There's a 200 million year old part of your brain that scans for safety and helps you survive.  When this part of your brain senses that things are unsafe, a mind habit of playing small to be safe can develop.  But playing small doesn't satisfy bringing forth into the world what you're here to create.  So how do you stretch into a new creative place even though it's scary?

First you'll need to shift your perspective on creativity.

In Latin, “creare” means “to make, bring forth, produce, beget.”

Right now, as you read these words, you are creating. You are molding your understanding. When you finish this blog post, you’ll go do something else. Maybe you’ll drink a cup of tea or eat a piece of fruit or watch a program on TV or take your dog for a walk. Or, maybe you’ll paint, dance, or write. It doesn't matter. Just through the act of being alive, you’ll create.

If you pay very close attention you’ll see there is no fixed you, you are always being created. The heart, mind, body, spirit you bring forth today are different than yesterday. Your creative expression, your art is also an honest representation of the only you that’s accessible – the one that’s alive and creating right here, right now, using the raw materials of life that are at hand.

What do I mean when I say “the raw materials of life?” I’m talking about things that you may typically consider distractions. Noises from the next door neighbor. A barking dog. The errand list running through your mind. The smell of food cooking. A disagreement with your spouse or child. A self critical thought.

These inner and outer “distractions” are the material of your life.  What do you think would happen if you included them in your creative process?

Everything in your life is an open field of possibility.  By embracing “the raw materials of life” from within and without, your awareness is broadened and your creativity can be energized.

You have the capability to become a conduit for the creative expression of your life! After all, you aren’t just creating a new piece of art, writing, or music. You are creating you.