creative outliet

Yesterday was spilling into today. And I had a decision to make. Do I lie about being too sick for a video call or feign an unimportant yet “important” family emergency? OR Get on the call as scheduled, as agreed upon? 

Follow through is important, and I know I don’t want to let her down. She is counting on me. 

As I thought contemplating all these things with half an hour left to decide… I realized something really important. This  call would be more about me than her. I needed to show up not for her, but for myself. I needed to practice follow through. And showing up on the bad days. And just doing my damn job even when I felt like there was no point.

So, with five minutes to go, I left the warm cocoon of my heated blanket. I applied mascara first, then some powder foundation. I felt good. I felt ready. I ventured to the chilled kitchen to grab my notebook and a pen. (I write down anything I want to remember. ANYTHING.)

I got back under my toasty warm blanket as 10 AM rolled up. I called my friend. No answer. I left a voice message, too.

I felt disappointed. My friend let me down.

I felt irritated. I put on mascara for this.

I felt frustrated. It’s hard to be accountable for each other.

An hour later I grabbed my lap top and started writing this story. As I began, I realized that phone call did indeed have a positive impact on me. I had filled that hour with doing something I love: Creating content for social media. And now I am filling another hour doing something else I love: Writing my story.

Taylor Swift once said: No matter what, “Keep creating.”

And there is something so special about taking those emotions and putting them somewhere positive. I heard on a podcast with Chalene Johnson recently that “everybody is creative.” I’m not sure I totally buy into that… However, I can get in on the idea that everybody SHOULD utilize a creative outlet. 

What do you think about this? Do you utilize a creative outlet…even if you know it’s not an area of special skill for you? How has this helped you? I’m here for the conversation! I would love to hear your story in the comments, social media or email! 

P.S. About that call though…we had scheduled it for a different day. I even had it written down in my calendar. ::Face Palm:: Silver lining can always be found peeps!