Guest Post by Elizabeth Halt
March 2nd, 2010
the story we find ourselves in
I love that the Creative Every Day theme for March is stories. I love stories. There is magic in them. It got me thinking about stories, and creativity, and reminded me of something.
I used to have a story that said I wasn't creative. Now, I have a new story that says I am.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I couldn't draw as beautifully as two of my siblings. The new story says that I am creative because I look at this photo and see a castle rising out of the mist.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I wasn't in a creative profession. The new story says that I am creative because I tell my puppy stories about a girl and her dog and their adventures together.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I wasn't regularly creating artwork. The new story says that I am creative because I can take a bunch of random food items and turn them into a meal.
The old story said that I wasn't creative because I'm not a real artist. The new story says that I am creative because I make birthday cards for friends and family.
I could go on and on.
The funny thing is that nothing has changed except the story. Well .. and my state of mind. The old story used to make me feel sad. I really wanted to be creative, but the story made me feel like I was failing at it. The new story makes me feel happy. It reminds me that creativity happens in moments, and it is so much bigger than my idea of it.
Really, when it comes down to it, life itself is a creative act. We are creating our own life moment by moment. And every moment can be a new story. Maybe all we really need to do is pay attention to them.
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Elizabeth Halt is always looking for beauty - in the ordinary and in the extraordinary. She shares photos from her search on her photo blog, retinal perspectives.
15 Responses
I just love your “story” Elizabeth and especially that you were strong and creative enough to give it a happy ending!
Posted by: Maron | Mar 2, 2010 at 9:11 am |
And so Elizabeth you started a new story, there is a happy ever after! Thank you!
Posted by: Cheri M | Mar 2, 2010 at 10:11 am |
Thank you for pointing out how important the stories we tell ourselves are! I am learning to rewrite my story so I can finally say I am artist. Yes, life is a creative act!
Posted by: Gina | Mar 2, 2010 at 11:47 am |
Lovely post Elizabeth. Stories can be told in so many ways and have so many uses. I liked the way your story was that of your creative journey.
Kat
Posted by: Katina Wright | Mar 2, 2010 at 1:12 pm |
this is a great post. I’ve often put down my own forms of creativity in comparison to others and it’s a much better idea to just enjoy being creative at all.
Posted by: Mare | Mar 2, 2010 at 2:04 pm |
What a lovely and inspiring post. I guess we are all the authors of our own lives. We can write our own happy beginnings, as well as endings. Thank you for sharing this.
Posted by: Sandy Coleman | Mar 2, 2010 at 2:40 pm |
Beautiful, inspirational post, Elizabeth.
Posted by: Julie M. | Mar 2, 2010 at 2:46 pm |
I love this post. Your new story is so much better than the old one. I think it’s important that we check out our stories every now and then to make sure they are still valid, and are accurately portraying our growth and new experiences.
Posted by: Lynn | Mar 2, 2010 at 3:08 pm |
Thank you for helping me re-write my story. I love my new story, too.
Posted by: Leanne | Mar 2, 2010 at 10:01 pm |
I like your new story about creativity. and you are right about life being a creative act:)
Posted by: Bobbi | Mar 3, 2010 at 1:32 am |
Thanks for having me, Leah!
@Leanne: you are welcome! I love your new story too.
@Lynn: it is important. And thank you for the reminder to look at other stories, not just this one.
@Julie: thank you!
@Sandy: oh! Your words: “we are all the authors of our own lives. We can write our own beginnings, as well as endings.” I love this! I need to write it on a post-it note.
@Mare: I do know that feeling .. wish I didn’t. Sometimes it helps me to remember that no one else can do the things we can do in exactly the way that we can. So glad you are still able to be creative!
@Kat: they really do. That’s one of the things I love about them.
@Gina: yes! you are an artist!
@Cheri, @Maron: there is nothing quite like “happily ever after”.
Posted by: elizabeth | Mar 3, 2010 at 2:18 am |
@Bobbi: it is. I rather wish it hadn’t taken me so long to figure that out.
Posted by: elizabeth | Mar 3, 2010 at 2:19 am |
‘every moment can be a new story’ … i so love that
this is beautiful!!
Posted by: darlene | Mar 3, 2010 at 1:22 pm |
@darlene: thanks!
Posted by: elizabeth | Mar 5, 2010 at 10:07 pm |
[...] starting post for March, guest-written by Elizabeth Halt, I found to be thought-provoking and inspiring – about the [...]
Posted by: Creative Every Day – Stories « Writing, Reading & Reflections | Mar 11, 2010 at 1:13 am |