Embracing Imperfection + Ikea + Coming home to your creativity

In a recent post, I shared that I was engaged. I know that our common understanding of that term was to make a particular announcement regarding a significant relationship choice in ones life, but I was using the words to share a point about being awake and plugged in to life.

The engagement post definitely got some attention.

But the relationship status within yourself and within your life is just as important to take note of and celebrate! I believe celebrating that connection within ourselves is definitely significant. 

The reason being, it's not always in good status. We often go through long periods of separation from our authentic selves. We go through times in our lives where things aren't flowing and where we don't feel like our best selves. We go through times in our lives when things are not in order, they are not working out, and we simply can't catch a wave.

So, what do we do then? 

What do we do when we aren't in the creative flow, but we so desperately want to be back there or to find it in the first place?

I used to live in a city where there was a big, beautiful IKEA. 

I have always had a major fascination with IKEA. Maybe it's because I am a sucker for brilliant, efficient, and stylish design at an affordable cost, (who knows?) but I remember the day when the new IKEA catalog would arrive at my apartment with great fondness. I looked through it again and again. 

Sometimes, I would make excuses to go to IKEA and walk around; get a coffee, explore what life would look like in their mini apartment set ups offering different square footages. 

'Here's what life would be in just 345 square feet or 567 square feet! With IKEA it all fits, it all works, and it's so beautiful!'

IKEA calmed me down. It gave me the sense that all things could find order. 

You just need these special little organizing boxes and this special hanger for your closet that organizes your scarves and hangs them perfectly. Also, you need these candle holders, this throw pillow, and this utensil organizer for your kitchen drawers. Brilliant! Then my life will be perfect. Then I'll truly be in the flow. Then things will be, well, they'll be perfect finally. 

Perfection is a fantasy that does us a major disservice.

Because the truth is, even if I had everything organized and the laundry done, at the end of the day the clothes I am wearing while I did all of that cleaning and laundry will still be dirty. They may be the one set of clothes in the laundry basket, but just as soon as that laundry basket is completely empty and perfect, I mess it up by living my life. 

In the studio, I may get every paint brush in the perfect paint brush cup and every canvas prepped and ready to go, but as soon as I embark on the journey of a painting there is something left unfinished. 

I cannot ever get it all done.

I cannot ever get it all perfect.

I cannot ever get it all right.

Coming home to your creativity, means living in the dissonance.  

Embracing imperfection means living in a sweet, authentic space with yourself where creativity is truly possible.

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Art Nurture is about being fully alive and living life with the soul of an artist. A life filled with passion, intention, and purpose. Thanks so much for your time and your presence.
 
Cultivate & Nurture, 
Court McCracken

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