It's Never Too Late to Have a Happy Childhood
It's Never Too Late to Have a Happy Childhood
by Rachel Kitterman (Indigoluna)
- Pablo Picasso
What did you want to be when you grew up? What did you daydream about?
I always thought I would be a writer. I read voraciously from a ridiculously young age. I was in love with words and stories. I did crossword puzzles and collected vocabulary words like other kids collected dolls or bottlecaps.
I still love words but I got bitten hard by the visual arts bug and writing sort of fell by the wayside. I discovered a whole new language of symbols and color and tactile media.
I kept to myself a lot as a child. I had an incredibly rich imaginary life. I was constantly asking “what if?” and this has served me well as an artist. But I am always having to fight against the enemy of “what if” which is, “that won’t work.”
“That won’t work” – usually followed by a detailed description of exactly why it wouldn’t work – was a lot more common in my family than “what if?” It’s a lifelong struggle against that learned pessimism.
If you watch small children at play, they don’t spend a lot of time worrying about how things will turn out. They just go ahead and do it. Sometimes they make a spectacular mess and sometimes they create something truly inspiring. So, let yourself play!
We need to give ourselves permission to be messy, to be beginners, to make bad art. Get your fingers dirty. If we allow ourselves the freedom to do things badly, we unblock creative energy. Make “practice” art. Doodle. Fingerpaint. Have fun! Telling yourself that the first piece you make is just for fun is often all you need to get the creative pump primed and ready to work.
As we grow up, most of us start to believe that we have to follow rules or measure up to someone else’s standards. We forget that art is about playing and expression.
Find your voice. No one else can say what you need to say. It doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be true.
What if you’d had exactly the kind of support you needed when you were growing up? What if every time you had found a new passion, someone was there to encourage you and give you the resources to help your passion grow? What if you’d had the perfect childhood? Would you be a different person?
Write a list of your childhood dreams. Did you want to be a rock star? A ballerina? A veterinarian? Fly to the moon? Talk to fairies? Make a list of your top five daydreams.
Let yourself play. Take the time to daydream. Incorporate those daydreams into your every day life. Play some air guitar to your favorite rock song. Buy tickets to the ballet. Volunteer at the Humane Society. Take a trip to the planetarium. Make fairy furniture.
The child inside of us still harbors those dreams. If we ignore that child and push aside those dreams, she throws tantrums that make it very difficult to get anything done.
Rachel Kitterman is a mixed-media/fiber artist, blogger, energy worker, and encourager of creative dreams.
Websites: http://indigoluna.etsy.com, http://indigoluna.typepad.com
by Rachel Kitterman (Indigoluna)
- Pablo Picasso
What did you want to be when you grew up? What did you daydream about?
I always thought I would be a writer. I read voraciously from a ridiculously young age. I was in love with words and stories. I did crossword puzzles and collected vocabulary words like other kids collected dolls or bottlecaps.
I still love words but I got bitten hard by the visual arts bug and writing sort of fell by the wayside. I discovered a whole new language of symbols and color and tactile media.
I kept to myself a lot as a child. I had an incredibly rich imaginary life. I was constantly asking “what if?” and this has served me well as an artist. But I am always having to fight against the enemy of “what if” which is, “that won’t work.”
“That won’t work” – usually followed by a detailed description of exactly why it wouldn’t work – was a lot more common in my family than “what if?” It’s a lifelong struggle against that learned pessimism.
If you watch small children at play, they don’t spend a lot of time worrying about how things will turn out. They just go ahead and do it. Sometimes they make a spectacular mess and sometimes they create something truly inspiring. So, let yourself play!
We need to give ourselves permission to be messy, to be beginners, to make bad art. Get your fingers dirty. If we allow ourselves the freedom to do things badly, we unblock creative energy. Make “practice” art. Doodle. Fingerpaint. Have fun! Telling yourself that the first piece you make is just for fun is often all you need to get the creative pump primed and ready to work.
As we grow up, most of us start to believe that we have to follow rules or measure up to someone else’s standards. We forget that art is about playing and expression.
Find your voice. No one else can say what you need to say. It doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just needs to be true.
What if you’d had exactly the kind of support you needed when you were growing up? What if every time you had found a new passion, someone was there to encourage you and give you the resources to help your passion grow? What if you’d had the perfect childhood? Would you be a different person?
Write a list of your childhood dreams. Did you want to be a rock star? A ballerina? A veterinarian? Fly to the moon? Talk to fairies? Make a list of your top five daydreams.
Let yourself play. Take the time to daydream. Incorporate those daydreams into your every day life. Play some air guitar to your favorite rock song. Buy tickets to the ballet. Volunteer at the Humane Society. Take a trip to the planetarium. Make fairy furniture.
The child inside of us still harbors those dreams. If we ignore that child and push aside those dreams, she throws tantrums that make it very difficult to get anything done.
Rachel Kitterman is a mixed-media/fiber artist, blogger, energy worker, and encourager of creative dreams.
Websites: http://indigoluna.etsy.com, http://indigoluna.typepad.com
Tags: childhood, happiness, inspiration
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by wendyhumphreys on -
Thank you for the beautiful article. In this day and age we are suffering from overload and all the sudden we
seem to be going full speed ahead! We all rushing around trying to cram as much into the day as possible, same with our children they have more pressure to join in groups, sports, afterschool programs.
I think we need to stop! Listen to the child inside of us. I so agree with you , step off the treadmill and take the time to reclaim your life and the little child will want to come out and play!
Wendy Humphreys
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Permalink Reply by Jamie D. on
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I so needed this. Thank you.
I too grew up in a suppressive environment. I used to be extremely creative and talented at art when I was young. But then .... it all seemed to die. I never understood why it happened, but, I later figured that cold hard reality affected my imagination. I have often asked myself those same questions ... "what if?" ... what could I have become if I had grown up in a different environment? ..... I know I cant go back and change things but I am trying to regain bits and pieces of what I lost and open my mind up to the possibilities again. :)
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Permalink Reply by joeysdreamgarden on
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Rachel, what a lovely article, these are the things I think of so its really comforting to know i'm not the only one, not as if I thought i was, but it is reassuring to me the fact that you've spelled it out so clearly and thoughtfully. You are completely right, its that harsh critic we all have inside us that constantly tells us that anything new we try is silly or pointless... Thank you for your wise words.
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Permalink Reply by Jennifer Wilfong on -
what a great post!
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Permalink Reply by Cherished Dreams on -
This is a great article and speaks so clearly to what is one the essential problems with our culture today. Mosy of us have forgotten to enjoy life and the beauty that is found all around us. Children see the beauty all the time, if they are not over structured. I have recently been teaching this in my college course - and I gotta tell ya - the blank looks on the young peoples faces speaks volumes to me. I tend to feel that they just don't get what I am talking about. They seemed to have missed a whole block of their developmental life.
I was very lucky. My parents encouraged me all the time and I knew that I wanted to be an artist or a vetrenarian when I was five. I remember making drawing all the time which I would then take to my father the critique. i also went to a school that emphasized art in every aspect of the things we learned. It was just a natural aspect of the learning process. Yes I have been very lucky - especially when I see other people around me. If I make a mistake - something doesn't turn out right I know that I can begin again. To me that is part of being a creative human being - the abiltiy to begin again.
Thanks for the uplifting words
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Permalink Reply by coriander dreams on -
you are right, keep the child inside us alive and happy- create. thanks.
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Permalink Reply by Spawn Of Flame on -
This really is an inspiring article. I really focused in on this: "We need to give ourselves permission to be messy, to be beginners, to make bad art." How true that is!
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Permalink Reply by Sherryl Day on -
I loved making doll clothes, be it for my dollie or my paper dolss. They just never had the outfits I wanted to see them dressed in, so I made my own. I use to be really good in art, I use to draw with the boys, accept looking back I had one teacher that just wore my ability to ground. I missed recess, lunch breaks, to do her art work. Of course, like any child I rebelled.
Now when I'm working on something, I'm always working, even in my sleep, I hate being interrupted. It's so hard to get started now (middle aged) and I feel like I've missed a lot, lost a lot. This article was very inspiring, and I need to find my old notebooks and let life, folly, fun, flow once again and simply enjoy.
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Permalink Reply by LElleV on -
Yes, but great music comes from unhappy childhoods.
That being said I am usually happy, and still a child. Troubled life, yes, but it's a lot better now! (I do have romance woes, but who fr***in' doesn't?)
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Permalink Reply by Class A Bags on -
Great food for thought! Thank you!
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Miller on -
Wow! This so close to how I feel. At my age I'm starting to go back to my artist roots, and I want to write and illustrate children's books. My biggest problem is organizing my day and energy so I can create. I have a few auto immune diseases and fatique is one big pain in the neck...that too. LOL
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