KEYS FOR NURTURING CREATIVITY

To celebrate the reboot of YourCreativeChord Podcast and my newly rebuilt website and hub at YourCreativeChord.com (check it out! I love our new space!), I have 3 episodes dedicated to jumpstarting YOUR creative chord. Today's episode is the second of the three. Each of these episodes features the concepts from my Inspirational Bookmark Trio, which offers three solid strategies to kickstart your journey to creative empowerment! 

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

Last week's episode #41 featured one of my bookmarks, the Creative Exploration Formula. You can use my Creative Exploration Formula to jumpstart any creative project. In that episode, I covered the details that my Creative Exploration Formula bookmark outlines for creators to get in the creative zone, minus the negative inner critic, to start a new project or continue one. 

If you're curious about tapping your creativity, facing a creative block, or need a refreshed approach to getting your imaginative juices flowing, check out that episode.

Grab your FREE Bookmark Trio at YourCreativeChord.com/getinspiredhere

Today's episode features my Inspirational Bookmark called Keys For Nurturing Creativity. I created this bookmark using key ideas that creators I've interviewed, studied with, or researched use. I also practice using these keys to nurture my creative output.

DEVELOP SELF-BELIEF.

I stop to remind myself of the nobility of my life. My life is a treasure. I dig deep down to muster the inner strength to believe in my potential and be true to myself. I refresh my intent to authentically allow myself to lead as a shining example of actual proof.

When I shine my authentic self, I open the way for others to be empowered. My victory at expressing my true self allows others to see their own possibilities. 

My win is your win. Happy people create a peaceful world. This is a solid reason to believe in myself as a creator.

SELF-CARE. 

I revisit the importance of self-care. This looks different for each person. It could be silence, reading or listening to books, getting a massage, doing yoga, walking outdoors, gardening, watching a movie, napping, playing games with friends/family, taking a trip or a new class, going to a live music concert, or something else.

REST. DOWNTIME. TIME ON THE SHELF.  

I let go of the idea that being busy equals accomplishment and remind myself that just being busy is not always a good thing. 

Taking a break is scientifically proven to boost both productivity and creativity. Resting or experiencing new things, people, places, and things bring new sparks to your thoughts, which is where fresh ideas appear.

Your conscious mind needs breaks. Your subconscious is always absorbing for you, so you won't miss out. Take a much-needed break, knowing that 'time on the shelf' (a phrase coined by pyrography artist Amanda Packard, featured on YourCreativeChord Podcast) is exactly what's necessary to rejuvenate inspiration. When you come back to your creative process after a rest, you'll find your energy has exponentially grown.

EXPLORE OTHERS' CREATIVITY.

Chatting, watching, listening, or observing the creativity of others will inspire you. The same applies to learning or doing something new or outside your wheelhouse. This is because these activities are different from your normal thinking. 

Being novel to your norm, your neurological pathways move in new directions. Doing something different or new, whether through observing other creators or involving yourself in tasks that you'd normally not prefer, leads to boosting your creative flow. These kinds of new experiences force new thought patterns in an explosive chain reaction of innovation for your creative process. 

LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE. Get outside your comfort zone for the same reason that exploring the creativity of others boosts your creative flow. Go to a new place, do a new thing, do the same thing, or challenge yourself in a new way. Doing new stuff jars your habitual thinking with new thinking processes, creating a domino effect of new ideas.

GET OUTDOORS. 

Immerse yourself in nature! Nature's fresh air and vibrations are physical, spiritual, and mental therapy. Nature soothes with its silence, beauty, symmetry, and perfect systems. Its shapes, colors, textures, and seasons refresh you holistically. Nature is a huge boon for tapping inspiration.

Research reiterates the positive impact of being outdoors, with strong evidence that being near trees calms your sympathetic nervous system. Moving outdoors, especially in the early morning hours, also helps regulate your circadian rhythms, which impacts your energy levels and regulates sleep. Nature helps boost creative flow and self-care.

GET AWED. 

By nature, great art, music, dance, books. Experiencing awe ignites new sensations, feelings, and ideas. It brings gratitude to the forefront. Positive emotions harness creative flow.

BE BETTER.

Challenge yourself to become a better human being. Personal development pushes forth new thought processes and energy for creation! When you grow yourself, the 'a-ha' moments leap forward energetically for your muse.

How do you handle negative self-talk or doubt within the creative process?

I recognize that sometimes negativity IS the muse. Suffering leads to expression. Suffering makes joy a deeper experience of appreciation. I acknowledge that negativity can be transformed into value.

As a 37-year SGI Buddhist, I chant daily. Chanting raises my life state through vibration, breathing, mindfulness, and vocalizing. Buddhist philosophy is one of spiritual optimism based on respect for life (including mine!). Buddhism is a constant self-improvement through character development, improving relationships, challenging my weaknesses, and reaching goals.

I pray about negative self-talk or doubt. Prayer in Buddhism is not wishing or asking for external help. It's making a determination to win over weakness, enjoy, appreciate, and use struggles and victories as my personal mission to encourage others and repay gratitude.

I constantly challenge and counter my negative self-talk. I address it. I question it. I wrestle against it.

When I have a negative thought, I visualize a red STOP sign. I practice being mindful and aware of these thoughts. Envisioning the stop sign gives my brain a strong visual image to make an impact that negative self-talk is not to be tolerated.

I replace the negative thought with a positive affirmation I can believe in. Sometimes, this comes about more slowly through inner dialogue between my negative and positive inner voices. I look for options between extremes until I find a reasonable choice.

I PRACTICE positive affirmations and responses to doubt or negative self-talk. I find that those that resonate emotionally and meaningfully with me have the greatest impact.

I get up and DO something. I TAKE ACTION to counter the darkness of my thinking. Taking action helps me see that I'm actively working to counter the inner critic. Doing versus thinking moves me out of the dark zone.

I surround myself with positive podcasts, books, and people! I limit my exposure to energy vampires. I give myself recuperation time away when I must deal with negative energy from others.

I get outdoors regularly and as early in the day as possible to enjoy sunlight and the awe and beauty of nature. Getting out early synchronizes our body's circadian rhythms, allowing the regulation of our hormones. These hormones help our sleep patterns, and proper sleep boosts creativity and productivity!

Although these are keys for nurturing creativity, not all creators use them consistently. Creators, including myself, do not always do a great job of practicing self-care or resting once they are immersed in creative flow. It's common for me and other creators to be so focused on the innovative project that we forget to eat, neglect sleep, and disregard regular daily rhythms. 

But these keys to nurturing creativity work wonders for tapping originality and flow. Using them as a regular habit will definitely boost your refreshed thinking patterns toward innovative ideas.

Let's review the 7 keys for nurturing creativity and inspiration:

1. DEVELOP SELF-BELIEF.
2. PRACTICE SELF-CARE.
3. REST.
4. EXPLORE OTHERS' CREATIVITY.
5. LEAVE YOUR COMFORT ZONE.
6. GET OUTDOORS/GET AWED.
7. BE BETTER.

Remember that today's episode is the second of three, featuring the concepts from my Inspirational Bookmark Trio. This trio offers three solid strategies to kickstart your journey to creative empowerment! Next week, I'll cover the third of my Inspirational Bookmark Trio, with ways for RESETTING your creativity when you experience burnout or creative block.

All the concepts I covered in these 3 episodes, last week's, today's, and next week's, are outlined visually with my Inspirational Bookmark Trio, and you can download your FREE Bookmark Trio at YourCreativeChord.com/getinspiredhere

See you next week at Your Creative Chord, where creativity and inspiration meet transformation!