The Audacity to be Creative

By Victoria (Tori) Martinez

I recently found myself standing in a room filled with other writers. In that moment, I felt my present self being reintroduced to my younger self while also picturing myself in the future. I was a keynote speaker for this same writer’s retreat when it first started, and here I was again, a different year, different writers, and a different me.  

As I led them through each writing prompt and we worked through the tangle of thoughts and deeply seated emotions each writer was wrestling with, you could see and feel the changes happening. I felt that my experiences of pain in the past few years were being useful. Those experiences helped all of us connect in these moments.

Each activity was built upon the last. Each sentence they wrote flowing into the next. Each line of emotion a ladder we climbed toward the promise of a brighter future. These types of events and workshops are some of my favorite invitations.

As we closed our eyes and breathed in deeply through our nose and breathed out peacefully through our mouth, it was a collective release, a collective healing, a powerful and transformative experience for all of us. They stepped out of their heads for a brief period of time and reconnected with their body. We did so by using our sense of smell, touch, sight, and hearing. When we connect with the body, with emotion, it makes for a more powerful writing experience.

It's something I would recommend for anyone dealing with traumatic experiences, recovering from any kind of pain, anyone dealing with chronic illness, anyone in need of renewal. It's the type of creative experience anyone can benefit from even if you don’t consider yourself to be a writer.

There are times when we all can get stuck in our thoughts. The overthinking takes up way too much space. We need to make room for emotion, body, and soul. What I offered was time to create space for creativity.  Moments like this, give us permission to step away from the societal pressures of being perfect and having life figured out. Creative moments are playful moments. Like stepping back into a childlike state of an imperfect, messy, chaotic wonderland. Allowing everyone present to let go of preconceived ideas, beliefs, and limitations and step into imagination, and many possibilities.

Throughout the day I felt the connectedness between us, the audacity of daring to create something tangible as an end-product of our time together. Not just an experience, although that would have been good enough, but a piece of writing that was meaningful, purposeful, and fueled by passion.

Needless to say, I left that space filled with joy and a renewed sense of purpose. It was a gentle reminder from the universe that even though I am chronically ill, I am more than that, I am still a work in progress, I am unfinished and so are you and that’s ok. I hope you find some time in the near future, for creative moments of your own.

Contact me if you’re interested in having me lead a workshop, do a keynote speech, or are interested in purchasing my artwork or books.

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This information shared here is based on personal experience and perspectives. It is not intended to be medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult a qualified health care provider for guidance tailored to your individual needs.

This blog is copyrighted to Victoria (Tori) Martinez and may not be reproduced in any way without express permission from the author. Contact the author at 719-480-8739.