In Others' Word: Mistakes

"Don't worry about mistakes. Making things out of mistakes, that's creativity." 

~Peter Max, artist

I'm beginning to realize creativity is all about mindset. If I have an "Oh, no! I might make a mistake" mindset, I shut down my creativity. I don't dare type a word, much less a sentence or a paragraph, for fear of making a mistake. And I know I'll make a mistake if for no other reason than because I am the world's worst typist. (Just made one typing the word "typist." See what I mean?)

I have to forge ahead into creativity, which just may appear out of my mistakes, not by avoiding my mistakes. Just re-read that last sentence and I'm letting it stand: Creativity happens out of my mistakes, not by avoiding my mistakes.

Go and be creative today. Make some mistakes! 




(And my husband found yet another typo when he proofed my post! Creativity abounds! And yes, I fixed it. I am, after all, an editor.)

In Others' Words: Mistakes

"If you can't make a mistake, you can't make anything."

~ Marva N. Collins, American educator

I don't know about you, but I wish I'd stumbled across this quote a lot sooner in my life. For me, mistakes were all about wrong, wrong, wrong--not a chance to try again and get it right. 

I like Marva Collins' attitude. It's the whole "If at first you don't succeed, try, try again!" approach to life, instead of the "If at first you don't succeed, you're wrong! So, sit on the bench and let somebody else do it right!" approach. 

Mistakes happen. If nothing else, it means we're in the game. We're trying. We're living.

Made any mistakes today? Good for you. You're in the game!

Photo by Cieleke/stock.xchng.com

Who is the Author of Your Story?

Photo by svilen001/stockxchange.com

“So, if I love God, and I mean really love God with abandon, then I must come to love myself, my life. I need to love my story at the heart level. That’s what I believe life is for all of us. A story being written by God. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. When I start to love my story, with all its messed up twists and turns, then I can love other people who are living out their own stories with all their messed up twists and turns.”

~ Eli in Coming Attractions by Robin Jones Gunn

As a writer, sometimes I don't like how my work-in-progress is, well, progressing. The story is muddled. The characters are misbehaving, not following my oh-so-carefully planned out plot. But since I'm the author of the story, I have control. I get to rewrite--and rewrite and rewrite--until the story is the way I want it.

I've learned there's no rewriting my past. There's no delete button for the mistakes I've made. Believe me, I've looked for one! But there is this a-ma-zing thing called God's grace. I'm learning to see my life--all the messed up twists and turns--through God's eyes. And I'm learning to love my life as is. No rewrites needed.

What about you? Have you embraced your life story?