Creativity Rehab! Part 2: Hope

A Guide To Recovering Your Creative Soul Through Life’s Simple, Guiding Principles

Definition of Hope: noun: a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

feeling of trust. Verb: want something to happen or be the case.

When creative juices slow to a trickle or stop, we’re presented with a choice: we can give up in frustration OR we can take the opportunity to self-reflect. Contrary to what I’d always thought, this pause in artistic flow is actually a gift, offering massive opportunity for self-assessment. It’s at that precise moment when we’re ready to throw in the towel, ready to turn and run, that we can turn to some of life’s guiding principles to help us break through.

This Creativity Rehab! series is for anyone struggling with finding their true creative purpose, or needing help re-igniting their creative passion. Whether you’re deciding on whether to start a new project, or are stalled in the middle of one, Creativity Rehab! gives you a new approach to unlocking your creativity by applying simple spiritual principles to your creative endeavors. The principles I outline in the series are my own, and are based on the 12 spiritual principles of recovery. Last week, we took a look at Willingness. Today, we’ll dive into Hope. Let’s get started.

Hope and I first met more than a decade ago when I first got sober. The second I put the drink down, I put my empty hand into hers and held on for dear life. At first, I clenched hard, afraid that if I didn’t squeeze with all my might I’d fall, letting myself and my family down. Hope let me know that everything was going to be ok. Over the years, my need to grip so tight loosened as Faith moved in. The journey of recovery, the 12 steps and applying principles like Hope into my life taught me that things could be different. I didn’t have to continue being sick, and I didn’t have to live the same story that had been written by my family for generations. One day at a time, I could change my life’s direction, setting a hopeful, healthy example for the rest of my family and anyone else interested in living a life unclouded by active addiction. Hope is still one of my best friends today, and I rely on her when I’m feeling doubtful or stuck.

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So, what does Hope have to do with our creativity? How do we apply Hope to our creative pursuits? When we are stuck, unable to move forward or ready to give up, how do we find Hope again?

Exercise: Pull out pen, paper or computer and explore the following:

• Look back at your life. When was the first time you remember feeling hopeful about a situation? What did it feel like? Were you excited? Nervous? Happy?

• When was the first time you remember hoping FOR something? How did it turn out? Were you surprised by the result or did it turn out as expected? Did you experience satisfaction, or were you disappointed? Are you still hoping for this same thing?

• What are your hopes for your current creative project?

• How—and why—should you remain hopeful about your project during times of uncertainty?

• Are your hopes and expectations for your creative project realistic?

• Can your creative project bring a feeling of hope to others?

The questions above are a starting point to get your thoughts jump-started, and take you to a deeper level of understanding about your creativity.

I’d love to hear what you think: Email me at alipat6@gmail.com with feedback. Stay tuned for the next installment of Creativity Rehab! where we’ll dive into creativity and Honesty.