Saturday I had the pleasure of attending a workshop entitled Cultivating Creative Confidence lead by the amazing and energetic Shanna Shrum of Life of the Pahty. It was motivating, inspirational and just… amazing. There were 9 women in the room – writers, photographers, comediennes, crafters – and we were all there trying to get our creative juices flowing. What we walked away with was confidence, a support group, and some new friends. There were so many takeaways from that workshop, but there were a few that stood out to me.
1. You are not for everyone. One fear that I had (as well as others in the workshop) is that I was not as good as I thought I was and that I would get no followers or no one would support my paper crafts. And you know what? That’s fine. Not everyone will support you, or follow you, or read this blog. And that’s OK. Because it’s not designed for everyone. It’s made a space for me, and if there are people willing to come into that space, then it’s a bonus.
2. Unused creative energy is not benign. It metastasizes. If you don’t release your creative energy, it becomes a growth within you that will eventually need to be expressed. Don’t suppress your energy. Use it.
3. Who you spend your time with determines your creativity and success. Have you been around someone who, when you express joy, go “oh, that’s great” and proceeds to talk about themselves? Have a friend that you being around is just emotionally and physically draining? Those are the people you want to limit being around you, as they are not there to support you but drain you. Find people that lift you up, encourage you, support you and your endeavors.
The workshop, as well as other things, has sparked me to start evaluating some things in my life. This is just the beginning. Change is in the air, I feel it crackling in my soul like waxed paper.
90 Miles 'til Empty 