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A mysterious ancient spellbook, full of secrets...wait, is that gingerbread I smell? A flaky bite. A creamy, tangy center. This ancient spellbook holds an unexpected interior: a cheesecake unlike any other you’ve had before. I can honestly tell you that this realistic fairytale book was a joy to create. Why? Because projects like this are all about honoring and exploring creativity! 

Perhaps this project is intimidating to you. Maybe you think you don’t have the skill or creativity to pull off something like this. Some of you will say “I’m just not a creative person,” to which my reply is simply: poppycock! Creativity is for everyone, and you have something to express in your own unique way. It’s my hope that this conversation about the nature of creativity will give you the confidence to play with your own...who knows what wonders you are capable of! Plus, good news: even if this project totally flops, it’ll still taste spectacular. (But I believe in you!) 

Below I have provided some suggestions to approach creativity from new directions as well as some of my favorite quotes about the relationship of failure to creativity. Everything is offered as a suggestion, leaving you free to explore what works for you and brush the rest aside. These tips aren’t specific to creativity in the kitchen, but many can apply to culinary endeavors in addition to other forms of creative expression. At the end of the list, you’ll find a recipe for a delicious yuzu elderflower cheesecake hidden between gingerbread covers, the perfect canvas for your own creativity! What a wonderful reward for a little bravery, don’t you think? 

Suggestion number one: everything is an experiment. 

A huge shift happened for me creatively when I stopped fixating on the outcome and started letting myself feel playful and curious about the process. It took the unforgiving media of glass and ceramics to teach me this important lesson, but you can benefit from my experience. In both of these methods, you have to sacrifice a little bit of control to the kiln and the furnace. No matter how careful you are in sculpting, no matter how many glaze tests you’ve done, no matter how many times you have successfully transferred a blown item to a punty, there is always the chance that something will go wrong or turn out differently from how you expected. This can be wildly catastrophic - I’m talking occasional explosions!  In short: you always have to be prepared to let go. My glass professor told me I’d throw away 75% of what I created in my first semester. I laughed at that, thinking this warning certainly couldn’t apply to me, I am such a quick and tenacious learner! I ended up recycling about 90% of my work from that semester, and came away from it with a far deepened sense of humility.  These were tough lessons for me to learn. I’ve faced many disappointments and failed projects. I continue to do so today! That is the nature of the beast, and I’ve accepted it. A failed experiment feels very different from an intensely personal fail tied to your own self-image. 

Stop looking at your creative projects as a way to reach a desired outcome. Start approaching each one as if it is an experiment. Some of your experiments will be flops, but you’ll always learn something. Others will surprise you with how great they can become! 

“The master has failed more times than the beginner has even tried.”― Stephen McCranie

Suggestion number two: give your work time and space. 

If something doesn’t turn out like you hoped or you are not happy with it, wrap it up and stick it in the back of your closet for a while. A few months (or even a few years) later, pull it out and view it with fresh eyes. (Obviously this tip doesn’t apply to edible artworks ;) ) You may be surprised at how much your opinion of it has changed. It’s easy to get caught up in expectations and to perceive anything that didn’t turn out like you expected to be a failure. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pulled something out of the kiln with that pit in my stomach of remorse that it didn’t do what I wanted it to do, only to view it with fresh eyes later and see the beauty that I’d completely missed at first. In the following quote, Terry Pratchett is referring to a literal journey, but his words resonate with “coming home” to one of your creations after some time away. 

“Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.”― Terry Pratchett, A Hat Full of Sky

Suggestion number 3: embrace your muse

Did you know that not terribly long ago, the word “muse” actually referred to a little supernatural being that would channel its ideas through the hands of an artist? As I learned in the book Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert, this belief was fundamental to the success of artists at the time. If something turned out terribly, one could say they were only following the inspiration of their muse, preventing those “I am a complete failure and should completely give up” kinds of thoughts. If a creation was met with great success, one could thank their muse for the opportunity to give physical form to its vision, removing the ego from the moment of success. I love the thought that Elizabeth Gilbert puts forth that ideas are singular entities, searching for the right host to collaborate with them. That was the first time I heard my own relationship with creativity described in words! Have you ever been struck by a creative idea seemingly out of the blue? An idea that maybe doesn’t feel completely yours, even if you are sure you’ve never seen it done before? This happens to me often, I even see clear ideas in my dreams from time-to-time. Believing in the concept of a muse or the idea that ideas are singular entities may seem like a stretch of the imagination to some, but I can absolutely see the value of this belief system. Trusting your muse inspires both humility and the confidence to keep on creating. If it helps, you can picture what your muse might look like in physical form. Is it small, like a little elf? Ethereal, like a cloud or aura? Sensual, like a beautiful person? Perhaps you think of your muse as a Goddess or God, or ancient ancestral wisdom communicating with you now. Whatever form it takes and whatever you believe a muse to be, treat it with respect and it will serve you well. I completely trust my own muse; I know that if it pulls me to the ceramic studio, that’s where I should be creating with passion. If, instead, it pulls me to the kitchen, I pack up my ceramic supplies and I follow. Always, I return to projects in cycles, when they feel fresh and exciting once again. I let my muse guide the way. 

“I’ve spent my entire life in devotion to creativity, and along the way I’ve developed a set of beliefs about how it works – and how to work with it – that is entirely and unapologetically based upon magical thinking. And when I refer to magic here, I mean it literally. Like, in the Hogwarts sense. I am referring to the supernatural, the mystical, the inexplicable, the surreal, the divine, the transcendent, the otherworldly. Because the truth is, I believe that creativity is a force of enchantment, not entirely human in its origins.” - Elizabeth Gilbert, Big Magic (Find more of the highlights of this book in this fantastic article. But really - go read the whole book. It’s amazing.) 

Suggestion number 4: Enjoy your successes 

When you create something you are truly happy with, don’t forget to take the time to bask in the glow of contented satisfaction. In our productivity-based culture, we are trained to always be looking ahead to the next project. It can feel strangely shameful or self-indulgent to take stock of your skills and inspirations, but it is tantamount to building that trust in yourself and your work. Stay present with that golden glow, that feeling of satisfaction. Reflect on the parts you are happiest with, as well as the points in creation that felt the most exciting to you. Pay attention. Smile. Pat yourself on the back. Whether or not you share your creativity with others is irrelevant; this is all about your own satisfaction and pride in creation. As long as YOU are happy with it, you have achieved success. Remember that your own growth is far more important than what anyone else is doing. Stay away from comparisons and instead pay attention to your own breakthroughs, enthusiasm, and creations. 

"Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm." -Winston Churchill

Suggestion number 5: Enjoy your mistakes

We all make them. Even those we admire and look up to still make mistakes, all the time. (I have certainly made my fair share!) To err is human, after all. When you’re facing failure, allow yourself to feel the disappointment and frustration, but only for a little. The important thing is to hold onto your resiliency and logically determine what went wrong. Some of the best inventions were born of mistakes! Each time you face an imperfection, you can learn from it. Make mistakes. Make lots of mistakes. Celebrate the mistakes you’ve made because a life without risk is a boring life indeed. How wonderful it is that you’ve tried something new! How glorious that you now have the knowledge needed to make your next attempt even better! 

"When you take risks, you learn that there will be times when you succeed, and there will be times when you fail, and both are equally important." -- Ellen Degeneres

"I make more mistakes than anyone else I know, and sooner or later, I patent most of them."  -- Thomas Edison

Suggestion number 6: Trust yourself 

As a creative person, it can be hard to define what truly makes your work yours. The most successful creatives seem to have signature styles that reflect who they are as a person. If you’re a musician, what kind of sound represents you best? If you are a visual artist, what colors, patterns, textures appeal to you most? If you are a writer, what is your voice? The best way to find answers to these questions is simply to observe yourself at a bit of a distance. Well, that and just create a lot. The more you make, the clearer you will be able to notice the patterns of  your personality coming through. For further clues, look around your home. What sits on your bookshelf? What colors do you naturally surround yourself with? What are your favorite items and why? What values are most important to you? Once you’ve gathered all of the threads of your creative personality, you’ll be empowered to create your own adaptations of other inspiration rather than direct copies. Everything you make will be imbued with the essence of you. To reach the point of expressing yourself honestly requires a great deal of trust. Everyone has a unique story to tell, and yours is just as valid and beautiful as anyone else’s. Listen to those gut feelings and honor them. You might not realize it yet (... in fact, you may never realize it fully) but you know what you are doing. Brush aside any crumbs of self-doubt. Tune the volume down on the “I’m not qualified for this” arguments in your head. You can do this. You are ready, right now, as you are. Your voice matters. 

“The rules on what is possible and impossible in the arts were made by people who had not tested the bounds of the possible by going beyond them.” ― Neil Gaiman, Make Good Art

"There's room for everybody on the planet to be creative and conscious if you are your own person. If you're trying to be like somebody else, then there isn't." -- Tori Amos

Suggestion number 7: do it anyways

When you are intimidated by a big idea, fear is a natural reaction. Sometimes we procrastinate to put off doing what scares us. We often use the excuse “I just don’t have time” which is only sometimes true. It’s all about priorities. Would you be willing to give up TV time to work on your passion? Get a half hour less of sleep in the morning? Dedicate specific blocks of time to work on the weekends? If we truly, fully give ourselves to the pursuit of an exciting new project, we’ll find those little pockets of time to squeeze it into our lives. This avoidance is just as much a confession of fear as obvious procrastination is. But I’ll let you in on a little secret: innovation is often accompanied by fear. Of course we are anxious about trying something new when we are hardwired to maintain a course of stability! But when it comes to creative pursuits, fear is an indication of growth and innovation. Allow it to be there, but do the thing anyways. That little tingle of adrenaline means you are on the right course. Carry on. 

“Sometimes your destiny is wrapped up in a veil of fear to check if you really have the courage to face it.” — Marcus Hades

"Things are only impossible until they're not."  --  Jean-Luc Picard

Ready to dive into your own creativity? Wonderful! I think you will love this recipe. Zesty yuzu cheesecake with a boost of elderflower is the perfect contrast to a flaky, tender spiced gingerbread crust with the texture of shortbread. The presentation looks like an ancient book of magic, ready for your creative customization,  and is sure to leave your guests spellbound!

Find the rest of this post and the Secret Recipe over on Patreon.com/thewondersmith!

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