My Mind is an Anarchist
I always knew in my heart that I needed to do creative things in order to make sense of my place in the world. I suspected that I needed creativity in my job, too, as I always relished the creative aspects of what I was doing more than the more ‘orderly’ ones. The ‘orderly’ bits were just for surviving and the creative bits were for living. Some of us just have more of a need to nurture the creative bits in life than others and it can cause problems.
Last year I made the move from my partially creative career, to an entirely creative one. Hooray for me! I can be creative all day long. Well, guess what? Using creativity is very different than being a creative thinker. I love the fact that I can use the right side of my brain, but I didn’t know that my right side would be so moody and averse to demand. I tell it we need to write this thing by such-and-such a date and, cheekily, it refuses! It doesn’t like that rule, the one about deadlines. In fact, my right brain doesn’t believe in rules at all. It prefers to be creative and busy at night and sleep during the daytime. Dare I indulge it? Dare I change my entire life to the opposite of what the world does just to make my right brain happy and content? Well, I’d love to do that for you, right brain, really I would but there are things that stand in the way of your little plan to have me all to yourself like my relationship and the idea that I might want to meet up with friends now and then.
I need to work out a way to tame the creative beast that dwells in my top two inches.
I know what you are thinking. Don’t even say it. Don’t go to the ‘d’ word. I’ve felt guilty my whole life for not being disciplined enough. But, I’m over that now. The new creative worker-me doesn’t believe that word applies to everyone. I’m supposed to be creative, right? I don’t need that convention. I just need to find a creative solution to the problem. Or is that my right brain talking again? Stupid anarchist.
I sort of hope that this is all a part of the settling in business. I’m still pretty new at this game and I’m optimistically thinking that it will all pan out and my right brain will eventually let go and let me do creative things whenever I wish rather than just the hours of 7am-10.30 and 5pm onward. I’m hoping that if I just keep forcing my brain to write in the un-writey times that it will eventually just give in and let that daytime writing change from mundane to inspired. I need to shift the way my brain sees time. I need to give my myself creative jet lag.
I started thinking about this when I read a post by Leo Babauta at Zen Habits about The No. 1 Habit of Highly Creative People. I agree with what he says about solitude and creativity, but I realised that it’s not the creative thinking that is a problem. My mind is seemingly always in that place. It’s the production aspect. How do I get those creative thoughts out of the space in my head and on to the ‘paper’ at time when my anarchic mind does not want to cooperate?
What do other writers do? Are there any tricks of the trade I’m missing here? Do most people write only during creative times or are they able to do it when they need to.
Great post. I just come to look at the pictures, mostly. Stumbled and Tweeted to see if I can get “Real Writers” to answer the question. I just write to keep me outa the bars. And my office is in a bar so, I guess I write to keep from drinkin’…. an’other stuff, like work.
Thanks, Mike. This photo was taken at a little shrine in my village in Niigataken.
You know? My mind is a bit like that too. The one big difference is that since I’m not a “real writer” it doesn’t really matter!
Oh *sigh* I want to write all the time too! I’m sure you’ll find your creative daytime groove soon..i’m still trying to find it, I usually have to wait until 3am!!!
Ana- Yes, you are a real writer. What are you talking about? Even if you have to do other things for money, if you write, you are a writer. And you’re a good one too!
Bec- You have a lot of re-settling in to do so, you’re off the hook for now;-)Hope Melbourne is treating you well and you aren’t suffering the same weather as us. You know the antidote is to eat cakes in St. Kilda, right?
Marie, your words lift me up and your creativity is beautiful. Don’t give up!
With writing. I’m in 2 minds about it. I struggled a little when I was a paid writer last year for a bit. MS Word became my worst nightmare… and only a month before that, I had been dreaming of being paid to write! Right now I’m in a big phase of rethinking lots of things too with my writing, career, etc……
But whatever. I’m rambling. I say, don’t stop exploring and don’t settle for mediocrity. Find what makes you alive, pursue it & it can only happen. Not an option to let dreams die. That’s what I’m telling myself!
Thank you for the kind comment, Mel. I think tools (like MS Word) are some of the biggest hinderances. I guess we have to remember that human beings are thinking, problem solving, and sometimes even rational things, but tools aren’t so we win! Don’t worry, I’m sure everything will pan out for you. Just keep writing in the meantime.
For me, as long as I’ve got some quiet time (which is sometimes tough with nearly 5 kids), even if I don’t FEEL like writing, as long as I get started I can get in the groove.
But I also find it’s important to write when I FEEL like it. If I get the inspiration and the ideas start flowing, then I’ve got to take advantage of that time too- whether it’s dinner time or bed time (I’m rarely up til 3 am anymore
Thanks for the article.
Rachel,
That’s exactly why I find your blog so inspiring. I know that you are somehow fitting writing and videography in with “nearly” 5 kids (and a husband!). I’d better stop my complaining now! Keep up the great work.