Enjoy the video below where I talk about the Four Ways To Stay Inspired and Creative During The Holidays:

But our creativity doesn't go away, even if we're not actively pursuing it. Our dreams will come creeping back and nudging us, no matter how much we try to talk ourselves out of them.

And while there is a beauty and fire to the energy and enthusiasm of our young creatives, the good news is that creative late bloomers have a lot to offer.

I know, because I’m a creative late bloomer.

Like many, I was creative as a child, but then drifted away from my creative side as I went through school, graduated with a business degree, and entered the work force. While I did enjoy my life and work at the time, I always felt like something was missing and I just wasn't doing what I was meant to do with my life.

When I started a career as a singer/songwriter in my thirties, I felt a little self-conscious at first. This may not seem that old, but in the music world that trends younger, it felt quite daunting! Especially since I didn’t really have a musical background and was teaching myself the basics of music as I went from gig to gig.

I remember feeling consumed by doubt about following my dream so late.

But then, two things happened.

Later, in her eighties, she taught ballet and inspired others to follow their dreams at any age. 

When I heard this story, I knew that I couldn't let my insecurities about my age hold me back from pursuing my dream.

This story also inspired one of my most popular songs to date, “Ballerina Girl.” When I started singing this song at concerts around the country and sharing the story of this inspiring woman, I was simply amazed at the reaction it would get.

So many people would approach me afterwards, often with tears, and tell me that they needed to hear that song. They had dreams that they were ignoring because they felt it was too late for them.

It wasn’t too late.

And it’s not too late.

In the words of Les Brown, “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

Right around the time that I started to take my music seriously, I went to a songwriting camp for adults called SummerSongs.

To my surprise, I was one of the youngest people there! I was surrounded by silver-haired retirees who were happily returning to the music that they had always loved to do but had set aside for work, raising families, and other life obligations.

And the songs that they wrote were incredible! They were filled with depth and the richness of their lives. These were songs that I didn't get to hear on the radio.

I realized that getting older meant that I had so much more to offer my creativity.

So not only is it not too late, but there are some distinct advantages to pursuing your creativity as a late bloomer. Here are just a few:

1. Life Experience

Let's face it, the longer we're here, the more stories we have to tell and the richer the wisdom and experience we have to share.

2. Intentional Approach

Often, late bloomers can be more intentional and deliberate with their approach to their creativity.

There is a thoughtfulness that allows for the creative idea to emerge in a beautiful, step-by-step progression.

Because late bloomers often don’t feel that their creative dream needs to be realized by tomorrow, they can plan better and work in a more methodical way towards their goals.

Late bloomers are often more likely to finish a creative project.

3. Focus On Process Rather Than External Success

Although many late bloomers achieve worldly success, their focus is often on the creative process rather than fame and external success.

They focus more on the internal process: what is happening as they create, what comes up, what are they discovering?

The milestones tend to be more of a sense of accomplishment and of learning.

4. Balance

Late bloomers can achieve a nice balance between the fire of youth and the steadiness of wisdom and life experience. This balance allows them to produce strong creative work.

This sense of balance that often comes with life experience  allows creative late bloomers to be more productive with their creative work.

Many creative late bloomers that I’ve worked with in my Creativity Coaching practice have also been able to balance their creativity quite well with the other aspects of their life: work, family etc. Sometimes this balance can feel more challenging when we’re younger.

Frank McCourt began writing at 64 and his first novel, Angela's Ashes, was published when he was 66.

And many more!

Hopefully this has inspired you to move forward with your creativity and not let age (or anything else) prevent you from sharing your unique gifts with the world...

Get Your Free Creative Late Bloomer Starter Plan Worksheet:

Just click on the image below to download your FREE Creative Late Bloomer Starter Plan Worksheet and get started today:

Watch the video below​ all about this blog post:

However, what I want to talk about today is not planning out your creative output or your actual creative work...

I want to talk about how some left-brained planning can actually provide a lovely container for you to be wildly creative and expressive.

And specifically, how planning can help you to be more productive with finishing a creative idea or project.

Can you imagine that completed art project, song, book, or whatever your creative idea might be?

Here are FIVE key ways that planning can help to support your creativity:

1. Planning Gives You Clarity

2. Planning Gets You Started

Just getting started with your creative idea, project, or dream can be half the battle. But once you're clear on what it is you want to do, you can make some actual plans to get started.

Often it can feel easier to keep ourselves in the "ideas" phase. That is a beautiful (and important) phase to be in, no doubt, but at some point you'll want to act on your idea and see it come to life.

You can plan when you'll start your work for your creative project, how you'll start, where you'll do the work and many other details that you may need. The more you can plan out these details in advance, you more you'll build a nice foundation and structure for you to embark on your creativity,

3. Planning Helps You Stay On Track

If you didn't have a deadline, would you get something done?

With a creative plan, you can set goals and dates that will keep you on track.

Let's say you're working on your creative idea that you've finally gotten off the ground. All is good and you're really rolling with it.

Until...you get stuck. Or you meet some inner resistance. Or something in your life happens to distract you and you get off track.

It can be hard to get back to your creativity when these things happen.

In this case, if you have the framework of your plan, you can simply revisit it, adjust any dates and deadlines as necessary, and get back to work.

4. Planning Reduces Overwhelm

I could break it down into steps and just take these steps, one by one, rather than holding onto this feeling of overwhelm.

What a difference a little planning made (this planning took about 5 minutes, by the way.)

When you cut out that feeling of overwhelm, you can be SO much more productive. Overwhelm is draining and takes up our energy, time, and yes, our creativity. 

5. Planning For Support And Accountability Can Mean Success

As a Creativity Coach, I truly believe that the #1 factor that will determine if you finish your creative project is accountability and support. You absolutely have to have some kind of system in place that will support you.

I've seen it again and again with my clients. The ones who have some kind of support and accountability system are more likely to finish what they start. No matter how disciplined and self-motivated we are, at some point, we need to feel that connection with others in order to feel that our creative work means something, to stay with it, and to see it through to completion.

It's important to plan for this before you begin so that, on those days when you fall off track, or the doubts creep in, or you wonder what on earth you were thinking when you started this project, or there's suddenly another project that you want to start and you want to abandon this one before finishing it, or...

You get the idea.

If you have a plan to have the support and accountability you'll need, you will have a MUCH higher chance of seeing this one creative idea all the way through to completion. And just think how amazing that would feel!

Is there a planning step that you can take today to help support your creativity?

Just click on the image below to get your free planner!

Watch me talk about these five points in this live video:

Is your creative work beginning to feel like, well, work?

Have you ever wondered if you should take a break from your creative work, but then felt guilty for even considering it?​

Are you feeling frustrated with your creative project and maybe even a little burned out?

It could be time to take a break! But wait...did you know that there is an art (pun intended) to taking a break from your creativity?

Not too long ago, I was hard at work on a project that was inspiring, fulfilling, and that felt really meaningful. I was working night and day, cancelling plans with my friends, not getting enough sleep, and was basically letting myself be completely consumed with this work.

Can you relate to this feeling?

I was miserable...I didn't want to set my creative work aside! I was in flow! It was all coming together so nicely. How could I interrupt my work now?

Yet I knew I couldn't cancel. So off I went, secretly making plans in my head to sneak in some work on my weekend away.

Fortunately, I wasn't able to "sneak in" any work (yes, I can hear your sigh of relief, too.)

I ended up having a fun weekend with my friend and enjoyed being fully present with her. I was able to get out of my head and return to the world for a bit.

After this weekend of a "forced break," I returned to  my creative work refreshed and with a new perspective. I could see where I had been puttering away my time and was able to refocus my efforts on the important details.

I felt less overwhelmed, stressed, and disconnected. Heck, I didn't even realize that I had been feeling these things before because I had been so immersed and close to my work.​

This was the right kind of break for my creativity.

The good news is that we can actually be intentional with our breaks so that they support our creative work.

So how do you know if you are taking the right kind of breaks for your creative work? It can be challenging to keep that perspective when we're in the middle of our project.

I've listed some important considerations so that you can me more intentional about taking time away from your creativity without losing momentum (and be sure to download your own free Creative Break Planner by clicking here.)

KEY FACTORS to Taking the Right Kind of Creative Breaks:

1. Give your break a time limit.

It's essential that you give your creative break a time limit, otherwise you run the risk of getting further and further away from your work and never returning to it. A 24-hour break can be just the right amount of time, although a weekend away like I did can be nice on occasion, too.​

In order to make sure that you stick to your time limit, make a plan that will ensure that you return to your work. Enlist an accountability buddy, make some kind of appointment or deadline that will get you back into your work​.

2. Really give yourself a break.

If you're going to take a break, don't do it half-heartedly. Set the intention to step away from your work and adhere to that. Of course, creative ideas might sneak in when you're not thinking about it, so be prepared to jot these down or take note of them in some way. But then let them go and return to your break.

4. Plan your next break.

Before immersing yourself back into your creative cave, look at your calendar and plan your next break. This way you have something to look forward to and it will help you to work harder now.​ This way your breaks can become a part of your healthy and productive creative routine.

WHEN to take your Break:

It might be a good time to take a break if you're experiencing any of the following:

What KIND of Breaks Should You Take?

Here are some tips for taking the right kind of breaks for your creativity:

​OVERALL:

When you are intentional about taking breaks for your creativity, these breaks can become an important way to support and nourish you and your work. ​