What Lights Your Creative Spirit On Fire?

Today I’m thinking about creativity, how we nurture it and how we express it.

One of the writing organizations I belong to is the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. As you’d expect, we talk a lot about books, creativity and writing.

Fellow WFWA member, Marilyn Brant, brought up a discussion a few weeks back that lit me on fire.

With Marilyn’s permission, I’m sharing “my moment,” and her words, with all of you.

For anyone who’s a fan of Sue Monk Kidd, I took a few notes on her speech in Chicago (April 2008). It was on “The Writing Life,” and she shared her words of wisdom for writers:

Discovering our personal stories is our spiritual quest. Your job is to become “the greatest version of the grandest vision you have for yourself.”

You’re called to “a place where your deep gladness and the world’s great hunger meet.” You must find the “necessary fire” that inspires your creativity.

Go Sue Monk Kidd! That woman had me at The Secret Life of Bees. Still, when I read these words from her talk,  I got that little jolt that says “pay attention.” Especially the part about “the ‘necessary fire’ that inspires your creativity.”

Isn’t that what we all seek?

To be able to tap into the words, the “grandest vision” within us…and share it in a way that touches a chord in others?

That’s certainly what I seek. And I’m always stunned by how much energy the journey requires.

One of the partners where I work sent me a link to an article in Forbes called 14 Things Successful People Do On Weekends. #3 on the list, after “spend time with friends and family” and “exercise” was “Pursue Your Passion.”

To sum the Forbes article up:

After you soothe your heart and care for your body, you need to take time to nurture your spirit.

Makes sense, right? But do YOU do it?? I’ll confess that, quite often, I don’t.

Yes, there were other things on the list of fourteen that I liked, but I loved the article because she nailed the top three things that everyone, particularly creative people, needs to remember. And she put them first.

So often we forget, in the rush of all we must do to survive, to nurture our souls. That’s really what allows us to “become ‘the greatest version of the grandest vision you have for yourself.'”

If you do not pamper your creative spirit, it will wither and shrivel away. Once this happens, it takes an astonishing amount of work to get that spirit of yours back in working order. At least that’s been my experience.

What lights your creative fire? What nurtures your soul, and allows you to share your gifts with others? Is it a place, a person, an activity? Enquiring minds LOVE to know these things here at More Cowbell!

Jenny

Note: If you’d like more of Marilyn Brant’s words, please visit her blog and check out her books.