25 2 18 Ep 69 Reignite Your Creativity My Proven Formula  

UPDATE: New Date for the Creativity Panel Event!

I originally planned to hold our Creativity Panel Event: The Creativity & Wellness Connection on March 18, but due to illness, I’ve had to postpone. The updated dates are:

• April 21 – The Creative Flow & Inspired Living group officially opens
• April 22 – Creativity Panel Event
• April 23 – Early Access to my Creativity Empowerment Coaching Program

Thank you for your patience as I focus on rest so I can bring my best energy to these events!

[00:00:00] Jenny Leigh: Are you ready to unlock your creative potential in 2025? Join the Creative Flow & Inspired Living with Your Creative Chord Facebook group, a space designed to support you on your creative journey, whether you're a seasoned creator or someone curious to explore your creative potential, this community provides inspiration.

[00:00:22] Practical tools and the support you need to overcome obstacles and thrive creatively. On Tuesday, March 18, 2025, we'll be hosting a creativity panel event inside the group featuring creative professionals and experts in creative wellness and empowerment. This free event will offer practical insights to help you break through blocks, reignite your creative flow, and experience immediate progress.

[00:00:52] Whether you're feeling stuck, burned out, We're simply curious about exploring your creative side. This event will give you the tools to move forward. Plus on March 19, 2025, I'll be launching my Creative Empowerment Coaching Program designed to guide you through overcoming creative blocks, transforming burnout into momentum and cultivating the mindset needed to live a more inspired, fulfilled life.

[00:01:20] This program is perfect for anyone ready to ignite their creative energy and lay the foundation for sustained personal and creative growth. If you're ready for a deeper personalized transformation, my Creative Empowerment Coaching Program can help you get there to join the group and register for the upcoming panel event.

[00:01:41] Visit Your Creative Chord. com forward slash events. Don't miss out on this opportunity to start the year strong. With a supportive community and creative momentum. I'm here to empower your creative flow and inspired life.

[00:01:57] Welcome back to Your Creative Chord Podcast. I'm your host, Jenny Leigh. Today, let's get into the heartbeat of creative empowerment, how to unlock your creative flow and live more inspired, fulfilling days. If you've ever felt stuck or burned out or unsure of how to start or restart your creative journey, this episode is for you.

[00:02:18] Today, I will walk you through my simple Creative Exploration Formula. It will help you explore your creativity, break through any block, or get fresh inspiration. I'll also share insights on how to harness tools to nurture your creative energy, transform life's challenges, draw out your inner strength, and lead a more fulfilled life.

[00:02:39] Plus, stick around and I'll share how you can take this even further with an exciting new opportunity. To reinforce and support today's discussion, grab my Inspirational Bookmark Trio at YourCreativeChord.com/GetInspiredHere. You'll get practical tips on creative flow, overcoming burnout and rediscovering inspiration.

[00:03:02] It's the perfect way to solidify today's ideas in your life. Again, that's your creative core.com/get inspired here. Let's listen in on a especially curated segment from one of my earlier talks on how to tap your creative flow. Whether you're a seasoned creative or someone who's ready to ignite that spark, there's something here for you.

[00:03:26] Let's listen. 

[00:03:27] So why am I talking about creative flow? Why me? I am podcast on ways for nurturing creativity and inspiration. I interview creators and positivity wellness experts, and I share my own creative process and personal development strategies for inspired living. I'm someone who has lived a creative life since I was a kid.

[00:03:51] I've written poetry and lyrics since I was a child. I created. Annual poetry chapbooks as gifts for my friends and family. I've written, directed, and composed three musicals with children and even senior citizens at a retirement home. I studied classical piano and voice. I majored in music composition. I moved to Japan and lived there for almost five years to experience a different culture.

[00:04:17] While I was there, I gathered an Italian flutist, an American drummer, and a Japanese bassist to help me create my first musical instrument. Uh, uh, 14 original musical theater songs that I composed. I've performed as a pianist and vocalist for more than 25 years. I've composed a lot of piano based music, as well as orchestral scores for indie short films.

[00:04:39] I've taught piano music and chorus for 30 years in private and public schools, as well as my own private piano studio. I've also been a chorus director of both children and adult community groups. I've led many groups of adult artists in my position as an SGI USA Buddhist volunteer. What I've discovered from my own creative life and from working with people from ages four to 90, from all walks of artistic or professional levels of experience, is that we all have the same access to this universal fountain or source of creative expression.

[00:05:16] We're interconnected. Both to this universal energy and in our ability to connect with each other through it. I believe everyone has creativity because creativity is about finding solutions and expressing what we already feel inside. It's about going outside our comfort zone to explore something new, different, or foreign to us.

[00:05:39] So the idea is that everyone has creative ability. But, it, sometimes it becomes a matter of how well you allow your creativity to flow. Today is about how I allow or foster creative flow. I also incorporate what I've learned from interviewing or interacting with many other creators and creative experts, as well as my research on the topic of what works for creative professionals and creative process.

[00:06:05] It really doesn't matter what modality of creative expression you use. It can be painting, photography, music, dance. Poetry, writing, or any other creative outlet. The root of creative expression is universal. It can be applied to anything. I'm not going to be talking specifically about writing, but rather the creative process itself.

[00:06:26] I use some key ways for nurturing my creativity and inspiration, and I'm going to cover these keys in a moment. I've also got what I call a Creative Exploration Formula. When I want to creatively express something I'm feeling or work on a creative project, Before I start talking about nurturing creativity or my Creative Exploration Formula, I want to be clear that I'm not going to be focusing on the development of craft, technique, or skill.

[00:06:53] Professional creators know that skill or craft is part of the journey, something we're constantly improving on a daily basis. Sometimes knowledge or skill can interfere with the creative muse, so I will not be addressing that aspect of creative process. If you want to be or you are a professional. then you must be constantly working on the craft or technical skills for your particular creative modality.

[00:07:17] The art of creative expression can be practiced for improvement. My approach to creative expression is not about the pressure of skill development. It's more about opening yourself to your inherent creativity. From my experience, the more you do this, the greater your skills will improve naturally. So my Main approach is about getting in touch with what you yourself bring to the table that is unique.

[00:07:45] Let's talk about key ways for nurturing creativity. Develop self belief is the first one. Number two, self care. Number three, explore other people's creativity. Number four, leave your comfort zone. Number five, get outdoors. Number six, get awed. Number seven, be better. Develop self belief. I make a deliberate effort to believe in my potential and be true to myself.

[00:08:19] I refresh my intent to authentically allow myself to be a shining example of actual proof. My victory at expressing myself allows people to see their own possibilities. My win is your win, and happy people create a peaceful world. This for me is a solid reason to believe in myself as a creator. You shine your light.

[00:08:41] You light the path for others. The second key way for nurturing creativity is self care. This looks different for each person. It could be silence, stillness, breathing, meditation, reading, listening to books, getting a massage, yoga, walking outside, gardening, watching a movie, napping, playing games with friends or family, taking a trip or a new class, or going to a live music concert.

[00:09:09] I also know that rest and downtime is a really important part of self care. So I remind myself to let go of the idea that busy equals accomplishment or pushing through is not always a good thing. Taking a break is scientifically proven to boost both productivity and creativity. Your subconscious is always absorbing for you, so you're not going to miss out on anything.

[00:09:33] Take a much needed break knowing that the time on the shelf you're spending is exactly what's necessary to rejuvenate inspiration. Another key to nurturing creativity is exploring others creativity. Observing the creativity or perspective of others will inspire you because it's different from your normal thinking.

[00:09:54] It's outside your wheelhouse, so it moves your neurological pathways into new directions. This allows new thought patterns to be created. In an explosive chain reaction of innovation for your creative process. Another key for nurturing creativity and inspiration is to get out of your comfort zone. And it's for the same reason that exploring the creativity of others boosts your creative flow.

[00:10:19] Go to a new place. Do a new thing. Do the same thing differently. Approach it differently. Or challenge yourself in a new way. Doing new stuff jars your habitual thinking with new ideas. www. microsoft. com A new thought process and it creates like this domino effect of new ideas. Another way is to get outside and immerse yourself in nature.

[00:10:40] Nature's fresh air and vibrations are physical and mental therapy. And nature immersion holistically refreshes you. The sixth key for nurturing creativity is to get awed. So get awed by nature, great art, music, dance, books, experiences. Your beliefs experiencing all ignites new sensations, feelings, and ideas.

[00:11:07] It brings gratitude to the forefront. When you experience positive emotions that can lead to igniting your creative flow. The last tip that I have for nurturing creativity is to just be better. Challenge yourself to become a better human being. Personal development pushes forth creativity. New thought process and energy for creation.

[00:11:29] Let's talk about my Creative Exploration Formula. This is something I often use when I'm approaching a creative project or I want to express something creatively. First thing I do is put myself in a box. Usually you think of creators as outside of the box thinkers, but I put myself in a box. And that means I place limits or give myself specific parameters or a structure within which I'm going to create.

[00:11:55] For example, I'm a Musician, songwriter, composer. I could say my parameters are, I'm going to start the song by writing only in the key of G major. I'm only going to allow myself to use three chords. I'm going to choose a duple meter instead of triple meter. Like one, two, a one, two, a one, two, three, four, a one, two, I'm sorry, got carried away.

[00:12:19] So a duple meter, and I'm only going to write eight measures of. Melodic content. So using those parameters, I can't go outside that box. I won't allow myself to. Or another idea is, as a writer, give yourself these limitations. You can only write for 20 minutes, non stop. You can't stop. You gotta keep writing.

[00:12:41] And you have to write about your current mood. And you cannot look at your writing until after the 20 minutes. And you're not allowed to edit either, you just gotta keep writing. These limits will force you to think. And thinking within limitations pushes you to find a new way to do something. And you can always break that box open and change it if you feel the creative urge.

[00:13:04] But start with a box, start with a, a set of limitations. Cause sometimes the idea of creativity is so vast, cause it's so open. That it can be intimidating, so if you give yourself a space within which to work, that can jolt your creative impulse. The next thing I do is I let go of my ego, or my head, my mood, or my own expectations.

[00:13:26] So I force myself into this zone where I don't care about the results. I'm setting out to write the worst possible song I've ever composed. I don't care what it sounds like. I'm just going to get this message or this idea out. Don't care what it sounds like. I purposely strike the attitude that I just don't care about the results.

[00:13:44] I actually strive to make it because it ignores all the rules. It ignores my protocol. It ejects all my expectations or my inner critic from my inner space. And so most of the time I use that strategy. My creative results are even better than I expected. The next thing I do is I tap into. What I believe in and what I care about, and I let everything come from that inner compass.

[00:14:09] So I silence myself, my head, my ego, and I tune into what I believe in or care about. I really hone in on the stillness and the silence of my feelings, my intent or beliefs. I focus on the message I intend to convey. I try to get really clear about what my message is, my feeling or intent. And I let everything else be guided by that inner compass.

[00:14:38] I allow that place to fill my silence with truth and authenticity. I let my inner voice flow. I don't allow my ego. I only allow myself to focus on the message or the intent. The next thing I do is I muster up my courage to just explore and brainstorm. And I allow myself to be okay with whatever happens, I let my curiosity lead me, and I pretend everything's an experiment, because it is.

[00:15:08] I tap into my heart with a really open, pure curiosity to learn and to be led. I allow myself to explore, brainstorm, try anything and everything, and I allow myself to be okay with whatever happens. I go really deep into that process, and I ignore any rules. Or outer voices or inner critic. I pretend it's an experiment because it is.

[00:15:33] You can always throw it out later if you don't like it. When your editor comes in, the next thing I do is visualize. The mood, the color, the sound, the story, or the setting of my message or my intent. And I really try to spend time visualizing those aspects. I practice going deeply into feeling these through each nuance, each change or detail, and through each one of my senses.

[00:16:00] It just really puts me in that, it gets me connected to that intent. A really big one is, I think it's important is to allow for failure. I call it redesigning. Messing up is just called redesigning. There's never failure. There's only learning. That's really important for creators. We tend to be so harsh with our inner critic.

[00:16:20] And we've got to get the idea that it's practice, experimentation, failing and getting back up. And through that process, you get better. You hone it. Fighting to break through limitations and overcome weakness. Is the direct way to manifest full creative potential. The limitations or the weakness I'm referring to is our ego or the inner critic. 

[00:16:50] What stood out for you in that clip from my earlier talk? Which part of my Creative Exploration Formula resonates most with you? Is there a step that feels challenging to you? What creative project are you excited to apply this formula to? I'd really love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to leave a review with your comments or share them in our Creative Flow and Inspired Living Facebook group.

[00:17:18] This is just the beginning of what's possible when you nurture your creativity, and I'm super excited to invite you into a space where we can explore this together in real time. Remember, you have an unlimited source of creative energy within your life. Creativity is your inherent superpower. So, nurture it daily and you'll unlock your fullest potential.

[00:17:43] Once you tap into creativity, it just keeps flowing forward. That's the cool thing about it. Once you tap into it and nurture it, it's unlimited. It will just keep growing. If you're looking for more ways to keep your creative energy flowing, check out my previous episodes in the Creativity Series, episodes 41 through 44.

[00:18:05] In that series, I share practical ways to nurture your creativity and overcome burnout. Be sure to listen to my interviews with creators, positivity coaches, and artists in previous episodes on Your Creative Chord podcast. Also, if today's episode resonated with you, be sure to check out episode 58 and 62 through 64, where we go deep into burnout recovery and how setting boundaries leads you to more joy.

[00:18:33] Highly relevant to unlocking your creative flow and living inspired. Don't forget to grab my inspirational bookmark trio at yourcreativecore. com forward slash get inspired here. It's the perfect visual tool to keep these creative ideas front and center. Remember every small step toward nurturing your creativity is a giant leap toward living an inspired life.

[00:18:59] Start today by spending just 10 minutes nurturing your creative energy. Whether that's journaling, doodling. Listen to music that moves you, getting some movement, exploring other people's art, or spending time in nature's rejuvenating wonders. Take that step now and see where it leads.

VO Artist: Thank you for listening to Your Creative Chord Podcast. If you found inspiration in today's episode, please leave a review and subscribe to the show. Your support helps spread the message of creativity and inspired living. Stay connected with Jenny Leigh and a vibrant community of creatives and curious minds.

Visit YourCreativeChord.com for more resources. Remember daily life is where your creative flow begins. Embrace the journey.