5 Creative Ways To Pursue Your Passion
"Conditions for creativity are to be puzzled; to concentrate;
to accept conflict and tension; to be born everyday;
to feel a sense of self."
Erich Fromm
Pursuing your passion can draw the best of your creativity from you. Being creative lends greater meaning to your life. Others will benefit from your creativity.
Sir Ken Robinson gives here an inspiring and entertaining TED talk about creativity in education. His website is one of the most fun I have ever visited.
"Creativity is a type of learning process where the teacher and pupil
are located in the same individual."
Arthur Koestler
In response to my post last week 3 Tips To Awaken Your Life's Passion I received the following:
"I am pursuing my passion and have run into lots of hardships. However I am determined and often times I find myself visualizing success before it has happened just as you described in the article. If possible-- since I am dealing with this right now - write something on recovering from setbacks and dealing with adversity when you have decided not to give up no matter what. I know that may sound kind of off the wall, but I find myself trying to secure little wins to keep going. and love to hear and read about how others overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles."
Here are 5 ways to recover from setbacks and deal with adversity. You have probably heard many times the story about Edison inventing the light bulb. History relates that it took over 1,000 (some say more) attempts at light bulb before he achieved his goal. How did he keep going? Thankfully, he did.
1. Bless The Block
Accept the setback. Do not let yourself be cast down by it. It may be just what you need to take a vital next step in a direction you would not otherwise have taken. Look for the good in whatever does not seem to be going your way. Adversity can prove to be a blessing in disguise, if you choose to see it that way.
These two sayings help me keep a winning frame of mind:
Every knock's a boost and
Everything that comes to me is for me.
2. Re-energize Yourself
Do not be tempted to let your energy drop so that you become despondent. Stand up tall. Take a few deep breathes to connect you with your spirit. Smile. Have a break and do something different - give yourself a treat. Speak kind words of encouragement to yourself, as a loving parent would to their adored child. Play at something, just for the fun of it.
Drink plenty of water. It helps to clear negative emotion. Go for a brisk gratitude walk, recalling all the things you now appreciate in your life, especially the "small" things you often take for granted. Swim, even jump up and down on the spot. It may seem silly - and make you laugh. Laughter is great for getting things back in perspective.
3. Refocus On Your Passion
Connect with what your passion means for you. Feel it, see it, hear it. Immerse yourself in the beauty and magnificence of your purpose. Set aside considerations and touch into your heart, the source of your vision. Do you have images around you that help you to hold your purpose? Do you have a photo of yourself central to the images?
Remind yourself: What is calling you to express your passion? How is it a valuable contribution - to yourself, to others? Why is this vision important to you?
4. Get Support
Few great objectives have been achieved in isolation, as anyone who has watched an Oscar night will verify. Ask others for help when you need it. Be open and willing to receive assistance when it is offered to you. You may gather a team around you who enjoy participating and contributing to your efforts.
Find one or more "witnesses". A good witness is primarily a listener who shares a positive focus with you. I have several wonderful witnesses, dear friends who listen with great empathy, both when I meet a setback, but also when I have a win. It is so good to share your wins! It seems to make them bigger somehow - and that keeps me going.
5. Access Your Spirit
Saying "Help" can be the most profound prayer. Many times, I have found amazing things happening having called for help from my depths. Your creative centre is the source of what I call divine guidance. Prayer I have found to be a way of making the connection between my earthly, child-like nature and my higher spiritual self. Well chosen affirmations are a form of prayer that condition you and help move you in the direction of your passion.
Forgive yourself for the mistakes you think you have made. They may turn out to be not so wrong. I know that the spirit you are is magnificent beyond understanding. I hope that you may come to realize something of this for yourself. Begin by loving yourself, just as you are.
"There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it's going to be a butterfly."
Buckminster Fuller
Have you ever overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles in pursuing your purpose and passion? I would love to hear about them. As the writer above suggested, sharing our stories can give great hope and encouragement to others.
source: Huffingtonpost
