Ask Cristina: How do I Fulfill My Creative Dream?

(This email came via my website www.CristinaAcosta.com)
Dear Cristina,
My name is also Cristina Acosta and one of my dreams for many years now has been to find a link between my artistic side which I have but haven't explore and with my business career. I'm a financial adviser. I keep hitting obstacles...I can't believe that someone with my name is doing things I would have loved to learn to do many years ago....I want to learn more about how you started your career as an artist and what inspired you.

Regards,
Cristina C Acosta

Hello Cristina,

Thank you for contacting me. You wrote that you are interested in developing your artistic side. There are so many ways of creating and being creative. I hope you are not discouraged thinking that you have to take years to build creative skills before you can express your creativity. Artistic skills are helpful (sometimes necessary), but it's likely you have developed an aesthetic through your life experience including travel, shopping, eating and cooking, etc., that has developed your creative self. You may have more of a developed well of creativity to draw from than you think. Even if you have limited life experience, observing things deeply will always be of benefit.

I encourage you to reach for your dream to be creative in even the smallest daily way. Don't wait for that mystical far-off time in your future when you'll have enough time, energy and money to do what you feel you are called to do. Start creating today in a small way and you'll be pleasantly surprised how the small seed of attention you plant within yourself will yield more than you can envision now.

Here are a few tips that can help you get started working with your creativity daily.

• Choose a medium that you can work in at least 5 days per week, such as photos (using your cell phone or camera), drawing, video, writing (notebook, computer, blackberry, etc).

• Dedicate 5 minutes per day to collecting info (taking pictures, jotting down notes or observations, etc.) You can always do more, but aim for 5 minutes to begin with.

That's it. Do that for at least 2 months and then you'll know what your next step is. You'll have a lot of information about what deeply interests you and you may even surprise yourself with what you know. Please write me when you've done this and share some of your work.

Best Wishes,
Cristina


Cristina Acosta Art & Design llc
541-388-5157 Cristina@CristinaAcosta.com
www.CristinaAcosta.com
blog: www.CreateAndRelate.com
Artist, Author, Color & Design Consultant, author of Paint Happy! isbn#1-58180-118-1