As the year-end draws near it sometimes triggers a sense of panic in some of us as we rush against time to get things done for a fresh start in the new year.  There is something about time limits that sets us into action, or perhaps it is panic that gets things moving or not.

January first really is just a symbolic time of renewal, traditionally set as the time for a new beginning with reflections on the past year.  However it is not the only time we can focus on and implement change in our lives.  It really is arbitrary whether we choose to begin in the new year or before or wait until our birthday, it makes no difference except that when we wait for that “special time” we may miss out on getting a head start on changing habits and making a new start towards our goals.  When you really think about it, each and every day we have a new start.   Each new hour, minute, second we have the ability to make a fresh start- we just have to take it.

So what holds us back? Why do we wait for these “special” days before we make our move? Why do we wait to add more creativity, self-care, self-expression in our lives?  Why do we set ourselves up saying we will start journaling in the new year or next week or after? Sounds like procrastination to me.  But what is procrastination but a tool of fear.  When we are unsure of ourselves, we hold back from trying new things.  Change can be a scary thing.  Afterall what if you finally start journaling or painting or dancing or playing music and fail?  While I don’t believe that by doing any of these things one could fail, since they really are about self-expression, this is where a lot of people get stuck.  They get stuck in their heads with worry of failure, with fear of rejection, and with feelings of unworthiness.  It is as if there is a sense that they have no right to play with their creativity if it is not going to be something stupendous. Can you hear the judgement?

This is what kills creativity, the erroneously projected expectation that one will fail somehow, so might as well keep doing the same things. I know it sounds rather extreme and violent doesn’t it?   To me not allowing ourselves the chance to expand our creative repertoire by staying in our comfort zone has serious implications for our quality of living.  Quality of living just gets better the more we give ourselves permission to explore our creative sides.  It is a beautiful dance that we do with our inner knowing when we allow our creativity the space and grace to grow.

We grow.

We show up in the world as more of ourself.

When we share this authentic self-expression and creative side of ourselves we essentially give permission via osmosis for others to connect with and express their creative side more openly.  The world then becomes a better place.

The question is how do we get past those censors that want to hold our true expressive essence back?

Just Begin.

Here is a video I did earlier in the year to help you get started:

That’s right just start.  Take out your journal and write prose or a poem. Turn on some music and dance your dance, really moving with your body and expressing who you are.  Pick up some drawing materials or paint and paper and make your mark.  It doesn’t have to look like anything in particular, this is not a performance.  You are the audience and the solo artist, you only need please yourself, so enjoy it.  Really allow yourself to feel the rhythm, materials, thoughts flowing onto paper.  That’s it.  Start each day in this way to express yourself, maybe for five minutes then gradually increasing it.  It doesn’t mater how it “turns out”, that’s the critic mind interfering.  The only concern to start with is that you BEGIN and get over that fear of creating something new in your life.