I’m changing, I can feel it. Is it my age, the season, COVID lockdown syndrome, or just natural growth? Maybe all of the above; change is constant, we either embrace it, or we fight it.

I have quite an accepting personality, in that I don’t stress about things I cannot do anything about, but I am massively active about things I can change and have embraced the path less travelled so often in my life. It’s what makes me alive, fragile, emotional and passionate. I’ve set the fire in my belly so many times I’d struggle to recall them all, but each time, I renew my commitment to an excellent life.

We walk a lonely road, narrating every day with our internal monologues. Are we our very best friend, or our own worst enemy? I guess that depends on the day, and our ever evolving attitudes.

This week over on the main YouTube Channel I have posted a video called “Top Tips Videos will Kill your Creativity,” and I want to elaborate on that, and add a lovely little challenge at the end of this article.

Firstly, a question. Who are you? Are you someone who is managed constantly by someone else, never making a decision for yourself, and following the path prescribed for you? Or, are you YOU? Being you means deciding what side of the bed to sleep on, which clothes to wear, what music to listen to on your way to work, what books to read, which friends to have. Every preference, every love, every joy, every passion; every second you are feeling truly alive, that is when you are you.

Doesn’t that feel amazing; being alive? The sense of achievement when something you’ve worked hard for turns out just right, solving a problem, achieving a long sought after goal. Ownership of your choices, and even learning from your mistakes. Being human requires practice; doing it well is a skill.

Let’s take a look at the typical top 10 tip video or list. Do this, do that, believe this, here’s the rules. Does that sound like you being you? No, I didn’t think so!

We wouldn’t accept it in our everyday lives, so why accept it in our hobbies, pastimes, or creativity. Taking somebody else’s method and templating that onto your own creative mind is like a jelly mould that sets the shape and feel of your creative energy. How many variations of your creative self can you be? Challenge yourself to be you.

Finally for today, I want to ask a favour. I play music, I listen to huge amounts of it while working (even as I type this!) In this weeks YouTube video I show a photograph for about a minute on screen. I want you to look, feel and think. I then want you to post a link to a YouTube video that is a piece of music you love, and if possible even goes well with the photograph. I want to discover all of your unique choices and preferences. I want to see how your musical soundtrack balances the image, or creates emotions and metaphors.

I’m going to listen to them all, so please help me out.

We’re off for a few weeks to recharge the creative juices, we’ll speak again soon.