What a rollercoaster!!! Seriously, you should try it. Oh, hang on... you're on the very same rollercoaster as me: life. In the last year, I've helped a whole bunch of women (and children) to find their creative energy and in this post I want to share with you the essential precursors for optimal creativity. Read on...
Creativity. We were all born with it and we use it in a whole range of ways. Some of us are lovers of music or of dance, others like to write either on paper or just in their mind. But, if you are reading this, I suspect you are likely to be similar to me - you express your creativity through art-making.
Even though we were each born with the ability to create with our hands, with our minds, some days that creative energy feels limited. Some days, we're just not feeling the vibe, the flow. I can relate. I've been there. In fact, I was there just last week!
Recently I launched my very first online painting course entitled Permission To Paint. It is a passion project that I am wildly enthusiastic about as I believe so deeply in the value of art-making to our wellbeing as humans.
Yet what some may not realise, is that the energy it takes to create a course of this nature and to get the word out is immense. I was putting out so much energy, that when the enrolment period closed, I was rather disorientated. It is very much like coming down from a rollercoaster and feeling dizzy.
And so that is specifically why my creativity was running low - I was exhausted. Now that the course is running and I am supporting the beautiful women who are now painting their hearts out, I feel peace again. I allowed myself to slow down. I allowed myself to regroup. I paid enough attention to my needs to tend to them so that creativity could return without too much of a wait.
When creativity feels hard-to-come-by, it is usually due to stress or exhaustion. It's because we are exerting our energy elsewhere, even if we may not realise it in the moment. Here are my top two tips for reviving that creative flow:
1. Check the Sleep. Ask yourself if your sleep count is low and if there is a way to get a few extra Zs in the next week. You can learn a bit more here: https://www.healthline.com/health/healthy-sleep
2. Check the Stress. Ask yourself if you've allowed yourself any downtime... time to do nothing of much importance. You are likely to need some time out, watching TV, reading a book, sitting by the seaside... something calming, quiet... something that will help you to find some peace. There is a whole lot of reading that you can do on Cortisol levels, which can affect your energy levels and memory too. You can read more here: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/ways-to-lower-cortisol
And then like magic, creativity will return to your everyday. New ideas will surface, you will have spurts of enthusiasm around art-making or whatever it is that you like to release your inner creative on!
With love and gratitude,
Ros
x
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