As an American, I grew up associating the month of July with freedom.
And not just the sparkly, flashy type celebrated with barbecues, but freedom from school, from structure, from being told what to do. Freedom from restrictive clothing and rules and mind-numbing routine.
It was the kind of freedom that let you breathe, that let you feel into what you wanted and go after it. The kind of freedom that now might feel all too far away, for many of us. [link to no]
When the world pushes against us, our tendency is to push back. To get harsh. To fight.
And sometimes that's exactly what's needed. Sometimes that's the way forward.
And other times, like any other living creature, what we need is a break from that.
What we need is to turn inward, to remind ourselves of who we are, to drink from the well of our own deepest self, before we can do anything else.
As Albert Camus put it, "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger – something better, pushing right back."
My friends, there IS something within us that's stronger, better, and pushing right back.
Sometimes that pushing back looks like outward resistance. Sometimes it looks like smearing paint all over a blank canvas as we paint our rage. Sometimes it looks like flinging forth an incandescent song. And sometimes it looks like curling up in a ball and just feeling what's true.
All of these are freedom. All of these are your right. All of these are our ways of expressing our truths to ourselves and, if and when we're ready, to the world.
Claim your freedom. Claim your right to exist as you are. Claim your right to create whatever it is you want. Claim your right to say no, and no, and no again.
That invincible summer--that invincible freedom--is within you, no matter what bears down on you from the outside.
Let it spark you, let it fly forth, and then show us what you've got.
If you'd like a place to explore your creative freedom, then Co-Creation Time is for you. A group of friendly creatives from around the world meet weekly on a Zoom call. We chat about what we'll be working on that day, mute our mics, and get down to work. At the end of our hour, we come back together to update each other on how it's gone. It's a wonderful way to make space for your creative work, and build momentum to keep going. Join us!
Or if you'd like to discuss what it'd be like to work with me one-on-one, please let me know. Drop me a line, and we'll schedule a 30-minute Creativity Chat to talk about what you're interested in creatively, and how you might make the most of it!
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