How Discomfort of Uncertainty Sparks Creativity

​There are few things in life that are absolutely certain. But, we quirky humans are capable of great adaptations. We find solutions. We are logical and intuitive, strategic and ingenious, especially in times of greatest turmoil. We embrace surprises, cope with unexpected challenges, and learn to move on to the next phase of our lives. Change is constant, and it is also necessary for the survival and growth of a creative life. 
 
To be sure, this year has given us an extra large dose of uncertainty, and if you’re like me, a fair amount of discomfort with not knowing what lies around the bend. Making plans to see friends, family, travelling, where and how to work . . . it has all become unpredictable. Some of us are better than others under these circumstances, but honestly, I’m sure we’re all at the point of ‘enough already’. We’re eager for the freedom we once had to plan our lives, but that may have to wait a while longer yet

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​Uncertainty in the studio is nothing new. I’ve been in training for this for years. It allows me to be inventive, to explore and discover something I haven’t tried before. It happened just a few weeks ago as the night grew dark and the stars shone over the horizon. I started painting those intense colours, indigo blue and violet sprinkled with backlit clouds and twinkling stars. I realized then that my discomfort had been transformed into a new fascination with the cosmos, nebulas surrounded by starlight, places that I could only dream of seeing for myself, but I could paint into existence from my imagination and then be transported from here to ‘there’. I found a way to escape without a plane ticket! 
 
This much is certain: the starlight shines so much brighter in a dark sky, than in a fog. We have a chance now to seek out and follow that guiding star that shines so brightly. We’ve been forced to slow down, to take a breath and re-evaluate so many facets of our lives. There’s a lot of good that has come from this self-reflection. Let’s not let that go to waste. Whatever your creative path, let’s remember this time, and maybe even document our thoughts, so that we don’t forget the promises we’ve made to ourselves to transform our way of life. Let’s turn it inside out; let the discomfort of uncertainty transform into an appreciation for the awe-inspiring mystery of the unknown. 

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May the hope inside your heart shine as brightly as the stars in the sky!