CREATIVITY AT ANY AGE
Cross Creativity Off Your Someday-Maybe Wishlist
How I went from a burned-out 9–5er and became a coach, writer, maker, and artist.
I’ve nurtured a fantasy for years. In my mind’s eye, I’m working in my beautiful studio office. The french doors in front of my desk are flung open to the porch and forest beyond. As I revel in my latest creative project, I listen to a soothing chorus of birds. I breathe in the soft summer air perfumed with the fresh, damp fragrance of a sun-dappled cedar forest.
I have all the technology I could want for writing and designing. I have a cozy corner to curl up in and vast amounts of time to spend contemplating and creating. I also have an enviable storage system. It’s overflowing with art supplies.
That wistful someday-maybe fantasy was light-years from the reality I was living, especially the part where I have vast amounts of time. I’m sure you can relate.
My demanding job had me arriving home spent at the end of the day. I had no energy for creative endeavours. My home office was chock-a-block with everyday stuff like unopened mail, bills to pay, and piles of filing. Hardly an inspiring place to explore creative urges. When I did make time to dabble in a creative project, it was a labour-intensive affair. I had to burrow in the storage room to locate supplies and then tidy up and stow it all away again.
I was able to bridge the gap between wistful dreams and reality more easily than expected. But I had let go of my perfect but perfectly unattainable fantasy bubble.
Three small mental shifts helped me unleash my creativity. I escaped from the someday-maybe zone where dreams go to die, and now I am a writer, maker, and artist.
First, let go of all or nothing thinking.
In my fantasy, I am a multi-dimensional artist. I write, do graphic design, design stationery, paint, and get crafty. The common thread through it all was a sense of freedom and the joy of feeling self-expressed.
I realized that I didn’t need to be wealthy or retired to feel or do any of those things. So what the hell was I waiting for?
Choose to feel what you want to feel today; don’t wait for that perfect someday.
Baby step your way towards your creative dreams.
I always had a yen to learn to watercolour. I never bothered, though, because I convinced myself I couldn’t draw, had no sense of colour, or any smidgeon of talent. When I finally decided to give it a go anyway, none of that turned out to be true.
I began making progress towards living the life I dreamt about the day I let go of the need for it to be perfect.
I began with baby steps. And I can already feel it snowballing as I start living into the vision I created for myself.
So this is how I went from burned-out 9 to 5er to becoming a writer, maker, and artist.
I started by designing an environment that fostered creativity. I don’t have a studio in the forest, but I have a studio. I cleaned up my office and packed away the binders and stacks of files to exorcise the stale office energy. Then I created a mini studio on the corner of my desk.
The three-tier stacker that used to hold files now houses art supplies. My drawing pens, paints, brushes, field journal, and watercolour paper are at the ready. I can be creating within seconds. Just add water. Clean up is easy too, so I can fit an art break into the cracks in my day whenever the mood strikes.
Once I’d gathered the basics for my studio, I signed up for a free month of Skillshare. During my first month, I learned to sketch and draw wildflowers. I experimented with calligraphy and completed classes with several watercolour artists.
To stretch myself, I created a 30-day project to do art every day. For accountability, I committed to posting my projects daily on Instagram. That was a bit terrifying. But it turned out to be so affirming as people encouraged my efforts and applauded my progress. It also helped dim the conversation in my head about my lack of talent.
Because I was doing my projects at the end of a busy day, they weren’t large or elaborate. I painted a series of bookmarks, which let me experiment with many styles and techniques. It helped to hone my skill and confidence in a very short time.
To be sure, my artistic skills are still rudimentary, but hey, I’m a beginner. I’m good with that. What is important is that I’ve discovered the joy of playing, creating, and learning. That short month was transformational. I stopped being someone stuck in a someday-maybe fantasy future. I became someone turning a dream into a reality in progress.
What secret yen do you want to strike off your someday-maybe list?
Annabel Melnyk is a coach, writer and trainer who has helped more than 1600 career changers to navigate major life changes. She now works with mid-life women to help them lay the groundwork for the next chapter of life with clarity, ease and confidence. It’s never too late to learn how to redesign your life.
Click here to receive a free copy of Annabel’s Decisions & Destiny Matrix.
