by susrene@gmail.com | Nov 17, 2016 | creativity, inspirational
There are habits that we can develop that allow us to be more creative in our daily lives. These are practices that are incorporated to allow creativity to be present. I talked to some of my favorite creative people, as well as reading Twyla Tharp’s book, The Creative Habit, Julia Cameron’s, The Artists Way, Natalie Goldberg’s, Writing Down the Bones, and Anne Lamott’s, Bird by Bird. I read creativity books for their inspiration and helpful ideas to be a better writer, artist and creative human being.
1)Show up.
Regularly. Daily if possible; find a schedule that works for you and try to stick it to it. But be there ready to write, draw, take pictures, cook… Whatever it is that you want to do, show up!
2)Be Present.
Laura Probert said to me, when I asked about her creative habits, have than “on- purpose attitude”. Don’t just sit down and attempt to be creative. Be in the moment. Stay in the moment. Purposefully attend to your creative task at hand.
3)Show Gratitude.
This is for life in general as well. Happy people are grateful people. Showing and sharing gratitude daily reminds us we all have something to be thankful for and allows us to create from a space of abundance rather than scarcity.
4)Amanda Wolf Hara says, “Indulge in the ridiculous.”
Allow your mind to play crazy what if games for example she says, “If I was an alien, and encountering this strange earthling concept for the first time, what would I see? What here is potential instead of impossible?” Doing this helps us gain new perspective and see things from another side. It expands our own perception around whatever it is we are working on.
5)Meditate.
Be still. Make time for silence and quiet reflection. Allow thoughts to flow freely in and out without reacting to them. Allow yourself to notice the sounds around you, allowing you again in the present moment.
6)Read.
Educate yourself. check out new books new blogs new magazine or other media articles. Each time we allow ourselves learn something new we expand our creative base knowledge. No matter what we read I have been inspired by fiction as much as a moving blog post.
7)Journaling.
Whether you simply write in one before you bed like I do are you for art journaling orbital bullet journaling, journaling is the best way to get all your thoughts that run around loose in your head. Journaling can also be a source of inspiration when you go back and read it. I have often found poetry in all journal writings without realizing it when I wrote it at the time.
8)Stop comparing.
Ditch negative thinking. There is no one like you and you offer a unique view into the world. So there is no one to compare you to. And if you fall into comparison, remember we are often comparing our insights to another person’s outsides and that is not a fair comparison. Comparison leads to negative thinking such as I am not worthy or I don’t have anything valuable to offer. These are negative derailments and have you have to fight them basically though sometimes it is easier said than done tell those negative thoughts to STFU!
9)Play.
Doodle. Do something you liked as a kid. Play is the doorway to creativity. We, as a society, do not engage in play enough. We have an undermining attitude that one must earn play but the opposite is true. Play makes us happier more productive people so go play.
10) Do something different
If you write, try photography or painting. If you work in nonverbal media, try writing or cooking. Experiment with other art forms. Or follow Julia Cameron’s invite advice and take yourself out on artist date to the creative places around you.
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by susrene@gmail.com | Aug 25, 2016 | inspiration, inspirational
We all need a creative soul boost once in a while. It’s normal to feel that you are in a rut and are struggling to be creative. There is hope though. At those times when we can’t create, we can indulge our creative soul with bringing creativity to us. Here are Seven Ideas for Sparking Your Creative Soul.
- Pictures. Photographs. Take them. Anything that you find interesting. Do not pass judgment of good or bad. Just take them. Not in the mood to take pictures, go to a page like Flickr and browse through anything that catches your eye. Take the time to fill your visual senses with things you find interesting, beautiful, or even ugly.
- READ. Go to the bookstore or the library. Peruse the magazines. Read the international ones about other countries. Cooking, personal growth, or home decor. Maybe pick up one on cars or entrepreneurship. Find a favorite book section and read the back covers of new books. Explore what’s new in the book world.
- Take yourself on what Julia Cameron calls an “Artist Date.” Visit a local museum. It doesn’t have to be an art museum. History buff go to the history museum, science, trains…whatever excites you and will help fill up your creative soul. You can try to opposite and go to a museum that you might not normally visit, or even a local gallery where art is for sale and see who is up and coming in your community.
- Does your town have an “old town” area? Is there a town nearby that has an the “old town” vibe? Sometimes wandering and meandering through old buildings and gift shops lets down the guard we usually carry around with up as we take in the surroundings. Allow your guard to be down. Wander into new places. Touch stuff on the shelves (if you can). Notice the smells. Listen to the sounds. In Old Sacramento, I love listening to the sound of the old wood board walkways. In summer, there is the sound of the old train that the train museum runs that is in the background.
- Read Art Blogs. I love Kathryn Costa of 100Mandalas. I also follow Kelly Rae Roberts , SARK, Leonie Dawson, and Jani Franck. I find others on Facebook. I follow other blogs that inspire me like Bipolar Speaks, a blog combining her love for advocating for mental illness with her creative spirit. Find inspiring blogs to follow. Read them. Fill yourself up on their words and ideas.
- Wander. Wander. Wander. I love to wander the aisles of Michaels or Joann’s just to see what’s new. I love looking at the seasonal sections to discover what treasures there are. Sometimes I get some of my DIY ideas from projects that Joann’s is selling already made. I could just as easily say play on Pinterest. But there is something about the physical act of wandering through the store aisles that also allows that mind to wander and play. We are three dimensional beings and we need to interact with a three dimensional world. If you are someone like me who does a lot of their creative work on paper or on the computer, the act of physically touching and looking takes you to a different place than scrolling through Pinterest.
- Another “Artist Date.” Take yourself on a day trip someplace away from where you are. Sometimes I complain about living in Sacramento. It’s in a valley and summer gets WAY too hot for me. There is stuff to do but it doesn’t quite have the same energy as a place like San Francisco or Los Angeles. BUT it is about 2 hours from EVERYTHING. Two hours to the mountains. Two hours to Redwoods. Two hours to San Fran. Two hours to the beach. Two hours to the Nevada dessert (maybe just over). The point is I can and have just taken little day trips to the ocean to fill my soul with salty sea air and to put my feet in soft sand. My family has made many a day trip to San Fran and Calaveras Big Trees (Giant Redwoods). Where can you venture for a day trip?
Our creative soul needs these little diversions to fill up on. We cannot create on an empty spirit. What will you do to spark you Creative Soul today?
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by The Creating Room | Jul 21, 2016 | artists, arts, creativity, inspiration
Many creative people have their creative toolbox that they keep on hand. They pull stuff, and tips and tricks right out of it. It’s like having a magicians magic hat. The key to a Great Toolbox is to include in it the things that will keep your creative soul going even in those times where you feel stuck or are feeling blah and uncreative.
Let’s start with what I keep in mine.
For inspiration, I have many Artful Blogger, Artful Journalling, and Where Women Create magazines, all produced by the Stampington Company. I love flipping the pages and seeing the beautiful pictures and sharing in others creative adventures. It is my hope one day to be in one of those magazines myself. It inspires and motivates me when I feel stuck or lost on what to do.
My favorite creative tool is my laptop. It is a MacBook Pro that is nearly four years old. Since I am first and foremost a writer, I find it essential for working on fiction, moving my poems from the written page to being saved and edited, and where I create my affirmation cards. I also use it for collecting my photos. I will give you a secret, I have about 22,000 pictures. NOT KIDDING. I always find reasons to use ones I thought I would never use especially in designing mini stories and affirmation cards. It is also where I create my stationary, my cards, and anything else that strikes me.
Pick your favorite tool! What is it? Keep it in good condition. If it’s something that gets used often, like a sketch book or journal, do you keep a back up so you always have one. My daughter keeps two or three around the house so she can just grab one.
Now onto some more practical, hands on stuff. Even writers need a little something out of scope of traditional writing to feed the creative soul. Here is what I highly recommend and what I keep for creative tools.
- Watercolor Paints: you can go to the dollar store and get the watercolor kits or you can go to Joanns and for ten bucks get the watercolor tubes. I use them for creating backgrounds, just playing when my mind has been so full of words, I need something that doesn’t require too much language processing.
- Pens, markers, pencils: I will admit to being an office supply junkie. I am fully addicted to new pens and pencils. I love makers, gel pens, colored pencils, Papermate Flair pens, and my fave are Pentel RSVP pens in purple. They just make writing, drawing, doodling so much more fun and interesting. Sometimes, it helps me to brainstorm in different colors to see patterns.
- Paper or Card Stock: A writer needs paper, whether hand writing or printing from a computer. If you want to make little notes or cards with writing or doodles, it helps to have sturdier card stock around and a good pair of scissors.
- Another thing that the paper is good for is making Word tiles. Inspired by Susan Wooldridge’s poem crazy. She creates word tiles and has her students draw out so many words and they have to create a poem. But I have also used them to inspire photos, or doodling or messages to friends. I think of word tiles as a great way to get out of stuckness because you have to work within the confines of the words you picked, it brings out the creative self.
- Tactile: A great toolbox as something wth texture that you can play with, touch in between or during projects. There is something about the switching of the cerebral writing, organizing to something that is just about touch. It changes our posture, calls on different parts of the brain, creates flow through other avenues. especially when stressed or up against a deadline, having some tactile object like play-dough or clay or even different types of fabric can re-direct us.
- TIME! Make sure that you give yourself time to use the tools in your toolbox. Our creative expression is of great importance. Even if you have a job and work forty hours a week, it is essential to our health that we take time for creative expression. I have said before, Brene’ Brown, a well know mental health writer, says that “UNUSED creative expression is NOT benign.” It will manifest itself in agitation, frustration, anger, guilt. A host of negative feelings that eat away at our self-esteem. So being creative helps you be a better you.
- Miscellaneous: 1) Music: I know for me when I am working on certain projects I have specific music that I listen to that creates the mood and environment that I want, especially if I am writing and I want to tune out the noise. 2) Add some acrylic paint as well. The colors are brighter and you get different results by blending. It is just a different than watercolors but fun. 3) Ribbons and stickers. These are just bits of whimsy to add to your toolbox. Maybe you only use them once in a while. I love using my own stickers to decorate packages when I send out orders. 4) Glue. All kinds but at least a good glue stick and a reliable craft glue, like Aleene’s tacky Glue. 5) A Journal. Whether you are a writer or an artist, a photographer or florist, keep a journal. They are great in offering us a chance to reflect. Maybe you just have a project journal. That’s ok. Its just another handy dandy tool for your box.
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by The Creating Room | May 31, 2016 | creativity, Ten Minute Tuesday
Instead of a ten minute exercise today, I am giving some quick ideas that you can do in a five minute break. If all you have is a ten minute break, then you might only have just five minutes to do something creative or to play. Here are four great go-to ideas for a five minute play break.
- Play Dough: I keep a small container of play dough around for goofing around with. Sometimes if my anxiety is high or I am stressed this little ball of dough is perfect for squeezing and stretching and oozing through fingers. Since it is such a tactile play tool, it really helps when I have limited time.
- Watercolors: Easy to set up and easy to use. You don’t need a lot of space, money or materials to paint a quick sunrise or the ocean. Sometimes it is just as relaxing to simple play and swirl the colors around on the page, creating an abstract of some sort. I have done that and turned into backgrounds for taking pictures of affirmations and such.
- Coloring: Adult coloring books are all the rage right now. Get on board. You can even pick them up at most dollar stores now. You can even free coloring pages online. Go to Pinterest and type in coloring pages. Oodles of links will pop up. Get your Color On!
- Building Blocks, Legos: If you don’t have access to these things because you are a grown-up, after all, then build with what you do have. Just make sure it’s play. My friends’ son likes to use miscellaneous things to build like pen boxes, books, keys or just what he has on hand to build with. There is something about blocks and legos that remind us we have amazing imaginations. If you do have them, what can you build in 5 minutes? Can you use all the blocks?
Here you go, four really simple creative play tools that you can do in just five minutes. Have a grand Tuesday! Don’t forget to play!
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by The Creating Room | Feb 4, 2016 | creativity, inspirational
*This post contains affiliate links.
Every creative person has their favorite books they go go when they are stuck in a rut or need a little inspiration. Books become like trusty friends that you can turn to when you need a fresh perspective or need to be reminded of something you have forgotten. The list below is compiled of books or authors that I have come back to time and time again. They are some of my favorites. A few have worn covers and tattered pages while others have been replaced because I felt compelled to hand them off to someone who needed them. A few I keep on my Nook tablet with favorite passages tagged so I can go back over them again. This list is a great beginning creative souls list. Happy Reading!
- Creativity for Life by Eric Maisel: Eric Maisel is a creativity coach in southern California. He works with artists to help unblock creative walls. In Creativity for Life, he provides examples of how he coached some of his clients and then asks the reader to participate in finding their creative goals with exercises and questions at the end of each section.
- The Artist Way by Julia Cameron: This is a must go-to for a beginning artist. The Artist Way is the first in a series of books meant to connect the artist with their spiritual nature to be in their art more authentically. I have read and re-read this book many times when I needed an artist pick me up. She incorporates many exercises to help the creative soul along.
- Billy Collins (any of his poetry books): My favorite is Sailing Around the Room and Other Poems. However, he has many and they are all great. His poetry is real and honest; he pulls from ordinary world around him to create his excellent writing. He is two-termed Poet Laureate of the U.S.
- Creating a Life Worth Living by Carol Lloyd: Carol Lloyd takes the creative person on down a path to discovering what they want from their passions. Each chapters asks the reader questions about their craft, the life they want, and other important details so they may create their own lifestyle beyond society’s norm.
- A Creative Companion by SARK (or any SARK book): Another must read for the creative being. A quick read, SARK inspires with her bright colors and handwritten pages. This a fun and lively reminder for the artist to slow-down, open their eyes, and see the world around them with their creative soul.
- poemcrazy by Susan Woolridge: A great book to read on poetry. This takes all the mystique out of poetry and breaks it down into the idea that anyone is capable of writing poetry. It is manner of learning the skills. Susan Woolridge does just that in this delightful, easy to read book.
- Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg: A “bible” of writing culture. Natalie Goldberg talks about getting to the bones in writing. A zen teacher, artist and writer, she incorporates her teachings through examples in her book. A lot of insightful information for the creative person.
- The Art of Non-Conformity by Chris Guilbreau: Here is the non-conformists BOOK! If you do not want the standard 9-5 every day lifestyle then this is the book for you. Chris tells you his story and how he went from dropping out of college to the entrepreneur that he is today. He has also been to every country in the world and incorporates some of his genius traveling hacks in this book and on his website.
- The Creative Habit by Twyla Tharp: Twyla Tharp got to where she is by one thing: she made her creative outlet a daily habit. She practices her creativity every day. It is woven through out her book that even when one feels as though they cannot create, they should continue the habit of creating to stay conscious of their art. She is a no-nonsense writer with many excellent ideas.
- Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
A must have writers book. Anne Lamott dives into the creative side of writing but this book is also a great guideline for other creative beings. The philosophy of “bird by bird” is a concept that can be applied to any creative project that may seem overwhelming.
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Hello Everyone! I’m Susan: a Writer, Speaker, Coach and Creator.
Creativity and I have been friends since I was a kid. I was always involved in a creative project…from putting together neighborhood skits and plays, writing stories, dance, theater. I loved to play with my creative side from painting, photography, to writing... 