Creativity and the importance of inhalation
I didn't really anticipate waiting till I was over halfway done with this pregnancy to let it out into the "wild," but I'm really glad I chose to just let this time be for me. I always knew that being pregnant would be something somewhat difficult for my brain to wrap itself around. Years ago, when I was style blogging daily, I figured I'd announce pretty early on, that way I'd get to blog through the whole thing. But the timing of this actually ended up being during a time when I was taking a creative "inhale," stepping back from sharing so much of my life. If you guys have read Amanda Palmer's The Art of Asking (which I highly recommend), you're familiar with her concept of creative inhale and exhale periods. Basically, in order to keep creating externally (like, stuff that other people can see and experience), you have to take periods of creative inhalation. Times when you are letting yourself be quiet and recuperate. Let your creative juices build back up. Constantly creating can completely drain your ability to keep creating and letting yourself take a step back for some self care time is so necessary. I didn't realize that constantly running my blog, solo, for almost 7 years was probably unsustainable. I would feel bad about myself for not being able to keep up the pace of posting and creating that I had in the early days, and I also couldn't figure out the focus of the blog once I started doing more than just outfit posts. "Lifestyle" was what it fell under but I could never quite get a grasp on my focus, and as I continued, it felt more and more scattered.
It's important to me now, knowing that constant creative exhalation unsustainable, to build in creative inhalation time more consistently in my life. No one likes feeling burned out, especially when you're burned out on something you actually love. As I head back into a season of re-entering a creative exhale, I'm staying super mindful of giving myself the inhalation time that I need to recharge my creativity. Especially with having a kid in the near future, this will be even more important.
There's a lot of talk in the blogosphere about balance. Finding it, trying to figure out if balance is even possible, keeping it. When I think about balance, I think it is possible, but I also keep in mind that balance is never something easy or something that can happen without intention. If you're walking a tightrope you have to focus on balance constantly, especially at first. I can't imagine trying to walk a tightrope and being able to do anything else. Balance takes a lot of focus and intention. Eventually, like actual tightrope walkers, being able to balance comes more easily. You've taught your mind and body what balance looks and feels like and it's easier for it to do it second nature. I sure don't have this balance thing figured out, and as soon as this bebe is born a whole new wrench will be thrown into my balance which I'll have to factor in. I'm trying to approach balance as more of one of those things that is a practice, not something you find and keep (or lose).
Delightfully Tacky has been many things over the years. It's changed and evolved, waxed and waned. It has always been important to me that this space be focused on something I'm passionate about. With this re-launch, my focus is living a creative and joyful life. And more importantly, being joyful and creative, not just looking like it on social media. I want this space to answer the question, "how can I be more creative and joyful today?" not just for me but for you guys too!
So, longwinded as that may be (you guys know how I can get), welcome to the new Delightfully Tacky! I'm excited for this space to be inspiring and fun, empowering and lighthearted. I feel like a bit of a dinosaur in the blogging world these days, but I'm happy to be a part of this community and can't wait to be an active contributor again!
