Creative Habits Beyond Social Media

Hola, beloveds!Welcome back to my space of the internet where creativity is kinda the main thing!Over the last weeks and months, creating has been interesting. For the first time in a long time I found myself creating and writing for a different audience... myself. These last weeks helped me center and focus on why I create. I remembered why writing became my favorite thing and how it feels to just 'be' with a pen and blank notebook full on the possibility of words. The feeling of being open to whatever happens on paper excites me and that is something I never want to lose.We live in an age where there is a capital on creativity. Where a person's idea and creative passions can easily be side-swept for attention or money. Don't get me wrong, attention and money are not bad things, however, when creativity,--true, authentic creativity is forsaken for it, it is problematic. I am someone who posts my poetry and writings on Instagram and when I post something I think is amazing, but that isn't reflected through data (likes, comments, or shares) the lack of views or engagement does not feel so great. No lie.However, taking advantage of my creativity for likes eventually leaves me drained and tired. There have been times where I have worked hard, developed a theme for my feed, posted on a rigorous schedule, and the feedback was not what I expected. I've come to realize that it's okay and that my ultimate goal isn't to create for followers. The goal is to create the content I want to see and believe will inspire others to create and to grow themselves.In an age of social media, I've had to learn that creating on social media can be a slippery slope. As creators, we are able to share a part of ourselves, bridge gaps, and open doors to worlds through our words, our art, our dance and there lies beauty in that.Our habits as creators should not be based on a foundation of social media engagement. Instead, we should post, write, and create videos for the purpose of sharing and connecting with an audience what we know to be important, beautiful, and meaningful.This is a lesson I have learned for myself and am continually unraveling as a creator. My gifts and talents and creativity are so much bigger than profit. This is important for us all as creative people to remember. Those of us who are artists full time or even part-time need not be bogged down by the lack of likes, but encouraged that what we do is inspiring someone to create or believe in themselves. If in the process we make a profit that is a 1,000% totally okay, but should never be the purpose.So, stay creative Beloveds!If you would like to stay connected outside of my blog, follow me on Instagram and Twitter under the handle @penofthebeloved.

~ Sincerely,

Antavia

 *Featured Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash.com