Create an Authentic Palette

In a 2005 study on creative, it found out that children between the ages of 3-5 were 98% creative, while children between the ages of 8-10 were 32% creative. The study goes on to find that children between the ages of 13-15 were 10% creative and 25 year olds were only 2% creative. 

These numbers go to show that as we become older, we are less creative. That lack of creativity causes us to live our lives the way we see other live instead of the way we were created to live.

If you were tasked with building an authentic palette to paint your life’s Masterpiece what colors would you choose?  Would you think about the colors your friend or spouse would choose or what they’d think of what you created? Would you even know where to begin? I’d like to offer that this is the struggle for many of us have as we contemplate creating our authentic life and living it boldly. Should we make the choices that would make our friends and parents happy, or should we make the choices that cause our hearts jump for joy? 

Everyone begins with a blank palette. You are responsible for each color, person or experience you choose. You are also responsible for the amount of each color that you allow on the palette. Are you blending two or more colors together or are you following the rules that were in place previously?  I believe that colors represent the choices we choose to make in our career, personal lives, finances and every other area of our lives. If your career is illustrated by red, how much of it will you add to your palette? Will the amount of red over shadow the blue, which might represent personal relationships. Are you focusing too much on red and not enough on blue? If green represents you making the choices that are best for you and purple represents the amount you choose to please other people, which color takes up more room on your palette? Building an authentic palette takes thought, prayer and a lot of determination and focus.

My Authentic Palette

No one is going to be responsible for creating your palette but you. Everyone else is concentrating on their own palette. And by palette, I mean life. You have to decide what is important to you and what you want to cultivate and create in your life. The key is to focus on your palette and create something that is unique to you.

Here is my Authentic Palette

1.   Authenticity! Authenticity is my number one color because for years I was a people pleaser who only did the things that I felt others wanted me to. If my friend liked a certain movie or book then so did I. If I happened to be dating someone who liked football, then I did too. Then one day I decided to stop pleasing and learn the things I liked to do. It was totally worth it.

2.   Success! Yes, success is extremely important to me and I put the work in to make it happen. Success is not about money for me, it is about waking up each morning and tackling life in a way that empowers and uplifts others. 

3.   Laughter! If you know me, then you know that I think I’m the funniest person I know. I love to laugh!  It’s good for my soul. 

4.   A lifetime of learning!  I have always loved reading and learning. As I have gotten older, I have added conferences to one of my ways of learning. Exposing yourself to the knowledge of others presses you to learn more. 

5.   Loving Relationships! Loving relationships come in many forms. It is my relationship with God, my son, friends, family and with myself. It is important to have relationships that hold you accountable, are a soft place to fall and that push you to be a better person.

6.   New Experiences! One way that I challenge myself with this is to ask, “When was the last time I did something for the first time?” That keeps me looking for new and exciting things to do. This question has caused me to try oysters on the half shell, write a book and sell soy candles.

7.   Vacations! I work extremely hard so I make myself play hard. My intention is to take a mini vacation each quarter and one big vacation each year.

Creating Your Authentic Palette

Now it’s time for you to create your Authentic Palette. Take some time to think about some things that are important to you or that are non-negotiables for you. What things do you do that make you truly happy? What qualities do you see in other people that you admire? What can you add to your life that would create more, happiness, peace, laughter or wealth.

What is your Authentic Palette

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