The Me-Time Mixtape: Three essential hand-curated links and resources on creative self-care. Carve out some me time this week!
A friend recently reached out to tell me how much she struggles to feel creatively inspired given all her caregiver tasks. I get it, I really do, because I struggle with it too. But I have a little secret, and it has been powerful for me. I never wait for inspiration, and I remind myself (constantly) that I deserve and will carve out time for my art.
Once I'm committed, I don't stop there; I put my butt in the chair and write, even if it's only 10 minutes. From there, amazing things can happen. Sometimes a little creative session grows into a full-on creative flow experience (and no one seems to notice that I've been away from my caregiver tasks 🤫). Or, I'll tuck my writing session into the early morning hours or during my lunch break, so I'm less likely to get interrupted.
Today I want to challenge you to start small, with my 10-minute creative boost challenge. 🎧First, listen to the podcast episode, then choose one of the 10-minute creative activities and get those creative juices flowing. I promise you that once your creative energy takes off, you will find ways to make your particular kind of art, tomorrow, the next day, and the day after that. Let's go!
#1 Bring on the Creativity Quotes!!
I stumbled on this article filled with some unique quotes on creativity, by a diverse group of creatives that span the ages. Once you start scrolling through these quote cards, you won't be able to stop.
Ben Barnhart
#2 Mindfulness + Creativity: a Powerful Combination
One of meditation's greatest benefits is the boost it can give to our thinking patterns, especially toward divergent thinking (i.e., freestyle, "out-of-the-box" thinking that helps us generate new ideas or connections). This article bridges the gap between meditation and creativity by walking you through how to apply mindfulness to the creative process. Good stuff! 🧘🏽
Crystal Goh
#3 NYT Animated Short: Modern Love
I've been on this little kick to find short animated films that tackle big ideas. I like animated shorts, and when I came across this one, the title and the thumbnail with a man in a wheelchair, piqued my interest. You see, my partner is in a wheelchair and was when we met, and this animated "modern love" story is very similar to our love story.
I think of "modern love" as simply loving who you love (no questions asked), and so one of the questions that kept rattling around in my brain after I saw this film was, "Is this modern love, or just love?" I believe it's the latter, but you could argue the opposite. Interesting to think about, right? 🤔
BONUS: Check Out My Free Creative Guide to Reduce Overthinking & Worry
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Latest Podcast Episode
Episode #51: Making Time for Art: a 10-Minute Creative Challenge to Recharge Your Day
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