Green Thoughts: A Mindfulness Community

My friend sent me a photo of the disastrous cake she made for Valentine’s Day. The frosting was too cold to spread and ripped hunks off the cake, smearing in fits and starts and creating a sort of pattern baldness. She decided to lean into the hideousness, adding eyeballs, an off-kilter drink umbrella, a smattering of gummies. I replied that I hoped it tasted better than it looked and she confirmed that it was still enjoyable even though it wasn’t what anyone expected. 

This exchange got me thinking about how I interact with my expectations whenever I get creative. For Valentine’s Day at my house we decided to carve potato stamps to make cards for my son’s class. My potato butterfly was a huge fail and even in this no-stakes situation, I began to feel like a failure. Thanks to decades of disappointing art projects, I caught myself, adjusted my attitude and made my butterfly into a bow (which was pretty fantastic if I do say so myself).

The outcome of my creative attempts are rarely what I expect, sometimes in a good way, sometimes not, but I now have enough experience to know that my expectations are as much a part of the problem as my lack of skill. The idea that I would be skilled at something that I have barely practiced at all is a particularly stubborn one, often blocking any enjoyment I might get out the surprises that arise when making something new. 

In addition to potato stamps, I’ve been trying to play guitar and draw more, mainly because I’ve been reading Martha Beck’s new book Beyond Anxiety. Beck explores how creative pursuits, especially those that excite and deeply challenge us, can rewire our brains to approach difficulty as an opportunity for discovery and growth. The creative process also demands present-moment awareness, leaving little room for worry about the future. Over time, training ourselves to think creatively can help us to perceive life less as a threat and more as an invitation. 

Making more time for creative activities is part of my plan to implement Beck’s ideas, but I’ve found that creative intention is now naturally seeping into my everyday life. There is a new thought popping up in my mind, whether I’m cooking or building a snow fort with my kid. We can’t know what we’re making until we’ve made it.  I’m now so curious to find out what can be made that I’m much more comfortable with the idea that the unexpected may be the most enjoyable outcome of all.