The Unexpected Benefit of a Year of Creative Habits

One-hundred and fifty plus days of my year of creating daily and I'm seriously amazed by the whole process.

If you asked me a year ago if I would or even could create something each and every day for a whole year, I would have rolled my eyes at you. I'm now almost to the midpoint of the year and I've not only stayed current  with the challenge, but im thriving creativity because of the challenge.

The most unexpected benefit of this whole process is my increased mindfulness. I notice so much more. I'm more present in my life. I drive down the street and see all the flowers, cacti and colors. I feel like I'm more alive than I've been in years. I feel more like me. Does that make sense?

I'm so grateful for this bonus benefit. There are lots of things I've tried over the years to be more present, more mindful, but none of these "tries"  — practices — actually stuck. But once I stopped trying so hard and focused my energy on my creative endeavors, I magically (not really, but I'll call it magic because it sounds more exciting) was more present.

What's the lesson? Maybe trying so hard isn't the answer. Maybe the answer is getting lost in something you love — something that fills you up — and you'll find your way to mindfulness.