When people try to tell you that they are not creative, they often mean that they don’t consider themselves to be artistic. Creativity isn’t about paper, pens, paint and freedom of interpretation. Rather, creativity is how you think, how you see the world, how you show up and solve problems and challenges. Establishing Compassionate Communities was the result of a few people thinking ‘out of the box’ (getting creative) about what can be done to reduce loneliness and isolation, and not being prepared to be bystanders watching loneliness spread, particularly after the Coronavirus pandemic.
In May the theme for Mental Health Foundation’s mental health awareness week was loneliness and the statistics for Scotland can be seen here . It’s harsh reading, but if it inspires you to want to do something please consider volunteering in your local community.
There are currently 5 Compassionate Communities in Scotland - Perthshire, Dundee, Ayrshire, Highland and North Berwick. Our aim is to encourage local communities to support each other through loneliness, isolation, loss and bereavement. A further report by Truacanta identities what a Compassionate Community is: go to Page 29
Creative workshops, tender conversations, providing opportunities for growth and development lead to friendships and connected communities.
During September, one of the founders of North Berwick Compassionate Communities, Deborah Ritchie, and I are going to Bruges to attend and present at The Public Health Palliative Care International Conference (PHPCIC).
Each compassionate community has been given 5 minutes to tell their story, and after careful consideration I pulled together a series of slides which illustrate the journey from public consultation, through creative writing, art workshops and the coming together of a community from all walks of life and across the age spectrum. Deborah will provide the narration, and we will introduce the next group by directing our audience toward a map of Scotland. Participants will then be invited to share their thoughts, generating energy and creative dialogue.
For me, creativity is focused towards my garden, my home, and writing. I know I often view the world differently from others, and I’m comfortable with that now, often using it to my advantage as a coach, nudging intuitive questions, probing gently to elicit understanding, allowing a door to be opened onto a positive outcome.
Some people see me as confident because I smile and talk in a way that assumes I know more than I possibly do. It’s a coping mechanism to hide a fear of rejection that often races through me. If I speak loudly and quickly there is little room for others to cast doubt on the content of my conversation. In the past I’ve been told I could be brash and passionate about my views, but since becoming an accredited coach, I use tried and tested techniques to allow for silence and thought. I believe in transparency and clarity especially when working in a team, so that potential disagreements or personal difficulties can be explored, discussed and supported. I am an empath and a bit of a pedant. Tell me what to do, show me how it works, support me in my endeavours, and if your perception of me changes, maybe that’s more about you than me.
As I complete my 5 minute journal every day and choose my affirmations, I acknowledge and accept that I am accountable for the actions and decisions I make; I speak my personal truth with love, passion and commitment, and I am worthy of the best that life has to offer by giving and receiving. I can feel the sunshine through the clouds overhead, and I deserve kindness and appreciation. WE ALL DO.
I learn from my fears because they take me to wisdom and power to determine my own outcomes. In my mind, befuddled as it is at times, that’s creative.
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