Hey guys!

So lately, I have been obsessed with 2 things:

1. The book, “Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear” by Elizabeth Gilbert 
2. Canva (a website where you can make your own graphics w/ text, etc. Amazing. Go there now.)

Seriously, the book “Big Magic” was just one of those that totally connected with me. I found myself opening my eyes really wide & having these “A-ha” moments ALL THE TIME. I was like, “Is this lady talking directly to me, or what is the deal?” Those types of books are THE BEST. I want to read it again already. It’s all about our creativity, & our relationship with creativity, & how to harness & protect & love & best use our creativity. Fabulous. Buy it now.

As I was reading through the book, I started taking pictures on my phone of the pages with my favorite quotes (I ended up with lots of pictures by the time I was done). Meanwhile, I had also discovered Canva. I had heard about this a long time ago but just never got around to checking it out until now. I am in love. It’s so fun to play around with different graphics & text & font. It’s a fun way to use the “design” part of my creativity.

Anyway, I got to thinking & I figured I’d combine these 2 obsessions & make a whole bunch of canva graphics with my favorite Big Magic quotes! Genius right? Thought so. So, here I am sharing all my creations with you! Hope you enjoy these 🙂

1. I swear, when I read this quote, it jumped off the page & slapped me in the face. At the time, the author was talking about a woman who had once loved figure skating as an adolescent. She abandoned it for various reasons, but came back to it in her adulthood. It is now a huge part of her life & her happiness to be able to express herself & her creativity in that way. This is what happened to me with my piano stuff. As an adult, I have a totally new perspective on this creative passion of mine. My creative work through the piano is something that makes me happy. If I just focus on that, instead of worrying about everything else I can’t control, all will be OK 😉 
2. Now that I have this passion back, I never want to give it up. Inspiration is a funny thing….sometimes it’s there & sometimes it’s not. Either way, when it does decide to pay you a visit, there is nothing better.
   
3. Trust this feeling. If something is lighting you up, go for it. Life is too short to play it safe.
   
4. I have DEFINITELY had this feeling before. I especially feel this way about my song, Stargazer. Considering the fact that was my 2nd song I ever wrote, that it is very complex & probably pushed the skill level I had at 14 years old & still challenges me to this day… I seriously look back at that song & think, “I don’t know where that came from.” Sometimes when writing, I describe it as having an out of body experience. That’s what this quote is talking about. And I definitely relate.
   
5. I love this one!! It’s so true … even though I often cannot explain how it happened, it’s the best to be able to have a creative work that will NEVER go away. This is the token or souvenir that is inspiration’s gift to me, that I can keep forever.
   
6. In the book, Elizabeth talks about creativity like it is its own separate entity. Definitely a different concept, but I love thinking about things in different ways, so I enjoyed it. She talks about ideas & inspiration like they need an outlet RIGHT AWAY otherwise it will leave you & find someone/something else to be expressed through. I connected with this because I’ll often have my best ideas for songs when I’m out walking or driving on long road trips. I’ll have basically the whole song figured out & playing in my head but obviously I don’t have a piano handy to actually let the work out & create it!! However, I can feel that it needs an outlet, otherwise I will forget it & it will leave me. Therefore, thank God for technology, because I will just take my phone out & hum or whistle a voice memo of the melody of the song that is in my head. That way, when I listen to it later, it triggers the whole song that I had figured out in my head & I can then express it through the piano. I have learned to find a way to let the idea out RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT otherwise I may not get it back.
   
7. This quote served as a reminder to me to never shut out my creativity. If a little bout of inspiration hits me, I should try to spend some time with that instead of constantly busying myself with other noise. I often listen to podcasts or music while I walk or drive, but sometimes, I’ll have a little melody pop in my head randomly. When this happens, I will immediately turn off whatever I’m listening to & spend some time with that idea. It often develops in my head & becomes a full song that I will then bring to life through the piano. This quote is also a good reminder not to be afraid to share my work. For the longest time, I was closed off to sharing my songs. I’m not sure if it was humbleness or fear, but either way, I’m glad that I’m getting to the point where I’m courageous enough to share what I’ve created.
   
8. HAHA! OK, I apologize in advance for the language in this one, but I just cracked up when I read it. This one is a funny & light-hearted reminder to not take your work so seriously. I need to remember that the work that I create first & foremost is for ME. It’s my very own expression of my encounter with inspiration & so honestly, if no one else likes it, that’s ok, as long as I like it! Obviously, I hope that my work can bring enjoyment to others, but if that’s the case, I consider that bonus! I will continue to share what I create in case it can touch the hearts of others, but if no one else in the world thinks it’s good…. oh well. It wasn’t for them anyway. And they are free to create something they like instead 😉
   

Honestly, you guys … I could have done 20 more of these but I had to draw the line somewhere. I would highly suggest reading this book. It may not be EVERYONE’s cup of tea, but it sure was mine…. so I couldn’t help but share. Hopefully you all enjoyed the quotes & graphics anyway! 😉

Thanks for visiting! If you’d like to check out some of my musical creations, I’d love it if you would visit my new website!

Stay Creative, Friends 🙂

Love, Janeen