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Secret Three

There are two stages of creativity.

1. 1. Dreaming
2. 2. Doing

Dreaming –

“The truth lies in a man’s dreams.” Miguel de Celvantes

Like I mentioned at the start of this book, everything starts as a thought, a tiny pin-prick thought in someone’s imagination.  You have to give yourself time and ALLOW YOURSELF THE OPPORTUNITY TO DARE TO DREAM.

Your dreams are the doors and gateways to possibilities.

OPEN THE DOOR.

Don’t dismiss them.

Give them the space to flourish and open like a beautiful flower opening its delicate petals to the sun.

The dreaming stage is crucial.  This stage is about DREAMING BIG. In this stage anything is possible, there should be no limits.  NO restrictions.

DREAMS ARE EXTENSIONS OF HOPE.

If you have a dream, is it not worth giving it a chance to flourish?

We spoke earlier about human potential; I hope most of you believed that that we are capable of so much more.  If you agree, then you are also likely to believe that the power of your mind is virtually unlimited & largely untapped.

 

“I shut my eyes in order to see.”  Paul Gauguin

 

Give yourself space to dream.

We lose the art of dreaming because we are too quick to get realistic.

Your Dreams are precious

Give yourself permission to dream

Daydreaming is the soul food of creativity, even if you were told differently in school!

 

This stage is all about being as wild and crazy as you can possibly be.  There should be NO LIMITS.  EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE.  YOU MUST DREAM BIG.

• Your plans at this stage do not, should not be evaluated, and certainly not picked apart or judged
• Give your inner-critic, that negative voice in your head the big heave ho

Are you listening?

You do not need to be realistic.

At this point do not even let it enter your head about how you are going to make your dreams happen.

This stage is all about getting a bit silly, a bit out there, a bit crazy.   Really letting go.

 

So here goes, more activities and exercises.   This means that you now need to stop reading, pick up your pen and paper and allow yourself the time and space to give the activity a go.   You can spare 15 minutes surely?

Remember, you only get out, what you put in!

 

• What one thing would you love to contribute to the world?  Be really honest with yourself.

Whether it is a book, a song, painting, arts, crafts, a story, a piece of music, it doesn’t matter.  Just write down, draw or doodle whatever it is that when you are in your eighties (hopefully?) and you can then look back with pride, and say I did that!

 

• What would you do if you couldn’t fail?

 

• What would you do if money was no object?

 

 

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.

 

 

CREATIVE DREAM TASK

You will need some big sheets of paper, preferably A3 size or bigger.  Lots of coloured pencils, pens, paints, and crayons- whatever you would prefer to draw and doodle with.  Fix yourself a nice cup of tea/ coffee or wine if you fancy.  Ideally get down on the floor, spread out and make yourself comfy.  Set your stop watch on your mobile phone or a timer.  Allow yourself 30 minutes to draw, create and doodle.

 

YOU are now going to draw and doodle, You at your most uber amazing creative-ist.

Get silly. Get creative.  Have fun.  You could even invite a friend around to do the activity with you?

 

Do not think too hard, you are in the dream stage, so anything is possible. You can do or be who ever you want to be.

Imagine you at your most creative?  Imagine you are the Creative version of Wonder Women.

LIVING YOUR MOST CREATIVE LIFE

Where are you?

How do you look?  What colours? What is your style?

What are you wearing?

Who are you with?

How do you feel?

What does your life look like?

How do you spend your time?

What activities / past-times do you do?

What does you life look like?

How would you like your most creative life to be?

 

Here is an example of me at my most creative!  ….

 

One I did earlier…

 

CREATE A CREATIVE VISION BOARD

A great way to move towards and closer to your creative dreams is to create a “Creative Dream Vision Board.”

You will need lots of magazines, access to the internet, a big sheet of paper to stick all your images and words on, or a pin-board.  Pin-boards are very inexpensive and can be picked up for a few pounds from place like Pound Stretchers.

Search through all the magazines and tear out any images, pictures or words that you are drawn to.  Do not think too deeply about this.

Do a Google Search for images that represent your creative dreams, ideas or thoughts.  This could be things that you long to do.  Places you long to go.  Pictures of activities you would love to do, interest or just appeal.

Here is an example of mine;

As you can see I have included open fires and a stone cottage as my plan is to eventually own my own old stone cottage with an open fire and scenic views.  I have saved images of messy art and creativity, and at the time I didn’t even know I wanted to really create art!  There are pictures of places I would love to travel to, such as Venice and India.  I have included pictures of writing, workshops, books & animals.  There are images that are less than obvious and more symbolic of the values, dreams and aspirations, such as an image of birds been released from a cage and ..

Once you have completed your creative vision board you need to display it somewhere prominent, ideally in a place that you have to walk past every day.  Mine is in the hall and I must walk past it at least 10 times a day to get to the kitchen.

The idea is that the images and words will speak to your inner-creative subconscious.  Slowly but surely they will reawaken and ignite something in you, you will move towards the images and words without even realising.

 

• Without stopping to think write, doodle or draw list 20 things that you love to do or enjoy.

Do not stop to think, just write the first things that come into your head.  There are no wrongs or rights.  No pressure.   Just let go.   The aim here is not to think too hard or deeply.

So come on, without stopping make a list of twenty things you enjoy and like to do.  It doesn’t matter what they are, and you can include food and sex!

Interestingly, we probably had more of an idea of who we were, and what we wanted to do when we were very young.  A good starting point is to think back to when you were a child.  Think back to a time in your life when the everyday was more about play, having fun, been spontaneous, and doing what made you happy in the moment.

The older you get the more likely you are to over-thinking and over-analyze things.   I have a tendency to over think everything.  Unfortunately over-thinking  is a big killer of creativity!  Your aim is to get back in touch with your inner creative-child.

 

• Now, take 5 minutes to think back to when you were a younger.
• What did you love to do as a child?
• What did you love to do as a child?  What about when you were a teenager?

 

• If there was a fire in your house, what would be the four things you would save?   If you were to save one photograph, one book, one object and one idea what would it be?  What four things are at the core of your being?

 

• Imagine you are a human cat.  If you had nine lives to devote to nine very different careers, what would they be?

 

Now look at what you have written.  Can you see any links patterns or themes?  Are there any connections?  Show a close friend, your partner or someone you trust what you have written.  Ask them if they can see any patterns or ideas emerging.  Only do this with someone who you know will be positive and have your best interests at heart.  You do not need any Doubting Thomas’s or negative comments at this stage in the proceedings!

 

• Lastly, close your eyes.  Take the pen in your least dominant hand.  Write down 1 – 3 things you would love to create or do if time, money and ability were no object.