The Most Important Part of the Creative Life
Everyone wants to reach creatives: that special class that until recently was made up of mostly misfits. But now we’re all weird. There are innumerable resources — books, seminars, coaching programs — all geared towards aiding the creative process.
So what’s an artist to do?
Photo credit: Gary Radler
If you make art, your skills have never been in higher demand. There have never been more people willing to help you do your work. There’s just one problem: You will still be misunderstood.
Your work will be misrepresented, and you won’t be appreciated — in spite of being popular. At times like these, when the spotlight is on you, it’s important to remember the most important part of the creative life:
SPACE.
Without it, you flounder and get frustrated. You burn out and blow up. But what does this mean — space? The very absence of something is hard to explain, but essential, nonetheless. Especially when it comes to creative work.
If God created the universe from chaos — if he spoke earth into existence amidst nothingness — then we have good reason to believe that having a little space to create is a good thing.
There are three types of space every creative must consider:
1. Physical space
There is a relationship between the place you work and the work you do.
If your space is cluttered, you will feel anxious. At times, a little nervous energy can be a good thing, but if all you ever do is work in a mess, don’t be surprised if you feel unprepared for the Muse. And don’t be surprised if she doesn’t come at all. She’s waiting for you to get your crap together.
When I find my creativity flustered, I do the following:
Do the dishes (because this actually relaxes me).
De-clutter (throw away old magazines, pay bills, etc.)
Clean off my desk.
Put papers into neat piles.
Move junk out of sight.
Find a clean space to create (or make one).
Whatever I need to do to focus on the work, that’s what I do. And if you want to create something compelling, you must do the same.
2. Mental space
If your mind is consumed with worries and concerns — pending deadlines and to-do items — you won’t be thinking clearly. And this will affect what you write, paint, or design.
The best way to overcome this? Finish your chores.
Whatever is upsetting or distracting you, just do it. Get it over with. Walk through the discomfort and get back to work.
Here are a few things that hold me back, mentally:
A confrontation with a coworker that I’m procrastinating.
A lot of email piling up in my inbox.
A long list of household chores.
A bank statement I haven’t reconciled.
A bunch of windows open on my computer.
A cluttered desktop.
Whatever it is, my mind will not rest and won’t be able to focus until I get it done. So I make the mental space to be able to create. And maybe you’ll need to do the same.
3. Spiritual space
Creativity is a spiritual act, a work of the heart. If my internal life is messy, can you imagine what that means for what I’ll create? You guessed it — a mess.
The pain and plight of the artistic life is too romanticized. Creativity and suffering are closely connected, but not dependent on each other. Art exists in spite of pain, not because of it. And as an artist, you will always be rebelling against injustice, always pushing back darkness.
You can create begrudgingly or gratefully. The difference is how you face the pain:
Is there brokenness in your life? Acknowledge it.
Unresolved conflict? Deal with it.
Hurt from your childhood or issues with your parents? Voice them.
Whatever you fill yourself with, it will come out in the work you do. If you want to share joy and beauty with the world, you must fill your life with those things.
At times, this is hard, because as artists we’re often resisted. But as Anne Lamott reminds us, this feeling of being “blocked” is, in fact, emptiness. And here’s the rub: Emptiness and space are not the same.
Space is something you make in your life, amidst the busyness, so that you can fill it. Emptiness is a spiritual void that cannot be filled, no matter how much you create. If you find yourself empty, it means your life is lacking space.
Space to dream. Space to think. Space to believe.
Before you can create, you have to make sure your soul is filled. This may require you to face some demons and slay a few dragons. But once you do, you’ll be ready to make your contribution to the world — and all the more grateful for doing so.
What about you? What space do you need to create in your life? Share in the comments.
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This post was inspired by the Luminous Project , a conference for creatives and communicators that I’ll be speaking at. As a special discount to my readers, you can get 35% off when you sign up, using the code: BRINGitHERE.
