How to CREATE in the middle of things……………………………..???

As a wife, mother, teacher, artist, friend, entrepreneur, Girl Scout leader, PTC board member how do I manage to still create in the middle of things?
The question strikes me funny, because off the cuff my answer would be that I don’t. I don’t feel like I get to create as much as I like. I get frustrated that I have all these fabulously creative ideas in my head and not the time to focus my energies on them. I feel like the time that I do get to create is rushed and chaotic. In my email conversations with my Creativity Coach Susan, she has helped me realize the little moments that I create and to honor those even tiny accomplishments.
I CREATE when I am planning new lessons that will hopefully inspire my students, I CREATE when I plan the craft activity for Girl Scouts, I CREATE when I make a new dish for dinner, based on only what I have in the pantry, I CREATE when I come up with a new game to motivate my children to clean, I CREATE when I help my daughter learn her multiplication facts by giving her imagery to coincide with the answers, I CREATE when I come up with new marketing ideas for my art and jewelry………………
Now this realization did make me feel more successful about my creativity, but it did not cure the nagging ache to create the ideas that I wanted to focus on. I am not a naturally organized or structured person, so to force myself to schedule time to create what I wanted and how I wanted was and still is a chore for me. “Time Thieves” are lurking all around me that will easily eat up those precious free moments if I let them. I must be forceful and diligent about the importance for my creativity, treat it as a diabetic would value their insulin, because for me creating heals my body and mind as a medicine would. I have to engage the support of my husband to help me make sure that time happens and to hold me accountable if I start to put others needs in that time instead of mine, which I have a habit of doing. I also have to be willing to find a place other than home to create, to grab a sketch book and go to the book store or library, because there are too many distractions at home.
It would be great if I could have a gym type membership at an art studio, because it seems that when you pay money for something you are more likely to use it for fear of feeling like you have wasted your money,-- there another CREATIVE moment……….open a “Creativity Gym”, full of creative exercise equipment and supplies, Creativity Coaches and Personal Trainers……..see all the ideas I can come up with if I just take a few moments for my own creativity!

Indiepublic

Art Out of the Box is the afterschool enrichment class I will be teaching and I am so excited! It is an interdisciplinary art class with the focus being on enhancing each child's natural creativity and building their confidence in their own Artistic Expression!



The motivation for this class is to have my children take classes like I took as a child with my Art/Dance Teacher and Mentor Linda Z Smith. I spent a week last summer with Linda absorbing Not Just Vanilla as an adult and in preparation to teach something similar. NJV is in my blood, I just "get it", and I think my Art out of the Box version will be great! I think I will enjoy it as much as kids- if not more.



I have so many ideas floating around in my head, and a week before the class starts- time to lasso them into an organized state.



I also am thankful for my Creativity Coach - Susan, spending the time with her to focus on my creativity on a regular basis and make it more of a priority has lead me to finally make the leap to do this class and other great things that have just been floating around in my head!