Creativity is Inherent.
december ‘25: The Gate of Wisdom
Edition 14
Fascination as a Doorway...
This week, I’m exploring a simple but transformative truth:
Creativity is inherent
Whether I am opening a curtain to let the morning light in,
washing the dishes in the kitchen sink, preparing my taxes in spreadsheets and sweatpants.
I don’t need to wait for the perfect moment, the wide berth of space, the boundless energy I think I need in order to have a creative moment.
Creativity doesn’t need me to have a week off of work for it to arrive.
I don’t need the fancy notebook to begin.
It moves through me, through us in the ordinary rhythms of life.
It is accessible with out any fancy bells or whistles.
The mundane, the monotony also desires to have the company of inspiration.
The doorway in for me is fascination.
Simply the willingness to let something grab my attention and captivate me again.
If I can remove the idea that creativity is only valid when it results in a finished product or outcome, I can allow for the flow and connection of being in Process… I can take away any judgement and have the courage to begin… exactly where I am.
This week’s reflection invites us to ask:
Where does my creativity feel most alive?
And how might I bring it into the places that feel routine or uninspired?
Until soon….
See you at the next threshold,
Kirstin
Hi, welcome back.
This week, I want to dive into a few of the principles that anchor me into what The Threshold is.
Simple rememberings that remind me that intrinsically, inherently, creativity lives inside me.
There have been seasons where priority has been given to task lists, to-dos, spreadsheets, emails….
all things linear, which I actually love. I love organization, I love structure, I love productivity.
But when those things aren’t in balance with being a soft human being, I start to feel like a robot.
And then I start to wonder: Maybe I’m not an artist. Maybe creativity doesn’t live within me.
Maybe that’s for other people who have earned it.
And there’s so much embedded in that way of thinking that gets in my way.
First: the belief that creativity isn’t accessible.
That I need a week off work or $10,000 set aside in order to create.
Second: the belief that the output is the only thing that matters.
That unless the final product is profound, world-changing,
or “worth something,” then the act of making wasn’t valuable.
With thoughts like that rattling around in my mind, of course I’m not going to start
anything new. Of course I’m going to limit my experience out of fear of falling short.
So here’s the reminder: creativity is inherent.
My cells are literally doing it as we speak.
This gives me permission to invite in fascination—even with the smallest tasks.
Even with the linear to-dos.
Even with spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets can become an exploration of flow and function.
The shading, the shape of the lines, the patterns that hold information.
These can become creative acts.
If I’m washing dishes, or opening a curtain, or moving through the mundane day-to-day,
I can still find places where I am an artist, where I am a creative being.
And honestly, this takes the pressure off.
Because when exactly am I going to get that week off work?
When will that $10,000 arrive?
And even if it does, inspiration isn’t guaranteed.
So if I can practice creativity in the small moments, I build momentum.
So that if and when the opportunity arrives, I’m primed and ready,
trusting that I can step in with an open mind and a sense of fascination.
Fascination is really the key for me.
If I can get fascinated by the day-to-day,
I arrive more fully in the present moment.
And when I’m in the present,
I’m invested in the process, not the product…
which is where creativity actually lives.
The culmination—the finished thing—is done.
Complete.
But the process is where the interesting things happen.
You have to start with the blank page.
You have to start with the undone.
Refinement, exploration, play, that is the life of creativity.
So my invitation this week is:
Where can you get fascinated in your own life?
Can you set gentle reminders that inherently, you are a creative being?
And thank you for joining me. Since you’re subscribers,
I’m shifting my format a bit. I’m in my own evolution.
As we approach a new year, I’m trying something new.
Instead of weekly practices, I’m gathering them into what I’m calling a field guide
to support our journey through the seasons. And we’re starting at the beginning…
because that’s a very good place to start,
with The Prologue.
You’ll be able to download it below. Dive in whenever you wish.
Keep it for later if that suits you better.
As we arrive at the end of the year, New Year’s aside, the wintering season invites reflection.
Whether you reflect on the last week, month, or year (no pressure),
this field guide is an opportunity to name and remember where you’ve been and who you’ve become…
so you can start exactly where you are.
And as you step toward whatever threshold is yours, whether it’s an ambition, a dream,
or simply a desire for more ease in your thoughts, my hope is that these storytelling elements
support you in taking that first step with conviction and reverence for who you are and what you’re calling in.
With that, I bid you farewell and
I’ll see you next week.
