All posts by Krylyn
Your Elusive Creative Genius
“Maybe [artistry] doesn’t have to be quite so full of anguish if you never happened to believe, in the first place, that the most extraordinary aspects of your being came from you. But maybe if you just believed that they were on loan to you from some unimaginable source for some exquisite portion of your life to be passed along when you’re finished … it starts to change everything.” ~ Elizabeth Gilbert
Author Elizabeth Gilbert (“Eat, Pray, Love”) shares about the creative process in this TED talk. Gilbert discusses her own creative process and the stigma many creatives get for being mentally unstable. She challenges that notion and offers up some ideas on how to be creative without being attached to the process (or the outcome). Watch – and Enjoy!
Building Upon Old Foundations: How Perspective Changes Over Time
As I travel around the Midwest and places I’ve lived before, I’m reminded of a lot. Old memories. Old friendships. Old hurts. Old passions. Everywhere I turn it seems there’s something that reminds me of something. But as I visit old familiar places, I’m reminded how much perspective plays a part in my memories. Perspective indeed is a powerful thing.
When I lived in Michigan about 15+ years ago, it was colored by a failing marriage, the pain of being separated from close friends and family, the transition of being a new mom, and re-careering. I moved here to support my then-husband in his pursuit of a master’s degree. To say I was unhappy at that time is an understatement. But I made the best of it. I found a job where I could learn a skill I really wanted to learn and made friends who helped me stay connected to myself (and who I can easily re-connect to after all these years).
But now, as I visit, a woman more sure of herself, confident, older, wiser, more at-ease in her own skin, this place seems different. It seems softer, calmer, more accepting. I can appreciate things I didn’t before, like the fresh air, the small town feel, the beautiful architecture, etc.
Did this small town change since I was here? Or are the changes I see more about the changes within I’ve made over the years? I suspect everything changed, but that the changes I’ve made and the different perspective I have now are more the cause of my new-found ease with this place. Either way, it’s nice to enjoy my time here in old, familiar territory, with memories pleasant and unpleasant, in the presence of friends who knew me then and still appreciate me today.
We are always building a foundation upon which our perspective can lead us in different directions. What a gift to be able to see different sides of the same foundation.
Photo: creek @ crawford park © by daBinsi
The Creativity-Wellness Connection
When I was a new counselor many years ago, my supervisor said something to me that really stuck with me. She said having good mental health means having options. The truth is we all have options, but sometimes we just can’t see them. We can get stuck into thinking there is only one solution, or worse, no solutions. And that can lead to lots of problems.
As a creative person, I’ve been very aware of this stuckness, or what some call writer’s block or creative block. There is an ebb and flow to creativity, just as there is in life. Sometimes, things come easily. Sometimes, they don’t. What I’ve learned over the years is that the natural rhythm of ebb and flow is a good thing. And that just because something doesn’t come when I want or how I want doesn’t mean it won’t come.
But I’ve also learned that creativity and good mental health have a lot of parallels. Creativity is really about solving problems, and how many of us do that on a daily basis?
People sometimes seem to equate creativity with artistic pursuits – art, music, dance, etc. That is certainly one aspect of creativity. But not everyone is artistic in those ways. What about people who create systems, or machines, or gadgets that make our lives easier? Or people who help us communicate or understand things better? Aren’t those creative? And what about all the creative things we do to get through each day? Navigating traffic, paying bills, setting boundaries with family members or co-workers, etc. There are so many opportunities to exercise our creative muscles.
Creativity is simply the process of making something that is new and useful. I also like to think of creativity as what we do to solve everyday problems. There’s no lack of problems in the world. Why, then, should we believe there would be a lack of solutions? And when there are lots of solutions (or options), we have choices. And when we have choices, we feel more in control, happier, and more at ease.
So, what will you create today?
For more ideas on how to get your creative juices flowing, please join me for the “Creativity and Wellness Summit,” where I’ll be interviewing experts – psychotherapists, coaches, authors, and spiritual healers – on how to get unstuck and live happier, healthier, more balanced lives. Get all the details for how you can listen in LIVE for FREE at http://www.CreativityAndWellnessSummit.com.
Photo: Artist At Work © by katsrcool
10 Songs to Celebrate Labor Day
Whether or not you have the day off this Labor Day, take some time out to enjoy my top picks for songs about work. Got any favorites of your own not on the list? Leave a comment below.
9 to 5 by Dolly Parton
A Hard Day’s Night by The Beatles
Bang the Drum All Day by Todd Rundgren
Heigh-Ho by The Seven Dwarfs
Manic Monday by the Bangles
She Works Hard for the Money by Donna Summer
Slave To The Wage by Placebo
Workin’ For a Living by Huey Lewis and the News
Working For The Weekend by Loverboy
Working in a Coal Mine by Devo
Top 15 Non-Work Things To Do This Labor Day
If you’re anything like me, you have a to-do list a mile long – filled with a mixture of things you must do, things you need to do, and things you want to do. The things I want to do tend to get pushed further and further down the list to make room for all that really needs to get done. And I must constantly keep the list in check to ensure I don’t always end up on the bottom of my to-do list.
This Labor Day, I challenge you to take some time out and really put yourself at the top of your priority list. Despite what kind of work you do to pay your bills, take this opportunity to step away from anything work-related to celebrate all that you do during normal business hours (and beyond if you tend, like I do, to work a non-traditional work week).
Here’s some ideas to get you started on what you can do to celebrate you this Labor Day:
- Sleep in
- Dust off a novel you’ve been meaning to read and READ IT
- Unplug yourself from your computer and phones
- Take a day trip to enjoy your local nature (water, forest, desert, dunes, mountains, etc.)
- Finish a project that you enjoy
- Spend the day with a good friend who will help take your mind off work
- Watch a movie
- Take a walk, hike, or bike ride
- Meditate
- Listen to some music to help you relax (or re-energize)
- Prepare a delicious, nutritious meal
- Play a board game with friends or family
- Go swimming
- Do something crafty (if that’s your thing)
- Have a picnic in your back yard or at a local park
Can you think of other ways to celebrate you and all the hard work you do? Wonderful. Now go do them and enjoy a day off!
Photo: Picnic © by KFoodaddict
Using Creativity to Be a Better You
Do you consider yourself to be creative? Do you think creativity is reserved for the lucky few who have certain skills and talents? It’s amazing how often people are quick to declare themselves as not creative simply because they don’t paint or play an instrument or do something else that is artistic.
As a singer-songwriter myself, I happen to believe creativity is something we all possess, whether we realize it or not. While we may not show creativity in artistic expression, it’s in there. And creativity is an important ingredient to leading a healthy, happy, balance life.
If you’re ready to tap into your creativity, please join me for the September FREE Teleseminar… “Thinking Outside the Box: Using Creativity to Be a Better You.”
In this teleseminar, I’ll cover:
- Why Creativity is So Important to Good Emotional and Mental Health
- What Really Gets in the Way of Being Creative
- How to Tap Into Your Innate Creativity (Even if You Think You Don’t Have a Creative Bone in Your Body)
Don’t delay. Sign up today. The live call is coming soon. But don’t worry, if you can’t attend live, you can still sign up and get access to the recording. Simply go to the REGISTRATION page and enter your name and email to get signed up.