How It All Started

Getting Creative with Carolyn was always inside of me those challenging years of my teaching career and through life’s changes.  It was inside of me 20 years ago at Grove City College when I sat on the lawn in front of the chapel to study literature or when I sat down to play the piano in the chapel by myself.  It was inside of me when I was designing curriculum for my Master’s degree, and I was happy and content to finish another thirty page paper.  It was inside of me when I started designing a Language Arts program for a charter school. It was inside of me when I taught 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 10th, 11th, and 12th grade, and I looked into the eyes of each of my students with excitement thinking about all the creative and engaging activities we could do that school year.  It seemed to rise within me over and over again while I was teaching and designing curriculum. It was inside of me when I was baking, shopping for new decor, and playing with my son.  I knew it was what inspired me and those around me.

I discovered that what was inside of me was the strength and joy I had found in my faith which inspired Getting Creative with Carolyn.

I found myself getting bursts of energy that would reenergize me every time I was able to design or create something meaningful, positive, and beneficial. It didn’t matter how difficult my day became or how burnt out I was becoming with my full-time career because when I was able to create or design something, I felt refreshed again.

My faith and relationship with Christ refreshed me.

The 4C’s

I knew deep down what I needed the most at that point in my life and what I had needed all along, and that was what would become to be the 4 C’s for me in my life: creativity, community, connection, and care.

The same sky in our life can change in an instant so I do believe that we should live it the way that honors God and brings him glory.

The Problem With Adapting

We tend to adapt to new situations, even those that can become toxic to us.  In 1 year, I went from teaching 120 adolescent students to 240 adolescent students online.  In that same year, I went from writing curriculum for one grade level to writing curriculum for online learning and leading a team of teachers.  In the next year, I went from teaching 1 grade level to 2 grade levels and then writing curriculum for 2 grade levels.  All of these extra hours I put into my work were making my home life and health suffer, and I felt used up and depleted even though I was making a positive impact.  Even before this, I was constantly adapting and stretched way too thin.  Unfortunately, through all of this change, I felt like I was hitting a wall and could not move forward into the person I needed to be.

It had been years and years and years of getting pulled too thin in too many directions, and it continued to ravage negatively on my health, my energy level, and my mental health. Resting didn’t seem like a possibility, and I knew that for many other people, rest did not seem possible.  When I finally tried to sleep or rest, I found myself tossing and turning then waking up exhausted with insomnia due to high stress levels.  Both my body and mind became physically and mentally burnt out.  I knew there must be something I could be doing that could help to nurture my soul.

Moving Forward

This is when Getting Creative with Carolyn needed a place to truly grow so that I could continue to grow. I decided to make the difficult decision of taking off the rest of the school year to take a career break and focus on my writing. I needed a break after almost 20 years of going on 120 percent of myself. I needed to rest.

If I needed the 4 C’s in my life, I knew those around me needed it just as much as me.

I am sure many of you understand what I am talking about.

There is so much pressure to perform. However, it is time to take a rest from all of our work and enjoy what we already have.

What Refreshes You?

When I sit down to play the piano, I become refreshed again.  When I apply an innovative idea to create something, I became reenergized.  When I organize something in my home, I feel like I am living more intentionally and helping our family.  When I find an educational toy for my son that helps him grow, I feel like I am helping him grow. When I design with coastal décor, it helps my soul rest while giving our family a place to truly call home. When I pray and reflect on God’s word, it refreshes me. When I cultivate community with others, I feel at home. What gives your soul rest? I hope that you find it this season in your life.

Stay tuned-I would love to pursue these topics further in my podcast.

4 C’s 

Creativity

Community

Connection

Care=soul rest