Why Structure Isn't The Enemy Of Creative Flow

Hi there,

I'm Romina Cavagnola,

A story weaver,

Author-coach and self-healing spaceholder who believes in the power of stories,

The beauty of transformation,

The empowerment of mothers and the lasting impact of creatively crafted words.

Join me for a spellbinding blend of intuitive and practical guidance in tapping into your creativity,

Drawing out your essence and soul message,

Activating self-healing and sharing your story with the world.

Are you ready?

Let's explore.

Today I want to look at the myth that structure impedes creative flow.

I've had many people share with me that they just like to go with their energies,

Ebbs and flows.

And I love hearing this because it's something that I firmly believe in myself.

I never want to push myself to be creative because I know from experience that it makes it harder to actually create something when I do that.

So even if I'm able to get the words out or design a piece of content,

It tends to not really feel quite right to me,

You know,

Reading back through it or looking over what I've done.

It doesn't feel like I wanted it to feel.

So when I push myself to work through a lull in energy or when I feel guilty about not working because I feel sick or tired or I might have personal commitments and I push myself to work,

That actually stifles my flow.

I lose concentration.

I can't access my intuition easily or implement the wisps of ideas that come to me.

And yes,

I realize that I'm really talking about two different things here,

But in my experience they do often overlap.

So the first thing is pushing yourself to create when your mind,

Body and soul are saying now is not the right time.

So when you're trying to create from a place that is not in alignment.

The second thing is resisting structure for fear of stifling a creative flow.

So since I've started talking about the first thing already,

I'll just keep going with that.

What we are doing when we push is imposing pressure,

Structure or often unnecessary time frames on the work that we're trying to produce.

I'm guilty of imposing deadlines on myself.

Often it's deadlines that I haven't even communicated to my clients and then I feel pressured to get the work done anyway,

Even when there's no one pushing me to deliver the work within that timeframe.

So it's really myself saying,

You know,

You said you would produce this by Friday and it's not getting done and you need to do it.

And really there's no one saying except me that I need to do that.

So can you see how doing this creates a restrictive kind of container,

This kind of structure,

One that is yes,

Very milestone oriented,

But also based in fear,

Pressure and guilt.

It does nothing for our productivity or our creative flow.

And sure,

You may be one of those people who excels in producing quality work to tight deadlines.

It's not impossible.

I often do that myself,

But the difference is in how you approach producing the work and how you talk to yourself while you're doing it,

Standing in the fear of not getting it done,

Coming from a place of desperation,

Frustration,

Pressure,

Guilt,

This approach is not going to feel aligned and it's unlikely to yield results that feel how you want them to feel.

Moving on to my second point,

The idea that structure counteracts the natural state of flow that many of us creative people seek to utilize.

It's my belief that the often self-imposed structures that I've just mentioned that are based on creating to unrealistic deadlines,

Creating when you're feeling out of alignment,

Creating because you feel guilty that you spent time doing something else that maybe was to nourish your brain or your body or your soul.

And now you feel like you must get some work done.

All of that is at least part of the reason why people think that structure is not a good thing.

And I do agree with that sentiment,

But I disagree that structure is an enemy.

Many of us interpret structure as rigidity.

And I'm sure you've heard me talk about this before,

But they are not really the same thing.

Structures can be flexible.

They can be customized to your individual needs.

So if the word structure brings up resistance for you,

Think of a word that doesn't.

A scaffold.

A scaffold is a structural tool that allows you to build something within it.

It is a strong,

Solid thing,

Yes,

But what you create is up to you.

Not all buildings are the same,

Yet they all use scaffolds to support those who are constructing them.

A framework.

A framework can be a physical construct supporting the structure of something like a house or a vehicle.

It can also be a concept that guides the creation of something like a computer program.

Either way,

It supports you in creating the thing that you need to create.

A formula.

A series of repeatable steps that guide your creative process and can often be tailored as needed,

But a structure nonetheless.

A process.

A step-by-step structure that helps you iteratively achieve a goal,

And you can use it time and time again for different creations.

I could go on,

But I think you get the picture.

Structure can be something that is fluid,

Or it can be something that is solid.

It's in the use of it that we find the magic.

It is in identifying what kind of structure works for you and your creative flow.

It's about creating a container that holds the space you need to create with intention and ease.

Composing a structure that isn't aligned with your values,

Or the way your brain works,

Or how your energy flows at different times of the day is definitely going to feel like the cage that you don't want it to be.

But if you look within and pinpoint the places where you need to be held in order to create,

You will start to discover how you can create the space you need to nourish your creative juices by introducing a way of working that you can reuse,

But that doesn't impede your flow.

I would really love to hear how you go with implementing a little bit of structure into your creative process,

And let me know what you've been able to create by doing that.

Thank you for joining me for this talk.

I hope there has been at least one moment that deeply resonated with you.

If you felt connected with my message,

I'd love it if you would take a moment to rate and review this talk so that others can find their way here,

Or make a donation to support me in creating more content like this.

Don't forget to follow me on Insight Timer for more talks just like this one,

As well as enchanting meditations that guide you in connecting with your soul story or hold you lovingly in each of your motherhood moments.

Until next time,

I wish you self-love,

Inspiration,

And aligned creative flow.