Timetobeme's Blog

I watch a wonderful YouTube channel called Little Poet. She should have called it Little Artist. She is a true artist but not in the way that you would expect. She creates videos that are so beautiful in words and her photography. Every video I watch just gives me true joy. She does not know me, I am just a subscriber that sometimes comments. But I adore her channel. she is 65 and talks about women and aging but in an upbeat way. I hope you will search her out. Such a beautiful soul sharing herself with the world.

So, you  may be asking, what does that have to do with my title.

Everything.

Today she did a video in which she quoted George Bernard Shaw. The quote is

Life isn’t about finding yourself

Life is about creating yourself.

Wow.

We have all heard the term “finding yourself ”

What in the heck does that actually mean ?

At 60 years old. I have no clue.

Funny thing is, the category I put this post in, I had named” finding myself “back when I started this blog . Pretty funny. I picked a category I really did not even get.

You can take stock of yourself I suppose.

Your age, your job, family, religion, race , color, male or female, etc. But somehow that is not what they are talking about when they use that term, finding yourself.

I would imagine if you cannot figure out what it means, you are not doing it either.

I can get behind what George Bernard Shaw is saying.

If there is a way to find ourselves, and I am not sure that is a real thing. Does that mean we like what we find, or does it mean we might not like what we find ? If the later is the case, than what is the point ?

Why not instead figure out who and what you want to be, and do that instead  ?

Do you want to be an fine art artist ?

Do you want to be a sculptor ?

Do you want to be a photographer ?

Do you want to be an author ?

Do you want to be a YouTube creator ?

Do you want to travel the world ? Maybe share your adventures in a blog or a YouTube channel ?

Would you like to make stained glass jewelry or panels ?

Would you like to learn how to dance, or get singing lessons, or learn to play an instrument ?

Do you want to learn to garden, or learn to bake, or cook ?

So many thing we can be. So, why not figure out what makes you happy and do that ? That is what she is talking about in her video.

We all need to find the things that bring us joy. Sometimes when life is a bit serious, kind of like 2020  has been for so many of us, well , most, if not all of us . It is hard to find the joy in life. But I do believe we  have to do it.

I believe we all need to find a way to create. Create anything. A picture, a piece of jewelry. A nice meal, a potted plant we can raise and enjoy the flowers , herbs, or veggies we get from it.

We can write a poem. Write an essay. Write a book.

If you have not tried, you do not know if you will love it, or if you can find joy in doing that thing. Perfect is never important. Yes, you get better at a skill as you do it, but never make perfection your goal. It will always be just out of reach.

A friend of mine, she is our youngest daughters mother in law, started putting glass from bottles she broke  into a tumbler and making her own sea glass and then she arranges it on a canvas and makes art. She thinks it is not art, just crafting. That makes me so frustrated. It is beautiful art. But to her, she is not an artist. She loves Dave Chuhuly, so in her mind, he is an artist, so she cannot be one. But artists do not need to be big and grand to be artists.

If you create, you are an artist. Period, the end. No discussion. If you create in any way, you are an artist.

Why can we not claim we are artists. Why do many of us say our art is not art, its just a craft. Art is art. It does not have to be internationally recognized to be considered art. I have seen art that is considered valuable that is so simple, but became an important piece. Many people if they created something along that same line, say like the famous Cambell Soup can painting by Andy Warhol, would say it is not really art. Who gets to say what is art and what is not ? I would imagine that art collectors would beg to differ. Modern art is far from what many people consider art, but it IS art. Someone created it. They thought about it and made it happen. It was their creation, their artwork, they are therefore artists.

See how that works. If you create artwork, if you create things , you are an artist.

Art is something you do to be creative in the way that speaks to you.

Some people find words speak to them. They  love to write poetry, or blogs, or books, or manuscripts, there is no distinction. Writing is an art whatever you do with it. I have to write. It is in me. My friends can tell you the L O N G texts and emails they get when I am not doing creative writing. I will find a way to write no matter what. Grocery lists, to do lists, above mentioned texts and emails. I have to write.

Some people paint with their gardens. Creating beautiful places out of plants, flowers, herbs, trees, and bushes. That is art.

Some people like to take old junk and weld it together and make absolutely fabulous things !!! I have a friend Linda , she and her husband make all kinds of things out of metal. Really cool stuff along with signs that he cuts out of metal and she paints. They are amazing. That is art. They are artists. She has a wonderful blog where she shares her art, and often the art of others. it is  here on WordPress, Creativeartworksblog, be sure and check out Linda, I just adore her blog and her. You will too.

Singing is an art, writing songs is an art. Playing the piano , or any instrument, that is art.

Decoupage is an art, as is doing mosiacs from old dishes that are broken, also art.

I have a friend that makes amazing cards for her family and friends, if I say it is art, she scoffs. But paper art is art. Junk journals are amazing. Handmade cards, also amazing. Simple or complicated. Does not matter. It is art.

Photography is an amazing art and one I think everyone should at least try. With digital cameras so widely available and the ability to load onto a computer. At the very least the phones have great cameras now and store the pictures for you. There is such a wonderful satisfaction to taking a picture that speaks to you. You might find it becomes a way to express yourself. I adore the fact that with modern photography we can have an art that can actually give us a bit of instant gratification when we need it !! So many places to get pictures printed, and it has gotten fairly inexpensive. Many a person has started a photography career with a print on demand company that will help them sell their photos alone on or bags, or mugs or blankets. So many wonderful and creative opportunities there !! But only if you love it and it speaks to you. Otherwise it is a job. You can combine a job with art, but only if it is true joy and not an obligation.

Do not fake it until you make it with creativity. Do what you love to do. Try everything you can. Even things that do not seem creative, are creative outlets for some people. If you do not like one thing, try another.

Decorating your house. Interior design is a wonderful career if that speaks to you. Art.

Some people find joy in organizing and make businesses out of helping others to organize too. Art.

I find so many ways to be creative.

I blog,

I have a YouTube channel.

I make jewelry

I make beaded and sequined ornaments

I love to write poetry

I have done short stories but not recently

I do some gardening but not very well this year !!A pretty epic fail to be sure, but I did have a grand day with some of our grandaughters planting all those seeds and have pictures to remember it !!!

I love to bake, again, not as much this year as we have to lose weight.

I love to take pictures of pretty much anything. But I love to take architectural pictures the most. Buildings, houses, and fences, street signs. I do love nature pictures and do not get me started on family pictures. I am the official family photographer.

I love anything that entails a glue gun

or anything with glitter or bling.

I just love to create.

So, I say to you , my wonderful and appreciated reader. Do not worry about finding yourself. Create yourself by creating. Finding things that bring you job, and creating things that feed your soul.

We all have a way to be creative. Find yours.

Start small if you have to. But find a way to create. It is part of our being to be creative. I think a lot of people who are unhappy in this world have lost the joy of creating . They have forgotten how to create, or never really learned.  Sometimes the creating becomes a job they do not enjoy anymore  at which point they need to step back and take stock and maybe start over again.

Take a picture, write a poem, draw something , color in a coloring book. Bake a cake, or plant a garden. Find a way to create.

Our youngest daughter just self published her own adult style  mandella coloring book on Amazon. She is working on another one. She has a few in mind already to follow up. I have a ton of that type of books, of course including hers. The art is spectacular in the adult form of coloring books. But sometimes the kids Strawberry shortcake vintage coloring book is fun too !!!

There is no end to what you can create . If you need inspiration, get on YouTube or Pinterest and find things that really get you excited to try it. If you decide it is not for you, hey, that is okay. I have done many creative things and decided later they were not for me. Its okay. It is not a fail, it is a NEXT….

Walk around a Hobby Lobby, Micheals or a Joannes store and find something that looks like fun , and give it a try. There are always wonderful coupons or sales to help you start something new. Find other crafters to swap supplies with, that is a lot of fun !!!

Please, never stop learning, or creating.

Take a class if your city or local college offers them . We grow when we learn and we grow when we create. Doing both is a great way to find happiness in your life.

Change the things that are not working if you can. If you cannot change those things right now, find joy in things that take your mind off of the things you cannot change .

Thanks so much for stopping by !! I would love to hear in the comments how you love to create !! What makes you happy ?

Stephie