Please forgive me. I’m still in the process of sorting out my plans for 2010. I know, I know. I should have done all that before the year started, but I have a tendency to wake up rather slowly.
Looking back (one last time, I promise), I can see that 2009 was a time of finding my key ingredients, the items I need, if you don’t mind the metaphor, to make my own life stew.
You probably have your own list, a collection of things you have to throw in the crock-pot in order to feel whole. If something’s missing, you can taste it.
But now I realize it doesn’t end once you have your list. You have to determine the quantities, when to add them, how much heat to apply, and how long to let it simmer.
You know I like doing something daily and that I think 90 day projects are a great idea, but the whole point of doing those kinds of things is to get somewhere further down the road. So, I’m thinking a year ahead and asking myself where I’d like to be when 2011 rolls around and what it’s going to take to get there.
I’ve got my ingredients. Now I just have to decide the portions and the pace at which I intend to add them.
For example, I’ve been dabbling with drawing, but I’d like to do a little more than dabble. I’d like to get better at it. I just don’t want it to overpower my life’s main ingredient which is writing. Writing is my something daily so I add a cup each day.
I realized that I could add one drawing lesson a week and practice what I learn throughout each week without sacrificing my writing time. The same holds true for the guitar.
This gives me a year to cook my stew. I can taste it now and then, as all good cooks do, to see how things are coming along.
Maybe you could do the same. If you know your ingredients, spend some time thinking about portions and pacing. Then start cooking. At the end of the year, we can share our dishes with one another.
Are you getting all the Quiet Inspiration you need? Subscribe to Quiet Inspiration, the Mildly Creative Newsletter. You can also subscribe to these blog posts via RSS feed or by Email.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
It is always refreshing to hear from you Ken. I was wondering where you get your inspiration from? Are there any other blogs you know of that focus on developing our creativity? Also, have you ever written about creativity and music before? I am trying to write electronica/hip-hop songs as of late.
.-= Steven | The Emotion Machine´s last blog ..Re-visiting Your Goals And Aspirations =-.
I have a few I subscribe to on Google Reader, so, to make things easier, I bundled them. You can check them out here: my creativity bundle
I do write about music from time to time, but I’m definitely not a trained musician.
Here’s a list of blogs by musicians and writers posted by Creativity-Portal.com.
Hope that helps.
Very helpful! Thanks a lot!
.-= Steven | The Emotion Machine´s last blog ..Re-visiting Your Goals And Aspirations =-.
What a wonderful list of creativity resources. Thank you for sharing those.
I also love the part in your post about being able to taste the stew to find out what’s missing.
So nice of you to stop by my blog and comment!
.-= Martha Marshall´s last blog ..Winter from My Front Door =-.
Ken-
I love this way of thinking about planning a year and a life. Some things are the ‘meat,’ some things are the veggies and some things are the spice. Some things you can do without in a pinch, but if you don’t have the basic ingredients in sufficient quantities, you might be going hungry.
.-= Liz´s last blog ..Playing to Your Strengths =-.