{Day 9}: Your creative soul {Part 2}

"If we want to make meaning, we need to make art. Cook, write, draw, doodle, paint, scrapbook, take pictures, collage, knit, rebuild an engine, 

sculpt, dance, decorate, act, sing--it doesn't matter. 

As long as we're creating, we're cultivating meaning." 

~Brene Brown

As I talked about yesterday in part 1, when we want to unleash our creative souls, we encounter obstacles. Putting pen to paper or brush to canvas (or any creative work) is like having to push a huge boulder of opposition out of the way first. 

It's like a mental and emotional workout to push that opposition out of the way, so the creative spirit can come to the surface and then come out.

"Creativity, which is the expression of our originality, helps us stay mindful that what we bring to the world is completely original and cannot be compared."

~Brene Brown

My self talk growing up was, "Never make mistakes! That way everyone will be happy with you! You must keep everyone happy all the time!"

Loud gremlins that were allowed their way in my mind, heart and soul for too long!

My soul was whispering that it wanted to create, but was afraid to show itself for fear of getting hurt.

I took a Kelly Rae Roberts online mixed media class (kellyraeroberts.com) that has changed that self talk into something more positive.

Kelly Rae had us do journaling (soul work) before even getting the paints out. I was frustrated at first, because I thought, "why not just get started painting?" But, tears surfaced during the journaling session. I think because the soul work touched someplace deep inside of me that needed attention. That place that had been afraid to show itself.

I needed affirmation and encouragement that I was worthy of this work. I was worthy of learning new things on and off the canvas. I was worthy of peeking inside to see what my heart was whispering. The whispers that were longing to be shared with the world.

During journaling for that class, my inner wisdom spoke up and said,

"Enough!"

"Enough of the gremlins shouting you're not good enough!"

"Enough of comparison being a thief to the joy of creating!"

"Enough!"

I remember the day I started to paint. Kelly Rae had us get paint on our hands and smoosh it around on the canvas haphazardly.

I cried.

I couldn't believe the feeling of freedom and permission I felt as I put my fingers in the paint.

The comparison gremlins quieted. The perfection gremlins were silenced.

Suddenly I felt free to let little Anne, the creative girl inside of me, out to play, to explore, to be curious and to have fun.

Painting has released a playful spirit in me and has given me permission to make mistakes, something I've never allowed myself to do.

Creating with words and paint has made those gremlins crumble.

They're shrinking and being silenced by my intentional creativity.

How about you? Is there something that you've always longed to do, but are afraid to try? Have you tried something new to you and felt renewed freedom to be yourself, and a renewed playful spirit (and soul)? 

I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

Blessings to you today, friend!

~Anne

Thanks for stopping by today on the 9th Day of my Soul Spa Series. Please go here for a list of all Soul Spa posts this month! 

Joining up with 100's of bloggers for the month of October. We've each picked a unique topic. It's worth a stop at write31days.com to see what it's all about!