The ‘DNA’ of a Gremlin
WHAT MAKES A GREMLIN A GREMLIN?
- A hunger to create
- A knowing that you have something unique to offer
- A heart that feels responsible for more than just your own desires
I got the name for the Gremlins from the film because, in the movie, a Gremlin turns from a cute pet into a monster when it’s triggered - by getting wet or eating after midnight, etc. I knew that, in some way, this was how people saw me: a cute, tame thing. But, deep down, I knew that I had an unexplainable monster inside which made no sense other than an intuitive knowing.
‘Lets Take This Outside’
Here, each Gremlin has a set of triggers that turn us from tame pets into wild monsters. We're here for the long game; the monster is our friend, and it is the essence of our story. The wild creative path asks us to discover what we are disproportionately angry & passionate about and move in that direction.
This isn't about just making an album or a picture. It's WAY bigger than that. It's about how we use creativity to create our reality.
I call it the long game because no one knows what the world will look like in the future —financial systems, borders, and governments are all being reshaped. Yet, there's a gap in our evolution, a lag in valuing intuition, understanding frequency, mind power, and imagination.
‘We Couldn’t See It At The Time’
The Gremlin path is about moulding reality, and with that power comes the responsibility to share and bring good to others.
We don't all walk the artist's path because it's ugly and uncomfortable - hence the Gremlins. Staring at the shadow self takes inner courage, which is why so many people give up or pretend they don't want it. But they do. You do.
Once you get the first affirmation that you can stare the shadow in the face and transform it, you can never go back - you've tasted the elixir of transformation, and from then on, you know the lie - that you're not a victim, you're not a cute tame thing, you've got a glorious monster inside of you. The process of evolution is ugly and beautiful.
-
‘Just Create’
-
Do not ask. Do not demand. Do not struggle. Just create
‘I Refuse To Follow Those Rules’
Creativity transcends ‘the thing’ - it's about the life that is made in parallel. It's a lonely path at times, but knowing there's a Gremlin somewhere helps us stay on course. Not everyone will understand, and that's okay. A Gremlin returns with goodies, saying, "You'll get it when you see it."
Thanks for sticking with me; I have no idea where we will go, but I know there's a diverse group here. We don't fit into the lifestyle of what most people think of as 'creators'- and it's exciting to see how we each move in our own lane knowing that when the time is right, we turn into creative monsters.
Musings
“We are just reacting to what is happening to us, as opposed to ensuring whatever is coming our way is by design.”
- Alicia Keys (10:25) 20 Years of The Diary InterviewWrite for readers. Not for writers.
- Junot Díaz (20:15) PEN Ideas in Dialogue
P.S. You have no idea how much I love you, imperfections and all. It's the creative streak within you that I fall in love with. No matter how much you hurt yourself or how much pain you bring, I don't care because I know you're human, and you're the best kind of human. You're a Gremlin: warts and all.
Love, Karimah x
