Day 5 * NO TIME* - 5 Reasons You Aren't Being Creative and How to Turn It Around

Hi Creatives!

It's the last day of identifying our excuses....We have covered Perfection, Comparison, No Ideas/Too Many Ideas, No Plan/Organization, and finally we have our last excuse!  I am going to venture to say this last excuse maybe the MOST used and the GO-TO excuse that we have for being Creative, and really for nearly all things we don't DO in our lives.

"I HAVE NO TIME"!!

We are in a time in lives where we are all SO BUSY.  We jam pack activities, work, commitments, volunteering, housework, family time, cooking/eating, maybe a little SLEEPING, and we aren't left with a lot of other time left to be Creative, or whatever other thing we are making excuses to not do...Do I hear a NO TIME for the Gym?!

The bottom line is that we will make time for what we really want in our lives.  We need to make being Creative a priority if we want to Cultivate it into our lives.  This doesn't mean that we need to set aside 4 hours a day to learn how to create a sculpture of a donkey, but it does mean choosing carefully how we spend those in-between moments when we aren't doing the absolute MUSTS of our day.

Create a list of the MUST DO's you have on a typical day.  It might include things such as Feeding your family and eating together, Work, Housework, Family Time, Working Out, etc.  Now think about the ways you spend the in-between times, perhaps Social Media, The Bachelorette, Relaxing on the Front Porch, etc.  I'm not telling you to scrap all those extras, that is not what this is about.  It is about choosing whether those can still fit into your life as you bring Creativity in as well.

As you created your list, or PLAN of ideas for Creativity did any of them fit into a MUST DO category?  Did you have a new recipe you wanted to try?  If so, fit it in with FEEDING YOUR FAMILY!  Did you list trying a FUN Run with your family?  If so, fit it in with FAMILY TIME.  Your creativity can not only give you a new way of doing things, but it can spread out among your family as well.

If your list of Creative Ideas aren't all capable of fitting within the MUST DO's then consider those in-between moments.  Can you do any of those Creative projects while doing something else?  Can you try your new Coloring Book or Embroidery Project while watching The Bachelorette?  Can you Listen to a new Podcast that you are excited about while you scroll through Pinterest or Instagram?  Can you try out a little watercoloring while sitting at your child's sports practice? or waiting in line to pick them up from their activities?

The GOAL here is to find those times and find ideas that you can trade out for some of your current routines, just make the commitment and DO IT.

*Photo from Jen Osborn, our Guest Teacher at Handmade U this Fall.

We aren't trying to add hours of activities into your day, we are fitting bits of time in your day to add Creativity.

3 Days are left before our July Challenge Kicks OFF!!  Be sure to add yourself to the Newsletter list! The subscription should pop up when you visit www.handmadeu.com  The details of the Challenge will be sent SOON!

Spend some time thinking through these excuses, and any others that I didn't mention!  Share in the comments if you have one I didn't discuss!  Would love to help you get to the other side of it!!

Hugs,
Rach

Day 4 - *NO PLAN* - 5 Reasons Why You Aren't Being Creative and How to Turn Them Around

Hi There!

Thanks for sticking with me and working through these excuses we have for not being Creative.  We've covered #1 - Perfection #2 - Comparison #3 - No Ideas/Too Many Ideas and now we are on Day 4.  So if you've made a list of a few ideas that you want to work you might be thinking, "OK, now what?!"  Where are all the supplies I need for this project?  What are the unique ingredients I don't have in my pantry that are needed for this new recipe?  How do I find a fun run for my whole family to participate in this summer??

All these questions that start popping up in your mind may make you again, stop in your tracks, derail you, {all the train analogies that you can think of...}.  So the 4th Excuse is "I DONT HAVE A PLAN, so how can I get this Creative Pursuit off the ground??"

I'm going to tell you something that is a HUGE SECRET!  This may be the most mind-blowing idea EVER!!  To get over your "I don't have a plan" excuse what you do is.....drum roll....

MAKE A PLAN!!

I know, I know, "WOW how did you ever come up with that one Rachel??!"  It is pretty simple, when I decide that I'd really like to make some Special Word cuffs, but boy I'd have to find a needle, some thread, some vintage fabrics, stamps, ink, mod podge, and a leather cuff...maybe a little more organization of my supplies would make it more simple...perhaps having a special art tote with everything I need would also get me geared up and ready for some creativity!  If only I had that tote all filled with the special things I need, I could just grab it and go with my Creative Self!

So let's do it!  Grab a tote, a shoe box or whatever it is you need to get yourself organized, create a plan for what you need and gather those items.  Add those special ingredients to your grocery list- starred and highlighted!  Part of Creativity tends to be somewhat counter-intuitive, you may need a plan.  You may need to make lists and spend time getting yourself ready for the Creativity you want to Cultivate.  Let's make planning just another step in Cultivating the Creativity you want in your life.

Let's say you decided one of your Creative Pursuits on your list is to learn how to make Creme Brûlée.  There are special tools you need, so get those on order or stop at Bed Bath and Beyond....you can find your cookbooks, print off a recipe from the internet, or I bet you could even find yourself a Youtube video that would walk you through it.  Let's make the learning part also a crucial step to Cultivating that Creativity.

We all have inherit creative sparks in us, we can pull those out and never need lessons.  However, there are plenty of things out there in life that having a lesson on will serve us well.  So take the steps necessary to learn those things!

Make a Plan so you will be ready to hit the ground running with your Creative Desires!!

Hugs,
Rach

Day 3 * No Ideas * - 5 Reasons Why You Aren't Being Creative - And How to Turn it Around

Hi All -

Now you have given up Perfection from Day 1, I am hoping you have considered leaving Comparison at the door or at least turning Comparison into Inspiration from Day 2 as well.   We are now ready to tackle our Day 3 Excuse - No Ideas!

We all get stuck in ruts.  We make the same 4 or 5 meals for dinner, we watch the same shows, read the same magazines or similar books.  After being in the same routine for awhile let's decide we need to be creative or do something new.   So now what?  Any ideas?  You might sit, think and then get frustrated with no inspiration and end up sticking to the same routine.

Let's not let our lack of ideas stop us in our tracks.  You know we all have lots of cookbooks we've made only 1 or 2 recipes out of, we have patterns we've never opened or begun, we have magazines full of ideas, Pinterest Boards full of things we've pinned to "try later", and let's not forget the HUGE source of ideas....the internet!  So how do we have an excuse of no ideas??

What might be more true is we have too MANY ideas.  When we feel overwhelmed it is pretty common to become frozen with too many choices and not be able to move forward with just one.

So this is what we are going to do.  Start making a list of a handful of ideas of things you want to try. It might be a new dish to throw into the dinner circulation, or a crafty project from Pinterest.  Let's not get overwhelmed, just grab a few ideas....we'll do a little more planning tomorrow, but for now start getting some ideas percolating.  I'm going to peek through my Pinterest boards and get some inspiration from some journal pages perhaps, and maybe find a few of the Egg recipes to try since our Gals have been laying like crazy.

Getting closer to our July Challenge, and I'm so excited to share with you what we are working on!!

Go Cultivate your Creativity list!

Hugs,
Rach

Day 2 *Comparison* - The 5 Reasons You Aren't Being Creative and How to Turn it Around

HI!

I hope you all took some time yesterday to think about Perfectionism and have decided to throw it out the window because we have another big excuse to tackle today!!  This one is similar to perfection in a way.  When we think of perfection we are thinking our project has to be the best, or whatever we think of as "perfect" - without flaw.  However, when we use this next excuse we are not necessarily thinking of perfection, but we are looking at someone else's work and thinking ours is "less than" if our project isn't as "good" or the same as another's.

*Comparison*

We all are guilty of comparison.  We may just do it once in awhile, in one facet or another in our lives, or may find ourselves doing it constantly.  Maybe shopping for jeans looking over and wishing you could buy the smaller size the gal next to you is shopping for, or maybe it's walking around your neighborhood hoping your garden will grow as perfectly as someone's down the road.  With Social Media it makes it even easier to fall into this trap.

Let's face it, most of what people post online are photos and videos of magical moments, perfectly staged and laid out photos of a beautiful project, a plate of the most delicious looking dinner, or a well-kepted and decorated corner of their home.  If we all take a moment to truly think that through, do we really believe that those people's live are that perfect?  Do we think that they live in a fairy land and that all their meals turn out to be winners?  All their projects turn out amazing?  Their homes are spotless, organized and their pets and/or kids are really well-behaved and always super clean?  NO - this simply isn't true, and why do we let ourselves think that it is?

We also don't know what is going on in other people's lives behind the curtain.  We don't know how many flopped dinners were made before that delicious non-burnt dish was plated up on that gorgeous platter that we see on Instagram.

 
A shot of a few items on a clean desk might mean there is a stack of bills, magazines, and scraps of fabric on the ground next to the desk {hand-raise to that one.}

{My Art Studio - What you don't see too well are the boxes stacked in the back corner full of stuff I didn't get through yet, and the other side had more boxes, and there are many boxes that were moved down the barn to a closet....oh and it stayed this clean for about 20 minutes}

So let's just stop comparing our lives in any way to others.  Let's also stop assuming just because a few photos of a project or someone's home, etc on a feed are beautiful that their lives are perfect.  I had an old friend on Facebook send me a note recently that said my life looks so simple and fun.  I had to laugh.  Fun - yes I can get with that.  Simple?  Hmmm, not so sure.  You just never know the whole story.

Also when we compare ourselves to others many times the default is, my "X" isn't as good as hers, so I am just defeated, I won't try, or I will just quit.  If you are having a hard time letting go of Comparison COMPLETELY, then at least turn it around a bit.  If you find you are a little jelly of a neighbor's garden and how weed-free and gorgeous it looks, then get yourself back to your garden and start pulling those weeds!  If you wish you could buy the smaller size of jeans that the gal next to you is shopping for, then head over to the gym!

Comparison can be turned into Inspiration.  Use the things you see in others to Inspire you to be a better YOU.  KEEP IN MIND that last bit.....  Be a better YOU!

Ok All - Sit on that one for a bit, mull it over and see if we can't let this excuse go too!

We are going to be SOOO ready to Cultivate some Creativity into our lives for the upcoming July Challenge when we let go of all these excuses!!

See you tomorrow!!

Hugs,
Rach

Day 1 * Perfectionism* - The 5 Reasons You Aren't Being Creative and How to Turn It Around!

HI All!

Summer is here and that may mean a little extra time to do fun things, take advantage of the outdoors, try new summer meals, and maybe head off for an adventure!

It may also mean time inside during the heat of the day, kids home for the summer - bored with nothing but screen time planned, and the expectation that every day must be FUN and Jammed-packed!

It can be a little overwhelming and for some of us it'll stop us in our tracks with no idea of where to start!

But DO NOT WORRY!!  I'm going to identify 5 Reasons you aren't being creative and how to turn it around! I know you have the creativity in you, {even if you tell me that you aren't creative} and we just need to show you what you are doing wrong to turn it in the right direction!

Today we are going to talk about this one...I know too well!  Let's debunk it together!


1. *Perfection*

We all have ideas, some of us have more ideas than time, and it seems all we do is think of new things, but never act upon them. One of the reasons we don't just get creative and start in on a new project or activity is because we think if we are going to do it, it HAS to be perfect. Perfect timing, we need to know the perfect skills, we need to have the perfect supplies, tools, or ingredients, and it stops us in our tracks when we don't think we have all of those.

For example, you might want to bake one of those perfectly decorated cakes you've seen on Pinterest just for a Thursday night treat, but you don't have the perfect mold to bake the cake in, you don't have the perfect frosting piping tools for the decoration, and you don't have the skills beyond a 10 min Youtube video to know what to do. So what happens?? You just don't do it. A grand idea, stopped from coming to fruition because in your mind it has to be the Perfect Cake to be fun and creative.

Let's break this down so that can get you over that *Perfection* Hurdle.

Try one of these options:

*Pick a cake from Pinterest or a recipe book that might not be so elaborate one in which you can use a cake pan that you may already have, and still get creative, perhaps with cutting the cake in a unique way, etc. Still it'll be something fun and different, but maybe a first step to creating beautiful cakes.

*Go BUY the tools. If you don't have the tools but really have your heart set on making a specific cake, run over to Jo-Ann's or find a cake decorating website and BUY THE TOOLS. Move past your limitations and get yourself ready to conquer this new goal!

*Find more Youtube videos, or sign up for a Cake Decorating class! If you don't know how to do something, find a way to learn how to do it. Much of cultivating our creativity is in the learning process. Not only will you pick up a new skill, more than likely you will also come up with your own unique designs and tricks that will give you your own style.

*Just WING it! Don't have the time or money to buy a bunch of tools or take a class? Just wing it! Accept a fun trial and error journey and enjoy the process {and the cake}! Really a bad looking cake is still a cake, am I right?!

Will you be happier that you tried and had cake to eat, or if you didn't try at all and had no cake :(? I'm thinking TRY and EAT CAKE!!

Now that we are all hungry for cake, let's pick one of those amazing ideas and make it happen!

Beginning July 1 I'll be hosting a 30 day - Cultivating Creativity Challenge!!  Will you join me in being creative every day in July??  I promise after I share the next 4 reasons you aren't being creative over the next few days you will have no excuses!!  I'll also share my 30 days on my FB page Handmade U, and over on Instagram @handmadeu.  We will be using #30daysCultivatingCreativity to see what we are all up to!

Be sure to sign up for my Handmade U newsletter for some great tips I'll be sharing in July to keep you going in your Creativity!

Get excited and start making your list of ideas!!

Hugs,

Rach