Embracing the IDEA: Inviting and Nurturing Creativity in Everyday Life

Have you ever found unexpected inspiration in the everyday mundane? In today's episode, a simple, cockeyed post-it note transforms into a compass for creativity and a reflection of my core values. It's a candid exploration of the 'I-D-E-A' acronym - 'Invite, Develop, Embody, Allow' - which guided me through the roller coaster of emotions that accompanied the release of my debut book. As I peel back the layers of this personal mantra, we'll discuss how embracing our ideas, coupled with our values of learning and growing, can lead to profound self-discovery and artistic expression.

We're also tipping our hats to Elizabeth Gilbert and her influential work, "Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear," as we navigate the waters of self-doubt and anticipation. Join me on a journey of aligning with our 'why', and learn how to nurture your ideas into existence without the fear of failure looming over. By the end of our time together, you'll have a clearer perspective on how to invite opportunities, develop your passions, embody your authentic self, and allow your creative projects to thrive in the world. It's all about staying true to ourselves and living in the moment. So, let's embrace the abundance of inspiration that surrounds us and give life to the ideas that are waiting for us to take notice.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:24

Hey there. So there's a cockeyed post-it note stuck to the bottom of my windowsill, just above my desk. If I look up from my keyboard just a little to the right, I might see it, but so often when things are there for a while we simply stop noticing them. There's nothing about this post-it note that demands attention. There are no bright colors or bold affirmations. In fact, it's hastily scrawled ink on an almost all-white post-it note, except for the ICF logo on the bottom left. It wasn't artfully or even deliberately placed, and today I noticed that, after a multitude of months of clinging to my sill, its right corner is peeling away slightly, maybe relenting to the strong wind that is blowing outside my window today. I don't remember when I stuck it up, but for whatever reason, it drew my attention this morning as I sat down to write. At any given time, I have a number of ideas half-started or earmarked to write about, and it was my intention to develop one of those in this writing session until, for whatever reason, my cockeyed post-it note caught my eye. Cockeyed post-it note caught my eye, simply printed in lowercase letters. Remember, I said there was nothing about it that wanted or needed my attention. It was simply there, Just like all the abundance in the world that is available to us but goes unnoticed because we overlook it in our race to live our lives. So the post-it note it was just there. The four lowercase letters placed vertically on the note read I-D-E-A Idea, an acronym for which I wrote the corresponding words Invite, develop, embody, allow, idea. It's a kind of creative system based on two of my values, which were written below the acronym in all caps Learn, grow. Below the acronym in all caps LEARN, grow. When I connect to my values of learning and growing, I create a safe space for my ideas to flourish. With these guiding principles, the concept of failing slips away, because our greatest learning, my greatest learning, comes through not knowing everything and our greatest growth, my greatest growth, emanates from that learning.

Speaker 1: 3:17

I'm in the final stages of releasing my debut book, which has my mind racing and has been occupying a lot of space in my head the limiting beliefs of what I'm supposed to do now and what will happen when it comes out if I want a successful launch. These thoughts and feelings and limiting beliefs are threatening to pull me away from my why. But this morning, my little cockeyed post-it note that I noticed again for the first time in a long while. It magically transports me back to the essence of why I wrote it, why I wrote this book, and reminds me to stay connected to how important it is to me to learn and grow. I breathe more easily as I guide my book project through my four-letter acronym, my personal creative system, and repeat it as a kind of mantra I-D-E-A creative system. And repeat it as a kind of mantra I D E A Invite, develop, embody, allow.

Speaker 1: 4:40

I D E A Invite, develop, embody, allow Idea. I invited the idea in and developed it. It embodies my message wholeheartedly and now I will allow it to have a life of its own and go where the universe calls Invite, develop, embody, allow. What are you inviting into your life today? What would you like to develop? How might you embody that and allow, allow it to be in the world? Your own idea, your own creative system. I leave you with the words of Elizabeth Gilbert from her wonderful book Big Magic Creative Living Beyond Fear. She says trust in miraculous truth, that new and marvelous ideas are looking for human collaborators every single day. I am so grateful for my little cockeyed post-it note for inviting me in to collaborate today and create this for you and to me, and in turn remind you that, as long as we are connected to our values as our guiding principles, we are exactly where we are supposed to be. I'm Lisa Hopkins. Thanks so much for listening. Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and remember to live in the moment.