Starting today, I’ll answer questions on Fridays about creativity, personal development, and the Wheel of Creativity. Post your issues or questions on the Wheel of Creativity Facebook Page, and I’ll answer them here.
Q: How do I manage being in different places on the Wheel at the same time? With my business, for example, I’ve moved a great deal… from Quarter 3 to Quarter 4. Then something else comes into the mix, in another area of my life, and I’m in a difference place on the Wheel there. It can be frustrating, being in different places in different areas of life at the same time. How do I manage that?
(Diane L., Events Producer)
A: Such a good question, Diane.
And I understand the frustration you express. I think when we try to manage all the circumstances of our lives directly, things tend to get overwhelming. Whereas, when you step back from those circumstances, even for a moment, things can become clear very quickly. A part of the power of the Wheel is this very detachment.
The outside of the Wheel – the forms of your life, your circumstances, the world around you – is always turning. The center is always still. The center of the Wheel, the center of your life, is your own center, your authentic self, your Essence. And life lived from this place becomes whole, even when the world around you is coming apart.
Three Suggestions for Managing “Conflicts” within the Wheel:
1. Detach from your circumstances. Move from the outside of the Wheel to the center. Everything that disturbs you is an opportunity to return to the still place within you. Create space for clarity with 60-second, 30-second, even 10-second meditations throughout your day.
2. Let go with your mind. Look for alternatives to managing your life with your mind. The four quarters of the Wheel hold body, spirit and heart, in addition to the mind. Try experiencing your life with your heart for a change, or your body, or your spirit. How do the different aspects of your life appear differently then?
3. Live life rather than trying to manage it. Life gives nonstop lessons in creativity all around you. Observe creativity in Nature, be present with it in uncertainty, welcome its diversity within you. Rather than trying to manage things, be open and allow yourself to be surprised.
When things reach the point of frustration or overwhelm, you are more highly motivated to look for a creative solution to a problem… something outside your usual box of understanding.
Life – and whatever it’s put on your plate today – can be a meditation.
Everything that occurs is an opportunity to return to your own center. Creativity begins here. Make space for it.
live CREATIVE,
Katherine
P.S. Do you have a question for me about living your life creatively? Fire away! I’ll be answering questions every Friday.