Creative Bones

"Dancing Skeletons" by Liam Liberty

For the first gazillion years of my life, I sincerely claimed I didn't have a creative bone in my body. I don't quilt or paint. I have no appreciable skill in scrapbooking or cooking (and both can be torturous). My gifts do not lend themselves to crafting jewelry, pottery or flower arranging. I have good spatial awareness, so when it's time to pack the car full of luggage or rearrange furniture, I'm your gal, but other than that, I couldn't come up with anything.

After multiple conversations with a close friend, I started to perceive creativity through a broader and more accurate spectrum. Many, many times in my life, I have created and/or co-created something that never existed before. These "creations" included: a monthly canasta group, The Consciousness Collaborative, various websites, organizational systems, these newsletters, and every workshop I've ever led. And still, that doesn't quite capture the essence of creativity. I'm only offering you tangible results that can been seen or measured in some way. Creativity is SO much bigger than that!

We each possess a unique manner of walking through the world. While we may share values and perceptions with those around us, no one can see any situation through our eyes.

How ever YOU enter the world, you are a creative being. Your very presence manifests a different energy in a room. Your voice, desires, and posture are uniquely your own. I remember my mom used to tell me, "There will always be someone better than you and someone worse - prettier and uglier - thinner and heavier." At the time, I didn't realize that any comparison is an act of violence - as I either dismiss myself or the other - instead I learned that I needed to be okay with being average. Except, that didn't add up with the other message she gave me, which was "You are amazing, and do can pretty much do ANYTHING you set your mind to!" Hmm, so how does that math work?

As I sort out my own truth, I believe none of us are special, while simultaneously, we are all unique. No one of us is more important than another, yet your voice and my voice are crucially valuable. If we take any ingredient out of the recipe - in this case, you, me, your spouse, best friend, worst enemy, or the nudge you just can't shake - the souffle may turn into a torte...while still remaining a delicious dessert. In essence, the earth keeps spinning whether you stand on the planet or not, simply do NOT underestimate your place on the planet.

So, where am I going with all of this babble? Again and again, I am reminded of how we take our creative gifts for granted. I witness clients, friends, family, and myself, holding the belief that this thing I do/think/share/be is not such a big deal. Because if I can do it, anyone can do it, right? But maybe not. Maybe I am the only one who can enter this world in the way that I do, and that has an impact on those around me.

I find, I sometimes hear the same teaching from three different messengers, and only one of them resonates. An argument could be made for me not being able to hear it until I am ready; and I'd be first in line to make that argument, except, it's not ONLY that. The energy signature of the delivery person matters as much as the words. One person gets through, when others don't, because each unique creative being - with his/her energetic fingerprint - awakens a part of me unlike any others in that one moment. In turn, any person can be my teacher in a given moment, because we are all creative forces in the universe.

This includes me. I have clients that have worked with other helping professionals, and for some magical reason, our chemistry works in a way that is different from past experiences. It's not because I'm better or worse than the others (mom would say I'm both), rather, I bring my unique creativity to every session - just as each client does - and that makes the difference in that one moment. When the moment passes, they may need a new teacher.

I wonder, what stories you've been telling yourself about your own creative bones? Do you recognize and operate from the place within you that is authentic and true to your creative being? Or maybe you think you're special...if so, entertain the possibility that you are simultaneously special and a small part of the universal soup. It could be that you still believe, "if I can do this, it should be easy for anyone to do it." Perhaps a more accurate version of this is: "why can't he/she just get it?!" Maybe because he/she is not YOU, and you've yet to fully grasp your own creative contribution to the world.

In February, I'm bringing back the What's Next?! Workshop. It's been two years since I've offered this workshop series, and I can tell you, it's going to be better than ever. Over this span of time, I have been learning and practicing new tools and incorporating them into my own life. I feel my life's abundance is at an all time high, and there is no end in sight! For me, one step included taking ownership of my unique gifts, and then learning to live from that vitality, to meet whatever may be next for me. If you would like support in your journey to meet what's next for you...if you'd like to fully embody the gifts that are as individual as your fingerprints, join me!

With love and gratitude,
Joanne Lutz