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This is a transcript from episode #39 of the Let the Verse Flow Podcast.
As a multi-passionate creative, I have gone down many rabbit holes. I’ve tried to tell my stories, recite my poems, impact the world in my small way, and I’ve done it all while having an internal fight about what that impact should be.
How can I feel called to try to inspire a world that increasingly feels like it’s filled with noise?
Am I just adding to that noise?
Is there room for another voice, and why do I want it to be mine?
The answer is that I feel so much, I dream so big, and I believe so hard that what matters most in life is that we live and share that living.
We must live my dear friend, and we do that by taking action in the direction of our dreams. I don’t mean fluffy, cloudlike dreams either, I mean dreams with teeth in them. Dreams that keep us up at night, and dreams that we feel compelled to move forward. I’ll explain.
Pushing Creative Projects to the Finish Line
In a little while, I’m going to recite a poem called Forward Facing. Forward facing is the term I use to describe my outlook on moving creative projects to fruition. Whatever they may be – this podcast, my newsletter (the Me-Time Mixtape), my YouTube videos, or even my new Insight Timer caregiver stress-reduction course. I can get caught up in these projects, the outcome of my creativity, but ultimately, it’s the creative process itself that brings joy.
While I build my newsletter and writing business, my long-term goals, I also produce quite a bit of creative content. While I’m not a fan of the word “content creator,” it’s too small a compartment to fit in my creative process and the artistic way that I like to look at my projects, I do create a lot of things. I put them into the world, see what lands, and then quickly move on to the next project or episode. I’ve always been this way; I wake up in the morning with a head full of ideas and usually have to get out of bed quickly to write them down before I lose the through-thread of the ideas (and how they might fit with my current projects). And all the while I’m creating, I’m wondering how does this impact the world? Is anyone really listening, and what’s the essence of why I do the things I do and say the things I say?
Finding Purpose as a Multi-Passionate Creator
My answer is that as a multi-passionate creator, I believe in breathing life into new ideas, playing with them until you feel they make sense and then releasing them out into the world to see who they land with. From there, I hope to build community around those ideas (this is a work in progress). By being forward-facing, open to receiving what the world has to offer and giving and sharing my reply, I build purpose into my life. Purpose, oh that big word that can scare us to death. We think of purpose in big, bold letters, but I think it’s sort of a small and puny word for the big-world creative leaps we take. The strength and will to release our creativity is really the big concept here, and many of us do it because we feel called to do it.
Today, I want to talk about how to be forward-facing, that is forward-thinking and impactful in the world, using your creative gifts. In a moment, we are going to dive into creativity, unpack it and figure out what moves your heart. If possible, find a comfortable place where you can be reflective, perhaps with your journal nearby to jot down any thoughts that come to mind. Those little kernels of wisdom that pop into your head may not feel like wisdom yet, but your unconscious is talking to you, and we are going to find out what it has to say.
First, A Reflection Question
How do we learn what our creative gifts are and how to use them, how to make space for them in our lives? We need to reflect first. Reflection isn’t a catchword that we use because it sounds good, it is meaningful, especially if you are someone like me who may have difficulty defining what you really want from life. Do you have trouble answering the question, “What do I want out of life?” or “What brings me joy and gives me a sense of meaning and purpose in life?” These are heady questions for sure, but knowing ourselves is such a critical vantage point for having a forward facing and impactful sense of your creativity. So, I want you to reflect on this question:
Take a moment to think about three times when you were truly happy as a child or young adult. Think back to when you didn’t have so many demands on your time and mind. A time when you could dream and just be without such a long to-do list and so many people depending on you. What did you enjoy doing? You are picking three so that you don’t have to make tough choices about your top interest, but it should be on your list.
Think about this for a few moments and picture your younger self doing something enjoyable. It could be a creative activity like playing an instrument, visiting someone, a friend that you loved to spend time with, time spent in a community, or some adventure. Try to return to that place and feel what made it special. Then ask yourself, “Do I have this same joy in my life now, and if not, why?”
Think about that for a few moments and jot down your thoughts in your journal. I’ll also repeat variations of these questions at the end of the episode in the journal prompts for your continued reflection. For now, just write whatever three joyful activities come to mind.
My Creative Combo? Writing & Music
When I think about these questions, I remember listening to music in my room (for hours on end) while I journaled. I’d write to keep myself company when I got lonely. I’d write when I was upset about something. I’d write when I had to figure out something. I’ve made a thousand pro/con lists in my life, and many of my happy moments in my childhood happened while I wrote and listened to music. Do I have this same joy in my life now? Yes I do, but only recently has it permeated my life so much. So many people ask me why I wanted to start a podcast, and the only answer I have is that I feel called to do it. But lately, I realize that when I write and then integrate that writing (my poetry) with music, I feel deeply fulfilled. It’s like I’m harkening back to those early years when music and writing were happily fused in my life.
What Will You Make Time for?
What came up for you while writing or reflecting? Think about it over the next couple of days and write whatever comes to mind. After a few days, I want you to explore one of these joyful activities – which one doesn’t feel like work? Which one wants to be explored? Which one will you make time for? That will tell you something.
I will only wake up at 6am on Saturdays and Sundays to work on my poetry and the podcast. It has rearranged almost everything else I do. Exercise and socializing? I’ve had to make room for those things in other time slots. I care so much about my writing that 6 am feels right. What are you willing to do to make time for your creative passions? And most of the joyful things in life come from our creative spirit. Even work projects have a creative infrastructure, so if a work project came to mind during your reflection, that’s your creative project.
An Example: Hand-Made Jewelry
Let’s say you want to start a small business to sell your hand-made jewelry. We may think the only creative part of that would be the jewelry making, but there’s creative work to be done to set up a website, design a logo, create marketing content, showcase the jewelry at local fares, or sell it to stores. Creative problem-solving can be deeply satisfying, especially if it means we get to more of the things we love.
The last step is figuring out how to incorporate the project into your life. It may not fit easily, in fact it probably won’t. This part might hurt a bit at first, because the forward-facing part of this whole labor of love is the doing, and repeating the doing consistently. That’s where you move your talent and calling into impact. You have to convert it through work. That can be a tough pill to swallow, and that’s why the first part, the reflection, is so vital.
You are only going to work on projects that light you up, so find those at the onset and then don’t look back. Pull the fight out of you and then feel empowered by your effort. By the fact that you made something happen. Here’s that poem about my sense of fight. It’s called Forward Facing. I hope it motivates you to get into your creative self-care, and start making the impact you were born to make.
Forward Facing
By Jill Hodge
Oh no, it’s not my turn again
The sting of Friday’s news, my torso tenses,
Back in the fight, ringing ears, but dulling senses
Radiating pain, a heart encircled by steel fences
I worked all day, did the deed, and stirred the pot
While my soul, whispered small, to be freed
I took care of you and them and that guy over there
Until I forgot to breathe even one breath of sweet night air
Is this a dream? All eyes on me
As I take a long walk to a square space, boxed in tight
Spectators yell as they ring the bell
And watch me give blood, big bags of rich sangre
Even now as I thrash about, the cheers ring out
Oh no, it’s not my turn again
Please don’t call me your everlasting faithful friend
I’m retiring after this
My ears ring with sweetly sung songs,
Against a commotion of loudmouths, dings, and dongs
I’m talking to myself again, but there’s a call
It’s Mohammed Ali, but I just stand and stall
No thank you, no, please
Don’t tell me that I’ve got the fight
Been stung by too many of them bees
If I pick up those gloves it WILL be on my terms, the last
’Cause it wasn’t my turn to dance and weave, that’s in the past
I’m running so fast, too fast to think or even pray for a win
And all the time I’m bracing, I’m doing something else
Beating my chest at cursed times, preparing myself, pacing
Hands up, right shuffle left, let’s go, forward-facing
One of my favorite motivational inspirations is the fighting spirit of the late, great Muhammad Ali. His hard work, mental philosophy, and motivational momentum were a trifecta that inspired me to want to reach the top, to level up my game. I’m not even a boxing fan, but his sheer will and dedicated action inspired me as a child. The epitome of boastfulness, his energy around the narrative of his ascent was authentic and deeply meaningful to him (and, by extension, to us).
It’s easier to attribute personal heroism to our idols, but our job is to manufacture it for ourselves. We have fight and drive in us. The only question is how are we going to use that drive? Will we use it in the direction of our creative aspirations? Will we wake up early, eke out 10 minutes after dinner, or even hide in a coffee shop to get things done? Will we return to the dreams of our youth, dust them off, and try to make a go of them?
Our Unique Artistry
As the world continues to spin (out of control at times) our artistry is what cuts through the noise. Our artistry is the only thing that can be made solely by us. I can’t make your art, and you can’t make mine. Someone can do my job as a grant writer, or someone can take my place at a meeting, but no one can write my poems, pair them with music, and use my voice. AI can try, but for as long as we have been here, the human voice has been an anchor to what matters. Human creation, from cave walls to lavish museums tells our story, and we are the storytellers. If you are living out your creative passions, keep it up. We need whatever you make. If you aren’t let’s get you in the ring.
Journal Prompts to Identify Your Creative Passions
Here are those journal prompts, drawn from the questions I posed earlier, to help you identify your creative passions. Take time to write about them (turn up the music if you like) while writing this week! Here's my season two music video playlist to inspire you.
Reflect and then take small steps to make things happen. Even if your creative endeavors don’t move mountains, they still build meaning. They still build your internal flame, your sense of empowerment and strength. At the end of the day, they also remind you of your unique presence in the world. That’s pretty powerful stuff – and one of the rich rewards of facing forward. May you look ahead at what you still have yet to achieve with a sense of joyful enthusiasm, and may your creativity nurture you as you journey along the bright side of the beat.🌞
Podcast Music: My thanks to all the musicians who make incredible music and have the courage to put it out into the world. All music for my podcast is sourced and licensed for use via Soundstripe.
Songs in this episode: Gold by Ghost Beatz; Slide by GEMM; Weary Traveler by Falls; Drop Of The Hammer by Tony Sopiano; Pyaar Kee Seemaen by Cast of Characters
Related Episodes:
#29: Keep Your Creative Spirit Alive: Focus on the Journey
#25: Creativity Connects Us to Hope
#21: Creative Flow: Self-Care That Matters
LTVF Season Two Music Playlist: Check out the songs that inspire me, and connect with artists from many genres who add to our collective, human soundtrack.
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Journaling Resources
Jill Hodge
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Jill Hodge
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