February is the month of love and, while this often means showing our love to others, I thought it was totally apropos when Stephanie, from Modern Sewciety Podcast, put out the call to the Modern Sewcialites to look at ourselves and reflect on what we love about being creative.
I’m a firm believer that we can’t be there for others if we’re not showing ourselves self-love.
One of the main ways I show myself self-love is through my creative practice.
I don’t necessarily get to sew or quilt every day, but I do think about it or interact with other creatives daily which equally gets my creative juices flowing. And just the thought of what I can create brings me joy! If that’s not a form of self-love, then I don’t know what is!
Freedom to explore
First, I get a sense of freedom.
Freedom from being boxed into the daily grind that life inevitably brings with it. There are daily chores that need to get done, whether I’m in the mood to or not. It’s just a part that comes with adulting. But, being able to think about what I want to create gives me an opportunity to step outside that daily grind and find a world of opportunity and imagination. It’s a beacon of light that calls to me while I’m folding the laundry or doing the dishes. Tackling mundane chores is one of the times I get the most creative sparks, which is why it’s important to keep a notepad at the ready for jotting down those ideas 😉
My creativity allows me to tap into a side of myself that would otherwise go unexplored.
I love allowing myself time to just explore feelings – happy, sad, angry – you name it, there is no shame in sitting with our emotions and allowing those to inform creative ideas. I’ve worked through some of my toughest emotions by taking the time to be creative. And I’ve produced some of my most cherished work. My 100-days of Improv project came at a time shortly after I experienced loss. I can’t tell you how cathartic it was to show up at my sewing table every day and just create – no judgment, no rules, no goal – other than to create for the sake of creating. What a liberating and joyful process. If you haven’t tried it, I highly encourage giving it a go!
It makes me kinder to myself
And, last, but certainly not least, I find my creativity makes me kinder to myself. This is weird, because you would think creating would bring a sense of expectation or judgment with it. But, for me, this is my safe zone. A time when I just get to be me. Where I can play with colour and textiles and see what happy combinations I create. There is no sense of expectation of what should be, just what is. And it is a process that allows me to appreciate my uniqueness. Just like there is no one quite like you, there is no one quite like me. And my creativity is a daily reminder to celebrate that uniqueness.
I hope this inspires you to view your creativity with a compassionate view of the freedom you can feel, the exploration you can embark on, and the uniqueness you bring to this world.
Here’s to celebrating our creativity and the joy that creates not only within ourselves but in the world around us.
If you’re looking to be part of a quilting community, check out the recently launched Modern Sewcialites program catering to us quilters!
Happy month of love!
xo
Shannon
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