On Creativity

I've created a habit of taking Frodo outside for a walk about in the yard and I grab the big camera to accompany us.  Same yard, over and over.  I marvel over how even though the yard is the same, through a camera lens I find exquisite details that I would not even glance at as a scurry about my days.

My camera yields to a meaningful pause in my day to stop and 'see' nature's beauty.  How sad at times that I allow the busyness of the world, the eternally changing news feed to infiltrate my creativity.

And yet, I don't.  I do take time out of my day and take a break from the world to walk around my yard with a camera.  I need more of this habit and less of my other habits that do not support creativity.

I walked about the yard feeling so fresh and happy!  How nice to see Fall arriving in leaps and bounds.  I drive into my driveway daily and I don't think I even notice the details of the leaves changing.  Or the way the light angles are shifting ever so slightly.

I've mentioned previously my desire to sketch, to create a daily habit.  I have yet to do this.  My notebook and pencils are right there - beside me waiting.  I know what is happening.  I fear making mistakes, of not knowing what to draw! 

When I first started to write daily in the mornings in a journal, the same experience occurred.  I sat with a blank page and wondered 'what do I write about?'.  I want it to be meaningful, well said, and powerful. 

Oh the pressures I put on myself.

I remember just writing.  I remember saying to myself, just fill the page - just do IT.

This is what will happen with the sketching, one day I will just do it. 

I've been knitting for decades.  I am guessing for 40+ years.  I was once a novice, a beginner.  I had some epic knitting flops as does anyone.  I've had horrible ugly finished knits and learned from each of them.  I've had many successful knits and those successes urged me forward to more complicated knitting patterns.

The thing is, I didn't stop or give up.  I wanted to knit, so I did. 

there is a cat in the window but she's hard to find

Creativity is a skillset that is practiced from just doing.  I knit daily, I create and I make some awesome things.  I also have some failures even after 40+ years.  Maybe the pattern wasn't a good choice, or the yarn or maybe I didn't do gauge (gasp!).

My confidence in knitting is full.  My photography confidence is also pretty strong.  I spent years walking around my yard taking photographs and deleting oh so many. 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that being creative is a creative process.  I've learned to let go of expectations and the end results.  Creativity is enjoying the process and learning from each project. 

Tomorrow morning, I will set aside time and sketch.  I will ignore my doubts and fears.  I know one day I will be confident, when daily practice establishes a path to creativity.

I will fill the page with something.

How do you foster creativity? 

Do you have any tips?

scrap yarn for some hats