Being creative can mean so many things to so many people, be it you are an artist, musician, fashion or jewellery designer. Or perhaps, you see being creative as being a fantastic cook, home decorator or author – and it can be all of these things, and more! Creativity, is the soul expressing itself, and we create everyday.

But what if no matter how much you tried, there is a component of your personality that is not being heard, seen or expressed because you have lost that childlike quality of playfulness?

As I write this blog, I am sharing an internal dialogue that I often have with myself. The balance of the disciplinary approach of my upbringing and the playfulness of my Irish heritage. This playfulness comes out every now and again, and when she arrives in the room my face “shines” and the whole essence of who I am, steps out and beams!

We often talk about taking the steps towards ascension, and that our life purpose is to attain enlightment. The way I see it, it is a delicate balance of how we tap into the creativity and flow of the intuitive ( the “child like innocence and playfulness”) whilst grounding and mastering the art of manifestation, and is one of the main purposes of why we are here in this school we call life.

The Dalai Lama is a beautiful example and role model of one that enjoys all that presents, I love how he sees everything in an innocence and teaches that life is about being happy.

Yet I often get puzzled on how do I create without stepping into my state of being in control, needing structure and the precision of project management?

Wonderful skills exercised regularly in my days of corporate life, they served me well; could they also be holding my creativity back?

With the growth of our Embrace Life community, I am often reminded that the best days and outcomes, have been when I have allowed things to go with the flow, still holding onto the vision and intent with a strongly held belief that things will occur the way they are meant to be, and that I too may not have all the answers. Letting go of that little “ego” that wants to know what happens next?

Is this the part of the creative process that I am here to learn?

The gentle balance between the sweet joy of creativity and possibilities coupled with a sense of grounding and action, navigating and facilitating but not holding back due to fear and uncertainty.

So what do I do, to allow myself to exercise this balance between creativity and discipline:

1. Allow myself to let go of expectations, holding onto the belief and trusting that whatever the outcome will be, it will be the best for me right now and filled with many blessings;

2. Introduced playtime, only recently I was introduced to the concept of colouring in books, yes, I know we had them as children and I loved them – so why now that I have “grown” up, did I stop doing what I enjoyed?

3. I have noticed how my energy lightens when I have a good “belly” laugh, so making time out of my work schedule to be with the people I love, enjoying what surrounds me and making the time to laugh, bringing moments of joy; while letting go of the need to be “perfect” is also an invitation for myself to play;

4. Giving myself permission to be me, and not what I believe others want or expect of me, I remember meeting a lady a few years back, that on her 50th year told her mother, that for the last 50 years she had done what her mother had asked for and she was now going to do what she wanted.

And after the next 50 years, she would come back and renegotiate – this can be very liberating if a parent or someone we care for, are putting their expectations on our behaviour

5. I have given my disciplinary side a name, her name is Hilda, she taps into my German heritage. I am yet to name my Irish counterpart, I am still getting to know her, but I am aware that I need to integrate both and both are needed in my life.

One is not more important than the other, I see it as my invitation for a little more of the Irish craic!

So invite time in your life to play, this does not mean you do not hold a vision, work for your beliefs and goals, or to put energy and focus to things that resonate, it is all about balance, so make sure you also take the time to laugh, play and enjoy this wonderful planet and embrace all that life has to give us.