January 7, 201

Don’t you just love when children are creative? They use their imaginations with an ease at which we, as adults, can only marvel. It comes to them so naturally! For grown-ups like you and me, it’s a struggle – so overwhelming that we just don’t even know how to begin. Life’s responsibilities get in our way. Our attention is drawn to relationships, jobs, children, aging parents… The list goes on. We were creative as children, playing a musical instrument, writing poetry or drawing. Gradually, we put it aside and forgot how to do those things.

If you’re raising a child now, you’re no doubt encouraging his or her to finger paint or create roles while playing house. If, like me, at midlife, something else is happening: Careers wind down as we focus on retirement. The kids grow up and move out. Wherever you are in your journey, you are no longer drawn to the issues or the drama of our younger selves. As women, we find ourselves wanting more time and energy for ourselves – or at least, we should! Now, i’m not talking about renting an apartment in Paris to dabble in watercolors while wearing a beret! But certainly there are small steps we can take to open ourselves to that creative flair that has become dormant.

Will you choose to rekindle an old talent? Or, is there something you always wanted to do, but couldn’t, because of financial or family obligations? The world is a lot smaller these days, with the Internet offering so much information. Next time you have a moment, why not indulge yourself and Google it! Or maybe look for a Meet-up group that shares your interest.

When I was younger, I played guitar. I wrote poetry. I loved to dance. All of that stopped as I balanced kids, house, career… In recent years, I’ve rekindled these gifts. I joined a writer’s group and completed my first novel. I’ve taken up the fiddle. So, when I share my enthusiasm about creativity, it’s these experiences that fuel me. The benefits are too many to list! But among them are increased energy, mental alertness, memory improvement, mood elevation, better sleeping and lowered blood pressure. Who wouldn’t want these things?

What will you do to find YOUR creative energy?

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Meanwhile, we’ve got to keep up our physical energy by providing nutritious food! Here is an easy dinner that I whipped up last night. My husband, who absolutely hates sweet potatoes, had three servings…
Ground Turkey & Sweet Potato Skillet

• 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 pound Extra-Lean Ground Turkey
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Garlic, Minced
• ½ cups Onions, Diced
• ½ cups Yellow Pepper, Diced
• 1-½ cup Sweet Potato, Diced
• Salt And Pepper
• Chili Pepper
• ½ cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• Green Onions, For Garnish

1. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and garlic. Stir occasionally and cook for about 10 minutes.
2. Add onions and yellow peppers and cook until onions are gold brown. Add the sweet potato, cover the skillet, and cook until they are tender. Don’t forget to stir occasionally. If necessary, add more olive oil or a little bit of water to cook the sweet potato. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and chili pepper.
3. While the sweet potato is cooking, preheat the oven to 400ºF.
4. When the sweet potato is tender, add shredded mozzarella cheese and bring the skillet to the oven to melt the cheese. When the cheese melts, remove from the oven and garnish with green onions.

NOTE: I actually forgot the chili powder and it was still really delicious! I served it with a side of oven-roasted asparagus. Enjoy!!