Creativity Management
the beginning of the fall
This morning we have the beginnings of the first snow of the season. While it will not last long, it is lovely to have so early.
I tried to upload this video however it was not going to happen. Use this link to watch. I highly recommend it!
Elizabeth Gilbert on Nurturing Creativity on TED
Earlier this year, Elizabeth Gilbert author of Eat, Pray, Love, gave a talk on Ted.com which touched me in a profound way. I have mentioned this talk before. I revisit her talk with some regularity however, because it serves as a reminder of the importance of living up to my own expectations rather than the expectations of others. When I first shared this video, it touched so many people and the email conversations went on about it for weeks and months. People found Elizabeth’s talk inspiring and a good reminder of what it means truly to live a creative life. I hope it spurs the same kind of conversation here.
As you may know, Miranda’s comment in the last post reminded me of this talk and I thought it was a good follow up to what we were talking about as far as maintaining our creativity. Elizabeth talks about how much strength it takes just to show up for creative work and how society really puts pressure on creative people to constantly perform at peak performance. It hasn’t been like this forever and she contemplates if this kind of pressure is what gives creative people the reputations of being a little off in the head with those who choose not to live a creative life. You have to be fearless to be an artist. The stories she shares sound so familiar to me. I wonder if you find some idea of resonance in them?
If you have not seen this talk before, I think you are in for a real treat. If you have seen it, I encourage you to watch it again (I hear new thoughts and ideas each time I watch it). Do her thoughts help you see your work in a different way? Are you turning your art around in your head and viewing it from different perspectives? Did you hear some ideas here which may help you manage all that happens in your creative life? I am eager to hear what you have to share.
Have a Beautiful Weekend!
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There are 12 Comments to "Creativity Management"
Kim, SNOW, real snow! It goes so well with this time of the year, and I hope this year we will have some here too, (we had last year, which was a great surprise here in Paris and people were crazy, they loved it:).
Thanks so much for reminding me this link, I think it’s just about the right time that I watch this again. I already did several times, her talk is so veryuplifting, and makes yourself forgive and just helps you to know that you do what you can, if you are always ready for it.
Oh and yes, I’m turning around my art in my head and try to see it from different perspectives, what happens right now is that I have difficulties with the follow up of the many ideas born through inspirational trips around ths city…I have to keep them on hold and try not to forget them, store them away. And THAT, as you know as an aries person, is difficult to do:) we are not really “store away and keep for tough times” persons, aren’t we? We rather go with what we have in the moment, and then walk off to something new, else. But, OK, sometimes we have to do it…be like a magpie hiding pearls in her nest, or perhaps more like the squirrel who hides his treasures (nuts:) LOL, in the wood and then it forgets where it has put them, love, Andrea
Hello Andrea! Yes, we have REAL SNOW and it is still on the ground (which is odd for this time of the year)! As I am typing this there is a bit of sun lighting up a small dogwood tree that is now flashing it’s bling like you can’t imagine! There is something special about snow with everything being so quiet and peaceful. I love having a wood fire when the snow is piling up outside. Then I make a nice soup (chowder, this time) and allow nature to inspire me (as she always does).
I adore this talk by Elizabeth Gilbert, as you know. You are right, she does make you forgive yourself for not being perfect and for not meeting the needs of others. When you are open to the possibilities, it is amazing what might come at you.
Argh, I know your current plight so well. You are right, it is almost impossible for me to hold ideas in my head for very long. When I am inspired, I need to move on it! I suppose we aries types are good at staying in the moment, though! Tee Hee Like you, I try to hold on to ideas, but so often they come out much different than I originally thought about them. I actually am in the process of experiencing that with something I began yesterday. Maybe it is like the squirrel, as you say, I have just forgotten where I have put the idea and it is waiting until I am ready for it again. Do you think that might be right?
Enjoy the video. It is so full of excellence! Thank you also for your wonderful insights and wisdom here. I really love how you are kicking off this conversation…at least I am hoping it will be a good conversation.
Dear Kim, I love to see the snow photo’s …. we don’t get snow on the ground here. Your description in the comment above about lighting a fire and snuggling up with some warm soup sounds really lovely.
I am so glad you posted this link onto your site again! This is the first time that I have seen Elizabeth talk, she is so passionate and inspiring – I have saved the link to hear her again in a day or two. I also sent the link to friends here in Cape Town and they have responded with such enthusiasm! We all enjoyed her book so much – you could really tell that she was writing from the heart and I think this is why it became so popular.
I have had a really creative year, even with all Iain’s troubles! I really feel I am on the right path. I am conducting my 3rd workshop on Saturday (I am still repeating the same workshop having had so many applicants). One of the participants has approached me to do a collaborative workshop, combining yoga and intuitive painting! This has really got me excited. She wants to do the yoga side with me covering the painting side. Quite a challenge, since this is not nuts and bolts stuff….. lots to think about!!
Hi Dianne, well consider this a bit of snow for you there in South Africa! When we lived in Texas I missed snow so much (although the Houston area had snow last week for the 4th time in 50 years). I love my snowy winter days.
I am so glad I posted it again, too, Dianne! I am sure you were are able to get a lot out of what she has to say. I must watch this every other month or so…any time I am feeling any confusion…and it always gets me back on track! Oh, this is so good you are sharing it with your friends there, too. Writing and speaking from the heart is absolutely what makes this so appealing as well as speaking to any person who is involved with creative work.
It is amazing to hear about your creative year even with your husbands amazing challenges (which translated to your challenges). You wore many amazing shoes this year to be sure. I am quite sure you remained open to all the possibilities life had to share with you and that is always creative, I think.
I knew you would be very successful with your workshops there. I am so happy they have been so successful. The idea of combining yoga and intuitive painting makes the most sense. I find yoga has a profound effect on my work and the parallels are amazing! It is interesting how opening the body to allow it to relax into the ansas helps you do the same thing when you paint – open the spirit and relax into the possibilities. In both cases, you are relaxing into something larger than yourself. I love this idea, too, and can’t wait to hear how it progresses!
Thank you so much, Dianne, for your very special insights here. Your thinking brings so much to this discussion.
Hi Kim! Thanks for re-posting that talk. I didn’t get a chance to watch it the last time you did, and then I just forgot. It’s a great video though! I love the idea of creativity as being something separate from us. It reminds me of how we as humans are so quick to take credit for things. It also highlights how much we (as creative people) put pressure on ourselves. I can’t imagine the kind of pressure Elizabeth Gilbert must feel after having produced such a successful book. I really like how she accepts the fact that she may have already done her best work. Maybe that acceptance is what will give her the freedom to create without all the pressure. I know how I feel after a exhibition… I start thinking about how I can do better next time, how I can top it or at least keep up the momentum. I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I have to stop and remind myself of what I’ve already accomplished. I think it’s a very difficult thing to understand unless you are a creative person! That kind of pressure comes from inside, not from anyone else. Ok, I think I’m rambling now, but thanks again for that video, lots of food for thought!
Sure, Miranda! This talk has been so powerful for me and for many other people (one friend who was going through a major life change found incredible comfort in her words). I, too, like her ideas of creativity and how the important thing is to keep showing up and doing your thing. I particularly love how she recommends talking to your muse and giving them hell if you have to do that! I have actually practiced some of what she recommends as well as had some of the experiences she shares in her talk.
Sometimes we also let our ego get in the way and put so much pressure on ourselves we actually don’t listen to that voice deep inside us. Of course, that whole idea of how we are responded to by others also makes a difference in our art. Knowing how to handle that makes a HUGE difference in the results of what we do.
Thanks so much, Miranda. You bring so many wonderful ideas to these conversations!
HI KIm. Someone mentioned this video and linked to it recently, I forget who. Maybe Andrea? And I watched it then but as is the way of my brain I would need to watch again to make any kind of sensible comment. Thanks for the link. Love your snow photo with the pink flowers. Feeling kinda brrrr tonight though with the cold. Take care, Suki
Hi Suki, I am not sure who linked to this earlier. I posted it on my blog when I was still on blogger and there was a lot of chatting about it. You know, sometime it is just not a message we can hear or want to hear when so much is going on otherwise. In other words, the time has to be right for all messages. You have a lot going on to keep these kinds of things hanging out in the front of your brain right now.
It is cold down here tonight, too, but the days are warming up to the lower 40’s so this snow will not last too long. I think we are supposed to have rain on wed. so that will wash it all away.
It is beautiful.
As always, thank you so much Suki! Even today you remind us to go for what is right at the time.
Kim, I will go to TED and watch/hear Elizabeth’s talk. I loved “Eat, Pray, Love” and I’ve seen other exciting talks at TED. This must be wonderful, given what you’ve shared from it.
Oh San, I think you are going to love this. I will be very eager to hear your thoughts. Now you are one I assumed would have seen this already, so I am surprised! TED has some wonderful talks and I think this is the best one to be sure. Also, Elizabeth Gilbert is interviewed in the current O Magazine.
Merry Christmas, Kim! Hope you have a good one!
Thank you Miranda! Merry Christmas to you and yours, as well!