Burning Creativity With Excuses of Not Enough Time

That was  a long title. It probably took you a couple seconds to read that. The fact that you're reading this means you have a few seconds of time to spare on reading something that may or may not be helpful in the end. I hope it is.

Not. Enough. Time.
Please stop and take a deep breath. This is life. We run around like chickens with our heads cut off (which I really want to see some day... //random) and barely have time to just... breathe. Seriously, take a moment, take a breath, refresh yourself with tea or coffee, or ice cream (gelato is better than ice cream, but not many know exactly what that is...) That's it. Have you slowed your brain down enough to just relax for a few seconds? If you're one of those people (*cough* me *cough*) that like to have five tabs of research open, my writing document on one side of the screen and this blog post on the other side, then you're not really taking a break. Put it all away. Give me five minutes of your time.
Okay, maybe ten...

It's a busy month for just about everyone out there. Thanksgiving is coming up, people get breaks from school (YAY) and for those crazy people like me, it's NaNoWriMo (which is where crazy people try and write 50,000 words in 30 days.) But life still goes around us. Creativity stills floats just beyond our busy schedules. Inspiration at our fingertips, but because we're hanging onto too much we simply can't grab it.

Not enough time.
Not enough time to stop and take that picture.
Not enough time to stop and write down that really awesome book idea you just got (y'know that idea that will bug you and beg you to write until you start it and then you realize you... don't have enough time... oh the irony.)
Not enough time to hold the kitten, sip at coffee and watch Leap Year.
You're burning yourself out, darling.

We simply can't see past the calendar these days. Maybe, just maybe, you can take a deep breath, and do what you love. The excuses we make about not having enough time will burn you out. It's time to watch a movie in the middle of the day. It's time to pick up your favorite novel and start reading it. It's time cuddle the cat and watch the candle burn as the sun sets. It's called refueling. Because all your creativity will be lost as soon as you let "not enough time" get in the way.

If you see it, grab it. Don't let the inspiration slip between your fingers like sand. Stop, take the picture of the setting sun right now because you might not have this chance when you do have "time". Stop, and just write a poem. Don't worry about the five novels you started (because at that time, you thought it was a great idea... now not so much. :p) and just write the free verse. Because, goodness, as soon as you get a poem idea, it needs to go down on paper, you will lose the inspiration, I guarantee it.

Stop. Take a deep breath.
You find a book that looks interesting in the book store, but you convince yourself that you don't have time. What if there was something inside that book that you needed to read? What if that was going to be the momentary breather where you could relax? You just passed up the chance to do something you love.

Take a deep breath. Be still.
Creativity is right there in front of you. Inspiration is everywhere, and you might just miss an opportunity that will never come again, because you didn't have enough time. Don't let that burn you out. It isn't just for artists. Everyone needs to take a breather. Don't lose those special moments. Take every chance you can to get out and do what you love. Have some "me time". Read others blog posts, take pictures every chance you get, write poetry, draw pictures, take a moment to get away from your novel. Take a moment away from life. Take a walk.

In the end, the world won't remember you as a person who wrote 100,000  novels, or one who took over  a billion pictures, or who published the most songs. They'll remember you for the greatness of it all. It doesn't have to be in numbers. They'll remember the overall message. They'll remember the things that matter. What's your goals? To paint a million landscapes? Or to paint that one that will always be remembered? You'll get that inspiration when you slow down. In the still and quiet moments where you aren't running around like a headless chicken, that you will you find the best creativity ever. It's in those moments where you realize what matters in life. Not the numbers, but the greatness. The beauty.

Maybe it's time to make time.
Sit at the coffee shop, drink your latte (or tea) and forget about the things you have to do for just a moment. Slow down, listen to the wind and the birds.

Breathe...