My name is Corla and it doesn't matter if I am reading a book or doing a course, I usually do a full exploration first and then circle back to work my way through the work step by step. But then I dive in and get messy with a better focus and intention. At the moment I am enjoying a course on Udemy by Elizabeth Gilbert - Creativity Notebook and am writing a blurb about that experience and will post more on the google document link listed at the end of this diatribe!
I don't have any problems being creative! I am 58 years old (also from Saskatchewan!) and can identify several pivotal moments in my life that I have reinvented myself and stepped off the cliff (not so bravely at times) but what I have learned is that the universe will support whatever action we undertake and meet us with the same zeal and enthusiasm that we pour into an idea. Many times I get a "blast" or idea that comes to me and I spend a little time looking it over in my mind's eye to see if this idea is a fit for me and the pieces of experience that I bring in my life so far. If so, I take that step and playfully explore the idea to shape it and develop what it wants to be. Notice I said, "what IT wants to be"? I have learned that if I force an idea into my ego-centered view it will not hold value for others!
Recently I have found that a melting pot process has happened where a NEW creative force opened a portal and pulled in many layers of personal experience - art, business, grief, fear, marketing, mindful reflection and more - and a creative perfect storm happened for me, or rather IS happening. I never at any time in my life put any thought to writing a book but a type of art I have been doing as a meditation therapy for my personal use became an idea to share at a larger scale. I could teach or do workshop but I felt I wanted to put the idea into book format to bring the experience to a broader audience. What I do is a meditative doodle rather than a colouring book as is the rage.... I take a page with a colourful random background of colours and I take a black fine tipped pen and I allow myself to get lost in the shapes, edges, colours and just doodle around the page. I want others to experience the brain shift that happens and that you can easily shut down the ego that chatters and demoralizes from the sidelines. I feel a value for mental health, chronic pain sufferers, alzheimer and dementia patients and more... my goal is to bring this forward as a tool for recovery.
18 years after losing my own son and using art as a personal therapy out of that darkness the universe has gifted me with all the tools to pay that forward for others. I feel blessed and than Elizabeth for all she does to bring Creative Awareness to the world.
GOSH, didn't mean to write a book here! I will post in my google documents! http://bit.ly/29JPRAU
Attaching a free image to doodle for everyone in the class... you can find my book on Amazon.com "Reverse Colouring Book - Line-ology" http://bit.ly/1PdWv2n
