Words are a special kind of magic.
“Words are, in my not-so-humble opinion, our most inexhaustible source of magic. Capable of both inflicting injury, and remedying it.” – ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS)
Words are a special kind of magic.
I have understood this for my whole life.
Every day, lives are changed through songs, stories, speeches…memes.
For me, they have most touched my life through books. Through pen and paper.
Ouf. The hold books have had over me in my life. It’s kind of hard to describe.
But, suffice it to say, it’s some real next-level love affair type stuff.
They have guided my life.
Have comforted me.
Have taught me.
Gave adolescent me unrealistic perspectives on men and relationships (Beware of Young Adult Fiction).
And, have been a window into countless new perspectives, worlds, histories, minds, and lives.
They have shaped me. And, they continue to do so.
Anyone that knows me, knows that my happy place is inside a bookstore with a coffee.
I could easily spend the whole day there. Many days, in fact.
I have owned that part of me for my whole life.
I have been in aw of the writers who have written the stories that have kept me up all night and the poems that have made me cry. The magic that has brought me outside of myself, even if just for a few hours.
But, for a long time, I have seen myself as an outsider to this magic. An admirer, an observer.
Not a participant. Not a wielder of magic, if you will.
Silly me.
own your creative superpowers
What creative looks like for me.
Words have always been my favourite form of magic. I have always been very aware of the power they have had over me and over my life. But, I neglected to see the magic I, myself, could wield and was wielding with my words.
I love to write. I have my whole life. Even if I only did so in the privacy of a journal or a loving birthday card. With only those closest to me being privy to the power of my words, the love in them, the life in them, the sarcasm (obviously) in them.
The idea of sharing that side of me with the world was one scary MOFO. Yet, here I am.
Owning that shit.
I am Stephanie Laforest and I love to write.
I am Stephanie Laforest and I am a creative human being.
I am Stephanie Laforest and I want to help others see this in themselves too.
It kind of blows my mind that I haven’t understood this about myself before now.
Hmmm.
Let me rephrase, I am actually ZERO % surprised that I let the fear of judgement gremlin keep me from sharing this side of me (even with myself) until now.
What I am surprised by is how I had convinced myself that I was in no way a creative human being.
Why?
Because stick figures are a stretch for me?
Because I can’t paint? Or, even like the idea of painting?
Because I am not naturally gifted in playing an instrument or writing songs?
Because I am far from a graceful human being, let alone dancer?
BS. Complete and utter BS.
You there (pointy finger emoji)! You are creative. Just so ya know.
You may have forgotten or convinced yourself you’re not, but you are.
Fun fact, you can be creative and organized. You can be studious and be creative.
You can be a terrible artist but love taking pictures. You can hate to dance but love to sing.
There is no one way to be creative. Actually, the entire point of creativity is letting the unicorness that is you out, in whatever way suits you.
“Anyhow, what else are you going to do with your time here on earth—not make things? Not do interesting stuff? Not follow your love and your curiosity?”
ELIZABETH GILBERT, BIG MAGIC: CREATIVE LIVING BEYOND FEAR
What does creativity look like to you?
Maybe you love doing mini-dramas on Instagram live.
Maybe you love making YouTube videos.
Maybe you love editing pictures.
Maybe you love colour coding your books.
Maybe you love to move your body.
Maybe you really love colouring books.
Maybe you started a blog and finally decided to let unicorn you shine. (Yup, here I be.)
Dude, that makes you creative.
So shush all those voices that have ever told you otherwise. Believe me. I get it.
Ask me a year ago and I would have, literally, called myself a NON-CREATIVE. I have been for YEARS.
Why? Because I wasn’t the image of what creative looks like in my own mind? #sillygoose
I struggled to just let it be and let my own voice shine through.
I struggled to trust that that was enough. That people would like it or care.
I struggled to think I was worthy of calling myself a creative person. Like it was something you had to freaking earn.
There are no boxes you need to check in order to be deemed CREATIVE. #duh
You just are. Yes, you. (And, me.)
I love to sit down and write what comes to my head. Pen, pencil, keyboard, whatever.
I love to infuse my personality in my writing. To shine a light on things in a way that only I can.
I love to read other people’s words and stories.
I love to help them find their magic in this way.
Because, dude, that’s what it is.
You putting your creativity, whatever that looks like to you, out into the world is a special freaking form of magic.
You have no idea the impact your picture, words, video, art, dance…is going to have on a person.
Have you ever stumbled upon something that just moves you? A sentence, a painting, a song?
It has an effect on you. On the way you see things. On the way you see yourself. From your perspective.
It might even “just” make you smile.
What other word is there for that than magic?
….
Anyone?
…
Didn’t think so.
So stop being so selfish and let your magic out into the world.
I’m not sitting over here telling you to quit your job and start a business selling your origami. (Although….)
What I am asking of you is that you just take a minute to maybe consider the fact that you may be more creative than you lead yourself to believe…
Just maybe.
And, just maybe, your creativity, if allowed to shine, would have a positive impact on just one person.
It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to be you.
What you have to share and the way you have to share it, matters.
What you have to share and the way you have to share it could change someone’s mood, day, life.
So, what are you waiting for?
And remember,
Life’s the adventure, define it however you’d like.
