to a self-imposed ideal. For me, and a lot of people I work with, this leads to procrastination, which leads to shame, which leads to paralysis, which leads to more procrastination and so on and so forth. No wonder we never feel like we get anything done!
In another reality, if we choose to entertain it, we can adapt. We can change course, even if temporarily, in order to respond to whats present in our lives, in the world, and in our bodies at each given moment. This is the embodiment of our core intelligence that lives beneath cognition. It is the source of true creativity that we are inherently resourced with. I often find that there is an opportunity in this redirect that presents solutions or synchronicity that before felt impossible. When I witness my clients come to into their own in this way my heart leaps.
So what about procrastination?
Putting things off because deep down we are avoiding something or devaluing our own work as compared to our sense of obligation to others is an opportunity to get curious. Putting things off because we are listening to what our bodies need or what we truly want is a practice of care.
I believe that underneath the urge to procrastinate is a need that wants to be expressed. An emotion that wants to be listened to. A reality that has meaning. Maybe the structure needs to shift. Maybe things are just not happening the way you intended and maybe that is actually OK. Did any of you balk at not receiving an email from me last week? No. Am I much more motivated this week and inspired to write to you? Yes. Does any of that really matter? No and Yes.
I wonder if when we can release ourselves from prescribed expectation of the things we want to do and create having to be on a set timeline, we can begin to trust that our creativity and inspiration is always there when we are ready to receive and act upon it on our own terms.
Go slow, take care, take time just being. Be with the things you are called to be with.
This is counter-cultural. You are worth the wait.
WE WEAR MANY HATS
There’s still time to join! Scholarships are available to anyone who needs one!
Speaking of waiting and redirecting! The first official session of WE WEAR MANY HATS changed from this week to next week We were able to accommodate some schedule conflicts and I was able to take the time I needed :) See how that worked out?
Please pass on the word. It’s gonna be very special. Oh and did I tell you? I added a BONUS private coaching session to the mix so that’s 4 total!
Our first group workshop on March 14th is a play with the experience of procrastination:)
With love and heart,
Tara