I was hit with an overwhelming wave of gratitude the other day.
And it was interesting because:
the gratitude
and recognition of how I've been feeling good
and how happy I am with some of the changes I've made in my life recently
came because of the contrast of not getting to do those things in the way I've been doing it.
It's interesting… that sometimes it takes lack to recognize the cravings and impulses you have.
To recognize the things that you're doing that are really good.
I'm noticing the more that I can do to make myself feel good, then the better it is for everyone, right?
The typical oxygen mask theory.
What I noticed too is this intersection between how…
when I'm not in my norm…
I can better see what feels really good
… and sometimes what I want more of that I don't currently have.
I noticed that specifically when I traveled for my girls weekend and then again when I traveled with the family. How that adventure, that movement felt really good.
And I was able to bring that back into my everyday life and my house- we've made a lot of changes and that’s felt great.
And this Recording on the Road series really feels in intersection with this concept of:
When I get out of my norms, I can feel even more grateful.
And it's interesting because a gratitude practice is something I've felt like I “should” have…. like maybe it's that “missing piece.”
So in this moment of feeling gratitude, like I want more of this and journaling and noticing this awareness, I of course looked up gratitude practices to see if I could hit that nail on the head while I was swimming in it.
… And I don't think a gratitude practice is what I really want.
What feels better to me is a creative practice.
What I noticed in this moment was that: I was feeling into a way of living.
That this travel.
This getting out of the norms.
… Because I enjoy it.
Gives me space to feel gratitude.
Creativity promotes gratitude
In college, I studied entrepreneurship and took a class on creativity.
One thing that I always really appreciated my professor shared was:
Do things differently as often as you can. It keeps your brain out of the “doing everything the same way all the time” rut and opens you up to new possibilities.
If you're driving home from somewhere, don't always go the same route, try to go different routes all the time.
And I remember when he said that…. my efficiency freak self was like, but I found the most efficient path that's the way I need to go!
Transitioning from Type-A, business owner to a slow living creator
Now, so many transitions are happening.
Through Substack, my cinematic podcasting on YouTube and all of these things that I'm trying, I'm realizing that leaving behind that business-ey way and…
stepping into this creative way is same, same, same.
It's the same as traveling where I'm out of my norms.
It's the same as creativity allowing you to expand your possibilities by doing something different.
I'm noticing this craving to do something different more often. To shed my efficient business side and lean into being a creative, an artist, going more slowly, being more intentional. And in doing that, I'm noticing it expand into gratitude and happiness.
…. Despite the hard bits in life.
My NEW Paid Column: Becoming Creative
And so it was really interesting as I sat down this morning and reread the notes I wanted to share with you all, how it flowed so well into my latest announcement:
That I want to start writing this column called Becoming Creative.
I want to share my process of leaving behind this identity that I've found in myself for so long of business owner and stepping into being a creative, being an artist, and how that creativity is shifting my life.
There’s this beautiful cycle of I get out of my norms.
I find more of what feels good (or recognize what I have that feels good.)
I implement it.
REPEAT.
Creativity has put me in this cycle and has been really healing for me. It’s making such a difference in my life.
And so as someone who’s shifting from:
a type A
overachiever
high achiever
business minded
strategy focused
efficiency-freak type of person
I feel called to share my journey as I’m learning how to be more artistic and slow and to do life differently.
With Tuning In, my goal is always to give you a prompt. That maybe this can inspire you to find it in your way, too.
By no means do I think my way is the right way, nor do I think you need to do anything that I'm doing, but I'm hoping that this new column provides:
An example of ways to tap into that creativity if you feel called to.
That it unlocks something in you so you can do more of what you crave.
That it helps you find more of what feels good
And supports you in living more intentionally and in line with the life that you want to live.
Because the biggest thing that's been coming up for me is recognizing those conveyor belts, whether they're society built or even my own.
When I’ve done a creative project and I really enjoy it, my business brain pings and I've noticed my impulse to do it again the same way. As I'm stepping back from that and in recognizing this in all the facets of my life, I am excited to keep doing things differently as often as possible. To live my life creatively.
So maybe this will provide that for you too? A prompt for you to try to do things differently? Or maybe you're feeling the same craving I am and you're interested in becoming creative too but don't know where to begin?
Instead of a gratitude practice... I'm becoming creative.