Creative Passion

How do you keep going, when your best barely gets you out of bed, or maybe doesn’t even carry you that far?

I try to remember all the things that I feel passionate about. They all relate to creativity, either mine or that of the cosmos or other creatives out there.

Light, color, sensation.

Brewing a cup of coffee in a mug I cherish.

Reading a sentence that sets me on fire.

Hitting a groove listening to one of my playlists and dancing in my kitchen, which now features its very own mid-sized disco ball over the sink (bigger than the one in the photo above).

Rustling up the energy to make a more complicated meal and pulling it off well, then sharing my creation with friends and family.

Doodling or writing in my journal, decorating it with fun stickers.

Sharing funny online content with my daughter and my friends. Today I sent my best friend footage of a live performance of a metal band singing about dwarves mining the mountains for gold. She loved it!

A lot of activities fuel my passion. There are only so many hours in a day, and some are more feasible than others on different days.

Tonight, my mood crashed hardcore. My mom had told me even if I felt kind of rough that it might help to do some shopping at our local discount store. I had been planning to go back since I browsed the other day.

I ended up getting one of the Hello Kitty water bottles I had seen last time (Kuromi!!!), the disco ball, an evil eye aromatherapy air freshener that smells like eucalyptus, 2 new enamel pins and a reinforced ID holder for my work lanyard, and a Wednesday Addams magnet for my fridge, all for about $20. Now, I can keep the cats out of my ice water, and I have something cute to drink it from!

I still have to visit the park on the edge of the water to look for cool rocks (which will be fun, and free), but I’m trying to engage my inner Artist, my inner child, as often as I can.

Even when that seems nigh unto impossible, I try to remember there will be days when joy presents itself more readily.

Yesterday, I witnessed a sunset, through the screen of a stand of trees at the park I was passing by. The light from the sun was so intense, I thought for a moment the trees were burning.

There’s always something, if you’re able to see it.

There are days and nights I need reminding, like my mom’s gentle push to try finding myself some things to cheer myself up.

I hope you have those kind of touchstone moments when you need them.