When I joined the #Dreamport and #CreativeWork Hour (CWH) writing challenge three weeks ago, I couldn't anticipate the journey ahead. It has been an enlightening and profound experience. While I had some provisional ideas of what I may write about, I was not 100% sure, but I was pretty sure it would revolve around a central theme of kindness, after all, that is what I am known for.
I sought guidance from the universe, hoping for a sign or wisdom to help me move forward. It was like asking a fortune-teller for answers. I wondered if there were any related elements that could help me. I needed to think about the past two weeks to see if there was a common theme or similar ideas that could give me clues about what the final writing should be.
The initial challenge was about being creative despite having ADHD, Traumatic Brain Injury, and chronic pain. It meant exploring my busy mind full of ideas. Even though it was difficult, it was a time of accepting imperfections and being kind to myself.
During the second week, I learned about working together with others in the community, listening to feedback, planning ahead, and taking care of ourselves before helping others. I remember telling my friend 
I realized that embracing change and going with the flow was better than resisting it. This mindset helped my project grow and improve. Challenges became opportunities for growth and change.
There is no finished writing! I recently had an epiphany about the "curse of the artist." I learned about this concept from my therapist while working on a video project for an animal rescue group. Despite dedicating a lot of time to it, I kept getting bothered by small mistakes. My therapist liked the video, but I didn't. She said artists always see ways to improve their work that others don't notice.
I learned an important lesson: perfection is hard to achieve, and striving for it is admirable but impossible. After finishing my editing, everyone loved it. I wasn't completely satisfied, but that's normal. For creators, nothing is ever truly finished because there's always something that could be improved.
The finished piece focuses on self-acceptance, understanding personal limitations, and being content with my efforts. It's about embracing imperfections, fostering collaboration, and breaking tasks into smaller parts to make them more manageable.
I have realized that:
Self-acceptance and self-compassion are essential for mental well-being and personal growth and breaking down a daunting task into smaller, manageable parts is key.
Another saying goes, "How do you eat an elephant?" The answer lies in tackling it one spoonful at a time. When dealing with creative work and facing significant challenges, you proceed one step at a time, much like consuming a large meal slowly.
The same principle applies to writing and other creative tasks - progress is made gradually, acknowledging that there is always more to be done. This iterative approach highlights the continuous nature of the journey, allowing for revisions and refinements as you progress.
Just as eating an elephant one bite at a time, creative projects demand consistent effort and perseverance. It is a journey, a continuous process that demands initial inertia to start but then requires ongoing motion to sustain. The final piece becomes more of a revelation and a newfound acceptance.
Achieving perfection may be challenging and darned right impossible to achieve, but that's alright. Aiming for 'good enough' is a worthy goal. There will always be room for additional effort, but sometimes 'good enough' constitutes a victory.
The journey is not only about creating perfect art, it is also about accepting and understanding oneself. This experience will guide me in future projects.
I have learned valuable things about myself that will assist me in the future. The lessons I have learned are essential; they will help me progress with kindness and determination. It all involves taking that first step. As the saying goes:
The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step
Lao Tzu once (Chinese philosopher)
This challenge became the first step of many I'll take, and wherever the path leads, I must practice gentleness toward myself, accept my limits and trust that whatever I create will be sufficient.
As I conclude this challenge, I carry forward lessons in resilience, self-care, and the power of collaboration, enriching not only my writing but my approach to life's hurdles. The last three weeks have taught me about balance, the strength of community, and the transformative shift from viewing challenges as problems to seeing them as opportunities.
Another thought that came to mind during this journey was this:
If you always do what you’ve always done.
You’ll always get what you’ve always got.
So I vow to be kinder to myself, more accepting and forgiving of my limitations, accept there is power and freedom in becoming vulnerable, and know that whatever I do, it will be good enough, and that is good enough.
Change doesn’t need to be a bad thing or something scary, vulnerability can be a good thing.
(See this great video by Berne Brown about vulnerability)!
My heartfelt gratitude again to 
#cwh #kindness #dreemport #creativeworkhour #dreemer #vyb #pimp #dreemportchallenge #community #creativewriting #writing
Images generated using Dal-E and Canva. I hold a licence for each.
