I’ve decided to feature some excerpts, artwork, and feedback from my book, Refrain from the Identical: Insight and Inspiration for Creative Eclectics. The following excerpts are from Chapter 1:
“Some people are blankets made out of one solid piece of material, while others are quilts with a whole bunch of pieces sewn together.” -Andrea Luna
A Tendency towards Multiplicity
We creative types definitely have a free spirit; a child inside eager to explore. We flit and flutter from one interesting activity to the next without a care in the world until someone tells us we are “unfocused” or “scattered.” It wounds our heart and erodes our confidence when a loved one winces at our latest great idea and yawns, “You make me tired.” Self-doubt creeps in like the Vikings raiding northern European villages at night. We begin to think, “There must be something wrong with me!” Desires that once delighted us now seem to pull us in a dozen different directions.
Pen and Ink by Gina Marie Wilson
An enthusiastic and grateful reader, Donna Mast, sent me the following comment after reading Chapter 1:
“I am learning that I am an artistic eclectic, and I didn’t know that until I started to read Refrain from the Identical. I used to get frustrated with myself as I dabbled with different creative art projects and at times felt guilty that I didn’t hone in on one thing. This book is so freeing. You have so much to give to those of us who need to be encouraged in the busyness of life to let our creativity soar! READ THE ENTIRE POST…
I don’t know your book, but I like this. “Give one self permission” to create is so important. As we do to children, but find it sometimes so hard to give that same permission to ourselves.
hannekekoop, I heartedly agree with you. We are often so restrictive with ourselves when becoming like a spontaneous child is the essence of creativity.
Hey, pal! Oh, when you wrote about how we flit and flitter – that hit home. My daughters recently said that’s all I do and it hurt my feelings and made me want to scream, “Don’t you get it?”
Izzie, so nice to hear from you again. I get it!!! That’s one of the main reasons I wrote the book. I got so tired of feeling bad about myself because I “flit and flitter.” You go girl!!!