Exchange Time for Creativity: Why it’s Necessary!

Article by MEREDITH STRONG

Children naturally express creativity as their second nature. Afterall, it’s their birthright. Why then, in adulthood, must it be re-learned?

Kristina Coggins, a life and creativity coach, has some answers, and is leading the charge to get adults to exchange time for creativity and enjoy what she calls “a creative awakening.”

She says her mission is “to inspire every adult to do something that is creative every day.” Like brushing your teeth means you’re giving daily attention to your health, being creative should be a similar practice. “Singing, drawing, cooking, making an item—like a greeting card, bookmark, personalized coupon—making music, dancing, writing a poem or a letter, or, whatever brings about something new is something that should be done every day.”

When you express what’s longing to be expressed, you give yourself back to yourself, you feed yourself what’s owed, pay yourself for all the work—not the play—that you do. Creativity is the ultimate self-care when you make time for it. The common complaint is that there is no time for creativity, but once the values show up in feelings of freedom, ease in relationships, purposefulness, settling your nervous system, and calming the noise in your head, you’ll want to make sure to make time for it!

The practice of creativity is a form of reciprocal respect to yourself. Creativity asks to express itself through you, and the expression of it is enough. It rewards you in ways that only can become clear once you make it a part of your life. Believe you are worthy enough to claim the time and energy for it.

Coggins says, “The creative awakening starts with an internal revolt…a calling to reclaim your original creative nature. How do you release the restrictions from society, opinions of others, and your own fears that put your creativity to sleep?” She guides people out of those shadows and allow them to make art—of any variety and believes that “it’s necessary to honor the pure act of creation to generate items or actions from the mere seed of an idea.”

Think about this—there are tools you can use to tap the negative energy that pools when your creativity is repressed. You can learn to turn shame into permission. Coggins knows about your desire that is in hiding, waiting to come out and play. Guidance for finding your muses and then defining your creative support system is made possible for readers of her book, Creative Awakening: A Guide to the Zone for Seekers and Makers. Expect challenges and playful bursts insight to show up in equal measure in the book’s short, provocative chapters. The author’s own illustrations rise from the page and ask questions you’ll want to answer. Let your experience reading her book leave you feeling refreshed, emboldened, and awakened to your own creativity.Coggins wrote the book to support her business as a creativity coach. “Clients come to me when they are creatively stuck, usually because of some variation on the theme of, ‘I’m afraid of what others will think of me or my work.’ Some are tired of repressing their creative urges but don’t know how to create the internal or external structure for a new project to emerge. Together, we bring all excuses to their knees. Once the blocks to creativity are removed, there is no telling where a client will go or where it may lead. It is an honor for me to be a witness for people rising into who they have always want to be.”

She has listened to many people who have been inspired to deeper introspection about the purpose of their lives, especially after the last couple of challenging years. Some examples:

• “I realized I had a buried desire to work with wood. Life is short and I need to make time to finally do it.”
• “I delayed writing that book and finally getting the courage to speak publicly about my business.”
• “I realized I could have a business online instead of commuting. It will finally give me time to paint.”
• “I realized that after so much togetherness, I started to find creative ways of communicating with my husband. It’s making our relationship stronger.”

What will your own awakening reveal? Whether working with your hands or expressing hidden feelings to create something tangible that was not there before, Kristina Coggins reminds you that creative expression, once claimed, will always bring joy and a sense of purpose.

Creativity is a right granted to everyone. “Dare to take it!” says Coggins. “Creativity enriches your life—and when you are ‘selfish’ enough to exchange time for creativity, you generously enrich the lives of others, too.”