Have you ever felt stuck and wanted to spend more time in your creativity?

I have. My whole life. Yesterday, I started reading The Artist’s Way, which I have wanted to read for a long time but haven’t yet.

It has already affected me a lot. I have been a writer and visual artist my whole life, since I was a kid, but I gradually ignored it. I wanted to be a cartoonist, then a visual artist and then I discovered I wanted to focus on writing. It doesn’t have to be writing or art it is simply about being creative.

Julia Cameron talks about how being creative is connecting to the Creator, or the Life force and becoming part of this creativity. She says you don’t have to believe in God but to have a belief in another force. I believe in God so that is fine for me. I thought it was interesting how she talks about having this connection with the Creator as we create. I have at times invited the Divine into my work, but Julia makes the distinction that I am entering into a communion with the Divine rather than inviting Him in to mine. In the past artists believed this and lived in this, I think it’s time for us to admit and recognise the spiritual in our lives. Our lives are not just physical; they are spiritual and emotional as well. So, when we connect to the creator we can allow it to come out and simply be available for this. A lot of modern artists experience this and I believe this happens for me as well.  

She talks about our lives as being a work of art as well. It is so inspiring. Julia talks about why we don’t pursue creative lives she has a series of statements we tell ourselves, I related to these, definitely. See if you relate to any of these:

Stop telling yourself it’s too lateStop waiting until you make enough money you will do something you loveStop telling yourself you dreams don’t matter and you should be sensibleStop fearing your friends and family will think you are crazyStop telling yourself that creativity is a luxury and you should be extremely grateful for it.

(Cameron, 2020)

I certainly did. It was not until recently that I gave myself permission to write in a more concentrated way, rather than as on the side. I work in writing copy and communication but I am writing my second book about writing therapy and my third novel – I have been editing and finishing. This has been amazing, but now reading this book it is helping me to embrace this even more!

One of the practices the book teaches is called the Morning Pages, which is basically writing therapy. I have done this for many years now.

Julia talks about everyday writing down three pages of whatever comes into your mind, your emotions, worries, fears, happiness, anxiety, or thoughts. Write it all down, dump it down onto the page. This is pure writing therapy. I have been doing this for a long time, but committing to a contract with this The Artists Way to do it every day for 3 months is a great way to focus.

I have been doing it every morning for the past four days and I feel lighter. I have written a book about this, if you’re interested here is a link to it https://www.amazon.com/Freedom-Writing-Free-Through-Therapy-ebook/dp/B01MSB34DA/

So, I wanted to share my experience with this amazing book and how it is allowing me to pursue my creativity but I was pleasantly surprised to see it is about practicing writing therapy. I am working on my second book about writing therapy with more techniques. If you are feeling like you want to explore your creative side – in any way it doesn’t have to be art, writing or music, it can be anything. This is an excellent book. I am enjoying it!

Thanks so much for reading and I will keep blogging about the other concept Julia talks about – Artist Dates. I want to do some vlogs and blogs about my experiences as I go. Thanks again and have a beautiful day! Suz