There is no roadmap for creative living
Hi, I’m creativity coach Amanda Hirsch. I help creative people find the support they need to do the things that matter to them most.
There is no roadmap for how to be a creative person in this patriarchal, racist, capitalist society of ours. I see that causing creative people a whole lot of pain.
As an artist, entrepreneur, mother, and activist, my creativity leads me in so many different directions and is called on in so many different ways... none of them laid out for me in elementary school (Richard Scarry did not depict folks like me in his books), or even in college, where the narrative was still very much "pick a thing" (a major, and then a job for life).
We need better representation, as creative people charting our own course. We need more stories that expose us to our role models, more pathways to finding mentorship.
Here are three concrete ways to get and give support to the creative people in your life who are carving their own paths:
If you're a path-carver yourself, talk about it. Share your stories. For example, if you're someone who feels a sense of calling, how do you discern which work you do for pay, which work you do for the pure love of it, and maybe which work is a little bit of column A and column B? What practices sustain you? Don't think, "Oh who cares about little old me, I'm just adding to the noise" -- trust that every time you share your experience, in-person & online, you are helping someone light their path.
Find a Creative Mornings chapter near you and attend their monthly meet-ups. It's a wonderful way to find and connect with other creative people in your area. I used to attend the gatherings in Brooklyn, and just discovered there's a chapter here in NY's Hudson Valley; last month's meeting was so affirming, just sharing physical space with other creative souls. It lit me up!
Join the Mighty Forces online community I run, which is designed to be a source of sustenance for people like us. Choose from a menu of a la carte benefits you get access to as a member, & tap into a combination of gentle support & rich connection with kindred spirits from across the country. If you’d like to chat to see if this is a good fit for you, let’s get a virtual coffee on the books.
No matter what, remember this:
You are a mighty force.
And together, we are even mightier.
