The Top Ten Reasons for Moms to Explore Creativity!

Editor's note: Learn more about creativity from artist and author Judith Costello in this week's CM Hangout! --Barb

Copyright 2015 Judith Costello. All rights reserved.

Father, Creator, guide us.

1. Being a mom is creative! It takes endless creativity--from how to redirect a toddler who thinks he HAS to have that item at the store, to redirecting the teenager from the drama of peers. “Redirecting” and helping kids to see things differently is an everyday experience!

2. God, the Creator, created life in us and through us. We are called by Him to create.

3. Creative experiences relieve stress and lower blood pressure! That’s a big win for moms since we experience a lot of stress!

4. The Church has traditionally said that every room in a Catholic household should have at least one holy image. And how much better it can be if we display our own creative expressions of the holy!

5. Creativity builds/rebuilds culture. It is an expression of what is important to us. We need to leave a legacy of holiness expressed in creative pieces.

6. Historians say that “art leads culture.” Karol Wojtyla, who became Pope John Paul II, knew that. So when the Nazis took over in Poland he wanted to continue with his theatre work in order to inspire people with the truth of their courageous history.

7. Risk taking is a part of life. Taking that first brush stroke or making a pencil line is an act of courage. And courage is always a good virtue to practice. Did you know Mother Teresa called herself, “A pencil in God’s hand”?

8. Getting children to focus is a challenge. Try giving the children their own creative projects while you are exploring your creative projects. Turn on meditative music. Oftentimes your example, combined with the music, will help children slow down too.

9. If not now, when? We often postpone things that make us a bit uncomfortable. But that place of mystery, where time stands still, can be entered only when we take the first step. We have to set aside the rush to judgment. That’s why we repeat prayers…to lull the ego and free the soul. Thus coloring can be a good place to start in freeing the creative self. Do it now!

10. Creativity which is focused on holy images is a way of praying thrice! We are using our senses, our hearts and our souls!