Part 4: New realisations around creativity
The Wordplay Coaching Manifesto Part 4
All along, I thought it had been about me—just me—wrestling with words on the page.
But at my experience at the writing retreat (which you can read about in Part 3) was an initiation into a creative power that would transform everything. What I discovered wasn't another technique but a fundamental shift in perspective: creativity isn't a solo journey—it’s a dynamic relationship.
The fear of keeping everything inside meant there would be no connection with others, no stepping into that loop of giver and receiver. What emerged was a co-created space: a field where my words could meet the reader or listener, who was equally ready to meet me.
It became obvious to me what my creativity required: stepping into risk (even when it felt terrifying); a deep attunement to all the parts of myself (even the uncomfortable parts); and increasing my capacity for co-creation. Like listening to the self that pulls us into possibility—the all-that-can-be of who we are—this framework became the thread binding me most closely to myself and the world.
I had a critical insight, one that would shape the way I’d come to support other creative professionals:
I needed to recognise the clear difference between operating from my Essence versus my survival mechanisms.
What is Essence?
Your creative essence is your authentic core: the purest expression of your unique perspective. When you connect with this essence, creativity flows not as something you do but as something you are. At the writing retreat—in a place that was boundaried yet not restricted—I found that a more profound listening to what was inside put me in touch with a bigger possibility.
What are survival mechanisms?
Everything changes when we begin to identify our survival mechanisms and see fully how they obscure our potential:
Fear of judgement that results in creative paralysis. This mechanism convinces us that external validation determines our worth. We self-censor to avoid criticism.
My experience: Before my transformation, I kept everything inside, imprisoned behind a gate of my own making, like a contemplative in the cloistered community I featured in my audio drama.
Essence shift: Recognising the unique and inherent value of my creative voice freed me to express authentically.
Perfectionism that leads to constant revision. This mechanism promises that if we just make it ‘perfect enough,’ we'll be safe from criticism.
My experience: I spent years refining words that few would ever read.
Essence shift: Embracing imperfection allowed me to complete two novels (and more published writing besides).
Isolation resulting in creative stagnation. We convince ourselves that creating on our own protects us from vulnerability.
My experience: I believed creativity was a solitary journey and desperately preserved my isolated practice.
Essence shift: Understanding that creativity thrives in relationship transformed my individualism into collaboration.
Overthinking that causes intuitive blockages. This way of being substitutes intellectual analysis for intuitive flow.
My experience: My academic background trained me to analyse rather than feel.
Essence shift: I learned to attune more deeply to my intuition. Through meditation and other contemplative practices, I became more aware of those quiet tendrils of attention reaching out and catching the creative impulses that would ripple out into words.
Procrastination leading to perpetual preparation. We delay beginning or completing work, telling ourselves we're ‘not ready yet.’
My experience: I told myself I needed more research and planning before beginning.
Essence shift: The writing retreat taught me to embrace the cyclical nature of creativity: beginning, continuing, experimenting, discarding, and completing.
The outward effects of transformation
When I embraced this Essence-based framework, there was a metamorphosis that felt, to me, miraculous. I completed my creative writing MFA with Distinction, wrote two novels, secured a publishing deal, won internationally-recognised short story competitions and received a prestigious BBC commission for an audio drama as part of the ‘Original British Dramatists’ series.
The BBC commission came not because I had perfected my craft in isolation but because I had learned to enter that co-created space where my words met the listener. The success of my audio drama stemmed from my willingness to be vulnerable rather than react from unconscious habits of self-protection.
I've witnessed similar transformations in some of my clients:
An introverted ex-educator who struggled to show her real self in public standing up for her political beliefs and running as a Member of Parliament
An art historian who experienced ‘radical shifts in her self-perception’, influencing how she expresses herself both personally and in her talks and workshops with the public
A writer who navigated a difficult transitional period to forge a new and meaningful pathway for her creativity, finding clarity and inspiration on the other side.
Research in neuroscience confirms why creativity that comes from Essence yields better results than a survival-based way of being. When we operate from survival mechanisms, our nervous system remains in a state of threat. When connected to Essence, we access the flow states in which creativity flourishes.
The more we try to protect ourselves through survival mechanisms, the more our creative Essence withers. Conversely, when we risk being seen and view our creative work as relationship rather than performance, we tap into something more immense than ourselves: until we're free-walking through creative labyrinths with no beginning or end.
This framework isn't about producing more work—it's about transforming the quality of our creative experience. It's about recognising that stepping outside ourselves into that loop of giving and receiving is key to unlocking our full creative power.
For me, there was no going back.
Once I’d begun to experience being in touch with my Essence on a daily basis, it coloured my life in such a rich way.
And—to my surprise—I was to discover that even the expression and forms of my creativity would continue to shift, alter and evolve.
What’s next?
If there’s something you’re longing to create (a writing project, an artistic creation or new venture) but need more courage and guidance, I’m here to support you expand the power of your self-expression.
Here’s how I can help:
Make an appointment for a virtual coffee (free). I hold 3-4 slots every month so we can get to know each other. Perfect if you’re curious about meeting new people and making connections.
Book a 30-minute connection call (free). This is for anyone—whether you have an idea you want to brainstorm, an issue that’s holding you back, or you just want to know more about my work. Think of it as a microdose of powerful coaching that can help point you in the right direction!
Read my manifesto for creative courage (free). Learn about the core principles I work with in my own creativity and business and follow in serial form the journey of how I came to found Wordplay Coaching.
Inquiry of Writing, an intimate group coaching experience. We meet twice a month—in which we use writing as a tool for curiosity, exploration and transformation. Respond to powerful questions, in discussion and in writing; share your experience; get feedback on what you’ve written. Get the support and connection you need to gain clarity about your life and creativity, and develop your confidence. This is currently full but talk to me about joining the waiting list.
Creative Essence 1:1 coaching. Personal guidance to work with you on recognising your survival mechanisms and the fears that hold you back from expressing yourself fully. Twice-monthly deep dives on Zoom plus individualised support between sessions. This is ideal for you if you’re looking for deep transformation and powerful support to make changes in your life or with a creative project.