Secret 3: Following your Fascinations

Reminder: I am reading Gail McMeekins "12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women" and have joined a book group where we post reflections to each chapter/secret...although I am way behind the group (which has finished the book lol) I am still doing it!!!

I know I am behind on these posts but ive been sick and busy among many things...

now that thats out of the way...lol time to discuss the 3rd chapter...

The first thing that jumped out at me was the Greek meaning of risk:

"to sail around a cliff"

I started to think about the idea of a cliff...what things in my life can be represented by a cliff and how do I sail around them? I do not have the answer yet...I think this will take a lot more time of reflection but when i figure it out ill post!

"To be truly creative, you must be willing to try and fail then get over it!"

this quote stuck out because often times we (or at least I) dwell on how we have failed instead of just shaking off the dust and keep on moving!!! I think it is ok to erase and rip up paper then start over, in the most literal to the most conceptual terms...

from this thought the chapter went on to discuss how it takes courage to admit that we have been on the wrong train and I definitely agree with this. I felt for a long time that getting my Masters degree in sociology was not only a waste of money but a waste of time. And it has always been hard for me to admit this to people. Sure I have another piece of paper to prove my knowledge and research skills but I now feel that I could have better spent two and a half years of my life doing more creative and loving things that I enjoy. The natural me hates this but the spiritual me realizes that it wasn't a waste of time because it put me in a place i had to journey to get to where i am now.

A few questions that popped up in my mind that you can ask yourself and I am asking myself:

? what positive risks are you going to take in your life?
? how will you honor your own belief system?
? What does your belief system look like?
? Who is your creative self and what does she/he look like?

Throughout each chapter in the book there are challenges presented for the reader to engage in. I chose to write about the intuitive messages challenge, which asked:

what messages are you receiving from your intuitive voice? IS your creative self inviting you to try new ventures? Are you ready to follow your fascinations?

My creative self is inviting me to try several new ventures. My intuitive voice is telling me to embark on a creative journey that I never thought I would be on. I am enrolling in classes to get pre-requisites for art therapy and going to apply for a masters in art therapy for Fall 2010 instead of going to get my PhD in something else. I am going to take my first art class next week! I am doing more in art that I never believed I would ever do. I just started painting months ago!!! Sell paintings? Never thought it would be me. I have my work hanging in peoples homes!!! My creative self wants me to let go and allow the energy to simply flow out into the world however it may. My creative self wants me to hone my craft and take time to understand who I am as an artist and a creative healer. I am ready to follow these fascinations and am planning my positive risks while working on being positive about these changes in my life and garnering support from others to continue and feel safe outside of my comfort zone.

-jade.