2012 // Creativity

It’s still January, so we’re still talking resolutions and my three themes for 2012.  Last week, I shared about Simplicity, and this week we’re looking at theme #2:

So what does Creativity mean to me? It’s thinking outside the box and living beyond the routine, it’s expressing myself in ways that feel genuine and “me,” and it’s making time for craft time – simply because I love it.

The idea is that with the foundation of Simplicity, I’ll have some empty space in my life – and though I won’t want to fill every second of it up again, I can begin to fill my time with things that I love – and that’s where Creativity comes in.  I really see these themes all wrapped up in each other.  Here are some of the simple ideas I’m implementing to cultivate a creative life:

EXPLORE:  Don’t settle for routine all the time – try new restaurants, run new trails, listen to new music, read new books – be willing to switch it up on occasion to keep life interesting and expose myself to fresh inspiration.

EXPRESS:  I am going to push myself this year to embrace my uniqueness, in whatever way that may be – experimenting in the kitchen without the help of a recipe, coming up with new ways to sing old songs, or combining the clothes in my closet in a different way – to figure out more and more what I like and who I am, and to live my life in a way that honors that.

CRAFT: Songwriting, painting, sketching, writing, photographing – whatever strikes my fancy – as long as I am exercising my right brain.  No holds barred – 2012 will be a year of creative explosion in my life!  Practice begets excellence, and I want to be excellent at what I do.

I’ve already seen a huge difference in my outlook as I’ve applied these themes to my life over the  first few weeks of the new year.  There is no doubt in my mind that God is a creative being (see some of my thoughts on the matter here, which I’m sure will be expounded upon) and that he put my creative heart in me for a reason – 2012 is all about letting it shine!

Next week, I’ll finish up this series with my final theme, Bravery – which will, out of the three,  most definitely be my biggest challenge this coming year.

Exodus 15:2 – The Lord is my strength and my song. (ESV)