The Creative Process: From an idea to Action

This week, I've been reflecting on everything involved in the creation of a new project. Having ideas in our heads is wonderful for those of us who love to create, but it takes courage to translate your dreams from your mind into action.

Believing in your idea, creating with intention, having the courage to take steps—some of these steps are like elephant footsteps, and others are like ants, unnoticed but working together to build their colony. Various actions over a week or a month working toward your idea will help make everything a reality. I've learned a lot from my experiences with Arepa's Station, volunteer projects, this blog, and the women's circle.

However, there are days when I wonder, "What the hell am I doing?" Uncertainty arrives, knocks on the door, and wants to stay to accompany my creative processes. Then the emotion of fear arrives, and my own colony starts to be at risk. But I have something beautiful: perseverance and a huge responsibility to life.

On Thursday, I held the last women's circle of the year in Cambridge, and honestly, my soul felt grateful for that perseverance and responsibility I've had, and above all, the courage to believe in what I'm doing, which started with a deep desire to empower women.

Today, as I sit down to write, I feel that it's all been worth it—from studying history in Venezuela and meeting one of my great friends, Milagros, to going to Kenya to try to support women in their ventures. I've come to understand that the system doesn't even allow them access to education. Over time, you grasp something very wise that Clarissa Pinkola says, "We must take our ideas to a place where they are supported."

You must even share your ideas with people who help you refine and propel them. We are very vulnerable in the creative process, and talking to someone who doesn't have dreams or understand your dreams can limit you.

There's a series I loved as a child, "Bob the Builder." In each episode, Bob had a project or something to fix, but he always had a team that helped him solve conflicts, cooperating to overcome the mission of the day. We need a community that believes we can!

"The victim says that society owes them a life. The visionary leader has the human power to execute their aspirations and a sense of responsibility that makes them sure of their abilities. They possess the wisdom, courage, and creativity necessary to know that the true axis of power of a fully alive human comes from within, and never from an external force." I extracted this while on the bus heading to buy flowers for the women's circle, from the book "The Manifesto for Everyday Heroes." This book motivates me a lot. Thanks, Marina, for sharing it.

As a creator, I want to tell you...

I decided to take a Naked Woman t-shirt to Japan; you always have to believe in the brand

• Sit in silence and take time to ask yourself: From where do I want to create? Why? What does this mean to me? If I fail, what would happen? What impact do I want to create? Does this fill my soul or my ego? Would this leave humanity better off or help create more of what we don't already need?

• Take action!

• Surround yourself with people who remind you that you are brutally incredible and that, of course, you can. And if you make mistakes, let them listen to you and they will continue to support you. There's a phrase that my Venezuelan friend Giorman told his team, "We came here to make mistakes together." I love this!!!

• Perseverance, yes, a lot. Even if you don't see immediate results.

• Get excited, yes, get excited about your idea. Love your idea, take care of it, nurture it, just as you would with your favorite plant. It's okay to get excited!

• Move away from places that don't allow you to grow, evolve, or see your potential. MOVE!

• Be responsible, realistic, do your math, create scenarios.

• It takes time to build a house, a relationship, or a project, but if that passionates you and fills your soul, it's worth it. Build solid foundations.

• Accept the idea that sometimes you'll create and then have to let go. We create ideas, and then they help us evolve into something even better. That's okay too.

• Seek out people who have walked your path; become a student. "I only know that I know nothing."

• Ask, be curious. My curiosity has saved my life. Contact people, insist on meetings with those who know more than you or are in the same field. Remember that behind every idea, there are humans. Networking is crucial.

• Please be grateful, thank those souls who help you, smile, act well. It's important.

• Help whoever you can! Always...

• To women, I want to say that we need to create more. That idea in your head is worth bringing to life. Believe in your intuition.

• Make a list of people who are your influencers, those who inspire you, and ask yourself, what values do you share with them? Be curious to know how they achieved success.

• Show much compassion and acceptance of what the creative process can mean and the uncertainty it brings.

Lets create...

NAKED WOMAN

AMAZONIA ARROYO