Tag: focus

Liminal Spaces of Creativity

On By Alice StrathernIn Inspiration, Mindset

Creativity lives in liminal spaces. It moves through the “in-between” phases, where ideas are transforming and have yet to take a specific form of expression.

Anthropologist Victor Turner, renowned for his work on symbols, rituals, and rites of passage, defined liminality with precision:

A time when identity is fluid, roles are undefined, and a person exists between what they were and what they will become.

In the creative world, liminality can look like automatic writing, doodling, jamming, the first strokes on a canvas, testing lines of code, or a brainstorming session. From these beginnings, a more concrete direction may unfold and eventually lead to a tangible outcome.

But if you pay closer attention to Turner’s definition, there’s a fascinating aspect to explore: identity.

As a creative, you are not only transforming abstract ideas; you’re also being transformed by the process itself. The work is shaping you while you shape it.

That’s what makes creativity so profound. It is not only about bringing something into form, but also about meeting yourself in states of uncertainty, transition, experimentation, and growth.

So, who are you when you don’t see the results you’re expecting? Who are you when nobody is watching your effort behind closed doors?

Those are liminal moments of creative identity. They also appear when you’re standing at crossroads, choosing between one creative direction or another. When you’re caught between what worked in the past and what may work in the future. When you’re sitting in the discomfort of the unknown and still choosing to follow your intuition.

Identity and Liminality Are Continous

Liminal spaces of creativity don’t end with a fully finished product or result. As the public begins to receive your work, new “in-between” phases emerge.

Your book, song, or product is ready for consumption, but the audience is slowly engaging with it. You have shared your voice on an online platform, and somebody has yet to reply.

In that waiting period, when you’re being discovered as an artist, writer, or thought leader, you’re developing resilience. You’re learning to keep trusting yourself even when feedback takes time to reach you.

Not long ago, I came across a post on Threads from a writer who said, “I will keep writing even if nobody reads my words.” That’s a clear statement of identity.

All liminal spaces are nurturing. They’re places where possibilities are born and where you choose your identity as a creative.

Who are you being in each phase of your process?

Back to Basics: Analogue Experiences

On By Alice StrathernIn Inspiration, Personal

I recently posted on Threads the picture above along with a series of thoughts on having a discman. This was a Christmas present.

The last time I played a CD on this type of device was in my university days. I clearly remember listening to Reanimation by Linkin Park. Back then, I didn’t know my ‘analogue’ days were numbered. I would eventually transition to the iPod experience even though I was doing everything in my power to resist.

It happened, and I never looked back. I don’t even know what happened to my old discman.

However, as years went by, I felt the need to go back to what I used to love. I still have a collection of great CD albums. At the same time, I thought this would help me stop doomscrolling on the phone. That it’d be more enriching to read the booklet of my selected album instead.

I must say, it’s uncomfortable. I feel like I could have the music playing in the background while still browsing something on my phone. The pain is real. But I’m intentional about taking a break from the endless noise of the digital world. I want to reconnect with the music and the feelings it evokes in me.

I want to engage with the story each song is telling. Or the story my own feelings create as I immerse it. In my teen years, I used to put on my headphones, push play, and imagine the official music video for the song. I liked pretending I directed it and that I was seeing the final result in my mind.

I want to be able to do that again.

This is the beauty of analogue experiences. It’s you and your imagination plus all the sensations you want to include. All of it guiding you to interpret the melody you’re perceiving.

It’s like creating a time capsule of your feelings, thoughts or things you’re going through in this moment of your life. Isn’t it wonderful to appreciate music this way?

Yes. I could be listening from an iPod with the Wifi turned off. It’s just not the same, though. There’s something about the analogue experience that makes it more meaningful. More intentional. Or at least that’s me.

I keep hearing a strong call to return to the analogue. I keep coming across ideas for hobbies and crafts that involve staying away from the screen. Now I’m starting to answer that call.

Since this specific device is bringing so much satisfaction to my moments of unwind, I’d like to keep collecting CDs. So I’m motivated to visit local stores that sale this kind of format. After all, there’s a lot of us that want to bask in the magic of the analogue.

How about you? What kind of analogue experience are you willing to explore?

 

 

Dear Creative: Don’t Explain Yourself

On By Alice StrathernIn Mindset

Dear creative, please don’t explain yourself to the world. It’s not necessary. Just do you.

One thing that changed my perspective on life radically was the Personal Bill of Rights. This is a therapeutic tool in assertiveness training, and it outlines basic rights that we all have: the right to our own thoughts, feelings, and decisions.

the right to not explain yourself

As I’ve integrated it into my day-to-day, I’ve come to realize that these same principles apply to the world of creativity in any discipline. I’m particularly resonating with #15:

“I have the right not to give excuses or reasons for my behaviour.”

The image of the misunderstood creator comes to mind. Conceiving an idea is a personal process. It requires quietness, privacy, and interest in a wide range of topics. People witnessing it can sometimes question why creatives do what they do. Why they’re fascinated by the simplest of things.

In the worst case scenario, that witnessing turns into criticism. Even shaming.

I have painful memories of people frowning at me for wanting to be a writer. “You won’t make enough money.” “How about a real job?” “Your brain is meant for something greater.”

I wish someone would have said: “You don’t have to explain yourself. You do you.” Creative calls require no explanation or justification. Sometimes, it’s challenging to “make sense” of it.

Franz Kafka, legendary author, says it more eloquently in this timeless quote:

Sometimes you can't explain it to yourself

Creativity is abstract. It doesn’t always manifest in specific words or linear thinking. It’s not always logical. It’s more of an inner knowing. It’s something that needs to come out to the surface. It’s not rational. It just needs to exist. And YOU are the channel through which it comes alive.

Your focus needs to be inward; on the execution and not on the justifying to others. Not on the need to be understood.

Receiving information in ways you can't explain
Image taken from Austin Kleon’s blog

You have your own unique ways of channeling whatever that inner world is saying to you. Only you know what you need to fully shape or reshape the idea you’re receiving. Silence. Music. Books. TED Talks. “Weird” interests. It’s your call.

Whatever that looks like in the eyes of someone else, that’s none of your business. Let them live with their own thoughts. You do you. You don’t have to explain yourself.

Have you ever felt the need to justify your creative calling? What helped you reclaim your creative autonomy?

 

Being Ready vs Being Curious: Which Approach to Take?

On By Alice StrathernIn Mindset, Thoughts

Being ready and being curious are two different creative perspectives.

Confronting both concepts made me think about my friend Silvia. She wanted to be a writer.

Wherever she went, she always had a book in her hands. Additionally, she also had a pocket dictionary to look up any new word she stumbled upon. Silvia wanted to fully understand the content she was consuming to the last bit.

Silvia’s dedication to reading and endless curiosity for words was unparalleled. The most impressive part? When she wrote his own stories, she sounded like a seasoned author. Her structure was flawless, and her vocabulary was out of this world. She could have gotten herself a book deal whenever she wanted.

I’ve lost contact with her, so I don’t know what she decided for her writing career. I really hope she’s living her dream.

However, even when it seemed that she had everything to stand out in the writing world, I remember hearing her say this dreadful phrase from time to time:

“I’m not ready because I need more experience”.

How many times have you heard that statement from friends or colleagues? How many times have you caught yourself saying those same words?

Continue reading “Being Ready vs Being Curious: Which Approach to Take?” →

Creative Fears: What if People Criticize Me?

On By Alice StrathernIn Mindset, Personal

One of my creative fears as a writer was being criticized.

I used to doubt my storytelling skills. I thought that, as soon as I hit the “publish” button, I would receive comments at how “meh” my plot and characters were. As I was getting ready to release Kaleidoscope Eyes, my first novella, I feared I’d only get one-star reviews.

Truth is, this is my current rating:

In the age of rates and reviews, I’ve learned that remaining true to my calling is what matters the most. I’m writing, I’m sharing, and I’m constantly improving. Even while experiencing all kinds of fears, I decided to put my novella out there. I was aware that some people would like it, and others not so much.

So how do you deal with that fear of criticism? In my experience, there’s no step-by-step formula. However, if I could mention one thing that has been useful for me, that would be a mindset shift: let reviewers tell what they want to say, either positive or negative. Let them be. Having a piece of work in the public eye involves getting all sorts of comments. That’s inevitable.

Ask yourself is their feedback is useful to you in any way. If so, then implement them in your next pieces of work.

External opinions are out of your control. All you can do is staying committed to deliver your best work possible every time you share/publish online or in any other format.

Dare to be disliked. Your work is not for everyone, and that’s okay.

Your Best Hours of the Day

On By Alice StrathernIn Inspiration

This prompt reminded me of my teen years.

I used to tell my mom that there were specific times when certain moods took place.

  • At 11 am I tended to be aggravated
  • At 1 pm I got hungry
  • At 5 pm I felt at my best and was willing to talk to anyone about anything

My statements made her giggle.

Now that James Clear mentions it, I believe there’s great value in spotting your best hours of the day. Asking yourself whether you’re a morning person or a late night owl is also a good starting point.

So what can we do at those times?

Maybe write a few lines on a journal.

Maybe reply to emails with a more polite tone.

Maybe going out for a walk.

Maybe starting a new book.

Possibilities are infinite. The point is making the most of it in a way that makes you feel you’re exploring your best potential in that very moment.

When Your Creative Intuition Says Make it Anyway

On By Alice StrathernIn Mindset

What if you followed your creative intuition wherever it led you? Imagine if you did so fearlessly and without overthinking your every step.

An aspect of the creative process involves dealing with self-doubt. “What if I fail?” “What if this doesn’t make me any money?” In an attempt to make those questions go away, it’s common to talk to peers or mentors and seek their approval. While this action in itself is alright, it’s also important to validate your own voice and instincts. Otherwise, it’s someone else deciding your next moves.

Even after getting feedback, the doubts are still there. “What if what I’m creating is irrelevant on social media?” “What if no one interacts with my content?” There’s that need for external validation again.

It happens to me too.

As an author, I keep an eye on newly released books. I can’t help but notice that there are some genres that get more attention than others. Sometimes I wonder if it’d be a “safer” bet to embrace one of those hot genres and see how that goes. My struggle sounds like this:

“Wow, other authors are making it big in that genre. Should I go for it too? Nobody else seems to be writing in the genre I do. Would switching to popular trends be beneficial? I could also get more engagement on social media. But still…I’m not so sure.”

It’s exactly in the middle of that inner debate that creative intuition kicks in. That’s when I need to be real and ask myself: “does this genre truly align with the type of story I want to tell?” Most of the time, I find that I’m more excited to work on a book idea that wouldn’t fit into any of the popular trends.

When doubts get the worst out of you, I want you to remember that…

Continue reading “When Your Creative Intuition Says Make it Anyway” →

Do You Know Your Creative Cycles?

On By Alice StrathernIn Inspiration

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “know your creative cycles”?

“Cycles” remind me that nature breathes new life in different seasons. Similarly, you follow that pattern when creating anything. There is a specific time for a specific activity.

Every creative discovers their own cycle. If you conduct a quick Google search, you will a variety of perspectives. However, there are some common denominators that involve three major phases:

  • Time to consume information or explore new interests
  • Going on hermit mode and integrating what you consumed
  • Time to create and share (if you’re called to share)

There’s no ‘one size fits all’. Not every cycle is meant for creation. There is no set timeline for each phase of your personal process. Only you determine where you are and when it’s time to move to the next part.

Heck. Your creative cycles might not even sound like the ones listed above.

There might be long periods of contemplation where it looks as if “you’re not doing anything”. As Austin Kleon puts it, “I’m not languishing, I’m dormant”. This stage is as important as any other to create.

It’s a matter of asking yourself: What do I know about my creative cycles?

Continue reading “Do You Know Your Creative Cycles?” →

Create for You First

On By Alice StrathernIn Mindset

For all creators out there.

Remember: Create for YOU first.

The beauty of creation lies not in universal acceptance, but in the courage to express what is uniquely yours.

The value of your work is not measured by the number of eyes that behold it, but by the depth of feeling it stir in you and, eventually, in those who find a reflection of their own untold stories within it.

Create. Repeat.

 

Happy leap day!