The Ultimate Creative Freedom
by Starcat
From nearly the moment we’re born, we’re encouraged to live by the rules of our family, community, and culture. To some extent, that makes sense. We want new humans to learn that there are boundaries, that they should be kind to others, respect their property, and all of the things associated with honoring one another.
However, the box has gotten gradually smaller and smaller. There are so many rules and directives that by the time we reach adulthood, most of us are confused. We either find ourselves not knowing who we really are, because we’ve been following the advice of others for much of our lives, or we feel like a rebel, a misfit, or somehow wrong for being different.
It’s time to stop and reclaim your ultimate creative freedom: the ability to live the life that you desire, and to fulfill the purpose that you came here for.
I’m not saying that it’s easy. After a childhood as a people-pleaser, a straight-A student, a conformist, I began to discover who I really was when I went off to college. Over my adult life, I’ve been exploring my passions, and discovering what makes me unique – which is often what society may label as “weird.”
I’m a vegetarian and a Pagan. I’m a mystic. I live in a polyamorous family, and we unschooled both of our kids. I’m a night owl, I believe in aliens and astrology, I worship cats. I’m a bookworm and don’t have commercial or cable TV. I’m (mostly) self-employed, a writer, and a thriving artist. I’m a hippie and a geek, equally at home at a Grateful Dead show and a Dungeons & Dragons game. I don’t, however, like video games (except Pokemon Go, of course). I’m an environmentalist, and the majority of my clothes come from the thrift store. I don’t wear makeup. I am an optimist and I believe in the power of play. I could go on and on…
As you might imagine, all of this difference leaves me feeling isolated sometimes. But it’s worth it. Why? Because, by heeding my muses and not conforming to others’ expectations of me, I’ve given myself the gift of freedom to create the life I want to live.
No one told me I could do this. Some people don’t like it. Sometimes they don’t like me – and I’m fine with that. In my younger years, that form of rejection would have horrified me. Now, I value my creative freedom over the arbitrary opinions of other people.
This can be true for you, too, if you choose to accept it.
You might feel like you’re too boxed in, too invested in the pursuits you’ve already learned, too held back by those around you. Change is hard, and inertia, while unsatisfying, can be easier. By turning your back on your own uniqueness, though, you’re walking away from a whole lot of joy, love, and fulfillment. You’re hiding from your true tribe, those who will love you for the real you. You might even be denying your soul’s purpose, which could become a source of intense meaning and empowerment.
Are you willing to take that risk or are you ready to step forward and claim your weirdness? Fly your freak flag for all the world to see!
I hope you’ll step up today, perhaps just in a small way at first, to claim your true creative freedom. You can create a life that fills you with wild satisfaction. You’re the only one who knows how. Trust your inner guidance and soar into your unique creative freedom!