Stop Letting Life Happen to You: The Power of Creative Living

When’s the last time you did something for you? For the sake of your own personal growth. And let’s get something straight. I don’t mean the type of “something for you” where you go get a pedicure or buy a new plant on a Sunday. I’m talking about doing something for you that brings you back to life. That excites you. That awakens you. 

As kids, we were given a bucket, a little shovel and put in the sand to make sand castles. 

Without fear, we ran straight for the wide open sea, dropped the bucket down to collect frothy salt water and ran back to our towels to dump the water onto sand. Like pure magic, millions of dry tiny mineral particles transformed into a consistency perfect for constructing a sand palace. 

There was never a moment where our child-self thought “how am I going to make a sand castle with ALL this sand?” Instead of getting anxious and overwhelmed, we felt this pure sense of excitement, curiosity, and the possibility of creating a universe out of sand. 

But then something happened. As we grew older, the sand bucket and plastic shovel got donated and our creative energy was displaced. Curiosity got traded in for practicality and soon enough days turned into weeks and a long countdown until Friday. 

In a blink of an eye, life began to happen to us vs. for us. 

In her book, Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear, author Elizabeth Gilbert writes, “The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.” 

We are all being presented with a choice in this life - hunt to uncover those jewels or remain and repeat. To sit still and “carry on”  or get curious and rediscover the creative living we all buried alongside our sand toys. At VAWAA our mission is simple yet profound - help humanity start the search and come face to face with the power of creative living. 

Whirling rituals and healing movements in Turkey. The Art of tattooing in Brazil. Porcelain ceramic making in France. Whatever it is, forget the idea of being an expert. What will bring you back to that beginner’s mindset you left behind as a kid? A journey to Kyoto’s fresh flower markets to construct your own Ikebana creation or the healing experience built into the vibrant flavors of Malay cooking - these are the moments that are sure to re-awaken not only your senses but your soul. 

So I will ask you again - when was the last time you did something for you? For the sake of your own personal growth? The type of something that brings you back to life. That excites you. That awakens your mind and your heart. 

Ready to come face to face with power of creative living? Book mini apprenticeships with master artists around the world here.

Written by Charlotte Waldmeir

For more stories and new artist updates, subscribe here.

Browse all VAWAA Artists here.