Here Be Dragons

Edge of the Earth

The phrase “here be dragons” warns of dangers in exploring the unknown. In medieval times, map makers sometimes included drawings of dragons or sea monsters in uncharted areas. Or they imagined sailing off the edge of the known world.

Exploring your own uncharted creativity can sometimes feel like peering over the edge of the abyss. Facing a blank canvas, paint brush in hand, or a white sheet of paper—full of undiscovered possibility—can be intimidating, but it can also be lot of fun!

I like to think of it as exploring your own inner Galapagos, full of the wisdom of ancient tortoises, the beauty of red flowers, the quirky surprise of blue-legged birds, the vista of the sea. And of course, the dragon-like iguanas, swimming and diving in the surf.

Bird with blue legs and feet

The Galapagos
bird with the delightfully goofy name “blue-footed booby.”

How are the Galapagos islands similar to the unexplored creative parts of yourself? While the plants and animals were cut off from the rest of the world, they still developed in their own unique ways. Your inner life is a rich world waiting to be discovered—by yourself, and those you share your vision with.

When I was in my twenties, I began making my living in a technical field. But I drew and doodled all the time, especially in meetings. I needed to make shapes and play with color.

And when I made the time to write creatively, the process felt like breathing to me. Writing was so essential to my being that when I had to stop to do something else, it was extremely painful.

After a while, I wrote less and less, because the of way I felt each time I had to stop. Each time, it felt like I was leaving a part of myself behind. After a while, I lost faith that I could live a creative life. It seemed there was nothing for me beyond the edge of simple survival.

But I knew I had something deep within me that needed expression. And I was afraid that I would lose my creative gifts if I didn’t use them. So I began the process of reclaiming them.

This is what I’ve learned: when you put off developing a part of yourself, for whatever reason, it is not gone. Like a diver searching for abalone, you can find it and bring it back up into the light. And everything you are, all that you have experienced, is part of your creative vision. You don’t lose that; it makes what you do now and in the future all the richer.

So find your inner blue legs, your gliding soul, your unique vision, and express it. The world needs your aesthetic wisdom.

What creative parts of yourself have you left undeveloped, and waiting for you to invite them back into your life?

Posted in Creativity.