On Being Creative When Life Gets Busy

Life is busy

Everyone has their own level and intensity of busy-ness, I am no exception. It also comes as no surprise that there aren’t enough hours in a day. Nor enough energy to do everything on your list.

So, then you must make decisions.

Those decisions include what is most important and what is least important. Of course there are things that have to be done i.e. eating, sleeping, work – if you want to eat and have a roof over your head, laundry, family obligations. For the most part these things are required and are non-negotiable.

For a long while, I have struggled with balance. I talk about it a lot. Here, and here. And I know I am not alone.

My desire has been to live a creative life. So, why is it that when I am building a life that will allow me more time and freedom to create, I no longer take the time to write.

Don’t get me wrong. I still write daily. Most of the time it is toward more “productive” endeavors and yet, that yearning to write and lose myself in a story begins to bubble to the surface.

What does this mean?

For me the act of creation is taking an idea, most often an image in my mind, and build the story. Creation means letting go of all of those “required” tasks. Creation means giving my mind the freedom to play. Putting the words on paper, searching for that exact word to make the meaning clear is soul filling and brings me such joy.

Yet, when life gets busy and I am spending all of my creative energy on my side hustle my writing life get tossed to the side?

This is the part that I struggle with: If I am working so hard to build a creative life why is it not more important.

This is one of those question of value.

What is more important? Making money and a living? Or, feeding your creative side.

Of course the answer is that both things are important. However, finding a balance between the two is key.

Again with the balance.

Yes, balance is, I’m discovering, never a thing that ‘once and done’. Balance requires looking at your life every day, sometimes moment by moment, to see where things lie.

Balance has become a calm voice of reason, one that whispers ‘it’s okay, your dream is still out there’ as I find negativity in my thoughts at the end of the day.

Balance is petting the cat just after she is fed because that is her favorite time for touch. It is taking that moment to see the connection and letting her go because that is what she wants.

Balance is stepping outside to look at the sky, focusing for a moment on something much bigger than myself.

A Soft Reset

Taking the time to breath in the cool night air as I head back into my house to bed, has become a nightly ritual. Right now I can see the stars and Mars, at least on a clear day, and in that moment nothing else matters.

It is soft reset button. A pause to see something bigger than the internal battle I wage each day between making a living and making a life.

I hope you take a moment to find your soft reset button. It only takes a moment but if you stop and breathe deep. You can give yourself just that little bit extra energy to finish the day.

Until next time,
Angela