Permit to Play

Following on from my recent blog post on creativity and new beginnings I wanted to say thank you for all the comments and feedback I received. They were all very much appreciated and in some ways, it's good to know that I'm not the only one to go through the odd 'creative slump'.

I've been doing a lot of reading/procrastination/housework avoidance on the subject and I have really enjoyed a book by Kim Werker which many of you might have already heard of. The author beind the 'Year of making' project also has a booked called 'Making it Mighty Ugly'. It's a fabulous resource and a guide for how to get the best out of your creative self, even when life is determinedly getting in the way. She shares some great tips and tricks as well as interviews with other creative types.

Other useful articles have been:
https://blog.udemy.com/creativity-exercises/
http://www.elephantjournal.com/2015/04/transforming-a-creativity-slump-into-a-creative-goddess-restoration-period/
https://todaymade.com/blog/how-to-put-creativity-on-your-busy-schedule/


From this I have basically distilled the following:

1. Make time for it.

I am a great one for to-do lists and schedule practically everything about my day - even exercise. Whether I actually do said exercise is just between me and my snooze button though :)
My point is that everything of note in my life is planned - usually - making time for creativity should be the same.

2. Be consistent and 'show up'

Rather than waiting around for the creative urge to strike - see above

"Borrowing DS2's crayons - really must buy my own".

So, in the interests of striking while the iron is hot I am planning to schedule a dedicated amount of time in my day to just PLAY. No pressure, no expectations, just to play with something or at something. Whether I just have 5 minutes or 5 hours (wow - I wish), to just spend a few moments of each day doing something playful for me.

"Fun with colouring in"

I'll be sharing my playful exploits here and also on my Instagram feed using the hashtag #permittoplay.

Why not join me and let me know what you've been playing with?

Love your Blog Week 3: Social media - the good, the bad and the ugly

In the creative industry as in all walks of life, there is a tendency to focus overwhelmingly on the positive and to ignore or minimise the negative, the less-than-perfect or the ugly.

In general this is usually the best policy - as my mother used to say "if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all". However this can lead to what is known in the scientific community as publication bias. Results of pharmaceutical clinical trials which show a positive outcome are far more likely to be published than those which don't.

In the same way, we are all far more likely to document our successful projects on Ravelry and show them on Instagram, than we are to show photos of that sweater with the wonky sleeve that was relegated to the back of the cupboard.

In general, we are far more likely to show only the good, the beautiful and the perfect. Recently a well known Instagrammer made this point and published a series of photos showing her 'everyday' after someone made the comment that she had a 'beautiful life' Her thoughtful response was that, of her normal day the part she shared via social media comprised  approximately 2% - and that was on a good day.

Whilst entirely understandable, this type of self-censorship has the potential to cause anxiety or negative thinking amongst users of social media. Any feelings of self-doubt or tendency to over-critical thinking can be made worse by an endless parade of 'lovely' photographs. As a new parent I remember distinctly feeling overwhelmed by seeing a good friend post pictures she took of baking cookies with her toddler - all happy smiles and clean faces. When I tried the same it ended in tears, tantrums and flour-covered cat.

Now, I'm not for one minute suggesting that we all start to broadcast our 'Ugly' but when using social media it is well worth bearing in mind that you are seeing carefully editing highlights of someones life, or work or craft. And, as beautiful and inspirational as it is, it is part of a bigger, messier, imperfect whole.

And for the record, and in the spirit of scientific interest - this is the product of a week's worth of data gathered on my 'normal' day.

 

 For lots more thoughts on Ugly and it's meaning in our creative context, please see the fabulous A Playful Day, whose brainchild this 'Love Your Blog' series is. Her post on this weeks theme is fabulous and well worth a read.