Change

Some of you are aware that I facilitate a Facebook group called Brilliant Chaos, an online community dedicated to encouraging people to create. Every month, during the first full week of the month, we have a Creating Challenge in which people commit to create something each day for five days straight. This week is our week! And our suggested theme is "Change."***

We are all experiencing seasonal change right now. In the Northern Hemisphere we are in the shift that is Autumn, and our Southern Hemisphere friends are sliding into the renewal of Spring. Both spheres are bursting with color and anticipation.

"Change" reflects my sense of being too. I feel I am gaining a greater sense of purpose about my activities, including this blog. When I began writing Artisan of Creative Miracles, I felt like I was taking a big leap of faith. I was calling myself an artist without much proof of it. I was stepping on wobbly, just-born-fawn legs, excited yet tenuous about the adventure before me. 

To strengthen those fawn legs, I committed to a 365-day Creating Challenge in 2013. Each day I created something and blogged about it. It was a glorious, colorful marathon that advanced my artistry and confidence. You can peruse my past posts to witness that journey.

I arrived at December 31, 2013 on adolescent doe legs. And January 1 of this year saw me begin a long rest. Teenagers need a lot of sleep, you know! (I know this personally from having two of them at home.) So much growth happens as we transition into adulthood, and rest is required. It's not that I haven't created during that time. It's just that I no longer required the push nor the accountability that my 365-Day Creating Challenge gave me. And I needed space and time away from blogging.

Coming into this Autumn, I feel I am tranforming into a young adult doe. That means I still have some maturing to do yet I also can begin to claim some truths about myself. That's the Change I want to celebrate in this blog post. I'm hammering stakes into the ground, three specifically:

1. I am an artist. I have beauty to offer the world, and I have skills in many different techniques and arenas for doing so. I own this and will live it. I want to be an Artist of Life. This requires time and space. I can no longer afford to treat creating like a hobby. It is my vocation, and it deserves to be treated as such. So I plan to more intentionally carve out creating time. I look forward to this.
2. I inspire others to create. I have found that a positive unintended impact of my own creating is that others feel inspired to create too. I love this! I've had numerous people tell me that because I have taken the time and opporutnity to draw, paint, play music, and write, they have felt permission to express their creativity as well. This feeds my soul because I believe everyone has something beautiful to offer the world and that when we do so the world becomes a better place. 
3. I am a teacher. This new identity feels the riskiest for me to claim because it involves intentionality. But it's true. I am currently teaching art journaling to young people through Gifted Homeschoolers Forum Online. Next semester I'll teach a class in which parents and students will learn mixed media art techniques together. Teaching is a lot of work, and I love it! I love my students! I love preparing for my classes. The research involved means that while I'm teaching I'm learning and growing too. I'm experiencing so much creative energy! And the kids seem to enjoy what they're learning. This experience has made me realize that whether in the online classroom or elsewhere, I have expertise, enthusiasm, and encouragement to offer others, and it's time for me to do so on a more regular basis. This includes what I share on this blog. I am learning so much others may want to explore, and I'm more than willing to share all of that.

Indeed, change is afoot for me as I step on mature doe legs into this season of changing leaves. I look forward with great anticipation to what comes as a result.

How about you? What changes are you experiencing? Interested in hammering any stakes into the ground? I'd love to hear about it!

***Would you like to join the Brilliant Chaos creating community? We would welcome you with open arms whether you're creating something artistic, musical, literary, scientific, organizational, or anything else. We are a highly encouraging, positive community! Click this link to join.