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:

1. Sleep in
2. Dust off a novel you’ve been meaning to read and READ IT
3. Unplug yourself from your computer and phones
4. Take a day trip to enjoy your local nature (water, forest, desert, dunes, mountains, etc.)
5. Finish a project that you enjoy
6. Spend the day with a good friend who will help take your mind off work
7. Watch a movie
8. Take a walk, hike, or bike ride
9. Meditate
10. Listen to some music to help you relax (or re-energize)
11. Prepare a delicious, nutritious meal
12. Play a board game with friends or family
13. Go swimming
14. Do something crafty (if that’s your thing)
15. 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.

What Thoughts Start Your Day?

What do you think about when you first wake up in the morning? Words and thoughts are so powerful and can help shape our reality. Choose them wisely. And enjoy this little movie of some positive thoughts to get you started.

Songwriting Imitates Life: Vulnerability Without Judgment

In a recent workshop I facilitated about Songwriting Therapy™, one of the participants brought up the idea of vulnerability. Ah, yes, vulnerability. That space of opening ourselves, our flaws, experiences, feelings, thoughts, our truth with others. We are not taught about vulnerability. But we learn about it…often the hard way – by experiencing it and all the discomfort that can accompany it. Most people fight it or hide it.

The idea came up as we talked about sharing our creativity with others. As a singer/songwriter, I’ve had my share of battles with vulnerability. It helps me get to an honest place of sharing that connects with others on a deep level. But it can be scary, opening me up to criticism and scrutiny.

When I was younger, I was often deeply affected by what others had to say about my creative expressions. I took it personally when someone didn’t like my voice, my words, my arrangements, or any other aspect of my songs. Oddly (or maybe not) the people who often voiced their criticism were members of my own family – my mom, my sister, and my husband. These were people whose opinions I held dear, so it was a difficult pill to swallow thinking I may not be doing something good because they said it wasn’t good.

As I grew older and experienced many more vulnerable moments (in songwriting and in life), I came to realize that expressing myself and being vulnerable had so much more to do with me valuing my own opinion and self worth than it did with other people’s opinions or judgments. Once I realized that, I noticed a huge shift in my ability to speak up for myself, express myself, and even sing in front of others.

Do you have difficulty being vulnerable? Here’s some tips to get you through:

• Don’t solicit someone’s opinion unless you really want to hear it. Sometimes we get caught up in our ego and needing approval that we just let the words “what do you think” (or something similar) roll off our tongue, then immediately regret it. Unless you’re willing to hear the bad with the good, don’t ask people what they think. Remember, the only opinion that really matters is yours.
• Don’t take other people’s negativity personally. People say and do things we don’t like. It’s inevitable. But when we take it personally, thinking it had to do with something we did or said (or worse, who we are) we can get caught in a downward spiral of negativity ourselves. Think about your reactions to others, which are often colored by what you’re going through in your life, how you feel physically, what happened just before (or what’s going to happen just after). Keep this in mind when dealing with other people’s reactions. How they react may have less to do with you than you realized – and more to do with the kind of day they’re having (or their own general outlook on life).
• Celebrate your vulnerability. Vulnerability comes in all shapes, sizes, and forms. We can easily forget that we have opportunities to share our thoughts, feelings, hopes, dreams, goals, etc. with others all the time, which opens us up to being vulnerable. Be proud of those small moments you are able to share with others, which can be a stepping stone to sharing even bigger, more meaningful moments.

Remember that being vulnerable is a part of life. The more we can allow ourselves to be vulnerable, the easier it will be. And the more we’ll be able to express ourselves fully, leading to a healthier, happier, more balanced life.

Got more tips for being vulnerable? Please share by leaving a comment below.