Secret #6 - Conquering Saboteurs

This week finds us at the halfway point in Gail McMeekin's, The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women in our book blogging group led by Jamie Ridler, Secret #6 - Conquering Saboteurs.

After reading the chapter and listening to this week's highly creative blogger interview I've found myself humming an old song I have always adored and was really, really surprised to realize how long that song has lived in and flitted through my brain when I went to find the lyrics to share here in blogland. I found it attributed to the album *Mamas Big Ones* released in 1973. WOW! 36 years! Longer than many in our group have been alive. Been recorded as well by The Carpenters and Barbra Streisand but originally came from Mama Cass Elliott:

Make Your Own Kind Of Music Mama Cass Elliot(Mann/Weil)

Nobody can tell ya

There's only one song worth singing

They may try and sell ya

Cause it hangs them up

To see someone like you

You gotta make your own kind of music

Sing your own special song

Make your own kind music

Even if nobody else sings along

It can't be nowhere

The loneliest kind of lonely

It may be

Just to do your thing is the hardest things to do

You gotta make your own kind of music

Sing your own special song

Make your own kind music

Even if nobody else sings along

And if you will not take my hand

Then I must be going, I'll understand

You gotta make your own kind of music

Sing your own special song

Make your own kind music

Even if nobody else sings along

You gotta make your own kind of music

Sing your own special song

Make your own kind music

Even if nobody else sings along

You gotta make your own kind of music

Sing your own special song

Make your own kind music

Even if nobody else sings along

No no no no

Even if nobody else sings along

If nobody else sings along

I always think of that song as a personal encouragement to individuality - guess my inner rebel has been around a LONG time. What's MORE individual than our creativity? Who says
with ANY authority it must be exercised, expressed and exhibited a certain way to be meaningful or have value? It's ours - mine is mine and yours is yours. We own it - lock, stock and barrel.

I guess that's why as a quilter I have always hesitated to take color theory classes, for instance. I'm fear that by submitting to or subscribing to some 'expert' formula or recipe I'll lose or bury MY instincts. And I guess that kind of brings me to the portion of this week's chapter that spoke most deeply to me...Valuing Your Natural Abilities.

McMeekin say: "Women have long had the self-destructive habit of discounting themselves and their natural abilities."

AND

"This is a common gremlin, assuming that what comes easily to us is not valuable or unique."

I was reminded at this point of the Max Lucado book "Cure for the Common Life - Living in Your Sweet Spot" that I read the year before last wherein his premise is we're pre-packed for our journey on Earth and what's in our bag is exactly what's designed to equip us for this trip. For satisfaction and success we don't have to seek and find so much as just unpack our natural talents and abilities. Those teachers and guides like Barbara Sher spoke of being the holiest of God's creatures in this week's chapter - the good ones - help us discover and recognize what's in our bag, I think. The others are like bad airlines that lose our luggage.

That gremlin who makes us doubt that our natural flow is worthwhile and tells us we don't deserve any victory or success because we're not working hard enough or struggling enough or sacrificing enough is one of mine.

My other saboteur right now is my body, honestly, and that leads me to it's counterpart, time. Because nearly everything I do the past year hurts due to onset of RA I fear I've run out of time to accomplish much. Because of that I found much treasure in Creative Blogger, Andrea's interview this week - just show up, take action anyway when the gremlins daunt you, don't wait for a "perfect" moment to do it all - use the small bits of time here and there and focus on your original purpose.