Remember how it felt at the beginning?
When creating was an act of pure joy, like a cosmic dance, a birth right that flowed from the deepest part of your soul?
Each mark you made on the canvas felt sacred, as if you were honouring an ancient, intuitive, creative heart. It was innocent back then. It felt natural, like the quiet fall of snow, each flake landing in perfect silence, delicate and alive with potential. Each movement of your paintbrush expressed something beyond words—a reflection of something eternal. But as time passes, we often lose that feeling. We get caught in the noise of expectations, the weight of fears, and the pressure to succeed.
We lose the rhythm.
As the poet Pablo Neruda wrote, “Let us not forget that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair.”
Our connection to the world, and to our art, is natural. Yet, in the rush of life, we forget to honour that connection. To rediscover the purity of that creative rhythm, we must go deeper, ask harder questions, and reconnect with the essence of why we create.
As Jack Kornfield reminds us, “Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.”
Is This the Path for You?
If my words don’t resonate, perhaps this creative path isn’t for you. In today’s world, we often hear that to succeed as a creative, you must think like an entrepreneur, align with celebrities, build massive social followings, and stay on-trend.
But does any of that truly speak to your creative heart?
What does success mean to you?
Does it mean creating from your soul, living your truth through art, or simply being in tune with the natural rhythm of life? If so, keep reading, because the path of the artist is not defined by external pressures or by the accumulation of followers and praise.
Reframing the Creative Journey
The creative life is anything but linear. It isn’t a straight path to financial success, nor is it without obstacles. It is full of dead ends, self-doubt, bad decisions, imperfections, and fear of judgment. Yet it is also a journey filled with cosmic awe, interconnectedness, bliss, and moments of silent joy.
Jack Kornfield teaches, “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.” The same is true of creativity. The art that awaits you is often hidden beneath layers of expectation and fear—layers that need to be peeled away gently.
Ram Dass said it beautifully: “We’re all just walking each other home.” Creativity, much like life itself, is a personal journey. It’s not a race to fame or fortune, but a quiet, inward journey of discovering your true self and your authentic voice. Over time, you may have become attached to the identity of being an “artist,” perhaps feeling that it made you somehow more special than others.
But what if it’s time to question that identity?
True growth happens when we stop needing to be somebody and embrace the beauty of being nobody. In the stillness of being nobody, you find the freedom to create from a place of purity.
As Wendell Berry wisely said, “The impeded stream is the one that sings.” It’s in the humility of daily life, with all its obstacles and imperfections, that the lotus of true creativity blossoms.
Moving Forward: Seeds of Wisdom
I’m not here to tell you what to do but to remind you of the wisdom you already carry within. You’ve always had the answers. My blog, ebooks, and 1:1 sessions are simply tools to help you listen more closely to the inner knowing that has been with you all along.
As the philosopher Blaise Pascal once said, “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” Can we learn to embrace the silence, let go of the noise and pressure, and return to the simple joy of creating—just for the sake of creation?
“In the end,” Jack Kornfield tells us, “just three things matter: how well we have lived, how well we have loved, how well we have learned to let go.”
Can we let go of the need to be seen, the need to be validated, and simply create from the heart?
As Ram Dass so beautifully said, “We’re all just God in drag.”
We are all divine creators, whether we recognize it or not. I hope this blog serves as a reminder to keep moving forward, not for fame or fortune, but for the quiet refuge and love found in the creative process. When we create from that place of love, our work becomes a gift—not just to ourselves but to our community.
Join Me: A Heart-Centred Creative Practice
If you’re ready to slow down and reconnect with your artistic rhythm, join me for a ten-week Heart-Centred Painting course. In this course, we will focus on creating just one meaningful piece of art over time, crafting from a place of intention, meditation, and deep inner reflection.
This isn’t about creating art to impress or follow trends—it’s about making art that matters. Art that comes from your true self, from that place of stillness, like the silence of freshly fallen snow.
Together, we will find that rhythm again and bring it back to life in our creative work.
Click the link below to learn more and sign up—let’s create something that truly speaks to the heart.
Book a class with me at The Peaceful Paintbrush...
As you continue to infuse your art with love and wisdom, may you find renewed energy and passion in each carefully chosen word and note!
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