After walking 174 kilometres on the Camino Way in Spain I realised that TLC itself is a kind of pilgrimage. Creativity and art begins with self-discovery and finding a sense of meaning.
The next part of the journey is about 'living your purpose'. In today's world this usually requires money because you can't do much if you're starving.
How do you connect your purpose with the needs of the world around you?
It's the same as the processes of nature. Trees generate oxygen and other life forms, including humans, exchange it for carbon dioxide. Life is about connection (or in TLC's case, Connexion).
There's no perfect environment. Part of the creative challenge is to find a way to do well in situations that may be hostile to your purpose. Is this 'unfair'? Consider people who are comfortable. Are they creative? I don't know if there's been any serious research but maybe some discomfort is essential to creativity – not to the extent that you are hard pressed to stay alive, but not so comfy that you're fulfilled by being a couch potato.
The point of having a strong sense of purpose is to give you the highest possible energy to get through difficult times. This can make the difference between success and failure. On occasions when you fail (it happens) it enables you to pick up the pieces, regroup and get back to your purpose.
The goal of TLC's creativity and art programmes is to respond to who you are and your own creative intentions. We're also concerned with the practical side – how to help you meet your basic life needs AND be creative?
Creativity isn't a magic wand. It requires work and persistence. The by-products usually include better health, better resilience, better community engagement and so on. With a little bit of luck you might also achieve something that makes a positive difference for you and for our world.
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