Unleashing Creativity: Remembering to Forget. The Memory Muse

Alright, let's talk about memory.

Memory is an interesting topic that often causes people to either cling tightly to the past or forget it entirely. However, this extreme view can hinder creativity and limit personal growth. Memories can be used to create new experiences and ideas rather than just acting as anchors to the past. By focusing on positive memories, we can inspire new hobbies, adventures, or ways of thinking. Even painful memories can be a source of inspiration when viewed from a different perspective.

Memories can also be transported through our senses and take us back to a certain place and time. However, we should avoid being trapped in the past or becoming stagnant, instead striving for a balance between memories and progress. Memories are a part of who we are, and they can be a valuable tool for creativity and creative growth.

Now hear me out because things are about to get weird. What if I told you memories are ruining your life?

I'm not saying that we should forget everything that's ever happened to us. That would be ridiculous. What I'm saying is that sometimes, our memories can hold us back from creating new, meaningful experiences.

Think about it. How many times have you said to yourself, "I can't do that because I've never done it before," or "I can't go there because it reminds me of something painful"? We let our memories dictate our actions, and in doing so, we limit ourselves.

But what if we flipped the script? What if we used our memories to fuel our creativity instead of hinder it? What if we used nostalgia to create new, meaningful experiences instead of dwelling on the past?

It's not as hard as it sounds. Take a memory from your past, something that makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Maybe it's a childhood memory, or maybe it's a moment from your adult life that made you feel alive, like eating KFC after clubbing at 30?? Now, use that memory as a starting point for something new. Maybe it's a new hobby, or a new adventure, or even just a new way of thinking about things. Let that memory inspire you to create something new and exciting.

Of course, this isn't to say that all memories are good ones. There are plenty of painful memories that we carry with us, and those can be harder to work with. But even those memories can be used for good if we're willing to look at them in a different light. Instead of letting them drag us down, we can use them as a reminder of how far we've come, and how much we've grown.

 

Remember that memories live in more than just our minds, they live in smells, in taste, in places, art or objects like ceramics. Memories are deep, they cut deep or lift us higher than a Mc Donalds cheese burger after a big night out. Memories take control or we take control of them, use them, squeeze them for everything they are. 

I remember the sun hitting the tent early in the morning, the heat was instant, it was overwhelming and uncomfortable. The airbed beneath me was out of air, a morning ritual that made me mad and happy all at once, I was in my happy place, warts and all. My dazed eyes peering through the zip, letting the light be my piercing alarm clock. I was the first up and I loved that, I felt important and grown up. On my bike, bare foot and thirsty i road straight to the dairy for a cold Thexton’s fizzy black current. Straight to the beach, I could feel the salt on my skin and soft roar told me I was in for a good morning. Sand in my feet, rising sun in my eyes blinding me as watched my morning come together. A memory that is burnt in me deep, that taste takes me back to that moment, a flavour I now chase just to feel that feeling again. Memories are deep, creativity can be used to create new memories or take you back to old ones. The simple art of taking yourself back to a past happy or sad memory is powerful, a powerful place to spark creative ideas, perfect or adapt old ideas or form new ones. 

Memories can hold you back or push you forward, they can be a powerful force in our lives. They have the ability to transport us back in time, to relive past experiences, to feel emotions long since forgotten. But memories can also hold us back, anchoring us to the past and preventing us from moving forward.

The key is too strike a balance between holding onto our memories and moving forward. We can't let our past experiences define us, but we also can't completely forget where we've come from. Our memories are a part of who we are, and they can be a valuable tool for creativity and growth.

So the next time you find yourself struggling with your memories, try to view them in a new light. Use them as source for inspiration, use them to escape and not be held down. A child will create with out fear, with out thinking, with freedom and courage. You can do the same, you just forgot how.