The Power Of A Blank Page
Unconscious Baggage, Blue Skies & Blank Pages, What Is Left?
"I remember I was in Italy, I saw a ladybug, and I was like this ladybug has no idea it's Italian." - Pete HolmesCurious
Unconscious Baggage
What stories are you carrying that are not serving your peace and joy?
My relationship with creativity represents stories getting in the way of living free and fully. To keep it on theme, here’s a chapter outline of the journey:
Chapter 1: Unquestioned belief
Art and music were the two creative subjects taught in school, and I was neither naturally talented nor interested in either at that time
Unless I had to, you wouldn’t catch me picking up a book to read, never mind sitting down to write
Concluded that creativity wasn’t within me and carried that belief all the way into my mid-twenties
Chapter 2: Unconscious shift
Without conscious intent, I began expressing creativity through problem-solving and innovating in my coaching and leadership roles — both of which were helping me progress
Although I was clearly demonstrating creativity, I wasn’t associating my behaviour with that of a creative person
Chapter 3: Introspection
Felt the need to make changes in my life and turned to writing as a medium to self-assess
Noticed how much I enjoyed writing
Chapter 4: Breakthrough
Finally became aware that creativity is rooted in what I enjoy
There wasn’t a single moment that caused a breakthrough; rather it was the accumulation of undeniable evidence that made me realise I was living with a limiting belief all along
Gained the courage to share my writing with small pockets of people
Chapter 5: Regress
Developed a sense of imposter syndrome
Got lost in the comparison trap
Stopped writing online
Chapter 5: Clarity
While sitting on a park bench last summer, I had a spark of inspiration to start a new publication (you may remember ‘Thoughts From A Bench’)
Rather than share it with people I knew, I started a Substack with zero audience and sent my writing into the void
I began to wonder what would happen if I prioritized writing for one year
With no concrete logical evidence, I decided to follow my instinct and left my job to write every day
Chapter 6: In Progress
Currently 30 weeks into publishing a newsletter every week and among the top 10% of Substack publishers on a streak
To be continued…
This quick review may portray the journey as a straight line. Realistically, it resembles a collection of messy dots occurring over several years.
The truth is that despite unshackling a belief that wasn’t serving me, I still have many doubts, fears, and questions about how it’s going to pan out. On the positive side, even if it doesn’t manifest into what I envision, I have learned a few valuable lessons:
The stories occupying your mind and influencing your life are not who you truly are.
Your experience in life either shrinks or expands to reflect the extent of your self-imposed limits.
Creativity is an expression of self, meaning everyone is creative.
Labels are not required. If it brings you peace and joy — just do it.
Test your beliefs.
They are not always easy to remember, but each time I am met with resistance due to beliefs, it becomes an opportunity to revert to a blank page and practice curiosity.
Conscious
Blue Skies & Blank Pages
A blue sky is free of all conditions.
A blank page is free of all stories.
Both are always in the background.
Change
What Is Left?
Readers reflection:
What if we dropped all the stories we’ve accumulated? What would be left?
If the stories that occupy your mind restrict you from living free, know that the blank page is always there. You can turn to a fresh page and start again.
Live Free,
Niall
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I fully recognise myself in the “expressing creativity through problem-solving”. I also would not and probably still am not talking about me as a creative person in an artistic sense. But I consider myself a creative problem solver. Which is still a belief I want to shift from since it comes with the pressure and focus on the output rather than the curious process of discovery and DOING!
Would love to read in depths chapters!
I really enjoyed reading this. So relatable...the windy road, the questions, the answers and then lots more questions.