When it comes to reaching a creative outlet, it is common place that you first just pick up a camera, paintbrush, or whatever your tool of choice happens to be and just create. We assume that the creative desire is something that is burning, aching to get out in to the world. In the stories and tales of successful people it is was their way out. I tend to believe a little differently.
Between the sad suffering of where you are now, and the promise of where you could be there is a journey that we all have to take. Until now that journey is something that is hidden in pretty words, hymnals, speeches or whatever medium you subscribe that will urge you to get up and get started. That message is simple. You have to get started, starting. Yes it is scary
, hard, difficult, confusing, and tiring. It is something that you will have to do that is out of your comfort zone. It is something that you have never done before. It is something that you will have to watch spark, and fuel it with before it the flame can begin to illuminate. You have to be accountable for your progress.
On thing that I have found that makes starting a little easier it taking away the idea of failure. Removing the notion that you have failed in this task, is part one of the most important parts of this journey. Why you ask? When you say you have failed, what you are saying is that you cannot continue. When you say you have failed you are saying that the goal you are attempting to reach is no longer achievable. You are saying that you cannot. That is simply not the case. As long as you have breath you can continue. As long as you have a heart beat you can move forward. As long as you something better you can get to something better. You can get there. You can reach it. You can achieve it. You just need to start. Praying is great. Hoping is wonderful. Speaking it, writing it, wanting it and waiting for it are all good things. They are not actions that will move you. They are words, motivators, memes and songs to simply get your mind right to move. The question is where do you go.
The answer is forward. You have to have a goal. Be it large or small, big or little, light or heavy, you need to have a goal, something that you are 'shooting' towards. You listen to all the stories of Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, or whomever. NONE of those stories will move you unless you are ready to move. So here, right here is where we first learn how to get started moving. The first step is to make sure that you have what you NEED to survive. Before you can move forward you NEED to have a consistent source of food, access to consistently clean water. You need the ability yo breath clean air and a safe place to sleep. Yes you can achieve with levels of this, but until each of these are at one hundred percent where you feel like you have these things consistently. Nothing is more draining then not having these physiological needs met. The less of these things that you have the harder it is to achieve your dreams.
The second thing you need to have are things that give you a sense of safety and security. Things like having a consistent paycheck or revenue stream, having the means to have a healthy body. No one wants to get hurt, and when you do, you need to have means get your self healthy again. You need to have what ever you need to feel safe. Be that an alarm on the door, a safer neighborhood, having a safe commute, some sort of employment security. If you are worried about loss in your base then you need to get your base as safe as you can.
Next you need to have a social circle or a social flower with as many petals as you can. Here is where I struggle. Having and depending on people as I depend on myself has been proven to lead to more LEARNING OPPOURTUNITIES than I would care to mention. As the lessons of whom to choose where not learned, what I did learn happened to be "dont trust anyone". (Years later this lesson is still being unlearned). In its place I am learning to trust others and to invite them in to my social circles. Be they friendships, social groups, community groups, church or religious organizations or an IRL group. Just make sure that you have people that you trust in your life and that you interact with them. This will also impact your loneliness, depression and anxiety, as they will be replaced with a role, and a sense of community within a trusted group. If you have a problem with your friends. Change your friends, you are in control.
Once these are satisfied the next step is to be satisfied with your value and what you can contribute to the world. When you are being poured into, what you are meant to give will come out. Be it in your accomplishments, achievements, focus or rationality, where ever you spend the most of your time and energy doing is where you are supposed to be, doing what you are supposed to be doing. The goal and purpose that you have will be as clear as the rise of a sun or the setting of the moon. Where you contribute and thrive is where you can and will continue to thrive. In short your esteem needs to be full.
Now you are ready to create. Now you are ready to develop. Now you have all the tools you need in order to get up off the couch and begin the journey. This same plan or a variation of it, will be preached about, talked about, pitched and even sold. None of it will mean anything to you unless you have a place a sense of how to get back to the starting line. What this is, happens to be a way to the starting line. This is what you need to have before you can start walking toward your goals. This is not the end of the journey. This is you way to get back to the start.
Ref: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760 https://www.ihs.gov/california/tasks/sites/default/assets/File/GPRA/Maslows%20Hierarchy%20of%20Human%20Needs_508.pdf https://crm.org/articles/maslows-hierarchy-of-needs http://www.nrvcs.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Maslows-Heirarchy-of-Needs.pdf