Yarn Over, Purpose Under: Crafting My Creative Journey!

This year, I took a leap into the world of crocheting, and it has been nothing short of transformative. As I've learned to create beautiful patterns and intricate stitches, I've also uncovered a deeper sense of creativity within myself. Each loop and knot serves as a reminder of the beauty of expression and the power of art in my life.

As I mentioned in my previous blog, the journey toward discovering purpose requires a lot of introspection and self-exploration. During my usual moments of reflection, I found myself revisiting the times when I felt most creative. I spent a significant part of my childhood in boarding school, where I discovered my talents and love for the creative arts. I excelled in music, drama, storytelling—basically, anything that encouraged me to step outside of myself and become something new. I’m grateful that my teachers quickly identified, nurtured, and encouraged my gifts. In fact, I remember a primary school teacher who often said, “Zinma, make sure you come up with a funny skit for the upcoming Parents' Day, or I’ll make your life difficult here.” Looking back, that definitely sounded like a threat, but it never felt like one; like clockwork, I always wrote and directed the funniest skits and plays. Those “threats” really motivated me and, in a way, validated my art!

Fast forward to high school: I was rarely in class because I was always out and about participating in various events. I was so active in extracurricular activities that I even attempted sports. Let’s just say I wasn’t exactly the next sports star in hockey, badminton, or table tennis, but I truly excelled in drama, choir, and Scouts activities. On top of that, I was a school captain!

Every so often, I look back on those moments, and my only regret is not pursuing my love and passion for art more seriously. That said, I consume art in its various forms to “dangerous” levels while continuously battling the fact that I hadn’t created it myself.

Psychologists and life coaches recommend a plethora of questions to help people discover their purpose. Here are five that stood out to me and helped reignite my passion for art as a key component of my purpose:

• What gets you excited and fired up? (Your passions)
• What are your top five values? (Stay tuned for the next episode on how to do a Values Test!)
• What activities do you excel at effortlessly? (Your strengths)
• What issues sadden, frustrate, and anger you, keeping you awake at night?
• What do you want to be remembered for? (Your legacy)

A few months ago, I accidentally stumbled upon crocheting. It was an accident because I had never tried it before; my curiosity was piqued after seeing countless Gen-Zers on TikTok doing it. So, I bought my first hook and yarn, watched one video on YouTube, and voila! I was already great at it! It dawned on me how easy this was for me and how proud I felt after completing various projects. I was creating again!!!

Crocheting has become more than just a hobby for me; it’s a practice that sparks joy and ignites my ability to create art. It has allowed me to experiment and explore various possibilities without fear of perfection. Most importantly, it has reminded me that my creativity thrives when I give myself permission to create.

Just like a crochet pattern, our journeys are unique. As you embrace your own journey, I invite you to explore your creative outlets and passions to see where they lead you. Your homework this week is to discover what sparks joy or excitement for you, and then lean into it.

Oh! And I’d love to hear all about it at seekandspark@gmail.com.

With love and yarn,
Zin.