Creative flair shows up in ways that are remarkable. The problem is that many times it shows up for a momentary burst and like a firework, rises into view then plummets back to obscurity. We step out of the shadows for an instant of brilliance then go back to living a succession of mundane moments waiting endlessly for the next zap of inspiration.
A creative flare!
The element that’s missing is not a mystery. Consistency.
Consistent creative action is a key that unclogs the pipes so they can flow more freely and deliver the goods day after day, instead of in fits and spurts.
The romantic ideas that surround creativity and its exercise are partly to blame. Some glamorize artists and writers as tormented souls caught in a tumultuous affair with an esoteric muse. Meanwhile, here on planet earth, they are generally a regular person with an idea and a keyboard or a paintbrush.
Sure, the artistic life is not an ordinary one. It doesn’t come with the same guarantees as some paths we might choose to take, but neither is it otherworldly or weird in any way.
The creative life is one of idea sharing, value bringing, wealth-creating, human loving, generosity.
The artist or writer is starkly aware that the stories they carry are too valuable not to share. A faithful creative is not a hoarder. The compulsion to make a difference in the lives of others compels the creative should to find ways to crystallize that value so it can be consumed and enjoyed by another human heart.
That is why they develop creative disciplines. Habits that descale the inner pipes so ideas can flow from heart to head to hand unhindered.
Much like a pipe in your home, left untended, limescale forms, and flow is diminished. So it is with our creative plumbing. Worry, fear of what others will think or say, chasing money, unbelief, pressure to conform, any or all of the above and more, can choke the artistic arteries.
Here are some creative habits with potent descaling powers:
- Write something every day.
- Read something every day.
- Pray every day.
- Curtail your consumption of unintentional and intrusive content, indulging your curiosity with careful curation.
- Be quick to act on ideas, regardless of outcomes (eg: don’t let your fear of what might or might not happen stop you taking action)
- Stay curious.
- Learn new skills, but only those that feed into your ability to better create and share your worth.
- Connect regularly with other creative souls who share your desire to make a positive impact in the world.
Your creative flair deserves more than a bright but transitory moment in the sky. God created you to be a creator, and His will for you is not fleeting. Allow faith and patience to strengthen your creative steps and keep your faith even when challenges stand in your way.
The pathway to breakthrough is littered with those who burned out. Those whose creative aspirations were dampened. Draw deeper, my friend. Scrub the pipes with some prayer-ing and some share-ing with other faithful creatives.
One place you can do that is in the ChristianCreative.academy, a membership for faithful creatives who are dedicated to making this year the year they see change and Holy Ghost growth in their creative projects.
