Re posted from www.metroblenznewssquad.com

I begin with an idea. Then it becomes something else. Pablo Picasso

The creative process is a journey of joy. The more we surrender to it, the richer the experience, and at times the struggle to find it can lead to a richer experience when found. We all have it. For some of us, it is a familiar journey in that we recognize the signposts and become clever with making full use of what comes up. I have found my best journeys start with an acceptance of what is, and from that platform, become open to possibility. It sets the tone for inventive ideas.

Sunday, April 12th was one of those rich, full days. It was a beautiful day ripe with possibility. The cherry trees outside my condo are in full bloom, to be replaced by flying flower confetti. I walked out my door wanting to explore. To seek adventure. To be open to the unexpected. And to embrace what came my way. Here are some basic tips to enjoy the best experience you can on a designated day off.
1. Plan to not plan. Be open to the spontaneity of the moment. Creative people don’t talk about their creativity. They just experience it. To just be.
2. Take 5 minutes before you start your day to meditate. To just BE. Find that place of peace and let it carry you through the day. You can always go back to that place at any time you feel tension.
3. Take care of all your computer tasks, internet exploration + emails early in the day in order to clear your platter. So you can set yourself up with a blank canvas for the rest of the day.
4. Go outside. Bring a camera and a notebook. Record stuff. Take a walk. Try public transit. I’ve been without transportation for the last two weeks and enjoy public transit. The bus interior as backdrop, it’s great to see the cacophony of colour, texture and pattern in people’s attire. Find order in chaos. And chaos in order.

5. Find the abstract in the ordinary. Look at the intricacy in sidewalk patterns. Or the texture of the bark of a tree. Then look at the richness of colour within that context. It can be pretty mind blowing.
Here’s the thing about the creative process. We all look at life from a unique lens, so your creative vehicle may not be nature. Whatever it is, it’s yours to discover. Your passion lies within. The journey is worth taking, whether it is 5 minutes at a time or 5 days or 5 weeks. In the case of a friend of mine on Salt Spring Island, he let go of all the trappings of the city – the penthouse downtown – to find what really mattered to him. And found inner peace in the process. When I’m with him for a short period of time, I get what he gets, and enough to know that I don’t have that inner peace he does.
It’s a journey. Stay open to all of it as I’ve discovered the answers lie within. But you must be quiet enough to listen.