Creativity should be an everyday experience.
Creativity should be as common as breathing.
We breathe, therefore, we create.
– Erwin Raphael McManus in the book, “The Artisan Soul”

2015 – Create!

For 2015, my word is CREATE.  Not nurture (like nurturing my creativity theme last October), practice (everything I’ve learned) or even creativity.  No, the word is create.

I took a number of classes last year – on photography, journaling, and being creative.  I took them to learn and have fun, both of which I accomplished.

But the time has come to just create.  Not to worry whether I’ve learned the techniques good enough or if there’s another something to learn.  It’s time to use it all and show it off to the world.  To not be intimidated as to who might be better than me, whether I’m worthy enough, or whether I’m even good enough.

I need to sharpen my focus, cut back on the classes and possibly other activities.  To create – whether writing up my blog, taking pictures or post processing pictures.  To create – keeping my journals, telling my stories, and writing up my observations each day.  To create – in each and every facet of my life, every day, every way that I can.

How will I do this?

Setting Expectations

I’m taking Ali Edwards class again “One Little Word“.  I enjoyed it last year, even if I didn’t get as much out of it as I should.  Here’s some of my exercises so far:

• Definition – to put into existence, design, invest with a new form or shape; to be imaginative.
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• Already doing – regularly posting to my blog with both written and photographic creations.
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• I want more of – something permanent, like an e-book or photo album.  Also trying new things, like making a video tape of something instructional.
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• I want less of – second guessing and comparing myself to others.
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• I fear – having to relocate for my job.  This will put my personal life and creativity on hold for about two more years and I don’t want to wait that long to have a life again.

I’ve listed a few ideas of things to create this  year.  I own a piece of software called Scrivener, which is used for writing.  It has more capabilities than Microsoft Word for keeping track of a big writing project.  I’m working my way through the tutorials for it and it’s finally making a lot more sense than it did the last time I tried to use it.

I’ve also been decluttering my hard drive and social media.  I need my stuff better organized to find it as I write and do my photography.  It’s going slowly, both from how boring it is and how tired I am at the end of the day after networking, applying for jobs, interviewing, and following up on stuff.

I’m making progress.  I’m also not waiting on it.  I’ve been working on a small piece of writing – a letter to my daughter – which is also going slowly.  I think I took a wrong angle and am considering what it is I’m really trying to say in my essay, which was an invitation from a fellow blogger for a book she’d like to compile.  I’ve also sketched out another idea from some of my blog writings, which is why I would like to use Scrivener.

Summary and Resources

This year, I want to live my word, breath it, and use it.  I want it beat up by the end of this year.  And I don’t mean in creating a new life if we move.  Moving, settling a new job, a new house, and learning where to go and what to do does is not about creating.  That’s surviving.  It’s not even thriving.

Have you tried choosing “One Word” as your focus for the year?  I first read about it here from Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project.  Here’ are some other resources as well, besides the Ali Edwards course mentioned above:

http://www.fastcompany.com/3040362/how-one-word-can-change-your-new-year

Three Easy Steps To Find Your One Word For 2016

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Prior Year Words With Links:

My words for the last few years have been:

2011 – Gratitude

2012 – Serene

2013 – Prepare (curiosity was the first choice, but not what I went with)

2014 – Remember (to smile)

Creativity One Word Ali Edwards create creativity Erwin Raphael McManus Gretchen Rubin One Little Word one word The Artisan Soul The Happiness Project