The start of August is sort of the “7^th Inning Stretch” of Summer. 

Most of the Summer is gone, but there’s easily another six (or more!) weeks to go, so it is the metaphorical 7^th Inning.  For those of you unaccustomed to baseball, there are nine innings (in a regular game) so the 7^th is about ¾ of the way.  Onlookers are encouraged to stand up and stretch before the end of the game commences.  It is a time of frivolity, merriment, and getting the last snacks before the vendors shut down.

In our case, it’s not the inning that matters – it’s more about the stretch.  So, for August, we’ll talk about stretching.

We actually started stretching ourselves in July by giving ourselves permission to cross into making art in other media.  This challenge to ourselves is a type of stretching –

• Stretching our creative muscles
• Stretching how we think about our arts
• Stretching our comfort zone to share pieces in various phases of done-ness
• Stretching our world of sharing.

So many of you graciously shared your work in other media (and continue to do so – don’t stop!).  This is a relatively easy way to stretch yourself.

Why is stretching so important? There are loads of reasons you should stretch yourself, but here are 7 (one for each Inning up to the stretch? Maybe 😊):

1. Stretching is the opposite of static!  Being static is stultifying.  It is not making progress of any type.  It is status quo.  What it isn’t is electrifying!  Or creative.  Or enriching.  So we want to avoid being static.
2. Stretching makes you more flexible.  The more you stretch, the more all of you can be brought to everything! Practice. Creating. Lunch with friends. Everything!
3. Stretching helps defeat stress.  The more you stretch, the more comfortable you become with being stretched.  Because you are comfortable with stretching and being flexible, you can be more relaxed in the face of stressors and this comfort allows you face every stressor more easily.  And the more you create, the more flexible you will be as you create – anything.
4. Stretching reduces pain and discomfort.  When you first start stretching you will feel self-conscious, uncoordinated, ignorant, and you might feel discomfort or pain from the activities that stretch you.  But if you go gently and keep at it daily, you will soon (sooner than you think) adapt and become more flexible.  So, by adding some time for creativity in each day you will be able to do so with less stiffness (e.g. “I don’t know what to draw!” or “I can’t paint!”)
5. Stretching helps you focus.  You can be mindful when you are stretching, and your enhanced presence means you can focus on where you are rather than being focused on any pain or discomfort. By creating more in all domains, you will be able to focus on the act of creating at your harp when you are there (or your easel, your notebook, your kitchen counter – wherever you are focused and being creative).
6. Stretching improves your range of motion.  As you might have seen by the challenge, your “range of motion” in other media might be limited – by self-critique, by lack of experience, by lack of training.  Stretching will allow you to side step these things and create anyway.
7. Stretching stretches you.  What?  That might sound silly, but by stretching you are always challenging yourself to try more, new, different – and it feels good!

So, we’ve sort of gone backwards starting with stretching your creativity but that’s ok – we’re nothing if not flexible, right?  As we progress through August, we’ll look at other, more conventional views of stretching.  But as you’re creating, remember to stretch and be flexible.  What do you do to be creatively flexible?  Share in the comments – I can’t wait to hear!

PS – as I mentioned last week – if you’ve got a piece of art from another medium that you’d like to share – I will add it to the post.  Haven’t finished your piece?  Haven’t finished convincing yourself?  Still on the fence about sharing? Just do it for yourself!  When you send it to share, I will put it up.  If you missed last week’s post where people shared their amazing art from other media, prepare to be amazed and check it out here: