The Creative Soul

Well folks, we've reached the third and final part of my Creative Soul series. I hope you've been finding it interesting, perhaps even relatable.

So far, I've covered the Creative Eye and the Creative Mind, now it's time for the key component; the Creative Soul. What is that? There's an energy inside us creative folk. A driving force that is rather difficult to explain, but here I go trying. It's our way of feeling things around us. Our way of drawing energy through us from how we feel in and about our environment in any given moment. Sometimes, it's the feeling of warmth on our face on a nice sunny day that draws inspiration through us. Sometimes, it's the gentle breeze caressing our cheek and dancing with our hair in just the right way that gives us pause and appreciation. We feel the grains of sand and blades of grass beneath our feet and between our toes, and it makes us feel connected to the world around us. We draw on that, we feel it, and we use it to help us do what we do. When we feel connected, that's when we are at our most creative, our most energetic. Sometimes however, life and its many stresses and distractions can pull us away from that connection.

What do I mean by that?

Have you ever talked to a creative person and heard them say, “I have to be in a specific mood.” Whether they are talking about painting, crafting, writing, sculpting, or some other wonderful medium, a creative person will try to explain that if they're not in that specific mood to do that specific thing (because yes, we need one mood for painting, one mood for writing, a specific mood for each creative outlet), they just can't do it. What they mean is that part of their soul isn't calling out for them to act on their creative abilities. That might not make sense to those who aren't particularly creative, but what that person is trying to explain is that if they're not in the right zone, there just won't be any flow.

Flow? Yea, there's another one of those darn nonsensical words again, right?

When a creative person is working on their craft, when they are in the right mood, and their creative soul is speaking to them, that thing they do so wonderfully? It's easy. It flows through them without them even having to think or consider what it is they are doing. It just is. They move through their project of choice as easily as you can at this moment, move your eyes across this page. Or listen to this page, for those of you who may be using an auditory device.

Being in the right mood for a creative person can mean the difference between the effort it takes to wiggle your finger and the effort it takes to lift something heavy.

But moving a paintbrush isn't heavy? You're either good at it or you're not! Wrong. When you get so used to doing something that feels to you as natural as breathing, then trying to do it when your soul isn't moving you to do it, feels...wrong.

Writing may be easy for most, but switch hands? A world of difference.

So when a creative person says they're not in the right mood to do something, they don't mean it in the same sense as not being in the mood to do the dishes. It's not something they can necessarily force themselves through, it runs so much deeper than that.

I hope this makes sense to some of you. Again, it can be rather difficult to explain a feeling. That being said, if you have any questions, feel free to tag me in a post on social, or send me an email.

Cheers!