Finding Your Magic
What exactly is this magic that so many are referring to lately? And where do I find it? Right now I am reading Elizabeth Gilbert’s Big Magic - for the second time. If you haven’t read it, run out right now and get it. Whatever form is acceptable. I read mine the old-fashioned way - on paper - the first time, and this time around I am listening to the audio version. Which I am in love with. Her voice is so soothing that I could listen to her read all day. I find it relaxing, inspiring, and it makes me want to run out and create something.
OK so back to our original question - what is this magic that people are referring to lately. Often we think of magic as tricks that a magician does - making things disappear, pull bunnies out of a hat, that kind of thing. I think what Liz Gilbert (sounds like we’re friends doesn’t it) is referring to is our creative magic.
I am in the camp that we all have creative energy inside us. When people say “oh I’m not creative” I say “bullshit”. We all have it. It’s just a matter of digging in and finding it and then doing something with it.
Santa Barbara Castle in Alicante, Spain
The first time I was called creative was when I was seeing a therapist in my 20’s for depression and eating disorders (another blog post, trust me). I was shocked and even laughed - “I’M not creative!” She said “of course you are!” It certainly took me a while to figure it out and actually do anything about it, but that conversation did spur me to travel down that path. Since I can remember, when I see something in front of me, I imagine what it would look like in a photograph. Then I took a class to figure out how to make it happen. From that point I fell in love with my creative medium. It was something I would get lost in. Time would slip away and I would think of nothing else.
But then I would stop doing it. For years sometimes. I would think “I’m not good enough so what’s the point”. My 75-year-old neighbor took up painting and has filled her house with her art. Is she Rembrandt? No. But the main “point” of any of us creating is not to be rich, famous, or win awards. It’s for those precious moments of creative bliss that fill our hearts with something - satisfaction, joy, mirth. Something that isn’t normally in our hearts. That’s the magic. It took me a while (I’m not going to say how many years, that’s just embarrassing) but now I do photography for me. And in the process of doing it, if it causes someone to smile, gasp, cry, or laugh…then that is an extra benefit. But it didn’t come easily or readily. There were many hours of soul-searching, journaling, reading books, meditation…to bring me here.
It’s something I never want to stop doing. I won’t ‘retire’ from photography. I might change the way I do it, but I never want to stop doing it.
Central Park, New York City
How do you find your magic? It’s in there, trust me on this. I’ve done enough research. First of all it doesn’t have to be something that takes your breath away, knocks you over, makes you want to sing from the mountain tops. That’s the movie version of magic. Real life magic is something that makes you smile. Something that takes your mind off the day-to-day stuff and brings you a minute (or more hopefully) of joy.
Where is it? It’s up to you to find it. Here’s another book I highly recommend: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. One of her exercises is ‘morning pages’. Writing 3 pages of whatever stream of consciousness comes to mind, first thing in the morning. You are not writing a novel. It’s whatever comes to mind. Even if that whatever is “this is so stupid, how is this going to help me find anything”. You’ll be surprised what comes out on those pages, trust me.
Get out there and try new things. I’m going to be offering an online photography course. You can sign up to get updates on that here. Take a class in painting, the Tango, learn the violin, buy some finger-paints. I think you see where I’m going. Try something. Anything. And if you're a pent up writer that is stuck and can’t get the next words out? Then try a painting class, a photography class (did I mention I’ll be offering one soon??). Do something different to get that creative magic in motion. It’s either hiding or stuck. But we are in charge of getting it to flow again.
Bordeaux, France
So come on people. Let’s go create something magic!
Do you need a little extra help? Grab my free Camera Creativity Guide that will give you some practical ideas to play, have fun, and get creative with your camera!