Sometimes my Muse won’t let me sleep, no matter how late. In bed, at various hours of the night, I have to turn on the light and jot down my ideas so the Muse will leave me alone.
When I wake up, the Muse is sitting on my shoulder. Really? You can’t wait? I say. She doesn’t reply, but starts tugging me out of bed. She’s not happy unless she’s the center of attention. Like a diva.
This is how life can be when living with a Muse. Fellow creatives can surely relate. But what if you don’t consider yourself creative?
I still abide by the notion that ALL people are creative–by virtue of being human and made in God’s image. And we’re all creative in different areas, not just the arts.
Unfortunately, bad things happen on our way to a brilliant and fulfilling creative life. Negative influences in our early lives can squash it, at home or school. Then we grow up thinking we don’t have a creative bone in our bodies.
We believe the Muse has purposely abandoned us, when in reality, she has been abused or ignored so much that she is depressed and starving.
But the fact is, the creativity lies dormant. We are ALL creative. The problem is, we have fallen prey to those earlier negative influences. The solution? Feed the Muse.
That’s what this blog is attempting to do! Tickle your imagination. Discover suppressed inspirations. Draw them out. Give your Muse something to savor.
Are you Celebrating or Lamenting?
So . . . where are you on your creative journey? Do you enjoy your own inspirations and celebrate the accomplishments of others?
Or do you bemoan your lack of ability and constantly compare yourself to artists of all kinds who thrive more than you do?
How are you feeding your Muse?
- Do you take time every day to luxuriate in journaling, sketching, or singing in the shower?
- Do you strategize in business?
- Do you plan menus, meals, trips, or weekly schedules? Do you travel?
- Do you read fiction?
- Do you read fairy tales?
- Do you ponder the complexities of life?
- Do you immerse yourself in nature and appreciate its beauty?
- Do you wonder how things work?
- Do you go to plays and musicals or write poetry?
- Do you empathize with others who have lives very different from your own?
- Do you take classes to learn new things?
- Do you try things outside your comfort zone?
These are all ways to Feed your Muse.
Pictures courtesy of Visual Hunt and Pixabay.
I’ll soon take a break from the blog over the holidays, but in the meantime, I invite you to continue seeking inspiration and nourishing your Muse by checking out this link—all my blog posts in one neat tidy place you can easily reference by subject matter and theme. Go here to my post “Are You Celebrating or Lamenting?”
This was originally posted in June, 2018 but has been updated to include every post to date.
You can also find the posts in chronological order here (most recent ones on top).
Tell me how you’re doing in your creative journey.
I’d love to hear from you!
Ever musing,
Laura
I think the hardest is when that muse teases you to follow but you just can’t seem to catch it. That sitting and staring, knowing something isn’t created right but you don’t know how to fix it. That tip of your tongue/back of your head stuff that won’t let you go but won’t let you express it, either. They say there’s no such thing as writer’s block, but sometimes that muse plays hide-and-seek.
Keep the seat in the chair? or Go walk it off? THAT is the question.
Thanks for a blog that keeps us at it! (even when it isn’t easy.) Yes, my muse keeps me up at night, wakes me up in the morning, whispers to me in meetings and at stoplights. But there’s nothing like looking back at something I created and feeling that satisfaction. Makes me jump right back into it again 😉
Thanks for pointing out another aspect of that sometimes elusive creativity–the Muse that plays hide-and-seek! No doubt many readers can relate to that. Even so, I’m glad you’ve been able to experience the satisfaction of a job well done in the creative arena. And that you keep striving!
I love knowing people like you who, when the muse strikes in the middle of the night, don’t shove her under the pillow and tell her to come back in the morning.
I’m serious! Pretty sure that a huge portion of creativity is actually getting out of bed and doing something. One part inspiration, 3 parts perspiration.
Wish I liked perspiring more and sleeping less, but I’m thankful for people who listen to that muse and create beauty. And then share it with the rest of us 🙂
Enjoy your blog break and feed that muse!
You’re right about the one part inspiration, 3 parts perspiration. Or it could be 1 part to 9 parts, or 1% to 99% (did Edison say that?). Either way, I know you listen to your Muse, too!