Here they are - 5 more principles that are proving to keep me focused, determined, and hopeful on this crazy creative journey.  I hope they help you stay the course, too!

6. Structure my days to intentionally pursue my life's mission. To fulfill my mission to do creative work that inspires and equips others to do their creative work, I must be working regularly, diligently, sacrificially, and responsibly. I will redeem the hours I have been given by God and steward them well. I will keep regular work hours while allowing ample time and space to rest and recharge.

7. Value people matter more than projects. Creating in community is a worthwhile endeavor, and while it might be difficult at times, it is of utmost importance to value the individuals and relationships more than the art I am attempting to create. Collaboration is a beautiful thing and I will recognize the sacred space in which we are working and seek to honor the process of creation, which will keep my focus on progress, relationally and artistically, instead of focussing on the potential of a finished product.

8. Prepare for the marathon, not the sprint. There is no substitute for perseverance. Because many opportunities are granted to the person who is the last to leave the room, I will not quit when I am weary, complain when I am rejected, or seek an easier path when the road gets hard. I will pace myself mentally, emotionally, and physically to endure the days, months, and years it takes to do what I love.

9. Champion others. The mere act of celebrating the creative efforts of others puts me on the offensive in my battle against the jealousy that can so often plague me. Another person's success was not meant for me; they have simply walked their own path toward accomplishment. Knowing what it takes to achieve anything in the arts, I will recognize other artists' abilities, efforts, results, and rewards. 

10. Remain a perpetual student of my craft. I will never outgrow the need to learn more about how to do the art I love. In order to grow and prosper, I must regularly receive input from those who have knowledge or experience I do not, and whose perspective might be different from mine. To stop pursuing growth will only cause atrophy in my creative muscles. By continuing to seek knowledge and wisdom related to my art, I will undoubtedly see progress, and I will embrace that progress with joy and satisfaction regardless of any recognition for my efforts. 

Here we go! The first five commandments for how to live a Hopeful Creative Life! I hope they provide some principles for you to consider as you seek to purposefully live out the creative life you've been called to pursue. As I mentioned previously, some of these are more directly related to simply being a human, but I've found them to be so closely connected to my creative life that it only makes sense to have them on this list. ​More coming tomorrow! 

1. ​Embrace each day with gratitude for the plan laid out before me. Believing that God gives and takes away according to His perfect will, I get to be the recipient of both the giving and the taking. What a privilege to be provided for and protected by the One who loves me beyond my understanding. Every door he opens is done so at the perfect time, in the perfect manner. Every door he closes is His kindness and mercy, keeping me from anything that might harm me or distract me from His purpose for my life.
2. Commit to controlling what I can control, and surrendering what I cannot. Each day provides me with an abundance of opportunities to dream, explore, and create. As I do this, very few things are actually in my control, except for my attitude and my effort. Results of any kind, positive or negative, are rarely seen or felt, and if they are, I should not place my worth or identity in the fleeting affirmation or criticism I receive. Stay focused on the work at hand and find joy in putting my hands to the task in front of me.
3. As far as it is up to me, be at peace with all men. Few things cloud the creative mind more than chaos in close relationships. If I find myself ruminating over words spoken or left unspoken, wounds I have inflicted, or conflict unresolved, I will prayerfully consider what I need to do in order to achieve some level of understanding that if possible, will grant both parties peace. If the other person isn't receptive to my efforts, I can rest in knowing I did my part to pursue resolution.
4. Engage with every person and circumstance as they are divinely appointed to be in my path. I have no way of knowing how or why people come into my life, either as a brief encounter or a lasting relationship, but either way, it is not by accident. Because I believe that to be true, I will be intentional in seeing and hearing those around me, trusting they are destined to be a part of my story, and I, a part of theirs. 
5. Attune my way of seeing so I live ready to respond to the inspiration God provides. Not a moment goes by when I am not surrounded by ideas, possibilities, and inspiration. Each day I am given the choice to pay attention to or ignore what I see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. To live in a consistent state of creative sensitivity, I must exist in awareness of my surroundings and the potential of every moment to inspire. 

One of the most beautiful and most difficult things about living a Hopeful Creative life, is the emotional roller coaster on which we find ourselves pretty much every day. In the quest to be sensitive to the world around us, we can feel the weight of those emotions in ways that can cripple us creatively and relationally. I suppose it is the blessing and the curse of being who we are. 

I remember when I was initially diagnosed, and in the months thereafter, feeling as if every emotion in me was heightened. Like I had a hypersensitivity to everything and everyone around me. I've heard others say the same thing after they received life-altering news. For the most part, I was profoundly grateful for my new perspective, but for someone who already feels things deeply, it was a lot. In some ways, this brought a level of creative productivity that I hadn't experienced in a while. I wrote more than I ever had. I was flooded with new ideas and dreams. It was actually very inspiring. I know, weird. 

This season also ushered in depths of sadness, discouragement, and fear I hadn't experienced before. Not surprising, I suppose, but the circumstances that brought on these emotions weren't all related to cancer. I found myself grieving things and fearful of situations regarding family, friends, my work, and other various aspects of life, to the extent that I often found myself sitting in my office or at my kitchen counter telling God, "Uh, you'd better do something here, 'cause I'm not good right now." 

I need to interject here and acknowledge the fact that what my body was going through, and continues to go through, due to surgeries, treatments, and long term medications, can undoubtedly be blamed for some of what was happening to me. The sucky thing about cancer treatment is that while yes, it can kill the cancer cells, it also kills a whole lot of good things, too. Navigating the choices you are given in regards to treatment is a journey all its own, and I will never question anyone's choice to do whatever treatment they decide to do or not do. So yes, I know the sheer fact the I was physically a mess led to some very messy emotional moments. 

I've thought a lot about how to maintain the level of sensitivity and creative energy I want and need to have in order to stay true to what I believe is my mission in life - to do creative work that inspires and equips others to do their creative work. I am as equally left and right brained as a person can be, so while I crave inspiration and the freedom to create when that inspiration strikes, I also crave structure and a disciplined approach to doing the work I love. I've spent quite a bit of time coming up with a list of guiding principles to help me live the kind of life, a Hopeful Creative life, I desire. Over the next couple of days, I'm going to share that list with you. 

You might be a bit surprised at some of the principles on my list and think they don't directly relate to creativity. However, what I have found in my quest to live the Hopeful Creative life, is that my main focus needs to be on the kind of human I want to be, because if I don't get that right, the rest doesn't matter. But, as I get my head and heart in the right space, the potential for my creative life to grow and prosper increases exponentially. Also, because I am a person of great faith, that one thing shapes my approach to my days more than anything else. You might not share that faith, but I think you'll still find some things on my list to help you do what you love to do. 

So, I hope you'll come back more this week to see what's keeping me going creatively these days.  It's a list that has provided a much needed framework for me to function, body and soul, in this crazy world. Until then...

With hope,
​G