Monday, April 11, 2016

Living Creatively

Soul Revelation

Creativity itself doesn't care at all about results—the only thing it craves is the process. Learn to love the process and let whatever happens next happen without fussing too much about it. Work like a monk, or a mule, or some other representative metaphor for diligence. Love the work. Destiny will do what it wants with you regardless.”
Elizabeth Gilbert

Some final thoughts about living creatively: Don't worry about the results. Many of us are so afraid that whatever we do is not good enough to have a financial return, that we don't try. Our creative endeavors may pay off in terms of money, and they may not. It's none of our business either way—what is our business is getting so deeply into the work that we lose track of time. So deeply that we forget everything except the way the story, or the vision, or the piece of work is composing itself in front of us. What comes out and reveals itself is our very own soul. And our soul work does not have a price.

My old friend, Mary Virginia Brown, once told me, “Don't ever write anything unless you have to, and never write anything that is not your own story.” At the time, I took that as criticism, but today, I realize the truth of it. People who write, or paint, or dance, or (insert your own soul work) do it because they have to—it's imperative. It's not about the financial return, though it's nice when that happens; it's about unique soul expression. The love is in the process and not the product. If you set out to create something simply to make money, you end up with a soulless product that carries within it no love, no Eros, no energy.

So, here's my final word on creativity: Don't be afraid to fail. Don't be afraid of not being the best. Do not be afraid of ANYTHING. Instead, throw yourself into the work and love every minute of it. You have a beautiful soul just waiting to be revealed.

                                                             In the Spirit,
                                                                Jane



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