I have spent some time with life coaches and others, willing to urge me to move along in my life and succeed. As a busy mom, I’ve appreciated the advice or the hand holding. Becoming a creativity coach, I decided that I could not only help people succeed, but I could succeed as well. And, in particular, busy moms who don’t seem to have time for taking a breath, much less taking their creativity seriously.
Creativity coaching can be an energizing experience. Frequently when I’m finished coaching, I have my own creative resurrection and can create from the fumes of the session I’ve completed. To me it is one of the many rewards for coaching someone.
But what happens when I need the coaching myself and I don’t have anyone holding my hand? What about the complaint, heard in homes across the world: I don’t have time for my creativity? My response is you can hold your own hand and you do have the time. For instance, this week has provided a series of family challenges, culminating in this morning’s dash to salvage a child’s music lesson instead of working on my novel or articles.
At first I was annoyed. Then, as I drove on this gorgeous coastal day, I realized I was okay with that the interruption. While it would be nice to have had some focus on my other projects, I know they will get done. I managed to run into someone I needed to speak to about an upcoming workshop I’m planning. I drive with a notebook in the passenger seat and, during stops in the traffic, I spent some of the time while driving to my daughter’s school, figuring out some of the elements to include in one article. (I listen to inspiring music and I do keep my eye on the road. I don’t actually write while I’m driving, by the way, but the thoughts arrive because I have the notebook and pens handy….)
Take the ebb and flow of life and embrace it. Retrieve what you can from a situation out of your control. And, yes, I’ll even trot out the well-worn analogy of making lemonade when handed lemons.

If you don’t take the lemons and create something with them, you’ll waste the lemons. You’ll also take the energy you could be using in making the lemonade and wasting it on annoyances or frustrations. I know I’d rather drink the creative lemonade.
Wouldn’t you?

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