The chaos of creativity {PilotingPaperAirplanes.com}

Why is it that inspiration always – and I do mean always – comes as I’m getting ready in the morning or on my walk to work? Moments when I can’t jot some notes in a post draft. “I’ll do it when I get to work,” I always say. “All I need is 3 minutes to type a few notes so I can write about this later.”

Hm, right. I get to work, make my tea, chat with co-workers, open email, check some articles and any creativity I had is gone. One a good day I can remember a shred of what I wanted to write. Most days it’s lost. The result is that I don’t post regularly.

Because here’s the thing. I’ve  never been one to push out blog posts everyday just to publish something new. I write when I’m inspired and motivated. I write when I have something to say. When I’m building my mileage again and have thoughts on running; or chatting with a friend about yoga and want to share how I practice at home; or when I’m writing a marketing article for work and it seems a good fit to adapt for the blog; or when I’ve made a new piece of clothing and do a style post.

I never blog for the sake of blogging. I blog for the sake of creating.

For me, in this space, that’s personal. PPA has a .518713% chance of ever generating revenue because that’s not how I’ve built this blog. My post “schedule” is random, the content is varied and social media marketing for PPA is sporadic at best.

Maybe I’m rebelling because digital marketing is my day job and I want a break here. Maybe it’s because my ideas and interests change on a whim so I don’t like being tied to one blog theme. I realize this doesn’t add up to blogging best practices and I’m more and more comfortable with that. In the past I’ve struggled with this creative chaos; now I’m embracing the ebbs and flows of inspiration.

One week I want to write about everything, another I sew 2 new tops, and another I take apart old jewelry make something new. I’m embracing the fact that sometimes these projects go unfinished as my inspiration moves on. It doesn’t have to be about the final product, but simply about the joy I have in the process. (Even if that means unpublished posts and storing a collection of art supplies).

I want to create. I want to share and learn and teach and vent and process. I want to grow through what I write in this white box. It will never generate high page views but it will inspire me. On a good day, maybe it inspires you, too.

Thanks for reading, friends.

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How are you most creative?
Do you thrive in creative chaos
or with organized lists?

I’ve been thinking about the concept of listening recently, in two ways:

• What does listening look like? How do I do it?

• How do I know I am being truly listened to?

Because everyone wants to be heard, right? And anyone who knows another well enough to have more than 4.3 arguments is familiar with the back and forth “you’re not really listening to me!” “Yes, I am listening, you’re not hearing me.”

Or, if you’re a confidant and a friend shares with you drama with their partner/friend/co-working/etc., it’s often easier to see where the parties involved aren’t truly hearing each other.

So we are good at spotting when someone else isn’t listening. Not so good at realizing it about ourselves.

I think listening takes a lot of courage. It’s hard to stop talking. It’s hard to not make your point. It’s hard to hear something you think is wrong and not correct it. It’s hard to be vulnerable. It’s hard to face something you want to ignore. It’s hard to be wrong. It’s hard to walk away when necessary.

Just some musings from the last few days. I’m challenged to listen more. To think outside myself more. To trust my instincts more.

What do you think?
Does listening take courage?
Do you think you listen well or are listened to?


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{PilotingPaperAirplanes.com}

Today I’m all about joy.

I am decidedly NOT the most cheerful person ever. I can be really happy or really upset, but most of the time my emotions don’t show in a dramatic way. I’m more stoic.

{Which, btw, I just looked up: “of or pertaining to the school of philosophy founded by Zeno, who taught that people should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submit without complaint to unavoidable necessity.” Interesting.}

Certainly, when I do express outbursts of emotion, anger or frustration is the easiest. Joy and cheerfulness, those are much harder. Pain is perhaps the hardest. Pain may disguise itself as anger on the surface, but actually expressing pain I feel… this is where anxiety kicks in. I really do not like being vulnerable.

Perhaps joy is best remedy for pain. Perhaps joy distracts from pain. Perhaps focusing on and finding joy in the ordinary makes any pain less intrusive. Perhaps joy leads to healing.

Focus on joy this week!
What simple things bring you joy?


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