To celebrate the reboot of YourCreativeChord Podcast and my newly rebuilt website and hub at YourCreativeChord.com, the next three episodes (#41-43)will be dedicated to jumpstarting YOUR creative chord. These episodes will also feature the concepts from my Inspirational Bookmark Trio. 

You can download your FREE Bookmark Trio at YourCreativeChord.com/getinspiredhere

One of my bookmarks is called 'Creative Exploration Formula.'

I sometimes use my 'Creative Exploration Formula' for jumpstarting a creative project. This is a way for creators to get in the creative zone, minus the negative inner critic, to start a new project or continue one. 

It's a step-by-step process, but as creators, we know that rules are for breaking. So change it, break it, throw any part of it out the window if the muse has landed with you.

Let's break down the process outlined in my Creative Exploration Formula bookmark from my Inspirational Bookmark Trio.

Step ONE of my Creative Exploration Formula:

GET INSIDE YOUR BOX! 

Start by setting limitations or parameters for yourself or by placing yourself within a structure. This gives you a clear box where you'll set yourself to work on creating something new. 

If it's a professional task you must complete, the idea of limits may already be set for you. Remember that limits are a good way to spark fresh ideas that wouldn't normally flow if everything were wide open or willy-nilly, anything goes. 

Limits force you to think, and thinking within limitations pushes you to find a new way to do something. 

In February's episode, 'From drudgery to joy: the rewards of facing life's challenges,' I discussed an example of this from my own personal experience with a piano job. The gist of it was that I had to memorize more music than usual to get the gig because I was not allowed to use notated music. I had a short timeframe to get to that goal, so that limitation forced me to think outside the box. 

It led me to the idea of improvising each musical piece to lengthen the musical number and allow me to fit more music in without having to learn new music. Even though I was new to improvising, this challenge helped me open a new path to reaching my goal of having enough music without relying on notation.

I'll repeat what this story illustrates: Limits force you to think, and thinking within limitations pushes you to find a new way to do something. 

Being in a particular box is good in this sense. If you get blocked creatively, look for a new way to break open that box.

Step TWO of the Creative Exploration Formula is to:

LET GO OF YOUR HEAD! 

Before you begin creating something, you must mindfully let go of your head, whatever mood you're in, any expectations, and check your ego at the door. 

None of these are welcome in the creative process. (Well, mood can actually be transformed into creativity, but if your mood is blocking you, then let it go!)

Expectations, ego, and mood are the uninvited. Let them go. 

The point is: do not care about your results. 

Yet.

This is the let go stage. This is where you free yourself from the shackles of negativity, the inner critic, your ego.

Step THREE of my Creative Exploration Formula is to:

MAKE IT STUPID. 

I mean, purposely and emphatically, attempt to make it ridiculous. 

Here's what I mean:

In some of my creative sessions, I've set myself the goal of writing the worst possible song I've ever composed. 

I purposely strike the attitude that I do not care about the result. 

I strive to make it stupid. 

I ignore all the rules or protocols. 

Why? I do that to forcefully eject any expectations or inner critic from my inner space. 

Ninety percent of the time that I use this strategy, my creative results blow me away with positive ideas I would never expect to emerge. Getting rid of that inner critic is a super powerful way to get creative juices pumping!

Step FOUR of my Creative Exploration Formula is to:

TUNE IN TO YOUR INNER COMPASS. 

I silence myself to tune into what I believe in or care about. I hone in on my powerful feelings or beliefs. I let everything be guided by that inner compass. 

It is both authentic and mystic. 

It's both my higher power and my deepest desires, dreams, passion or wants (or sometimes, pain. Back to that mood idea as a catalyst for creative flow!). 

I allow that place to fill my silence with truth, no matter what it feels, looks, or sounds like. This requires being vulnerable and allowing my true feelings or beliefs to live and breathe. I let the creative voice flow.

If I hear negativity creep in, I start again from the top: 

a) Acknowledge my limits or structure. 

b) Let go of my head or ego. 

Anyway, the point of Step 4 is to align with your inner compass. You must have blinders on like a horse to ignore that inner critic and not allow it to get in the way of your authentic voice.

Step FIVE of my Creative Exploration Formula is to:

ENVISION WITH GREAT ATTENTION. 

Spend time visualizing. For example, when I'm composing poetry or music, I envision the mood, color, sound, story, and setting that I intend to express. 

I practice deeply feeling these aspects through each nuance, change, or detail and through each of my senses.

Spend some time here on step five. One thing that helps me is being mindful of my breath. Take your time getting in touch with your breath and being present in the moment. From there, you can get in touch with your inner compass and flesh it out through visualizing and sensing it all imaginatively.

When I spend effort on this step, my creative flow ignites and leads me forward. I just trust it and go there.

Step SIX of my Creative Exploration Formula is to:

EXPLORE, BRAINSTORM, EXPERIMENT.

Now, use your curiosity. Explore, brainstorm, and experiment. 

When I'm creating, I tap into my heart with an open, pure curiosity to learn and be led. I allow my curiosity to explore, brainstorm, and try anything and everything. I allow myself to be okay with whatever happens. I go deep into this process, ignoring all rules or outer voices. I pretend that it is an experiment—because it is.

Example: 

My 84-year-old mother is primarily a self-taught artist. She's taken art classes over the years, participated in local art guilds and art shows, and sold many paintings, including some to rich horse buyers and even the previous governor of our state. She has tried a variety of art mediums, including charcoal, colored pencil, watercolor, acrylic, oil, stained glass, and paper mache. She has even used glue bottles for 3-dimensional texture and liquid gold to create autumn leaves shimmering in sunlight.

Mom's approach to art-making has always been driven by curiosity. She looks at a canvas or her art tools and thinks, 'Hhmmm...I wonder what would happen if I did THIS.' 

And when whatever she does turns out differently than she expected, instead of cringing and calling it a mistake, she rolls with it and again asks, 'Hhmmmm... I wonder what I can do with this.'

Her approach reminds me of jazz and improv. Sometimes, partner musicians or your own ideas hand you something you did not expect. And then, you must roll with that and improvise with whatever you're given to create a new path.

This is a great life philosophy, too, right?!

Step SEVEN of my Creative Exploration Formula is to:

WELCOME FAILURE 

Next, you must allow for failure. Invite failure. 

In the words of L.A. composer and poet Kristen Baum, who I featured on an earlier YourCreativeChord podcast episode called 'Using variety and gumption as creative fuel,' she tells us, 

"Failure tells you as much as success." 

I use failure, mistakes, or messing up to ignite my curiosity for inquiry. I ask myself why it's not working. 

This leads to the final step of the Creative Exploration Formula:

REDESIGN:

Once I find something not working, I ask myself what I could instead substitute. I make shifts, changes, and "redesigns" based on the answers to my questions about the quote-unquote failure. 

My 'Creative Exploration Formula' guides me through the creative process like a trusted friend. But if I feel a creative block and am unable to dislodge myself from it, I review these steps. This formula opens the way to nurture creative flow.

If this episode inspires you and would like your own Creative Exploration Formula bookmark to remind you of these steps, remember to download your FREE Inspirational Bookmark Trio at YourCreativeChord.com/getinspiredhere.

In the next two episodes, I'll discuss the other two bookmarks in depth in my FREE Inspirational Bookmark Trio. I'll be covering Keys for nurturing creativity and how to RESET your energy and creative flow.

You may also learn more about tapping into your creativity from the creators and positivity experts I interviewed for YourCreativeChord Podcast in previous episodes. For example, in the episode titled, 'Learning How To Live A Life of Joyful Creativity,' my interview with University of Kentucky's Professor Ryan Hargrove explores the creative process and the benefits of creative living.

In the episode 'Empowering Others Through Art,' artist Jean Schienle talks about how her motivation to paint is her desire to use art 'to be the best I can be and to empower others to reach their potential.'

There's a two-part interview, ‘How do we progress women composers,’ with U.K. composer Kezia Tomsett, in which she shares thoughts from her dissertation and her experience as one of few females in the composing industry.

I've also shared some of my approach to creativity in several episodes, including 'Creativity Brings Comfort, Courage, and Hope,' 'Learning To Be Creative,' '5 Ways To Use Music & Nature For Self-Care,' and my poetry in the episode 'We Climb Again Our Kilimanjaro.'

Remember to download your FREE Inspirational Bookmark Trio at YourCreativeChord.com/getinspiredhere.

Watch for next week's episode featuring keys to nurture creativity.