Remember What You Love to Do
Photo by Nadya Spetnitskaya on Unsplash
Happy spring! I love this time of year for so many reasons, but I think the main one would definitely have to be all the new trees and flowers that bloom and make the world around me more beautiful. To me, spring is the embodiment of new beginnings, and the creation of natural beauty.
Spring is a great time to reflect on how our lives could mirror this natural cycle by dedicating time to creation. While there are always times in life where we like to slow down and simply observe the world, there is also time for action.
I remember once when I was scrolling through Instagram and I came across a page showing beautiful baked goods. The account, called The Baking Explorer, creates all types of things from cupcakes and cookies to holiday-specific goodies. I very vividly remember having the thought: I used to love this! Baking was my favorite thing! I loved spending hours searching for recipes to try and mimicking them (to the best of my abilities :) ). Looking at these photos on Instagram sparked a desire to get back in the kitchen simply by reminding me of something that was so life giving to me.
When you think about creativity versus consumption, it’s really about the difference between making something new and taking something in. Both are a part of life, but finding balance is what we want to achieve (especially during school when it feels like the only things we create are what is being marked).
Consumption is passive. It can inspire you, entertain you, or inform you, but it usually stops there. Don’t get me wrong, I love consuming things! My favorite TV shows make me laugh, reading books transports me to different worlds, and scrolling social media keeps me updated on what all my friends are up to. It’s not bad, it’s just important to recognize that too much consumption can leave you feeling drained, distracted, or even stuck, because you’re only taking in what others have created.
Creativity, on the other hand, is active. It’s when you take ideas, feelings, or experiences and transform them into something that you can look at and be proud of. It can really be anything, even things that seem pretty mundane like problem-solving or organizing. Hobbies are a great way to practice creativity because they add a sense of play that can sometimes be hard to tap into during busy times of the year.
For me, personally, things that involve active participation can sometimes be put on the back burner in exchange for more important tasks, like work and school. Doing this makes me forget how much I like these things and how great they make me feel. One tip I use to try my best to incorporate more of this into my life is to create a list of my hobbies and put it in an accessible location so that I don't forget about them.
My list looks like this:
Find a new favourite book to read
Cook or bake a new creation
Get friends together to play a sport
Practice a new song in my music class
Call my friends and family to catch up
Go outside and take some photos
Find a new way to stay organized with school and work
Re-decorate my bedroom
Making both consumption AND creativity a part of your regular routine can increase joy in your life! Think of it like this: consumption may be filling your cup, but creativity is pouring it out into something that only you could make.
I hope that, just like the Instagram video I came across, this will inspire you to create something awesome today! Feel the joy of working hard on something that reflects who you are and the abundance of life that you have inside of you.
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