Making Creativity a Priority

I am inundated with thoughts.

It’s as if the voices of all I have been reading, watching and learning are in my head chattering away about everything. They have lots of opinions. I have conjured up lots of pretend scenarios that go with them and as a result they offer a never ending, running commentary on all I do (or don’t do) throughout the day.

I think it’s time for another detox.

I do not mean a detox of the physical variety such as a juice cleanse but rather a detox of consumption.
I have done this before, back when I was first re-starting my blog and I found it to be very liberating.

Over the past few weeks I have been losing my focus. I am easily distracted with new ideas and as a result I am starting and stopping a lot. Normally I love having lots of creative ideas but when they interfere with the goals I have and result in my bouncing around from one thing to the next, I think it’s time to simplify.

To offer some examples, over the past week or so I have come up with lots of things I want to create. Paths I want to go down and while they are fun prospects I haven’t completed any of the projects I already started. Instead of seeing through my “in progress” works, I am being distracted by the next shiny thing.

I do embrace change and I can easily move on from projects that are no longer working. This is different though. I am so flooded with the “new and shiny” I almost can’t remember what I was working on. It’s similar to walking into a room with the intention of dusting and instead you end up sorting clothing-half way though leaving it still spread all over the floor because you went downstairs for garbage bags and are now cleaning the garbage can but you left that outside because the leaves needed raking….

You get the idea.

As a creative the new ideas are exciting and tempting. Sometimes, they point out what we want to add to our existing projects or what we need to let go of. Other times they do nothing more than keep us from completing anything.

So I am planning a detox and here is what I mean.

Last time I think I called it “No input.” Not a very catchy title but I was trying to share the essence of what I was going through. Basically for the designated time I didn’t read anything (no books, blog posts, newsletters, emails etc.). I didn’t listen to anything so no audiobooks or podcasts. I didn’t watch anything-no TV, videos etc.

I think I still listened to music and I went online for the purposes of paying bills and such but that was pretty much it. I focused instead on output. I used the time I would have spent consuming more information to sharing what it was I already had. Instead of learning a new mixed media technique I played around with the ones I already know.

Instead of reading a new book I worked on writing my own.

Instead of reading blog posts, I worked on writing my own.

Instead of listening to podcasts, I worked on making my own.

It was pretty wonderful.

Once in a while I allowed myself a video here and there when I just really wasn’t into doing anything and I think that’s grace. It’s also the difference between resistance and self-care so I was very aware of every time I did this.

I love having lots of projects but I also want to start finishing some. I want to feel I am gaining traction on my creative business and I want to start seeing some tangible results. So I think a bit of a detox is in order.

I haven’t worked out the when and the how and the how long. Part of me thought it might be good to have set days where I don’t have any input and then other days where I can. I think it might support me better to have some disconnected time through out the week rather than just not having any for a month and going back.

So maybe that looks something like only reading, watching and listening 3 days a week and the other days I focus on creating. I do like this idea because it becomes a regular practice of being intentional with each day rather than just pushing through a month of no content only to return right back to where I was.

Like giving up all snack foods for a month versus limiting what you eat through out the week.

What about you? Do you feel overwhelmed sometimes with ideas? When you sit down for your creative time do you not know where to start? I would love to hear any ideas you have. It might be a fun journey to take together.

I’ll be talking more about this in this week’s podcast and I will let you know next week what I’ve decided.

Until next time…

-Michele, aka The Dreaming Dilettante