It's Never Too Late to Begin to Create

I read an inspiring article this weekend about Lucille Cummings, a Dallas woman celebrating her 100th birthday in good health, which is in and of itself something to admire. But what really delighted me was the fact that Lucille has been painting for the past 54 years. Do the math and that means she only decided to give painting a try at age 46!

Lucille still enjoys painting to this day and though she stopped entering juried art shows about 18 months ago, she continues to attend a monthly critique class.  (You can read more about Lucille here.)

I love hearing stories of people trying new creative endeavors no matter their age. I was in my mid-40s when I jumped in and enjoyed several first-time creative experiences including recording my solo CD, "Dancing in Limbo" so I can relate to the joy, excitement and fear of diving into new creative pursuits a little later in life. (more about my personal creative journey here)

(Listen to samples of my songs here.)

Helping people realize that it's truly never too late to begin to create is one of my greatest passions. I love sharing the message that spending time with creative experiences that make your heart sing and time fly (your Creative Oasis) can enrich your life beyond compare.

Check out some people who found their creative bliss later in life:

* Julia Child was almost 50 when she collaborated on her first French cooking book.

* Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the beloved "Little House on the Prairie" series, published her first book of her at age 65.

* Harlan Sanders (you may know him as the Colonel of Kentucky Fried Chicken) was 66 when he began his KFC empire.

* Dr. Ruth was 55 when she published "Dr. Ruth's Guide to Good Sex" and launched her radio show.

* Artist Louise Bourgeois was finally recognized for her contributions to the art world with a retrospective of her work on her 70th birthday at the Museum of Modern Art.

I once had the privilege to know an amazing woman named Juanita Powers. She went back to school and started her own successful business in her 40s after her husband died. In her 50s she took up ballroom dancing. In her 60s she began to paint and in her 70s started writing poetry. She wasn't famous, but wow, was she happy, fulfilled and an absolute inspiration to behold!

Here's a quote that sums it up beautifully for me:

"For of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are these, it might have been." 

~ John Greenleaf Whittier

What wonderful creative experiences are you putting off because you're too busy...because you're afraid you won't be good enough...because you worry what people might think...because you don't know where or how to begin?

Why not take the next two minutes to write a quick list of all the creative experiences you long to try plus the passions you once enjoyed, but haven't touched in years? After you have your list, quickly circle the first three that call to your heart the loudest and ask yourself, "Do I really want these to be my might-have-beens?"

Of course, I'd love to help you make more time and space to enjoy your personal Creative Oasis! So if you'd like my help, please check out my one-on-one creative coaching packages here. Or join me for my upcoming teleclass, Creating Time for Your Creative Oasis. Or, if you live in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area sign up for one of my Fall 2014 workshops or classes.

I'm living proof that you really can bring the joy of creative satisfaction into your life right now. It's never too late to begin to create!

All the best from my Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

Jill Allison Bryan

www.creativeoasiscoaching.com

P.S. ~ If you enjoyed this post and would like to receive bite-size bonbons of creative inspiration like this in my Mid-Week Oasis Moments plus a free copy of my e-book "Permission to Be Creative 101" join me here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html.

Creative Bliss in 3 Easy Steps

I have an idea! What if we reframe sunsets as mini-creative workshops? You may be wondering "How in the world would we do that?" and even "Why in the world would we do that?"

Well, sunsets are beautiful to behold, occur daily and they're free. More importantly, taking a few moments to enjoy a sunset happens to be an awesome example of exposure, an extremely important, but often overlooked step in the creative process –  not to mention a wonderful way to increase your personal creative bliss. 

Exposing ourselves to the wonders of nature as well as other people's art, music, writing, recipes, ideas…in fact, all manner of creativity...shifts our focus from our own pursuits (and how much progress we're making…or not making…with them) and helps rev up our creative energy! 

It's so easy to get caught up in measuring the progress of our creative projects that we often neglect our desire to soak up our sponge with creative goodness in other ways. (Plus, it can be so damn fun that we may feel guilty even considering it.) Allow me to help alleviate that guilt for you. 

Consider this…doesn't it make sense that Van Gogh spent a good amount of time simply gazing at the golden beauty of sunflowers before he was able to paint some of his most well-known masterpieces?  That Julia Child sampled copious amounts of buttery sauces before perfecting and sharing her own? That Aretha swayed to the gospel of many a church choir before gracing us with R-E-S-P-E-C-T?

When we stop to appreciate the beauty around us we nourish our creative spirit.

How might you treat yourself to some inspiring exposure this week? 

What if you...

 Listen to the birds outside your window…

Savor your morning cup of coffee or evening glass of wine…

Take flight in a pretend rocket ship to the moon with your niece…

Watch a documentary art film…

Listen to some world-beat music...

Stop to smell the honeysuckle blooming in your backyard…

Listen to the rain on the roof in the middle of the night…

Try out that new Cuban restaurant around the corner...

Can you come up with three ideas to practice exposure that sound good to you? 

I'd love to hear them in the comments section below!

Until next time, all the best from my sunset Creative Oasis to yours,

Jill

P.S. – If you'd like to have Mid-Week Oasis Moments (bite-sized bonbons of creative inspiration) delivered each week please sign up here: http://www.creativeoasiscoaching.com/newsletter.html

You'll also receive a free copy of "Permission to Be Creative 101" – my e-booklet that will help you take the first small steps to make the time and space for creative fulfillment – your Creative Oasis – in  your busy life!