A few weeks ago, C and I were doodling. This was her doodle break, not mine. Of course, I doodled right with her, but was still letting her guide me.

Before we started, she asked me to paint her face, so that was a moment of creative stillness that I got in for myself. Woohoo! She was so still and giggly while I painted her into a beautiful butterfly that she was making me laugh the entire time. It was tickling her. SO fun! :)

She told me she doodled a garden. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL!! And, total mom brain...it's not 2013!! Just in case you see that date on the corner. ;)

I doodled curls and swirls. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL!!!

But it was during this time she started saying things to me that were making my heart sad. She was telling me that hers wasn't beautiful. And then a few minutes later, after I told her that hers WAS beautiful, she said, "Mine is beautiful. Yours isn't."

It was that moment that my heart leaped out of my chest and I told her how I felt about those words.

I know she's picking up these words at school. So it's my job to instill a different thought in her mind...on a daily basis! I told her that just because others draw differently than you, doesn't mean someone else's coloring is more beautiful than yours, or yours, more beautiful than theirs.

Because everyone (EVERYONE!!!) creates a beautiful canvas. We all have SO much creative color inside of ourselves and it when we let it shine, it always (ALWAYS!) comes out beautifully on a blank sheet of paper for the world to see. And everyone's creative COLOR is DIFFERENT...will BE different and each and every time, it'll be BEAUTIFUL!!

We all have skills and talents that are only unique to our inner self and no one can copy it and no one can do it better. Our inner creative self blossoms in a way that's only unique to us...how we see color, light, beauty, love, passion and so on.

So I told her again and again...EVERYONE colors beautifully.

I wrote this message down so I could remember the exact words I was telling her, because mama life has this weird kinda way of having me forgetting things...hmmm...wonder why that is?? ;) But, also because it's this message that I'm SO passionate about and crave to tell, on a daily basis, to everyone I see doubting their creativity, their passions, their skills, their talents, because of what their inner thoughts are telling them (especially when they see other people's creative work all over the internet or in a classroom setting) and because of what others, outside of themselves, have said to them.

And, not to mention, we're a society that's living with a huge (HUGE!!) deficiency of getting their mindless, creativity on!!! And, when we do create, it's not meant to look exactly like everyone else's.

Then she turned her paper over to write down the message as well. Awwwwww!!

As C keeps moving forward in her "school" years...she's going to come across many, many messages like this...that what she creates isn't as beautiful as what someone else is doing, or that she isn't creative at all, because of what she's seeing her classmates do. And this message is one that just may stick with her for as long as she lives, that is, if I don't do my part to kick this message to curb!!

Because, I know for myself, I grew up thinking the same thoughts about myself. And, as you know, it wasn't until I learned and saw for myself (and in my daughter when she doodles and my husband when he builds things!), the POWERFUL benefits, mindless, creative activity provides. If you haven't read my story on this yet, check it out here.

Those doubtful thoughts...those judgmental thoughts...quiet down the more I (and everyone!!) just play and BE with color.

Even though I spoke this message to my 4 year old daughter, I knew I needed to get it out here on my blog, because this message isn't one that only children need to hear. No matter how old you are...everyone needs this reminder.

What YOU create (and yes, you have inner, creative talents within you that are just itching to come out and BE seen and shared with the world) is and always will BE beautiful!!! Don't let anyone tell you differently. Especially yourself!!!

We're all born with the creative gene...there's no certain type of person who is creative...every single person who lives on Earth IS creative!!

We just have to slow down, reconnect with our inner toddler, color the dust off and let it shine again!! The more you do this, the more it blossoms into it's true colorful self, because it's there, just waiting for you to say hello to it again (even if you don't know what "it" is yet).

It doesn't have to be coloring, drawing or painting (but these activities are the most powerful of all, especially if it's been a long time since you've done anything creative and it's the quickest way to connect back to what YOU love to do!!).

It can be anything that has you doing something, hands-on, and doesn't require structured steps and an exact outcome (and if you don't know what that is for you, again, the doodling IS the door opener to connecting to what it IS for you!!).

All you need is to just BE open to play (toddler like play!!). It's this kind of play that'll easily get you out of your to-do list head for a bit and will pull you into the present moment and reconnect YOU back to YOU and your inner, most creative talents, that are only unique to YOU...no one else!! No rules!! Just fun!

So whatever you choose to "play," remember, when you finish, no matter how strong those, "This looks awful...This isn't as good as yours...This sucks...I can't do this" thoughts are, it'll BE beautiful, whether you see it or not. The more you play, the more "beautiful" you'll see and the more confident and motivated you'll become with sharing it to the world. Promise!

And the more C does this mindless, creative play, the more her self-doubt + judgmental thoughts will quiet and the more her creative confidence will shine!! All while living a very busy, very structured, very influenced by others life.

So, yes (YES!!), everyone (EVERYONE!!!) creates a beautiful canvas...be it a painting, a drawing, words on paper, something you build, a dance, a project at your job, a menu plan for your week with your family, landscaping your yard, planting a garden...the sky is the limit!!

And, the more you create...the more you calm your mind and the more happy and confident you will BE!

So, tell me...

When's the last time you saw yourself as the "creative" type? When's the last time you created something you looked at with confidence and said, "YES! This is BEAUTIFUL!! I'm sharing it with the world!!" Or, maybe you've always thought you were "creative" but, when's the last time you just played with your creativity without any structure or exact outcome? Because there's something SO SO powerful that blossoms, when people who already consider themselves "creative," do mindless, creative activity like this, too!

I'd love to hear!!

Until next time... Life IS creatively, awesome...SAVOR it up!