“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
~ Marianne Williamson
What would you differently if you fully trusted in yourself? How do you shrink yourself in daily life, to fit more easily into others roles for you? Where is the middle path, between trusting in yourself and making ample room for the viewpoints of another?
I don’t have concrete answers to these questions, however I think they are important questions for us to ask. One of the most powerful ways that we can let the inner light out is by engaging in the creative process – through writing, making music, movement, and art making. When we allow our voice to emerge through the creation of something, we are no longer “playing small.” What are some ways that you can manifest your own creative energy in everyday life? Here are a few simple ideas I’ve come up with to get you started:
1. turn off the t.v. for a while and pick up a book you’ve been meaning to read on a subject you know little about
2. plant an herb garden and if you don’t have space outside, find a corner of your apartment and bring in potted herbs
3. desgin a cardboard fort for your pet (or yourself!)
4. recycle old magazines, but before you do – go through each page and cut/tear out images that grab you and create a pile for a future collages
5. if you take the train to work, get off at a different stop than usual and explore a new neighborhood on your walk home from work
6. take a picture a day for a month using your phone or regular camera and create a visual journal of all the images at the end of the month
7. personalize and decorate your work space with pictures and objects that inspire you and energize your space
8. create your personal “bucket list” and have fun with it…are there any items on the list that you could take steps towards now?
9. create an altered book: go to a used book store and buy a cheap picture book that appeals to you and make it your own by altering the pages with collage, painting, drawing, cutting, and anything else you can think of
10. listen to a genre of music that you hardly ever listen to, or that new artist that you’ve been meaning to check out
11. make a mix cd or ipod playlist for each of your friends
12. make a random video with your phone or camera that tells a story without words
13. rearrange the art on your walls to change up the energy and aesthetics of your space
14. buy yourself a candle or incense that you are immediately attracted to in the store and make a ritual of lighting it each evening when you get home from work
15. sign up for a workshop, event, or class that appeals to your creativity and current interests, and pushes you slightly outside of your comfort zone 🙂
What are some other ways that you have infused your day with creativity?
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