Are you hungry for a way to nourish your soul?  Do you want to express yourself creatively?  Do you need a reason to use all those art supplies you (or your kids!) have been accumulating?  If you can't quite justify taking some time to make your creativity a part of your day, here are 6 reasons why you can!

1.  To find your voice!

• Figure out what is important to you.

• Find out how you feel about your life.

2.  To nourish your soul:

• Use Visio Divina - Sacred Seeing - look for images in nature, in magazines or online, and choose one (or several) that resonate with you, and include those in your artwork, focusing on why they resonate.

• Pray with your art materials, creating a short ritual each time to begin to create.

• Use creative expression as a tool on your spiritual journey.

• Think of your creative practice as art therapy for your soul!

• Give yourself permission to see God in your own way, with your own understanding, which aligns with your own experience.

• Hear God’s voice in your life in a fresh, different way.

• Gain clarity and discover what God wants you to know in your present circumstance.

• Become a better person because you are nourished. “If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

3.  To take care of yourself:

• It is important to stay in balance – in terms of the physical, mental, and spiritual, and in terms of balancing the doing for others and doing for yourself.

• “Love your neighbor as yourself” requires you to give yourself some loving!

• “Put your own oxygen mask on first, before assisting others” means if you don’t take care of yourself, you won’t have anything left to take care of others.

4.  To realize and honor your self-worth:

• Honor the calling of your soul by dedicating a special time to come away from the busyness of life.

• Send a message to yourself that you are worthy by spending time for yourself!

• Send a message to yourself that your art is valuable by spending money on art materials just for you.

5.  To express yourself:

• Record what is bubbling up inside you by putting it down on paper or in an art journal, because the ink of mental notes fades quickly.

• Process your experiences without “should”ing on yourself – telling yourself that you “should” feel this way or you “shouldn’t” feel that way.

• Gaze non-judgmentally on your artwork before adding the layer of interpretation that words bring with them.

• Come back later and speak to God about what the images meant then, and what they mean now.

6.  To reveal yourself to you:

• Learn to listen for your inner wisdom.

• Draw and and then name your 'inner' game to get clarity and focus.

• Become aware of how your thoughts, feelings, emotions – everything that is going on inside you – influence the way you see the world outside of you.

Now that you are ready to develop your own creative practice, where do you begin? Right where you are! My next blog will guide you with how-to steps to starting a creative practice.  Begin by gathering up your favorite supplies and giving yourself permission to play with them just to see what they can do.  If you are beyond the beginner level, consider which art medium will give you the most joy today and go for it!

Just have some fun and play!

I would love to see what you are up to creatively!  Upload a picture of your creations in the comments below.