You Are a Swiss Army Knife: Your Mind Blowing Genius.

Hello Dumplings!* Muse is tickling my ear today: Let's talk about Making Stuff! Getting Stuff Done! Our ability to express ourselves as both a whole person and a productive member of a community allows us to branch out, build bridges, create business networks, problem solve, seek out support and finally if not most importantly, feed the soul with a sense of consequence, accomplishment and balance.

When we are stronger as a link,

we improve the overall strength of the chain.

I’ve read a dump truck’s worth of books and articles dedicated to the subjects of inspiration and creativity and more often than not the books left me with a bad taste in my mouth. Books about how creativity is a magical, inexplicable gift bestowed on a special few by wish granting ghosts--or that I needed to devote weeks to finding myself at expensive sea side retreats with a saddlebag of crystals that cost as much as a black-market liver to truly understand my creative spirit or better yet--deal with the guilt.

I can’t count how many times I've read that I need to first forgive myself for being an artist and "not to worry, God loves artists too.” ...Of course She does! I’m not ashamed of being a painter. I don't feel bad about it. I don't feel bad about making art. I don't feel bad about doing what I want, when I want with whoever I want. Why should I? Why should any of us? The idea that spending time reflecting and creating for personal joy is time wasted, (i.e. time that is taken away from someone or something else that you believe will die without your attention) is an inadequate outdated train of thought.

Writer Anne Morrow Lindbergh eloquently describes this condition:

“Eternally, woman spills herself away in driblets to the thirsty,

seldom being allowed the time, the quiet, the peace,

to let the pitcher fill up to the brim.”

Often we feel that spending time being gentle with ourselves is selfish. False. Truth Time: If we don’t dedicate time to self-- no one will. The thirsty people know where the fridge is. You are your primary caretaker. You are the Queen of your creative castle. These misguided authors can take their guilt and stuff it in their apron pockets. This notion of feeling guilt for being gifted or choosing to pursue a creative path implies that women are two dimensional--that we can only of be one thing at a time. We know in our hearts that that simply isn’t true. So why buy into that insulting expectation?

We are creatures that can be caretakers, organizers, chauffeurs, therapists, lovers, chefs, ring leaders, professionals, soldiers, bombshells, accountants, students, confidants, goddesses AND artistes simultaneously. We are far more versatile than we are given credit for. You can live multiple dreams.

Your Muse is giving you

crystal clear explicit permission:

The pile of dirty whites can wait. No one in the history of man has died in anguish due to lack of clean whites. When gasping your last breath upon your death bed you will not utter,

"I wish I did more laundry..."

You are a beautiful Swiss Army Knife.
Be everything you are.

Get out there and Merry Make.