We’ve made countless dates and I stand you up every time. Sometimes I bother with a lame excuse – I had to do the laundry, or I got engrossed in online surfing – and sometimes I don’t even give a reason. I rarely apologize and yet I insist that our relationship is important. And then I do it again. I blow you off.
With good reason, you’re not so happy with me. Sometimes you even tell me off. I’m afraid that you will abandon me altogether and find people who show you respect.
Is this how your relationship with your creativity looks? Might your Muse feel disrespected and abandoned?
I sincerely hope not. I hope you’re heeding the call to create and showing up consistently to practice, play and finish your creative projects. If so, you can stop reading and head back to your writing or art making.
It’s time to live like you respect your creative impulses. Say YES to your creativity and build trust and self-respect. And be a lot happier. If you’re feeling guilty about the lack of respect you’ve shown your Muse, read on.
Six ways to say yes and repair your relationship with your Muse
Yes to creating first. You have a lot of other obligations. Try creating first and see how it fuels your relationships with yourself and others, your work, your other pursuits. If your other relationships are based on respect, your loved ones will be happy that you’re creating.
Yes to prioritizing. Recognize where creating stands on your list of priorities and honor that. Your priority list may look like this: family, health, writing. Honor the place writing has in your life by making time to write and then filling that time in with nothing other than writing – not researching, not talking about writing.
Yes to focus. Create muscular goals. Muscular goals challenge you to your edge. They give heft to the impulse and commitment to create and help you to move past obstacles.
Yes to progress. Respect all and any minor or major accomplishments. This is vital to building trust and momentum for your art making. We often gloss over our achievements and focus on what isn’t happening. Respect your progress and let it fuel more creating.
Yes to completing. Respect your ideas by following them through to their natural end. This will mean different things for different people and different projects.
Yes to confidence. Enjoy the confidence you build in yourself by respecting your creative impulses.
If you’re not feeling the love between you and your Muse, try saying yes more. You’ll both be happier!
How else do you show respect for your creative life? Share your respect in a comment below.
So TRUE!!! Feed the Muse! Thanks for the food for thought, Cynthia!
Hey Cynthia!
could you explain more about “muscular goals” I don’t quite get it.
thanks!
Rachel
Great question, Rachel.
In my mind, muscular goals are ones that:
make you stretch farther than you think you can
make you focus more than you usually do
make you engage with the work and give it all you’ve got.
Think of an intense workout where you’re like “AAAAAARGH! I don’t know if I can do this but I will give it my all.”
Make sense? What do you think?
Here’s a muscular goal – I’m posting everyday this month on my blog, both writing and including a photo. I work to put it up at the beginning of the day but twice I’ve had to post something/anything at 8pm to make my deadline. I think of myself as a reporter and push past perfectionism. I’m also walking everyday too. I’m marking it off on the calendar. Never did that with the kids but it seems to be working for me!
Sounds great, Bobbi! I like marking things like that off the calendar, at least until they’re a solid habit. It helps.
Great blog challenge! I love what you’re sharing. I want. that. cake. 🙂
Thanks for sharing and inspiring us!
I loved this. My muse deserves more undivided attention!
Show her the love, Kimberly. Show her the love!
Hi Cynthia,
the same moment as I saw your rose drawing I had the idea to open up my new blog “999 Roses” to rose drawings from other artists as well.
I would love to post your drawing there. (rosenzeichnungen.wordpress.com)
I have another blog “jedentagzeichnen” (means: every day drawing)to promote my drawing classes. (martinawald.wordpress.com)
The blogs are in german, but I will tell you everything about the rose blog, if you wish. (since my husband and I met 30 plus years ago he gave me hundred of Roses and with these drawings I want to celebrate our continuing happy life)
If you want to go there: the site “die ersten 100” leads you to a Pinterest board where I collected most of my first 100 rose drawings.
I would be honored if you agree but please feel free to happily decline. Sometimes there are things one is just not that interested in. I so do understand this.
Martina
Thank you, Martina! Your rose drawings are GORGEOUS! I love them!
I would be honored to contribute this painting to your rose blog!
How do you want to do that? Feel free to send me an email with instructions.