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“Because of routine, we forget that life is an ongoing adventure.” Maya Angelou
How true this is! Routines can ground us, but they can also drown us, making us forget that there are creative opportunities everywhere. And if there’s one thing this health crisis is accomplishing, it’s this: It’s pulling us out of our daily round of activities.
I know that’s happened to me.
I’ve hit the pause button on my trips to the little plaza just a few minutes away, where I would often go to take a break for lunch or to pick up this or that. I’m also being cautious about running any nonessential errands or going anywhere I don’t really have to be. I’m sure we’re all in the same boat.
If so, then, like me, you are probably feeling cabin fever. What to do, what to do?
Well, for one thing, we can look for the creative opportunities all this offers us. So what’s the silver lining in being pulled out of our usual orbit? A few thoughts:
We can write more. The best thing about writing more is that, well … you write more. And when you do this – when you have more time to play on the page, great things can happen. When you devote more time to your work, your work rewards you for that extra attention. You find yourself energized and enlivened. You accomplish more than you thought you could. You come up with new ideas and new approaches. Things heat up!
We can muse and reflect more. When we have more time, we are freer to just let our minds wander, to meditate and reflect. To get quiet and stop running around and see what bubbles up inside us – what’s waiting to be heard and coaxed into being. We have more time to refill our creative wells and to listen to what’s really important.
We can get more done. There’s nothing like a bout of creativity to make us feel that we are on the “write track” and accomplishing something that matters. The more time we can free up to focus on our work, the more energy we’ll have. Instead of being drained by what’s happening outside, we can be energized by what’s happening inside.
We can worry less. When we’re busy writing and creating and thinking, we’re not worrying. We all have a role to play in keeping ourselves and our loved ones and our communities safe. But being stressed and anxious doesn’t help. A relaxed mind is a creative mind. So if we can tune out the TV and take a break from all the health alert emails in our inbox, we can find the time and space to be creative.
Are there any special things that you’ve found helping in keepping your creative juices flowing in these trying times? If so, please let me know — I’d love to share them. May we all be safe and protected as we write on!
