As a new empty nester last fall, I started creating again after many years of doing nothing. I started writing in the spring. I am feeling more at peace and happier than I have in a long time. I think it absolutely has to do with being creative!
Heidi, caregiving can organize enormous portions of a life around response: another person’s needs, appointments, crises, decisions, and changing capacity. Creative practice restores the experience of initiating something, of choosing what begins and giving shape to something that did not exist before you made it. That makes “load-bearing” especially apt; making can preserve a place where the caregiver remains an author of her own life while so much of her attention is necessarily directed elsewhere. I’m grateful you gave that part of caregiving a language spacious enough to include Madeleine’s textiles, Lori-Ann’s colors, your writing, and the documentary you are now learning to make.
Heidi, I really related to this because I came to realize last Summer that a big part of me was missing by not expressing myself through creativity. For me that's through writing as well.
That study about the connection between "making" and longevity was fascinating.
I've been recognizing this as "doing what makes you happy" in whatever form that is as an important aspect of mental health and longevity. Now I have the science to back up the intuition.
Thanks for this and best of luck with your documentary!
Very cool, Melanie! I agree; adding the “doing what makes you happy” has to be part of this fuel, too! And thank you for your kind words—I’m going to need a bunch of ingredients to move it all forward and ✨ is certainly in the mix!
Loved this Heidi!! I saw this first hand when my sister raising a child with a rare genetic disorder. She had always been a wonderful artist and creative but her pieces became so much bigger and more alive after Henry was born. This helped me understand why. So beautiful. And congratulations on funding!! I can't wait to see the doc!
Wow Victoria, that is a really interesting observation; wonderful to see in her. I’ve heard others speak about the idea that our creative and/or soulful “container” naturally expands when we are stretched, and we can move into these other realms with greater power, perhaps. I’m curious, has she ever spoken about that process?
It seems as though we default to push off anything creative until we have more time - but we never seem to have more time. I love your thinking that making time for something / anything creative can be so beneficial for us. For me, the smallest act can create a shift for me - e.g., the way I prepare and arrange my apple slices each morning. It's worth far more than the extra two minutes it takes. 😊
Yes, Cathy! I love your assembling of food, providing delight. I certainly see myself in that too— preparation of meals has been my biggest zone of creativity, it came naturally as a daily requirement for my energy and happiness, and making it visually pleasing at the same time was an easy bonus! However, in other realms I have very much been one who pushes off a lot of things- like rest until AFTER everything else is sorted. It was typical for me to consider things I enjoy (that are also GOOD for me as well ) as treats- exercise, creativity etc. that I got to do after I accomplished hard things. It’s some big re-wiring I am up to these days!
As a new empty nester last fall, I started creating again after many years of doing nothing. I started writing in the spring. I am feeling more at peace and happier than I have in a long time. I think it absolutely has to do with being creative!
Heidi, caregiving can organize enormous portions of a life around response: another person’s needs, appointments, crises, decisions, and changing capacity. Creative practice restores the experience of initiating something, of choosing what begins and giving shape to something that did not exist before you made it. That makes “load-bearing” especially apt; making can preserve a place where the caregiver remains an author of her own life while so much of her attention is necessarily directed elsewhere. I’m grateful you gave that part of caregiving a language spacious enough to include Madeleine’s textiles, Lori-Ann’s colors, your writing, and the documentary you are now learning to make.
Heidi, I really related to this because I came to realize last Summer that a big part of me was missing by not expressing myself through creativity. For me that's through writing as well.
That study about the connection between "making" and longevity was fascinating.
I've been recognizing this as "doing what makes you happy" in whatever form that is as an important aspect of mental health and longevity. Now I have the science to back up the intuition.
Thanks for this and best of luck with your documentary!
Very cool, Melanie! I agree; adding the “doing what makes you happy” has to be part of this fuel, too! And thank you for your kind words—I’m going to need a bunch of ingredients to move it all forward and ✨ is certainly in the mix!
Loved this Heidi!! I saw this first hand when my sister raising a child with a rare genetic disorder. She had always been a wonderful artist and creative but her pieces became so much bigger and more alive after Henry was born. This helped me understand why. So beautiful. And congratulations on funding!! I can't wait to see the doc!
Wow Victoria, that is a really interesting observation; wonderful to see in her. I’ve heard others speak about the idea that our creative and/or soulful “container” naturally expands when we are stretched, and we can move into these other realms with greater power, perhaps. I’m curious, has she ever spoken about that process?
What a beautiful way to think of creativity!
It seems as though we default to push off anything creative until we have more time - but we never seem to have more time. I love your thinking that making time for something / anything creative can be so beneficial for us. For me, the smallest act can create a shift for me - e.g., the way I prepare and arrange my apple slices each morning. It's worth far more than the extra two minutes it takes. 😊
Yes, Cathy! I love your assembling of food, providing delight. I certainly see myself in that too— preparation of meals has been my biggest zone of creativity, it came naturally as a daily requirement for my energy and happiness, and making it visually pleasing at the same time was an easy bonus! However, in other realms I have very much been one who pushes off a lot of things- like rest until AFTER everything else is sorted. It was typical for me to consider things I enjoy (that are also GOOD for me as well ) as treats- exercise, creativity etc. that I got to do after I accomplished hard things. It’s some big re-wiring I am up to these days!
Wishing you well with your rewiring. I fully believe you will accomplish anything you set your mind to. 😍
This is wonderful! Utilizing our brain infused with feel good. One to save!