5 Ways to Start Living the Creative Life You Want
Words: Sara Radin
I surrendered the fear of starting somewhere. I’ve made some drastic life changes in order to become the person I've always wanted to be: someone who goes after what she wants and doesn’t let obstacles, like not having money, stand in her way. In the last three years, I started learning how to embrace experiences every step of the way, and to enjoy the process. Here’s a few tips on how to make ideas realities and live the creative life you want.
1. Quit worrying.
Stop allowing the fear of starting hold you back. Quit worrying about what people think of you. Repeat: “It doesn’t matter what they think of me.” The reality is no ones thinking about you, they’re too busy worrying about themselves. And quit worrying about making money. You’ll figure it all out as you go. Lastly, quit worrying about failing. Despite what everyone says, failure isn’t so bad. In reality, it saves us from places we’re not meant to be and teaches us valuable lessons that we can use to rebuild ourselves after we fall. Sometimes the hardest part is starting somewhere so take a deep breath, begin slowly and take your damn, sweet time. You got this!
2. Take back stolen moments.
To really live the creative life I want, I’ve had to cut back on my social life to make room for personal productivity. It's important to make sure there’s ample time for laying low. If you want to commit to living a creative life, you’ll need to take back stolen moments. Think about how you’re spending your free time and re-invest all of your energy into yourself and the things you really want to do. For me, that means waking up two hours before work to write or meet with inspiring people for coffee so I have my nights and weekends free to attend and plan events. How do you cut the fat of your life? Figure out what’s necessary and what’s not. Think about what makes you truly happy and how you really want to spend your time. Make sure you say no to plans and opportunities you don’t feel are a necessary FUCK YES!
3. Enjoy the process of being a work in progress.
Sometimes we get so caught up in getting somewhere, we forget to enjoy the process as we go. The thing is, the process is just as much a part of the final outcome. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion as you go. You may not have all the answers now, but they will reveal themselves to you when they’re meant to. In the meantime, soak up the experiences and learnings every step of the way. It’ll make the journey much more magical. Stay patient, plant seeds, and watch them grow little by little into the lush future you’ve always wanted.
4. Never stop learning.
See every experience as a learning opportunity and a chance to grow. Whether that’s a breakup or a lay off, take a step back, process how you feel and soak up the knowledge every step of the way.
5. Lift others up.
Use your voice and your platform to give back. Giving back can be anything from showing up to a peer's event, to making a helpful introduction, to sharing words of wisdom. Being kind is cool, and we desperately need each other’s support to keep going. Take the extra few minutes to show you care. It goes a long way, and it’ll bring kindness back into your life.
Originally published in IN #6, Fall 2017