Why are you doing this?(one way to think about goals)

“Why?”

I’ve always been curious. This annoyed my family. There’s a joke amongst my siblings and me, since I’m the youngest, that I have the biggest mouth. I was little when they teased me and I would widen my mouth to show them…I didn’t realize right away they meant I talked too much. One time my brother tape recorded me (remember those cassette players? push the red button for record!) without me realizing…and, then he played it back to me.

Don’t worry, I’m not scarred for life–hah! But, so much of my talking as a little kid revolved around curiosity. As annoying as it is when a little kiddo drones or squeaks, “Why? Why? Whyyyyy?!” I think that it’s something we can take into our adulthood.

Why are you doing what you’re doing?

Try this: list out your big five time commitments within a week. (Did you do it? Okay. 😉 ) Then, literally write out the question, “Molly, why are you running for so many hours each week?” “Molly, why are you spending your time reading books?” So on and so forth. After you ask yourself the question, write out your answer. You can have many answers for each.

For instance:

I run because I am strong.

I run because I want to grow in perseverance.

I run because it’s something hard that I can actually do.

I run because it’s really great to be outside and sweat.

I run because it’s a way I connect with God.

I read because I love collecting knowledge.

I read because I feel happy when I do it.

I read because it’s one of those things that I liked doing as a kid and I want to be more child-like.

I read because I want to learn how to be a better writer.

I dare you…let your curiosity get the best of you. 🙂

When you understand your “why” then, your daily choices make more sense to go in that direction to re-inforce your “why” and your purpose. And, sometimes, you might find that you don’t know why you do something. This could be really great insight into something that isn’t how you actually need to be spending your time to become who you’re made to be. If this is the case, then writing your “because” statements can actually help you get back on track to be who you actually are.

Are you struggling to answer your “why’s”? Let’s have a chat! Send me an email and we’ll be in touch.

How to Find Time to Write Even When You’re Busy

It can be hard to find time to do something you would really like to do, but feel like you don’t have enough time to do. I have been there. I have said just that…admittedly, I still sometimes say that. I don’t have five hours to devote to writing a book. I can’t be in a string quartet because I can’t make it to all of the concerts. I don’t know what my work schedule will be like so I won’t sign up for that class. The truth is that we make time for what is important.

When I was in school, I remember that the kids who were involved in band, speech, debate, athletics, choir, honors classes, etc. were usually excelling at most, if not all of these subjects and activities. They knew what was important and they made time for it. They didn’t simply “just try harder” and go about their days, they used their schedules and planned accordingly. I’m a writer, so it really helps me to write tasks in a list, what I plan to do in the day and at certain times. Figure out why you want to write and whether it is really as important to you as you think that it is.

Maybe you really do have a lot on your plate that spending a large amount of time at once is not feasible. I totally relate to that. Here are some ideas on how to find time to write even when you’re busy.

Write during a break: If your job offers you break for lunch or mid-morning or mid-afternoon, use that time to write. Instead of getting together with the group of colleagues around the water cooler, lock yourself in your office and write. You can even take a walk outside for a few minutes to brainstorm ideas of what to write. I used to work at a coffee shop and we were allowed a ten minute break. Yikes! That always went really quickly no matter what I did. But, when I spent those ten minutes writing, I had a sense of accomplishment that carried into the second half of my shift. I also had the imagination that carried into the rest of my work day.
Write (during AND) when you finish your work day: Use writing as a transition activity from work to home. There will be a sense of relief of escaping from your job into a world that you have created (fiction or non-fiction) which takes you far away from the reality of your just-finished work day. I worked in a machine shop on an assembly line with automated machines for awhile. I was fast enough that I caught up to the machine and had a few seconds between parts. My boss allowed me to have a piece of paper and pen at my workstation next to me while I worked. During those few seconds, I jotted down phrases to jog my memory. Then, when I got home from work, I have a page full of writing prompts that I had spent all day anticipating writing more fully.
Write while you travel: I used to ride the bus to get to my job. I’ve also had trips that meant I traveled by train and on airplanes. Sometimes I would feel travel sick if I looked down for any length of time, but mostly I felt fine. This means that I’ve actually written quite a few words while I have been traveling. It is easy to catch up on text messages, emails, group chats, shows, etc. while you have a moment sat down, but writing instead could be a good choice.
Write instead of time wasting activities: I hesitate to suggest this one. I love watching lots of episodes or my favorite shows on streaming services or tv. I claim often that it is for research for my writing and art. I love to notice the costume and set designs. I notice the stage directions, the placement of the vase on the shelf, the books on the table, the color of their shirts and the moods of the characters. I love trying to discover what those extra details are meant to communicate because I want to be able to communicate these things in my own writing. Yet, I know I can get into a bingeing spiral of entertainment that turns into numbing and then shame and then numbing again when I reach the one too many episodes. So, if you’re like me and you spend lots of time in front of a screen consuming, I wonder if you might watch “just one less” instead of “just one more” and then use that episode length of time to create instead of consume.
Write in small gaps wherever you get them:
*Keep a notebook by your bed to record your dreams or before bed or first thing in the morning thoughts.
*Keep one in the bathroom–it’s not like you have anywhere else to be.
*Write standing next to the microwave while your TV dinner heats up (or cup of coffee for the third time).
*Set a timer for five minutes and jot down everything that comes to mind when you take a break from daily activities.
*Get a gratitude journal for the living room coffee table, or a one-line diary.
*Have a notebook, or simply use a note on your phone, in your bag so while you wait in line at the grocery store or to pick up your children from school, you can jot down a few notes to elaborate on later.

Photo by **Miesha Maiden** from **Pexels**

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And, if you want a little more, I’ve got an amazing free Facebook group, “Creative Writing: Making it a Habit.“

It’s a group for creative writers and my goal is to create a supportive community where we can all grow into the creative writers we’ve dreamed of becoming. I’ll be sharing tips for making creative writing a habit and overcoming barriers toward writing and creative expression. I think you might find it very valuable. I’d love to have you join here, if you’re interested.

Still not sure what to do? Why not try a couple ideas–schedule them in your calendar–and see what works well. Then, do more of that. Whatever doesn’t seem to work for you, then drop it.

Better yet? Book a Discovery Call today! 🙂 We can talk about your creative writing goals. Maybe working together with me as your creative writing coach could be your next great decision!

What works for you to write when you’re busy? Tell me in the comments.

Is Your Inner Critic Affecting Your Creativity in Your Writing?

I am going to take a not-so-wild guess and say that your answer is “Yes!” The Inner Critic can be a loud jerk shouting mean words at us or it could be low frequency whisper that raise doubt and suspicion about our ability to write or, in extreme cases, our right to take up space. The Inner Critic is a shame-mongering champion cage fighter. I know this firsthand and deal with it as I write this blog post. I’ve read other writers’ accounts of their Inner Critic battles. I also have heard from writing students over the years how they struggle with it.

One student asked me for help, “I get criticism from family for prioritizing writing over household chores. It has gotten to the point that I often hear my Inner Editor saying that I should be doing chores instead of writing.”

I was so glad that this student reached out for help to get their writing going. These are really important issues that they have raised. Our Inner Critic can often become an imagined monster of a real human who has been in our lives who said something to us that hurt.

I can list several negative voices that have fueled my Inner Critic:
1. My kindergarten teacher told me I chose wrong during free choice time and that it was not my turn to paint, after all.
2. My dad told me to pursue any career that would make lots of money and he told me out of the blue one day that I would be a starving artist.
3. A mentor told me that I must be doing it all wrong because there’s no way that I’m selling as many paintings as I said that I am.

This all begs me to answer the questions, “Who is in your life?” and “What are you listening to?” Check out the post I wrote about asking yourself five questions to unlock creativity in your life. Read it here.

Some suggestions that I can give to encourage your writing habits:

1. Keep writing affirmations about your identity as a writer. You are at a fragile stage now when you need to continually remind yourself that writing is a great use of time and that it is a gift. Writing can also be a form of therapy for some people and crucial to one’s well-being. It can be as important for some as eating, going for a walk to exercise with fresh air, or meeting with a friend to chat so you remember that you’re loved and that you belong. Writing can be crucial in maintaining a healthy form of escapism as you create a world to live in for a break in your imagination. It can also be a way that you can journal and find out your beliefs–or that you discover how you feel about something based on how one of your characters reacts!

2. Do it afraid. Your Inner Critic and Editor is there all the time. I think it takes more than just ignoring it. I think it’s actually important to acknowledge that it’s there, but let it know that you’re choosing to write anyway and choosing to believe that you’re a writer. Perhaps redefining certain times and types of writing, too, could help. Maybe you designate morning times of writing for your playful freewriter to come out and have fun, and then in the afternoon or evening it’s the editor’s turn to comb through what you wrote that morning or last week.

3. Do your writing in secret, if you have to, for a season. Often when we make changes to our own lives it upsets the homeostasis of our environment and others around us can feel threatened by our change because change is hard for people. They may fear losing you, they may fear losing control over you as you gain freedom and identity and self-confidence in your writing, they may fear that they will be forced to change when they don’t want to. Your safety is important. Please make sure that you are safe in your home or that you seek help if you need it.
But, if it means that you loudly and visibly do your chores and then later you quietly retreat with your door closed (to a local coffee shop or bookstore) and ‘clean your room’ or ‘do some errands’ or ‘have quiet, alone time,’ then do that. Get up early, ‘go to bed’ early, write during meals (or instead of eating and then eat while you do something else).

4. Join a writing group. When we are in isolation the negative voices can be louder than ever because we don’t have other options to listen to or to drown it out. On healthy and strong days this might not be a problem, but on weak and tired and lonely days (I’ve had lots of those over the years), negativity can be a spitting tyrant refusing to be silenced. This is when the kind words, the community, compassion, connection with a writing group can be really beneficial. Take courage and join a group. There are many writing groups on Facebook or elsewhere online and there are likely groups in your local area, either in-person or meeting virtually. Some might have a membership fee and others might be free. Check your local library, community education catalog, or community center. Whatever the case, being in the company of other writers who “get it” truly is priceless.

Photo by Startup Stock Photos from Pexels

In the end, our Inner Critic will always be present. Whether or not we give weight to its words is a different story. Sometimes acknowledging the fear that is present in the Inner Critic’s words can be the key to growth and getting words on a page. Other times, you might be able to have a conversation with your family member or friend who has instigated the negative voices and given your Inner Critic the demoralizing script to read from–it won’t necessarily be easy, but it could be helpful to explain what writing means to you and why you want to prioritize it. Even other times it might simply be your best bet to take action and do what needs to get done and not worry about what other people think. I know this is not always the easiest and in fact, it can be quite challenging, but I think that it is worth it to get creative freedom!

What are some tricks you use to combat the incessant ramblings of the Inner Critic?
Leave me a comment, please! 🙂

Flash Fiction Just For Fun Prompt: “Today is Monday…”

This is a flash fiction piece of writing I did from a prompt in a creative writing online group I am part of. The group encourages short, daily writing by posing a prompt in the morning every day. The idea is that you write about 100-300 words (flash, or short) fiction in a few minutes of writing session and post your draft for accountability fun for others to read. The idea is to freewrite and get a mini-story out of your mind and onto paper. It doesn’t have to be perfect, merely out to live its own life.

This prompt was for the first line: “Today is a Monday and tomorrow will be Wednesday.”
Here is what I wrote…

“Today is a Monday and tomorrow will be Wednesday.” The loudspeaker crackled.

“Which particular Monday is it?” Gabby asked the air. “Because I really enjoyed the Monday when we took over the St. Louis Park Stellar Zone.”

The bowl of popcorn nearly fell out of Craig’s laugh–he’d been stuffing his face. His new diet, he wanted to let people know, starts on Tuesday. “Does this mean that I can keep eating?”

Gabby shook his head in her hands, trapping some popcorn crumbs between his puckered lips. “No, Craig. It means that we have to go to Master Cristoff to ask for the tagelator razor again.”

Craig’s eyes widened. “I don’t like the tagelator razor.”

“Neither do I, Craig. Neither do I,” said Gabby.

They stood up together, Gabby taking Craig’s dull, scaly hand in her reddened left paw, Wednesday clipboard in her reddened right paw, and they sluffed over to the door labeled, “Tomorrow.”

Just another day in the office.

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How Your Senses Can Unlock Creativity

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Using our five senses is often something that we can take for granted. It isn’t until we have to go without one of them that we notice how crucial they actually are to us. Maybe you’ve had a sinus infection that caused you to lose your sense of smell or your burned your tongue so you couldn’t taste anything. Perhaps you had surgery that required the doctors to numb part of your body–or, you sat in a funny position that meant you lost feeling in your foot. Have you ever had water stay in your ear after swimming so your hearing became distorted? Or, maybe you or someone close to you has limited vision, is legally blind or color blind. When we lose a sense, the rest of our senses become heightened to compensate for the loss.

When we notice that our lives are stuck or un-inspired or we feel bored, engaging with our senses, like, actually noticing them by doing things to be present in ourselves in the present moment, we can often unlock creativity.

Smell: Our sense of smell can trigger memories. While we take time to inhale a pleasing aroma or foul odor, something is activated in our brains which make a connection to something that happened and often where it happened. Being present to “stop and smell the roses” can actually increase your overall awareness as well as connect your mind and body to the here and now. You have the opportunity for gratitude (if it is a pleasant smell) or the opportunity to decide whether your thoughts will be positive or negative (if the smell is rotten). This could mean you fill your life with fragrances that prompt your imagination so you think of certain people or places.

2. Taste: Did your grandmother make you special cookies for your birthday? Did you have a favorite meal from growing up? Similar to the sense of smell, taste can draw up feelings of nostalgia. Maybe you have travelled to a country or culture that is different from your own and you discovered a combination of flavors that inspired you. Maybe you need to go on a culinary adventure to change up your eating experience. When we become aware of what we are eating, noticing the sweet, salty, umami, bitter, spicy or sour sensations on our tongue and how the different tastes interact in the food we eat, something creative can unlock in us. You might begin to notice new flavor combinations which you hadn’t before. This could mean you try new recipes and begin a journey of exploration in the kitchen.

3. Touch: Often our sense of touch can be a passive one that tends to alert us to danger. When something is too hot, we know from experience to stay away. When something is too cold, we might get goosebumps. If something is too rough or sharp, we might be alerted to take caution, too, because it might cut our skin. I would like to have the sense of touch be more interesting than cautionary and preventative only. Plush blankets can feel cozy in the winter or cold glassware on a hot summer day can be refreshing. Feeling the contrasting textures that surround us might actually alert our senses simply to be aware of our surroundings instead of being passive until danger is at foot.

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4. Sound: Close your eyes and listen to what is happening all around you. Listening, actually hearing and taking in the frequency of vibrations can be powerful. Some music performed in an opera with a full orchestra can move its audience of listeners to tears because of the power of the sense of hearing. Being quiet, still, in silence, can sometimes be disconcerting. Many of us in this modern era can jam our sense of sound because we are afraid to let our minds wander or come aware around us. But, when we really listen, we can hear the hum of a kitchen appliance, the chirp of a distant bird, our own breathing. “If a tree falls in the forest, but nobody is there to hear it, does it make a sound?” I think it does! Hearing is taking in the frequency of sound waves while listening in engaging our minds with what we hear and stay in the present. This means we can actually notice things that intrigue us that we might have missed in the past.

5. See: The human eye can perceive the color green with the most varieties in shade. This is why military developers of technology made night vision in green. Sight is a sense that nearly everyone engages with and perhaps, takes for granted most days. The sense of sight allows us to notice beauty in color, shape, form, line, texture, value and space: these are the seven elements of art and design. Our eyes also allow us to perceive the time of day based on daylight, finding a way to walk or drive, notice minute facial expressions on the people around us. So much of the sense of sight is for the “doing business” of mundane life to keep us safe, yet I wonder what might happen if we let go of getting things done and instead really looked closely at what is in front of us. We might grow to appreciate subtle details of beauty with our eyes that we have missed in the past.

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How Affirmations Can Inspire Your Creativity

My Story.

“It’s not your turn.”

In kindergarten, it was free choice time–we could choose to do anything we wanted, so I went over to the easel and made one big vertical blue streak. Then, my teacher came over with another child, who had an apron on, and told me that it wasn’t my turn to paint. That I hadn’t asked permission to paint, but this other child had asked permission. I was confused–it was free choice time and we could choose to do anything we wanted to do, but…somehow I chose wrong? The teacher ripped my page, with its one blue streak, off the easel and set it on the floor by the window. I had to find something else to do.

For so many years, part of me has remained this five year old who was told that I’d made the wrong choice when I chose to paint. I have had to learn to rewrite this memory so it has less of a negative impact as it likes to play on repeat and persuade me to give in to fear.

It is always my turn to paint.

Application for Us

Once I found out that I had been subconsciously holding onto this lie that it wasn’t my turn and that I had chosen wrongly, I was able to make a change. I had no idea why I was resistant to spending time making art or why it felt like forbidden fruit to be created in secret when I had the opportunity to rebel. Now that I know, I can remind and affirm myself that:

1. It is always my turn to paint.
2. When I paint, I’ve made a great decision.
3. It is a good use of my time to paint.
4. My art is worthy of hanging on walls to be appreciated.
5. I am a grown up and I have given myself indefinite permission to paint.

By working with affirmations, I am able to grow and be more creative.

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I often find it helpful to journal in writing questions and answers as a way to process what I’m thinking or feeling about a situation. Especially, when it’s something like this, from my forgotten past. If writing seems like it’d be helpful for you, I want to invite you to take time over the next week or so to reflect on these questions and how you might answer them.

When is a time that you felt like you were doing the wrong thing (when morals were actually not in question)? What was the situation? How old were you? Who was with you?
What meaning did you assign to that experience? What have you told yourself since then?
Ask God what might have been the result of feeling like you were wrong? What have you been prevented from doing?
Imagine the best version of yourself: How would you love to spend your days? What type of person would you love to be?
What might life look like if you started to give yourself permission for these things?
Who might you be able to talk to about taking these new steps?
What is the negative belief, meaning, lie that you’ve been telling yourself? How could you change it around to be a positive affirmation?

What have you learned from working with affirmations?

What questions do you have around this process of turning a negative thought into a positive one?

Leave a comment below.

How to Use a List to Generate Writing Prompts

Using a list can be an effective way to generate writing prompts for yourself for poetry, fiction, or life story writing. Just like when we write a shopping list to make sure we remember what to purchase at the grocery, we can also lists of many kinds to inspire our writing times.

There are several ways you can incorporate writing lists in your day-to-day writing life.

1. Reflect on whom you’ve significant spent time with over the last week (at least an hour) and write notes on who was with you, what you did or talked about, where you were, how you felt. You can use the people as inspiration for characters, where you were as a starter for describing your setting in your current writing, or your conversation and how you felt as prompts for practicing incorporating dialogue.

2. Keep a food journal. Sometimes a nutrition coach or medical doctor may ask you to keep a food journal, too. Using it as a writing prompt generator might look like recording what you ate, how you prepared it, notes using all five senses, how you might alter the recipe, where you’d like to eat next, who was with you, what other food you thought or talked about while you ate, etc. Writing about food can inspire you because it can engage all of your senses and it’s something that most people can relate to.

3. List specific events in a timeline of your last 24 hours. Start by writing 7pm, 6pm, 5pm, etc. till 6pm yesterday in a column on the left of your page. Once you’ve made the list, then you can choose one hour that stands out to you to write about in more detail. After you do that once, you might choose another hour to freewrite about, or you might choose to stick with your current prompt and select a refined moment from your first part of freewriting.

For example (your 24-hour list might look something like this):
6-7pm – Made stir fry dinner, talked to Max, listened to podcast, started class
5-6pm – Class prep, emails
4-5pm – Read “The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek”, talked to Sandi
3-4pm – Talked to England friends
2-4pm – Talked to England friends
1-2pm – Worked on Em’s commission circle painting, Lucy’s birthday video
12-1pm – Put groceries away, ate lunch, listened to podcast
11am-12pm – Grocery shopping
10-11am – Art talks with Kelly
9-10am – Art talks with Kelly
8-9am – Get ready for the day, drive to Kelly’s
11pm-8am – Sleeping
10-11pm – Watching Supergirl with Max
9-10pm – Watching Supergirl with Max
8-9pm – Prep and eat dinner & watching Supergirl with Max
7-8pm – Strength training, stretching, showering

Generating lists can help you find inspiration for characters you are developing in a piece of fiction for a novel or short story. Lists might also help you remember a moment in time and bring you back to a vivid image you would like to capture in a poem. Using your life of mundane tasks might yet inspire you to find specific details, all five senses, or moments of conversation that you might otherwise forget, but could include in a memoir piece or personal essay. However you use a list to generate prompts, I hope that you are inspired to make creativity a habit in your everyday writing life.

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What are some other lists you could generate to get inspiration for writing prompts? Let me know in the comments!

Happy writing!

How to Make Freewriting Work for You

What is freewriting? Freewriting is a tool that writers often use to kickstart creative thought. It’s like doing leg swings or dynamic stretching warmups before heading out on a long run. It’s like practicing tongue twisters before a big speech or theatre performance.

Freewriting is just that: free and writing. It is all about conquering the fears of the blank page by simply getting words, whether they are weak or powerful, down on the page. Sometimes we can feel stuck in our creativity, like we’re in a slimy mud pit, void of creativity. Often we can worry that we do not have anything valuable to say, so we wait until we feel like what we have to say is “good enough.” Sadly, this leaves so many profound and thoughtful ideas left unwritten, unshared, uninspired.

Photo by **Tirachard Kumtanom** from **Pexels**

When you feel blocked as a writer, or even on any project whether you’re a civil engineer building bridges, or a great neighbour building relational bridges, the act of writing one word after the next to get something out can release the floodgates and at the very least, bring inspiration when you have words out that you have something to work with.

What are you listening to? This is a question that goes beyond the surface. Many of us have negative voices from our past that told us we couldn’t do this or we’d never accomplish that, or this creative endeavour is a waste of time because you can’t make that much money doing it. Or, maybe you listen to your own limiting beliefs and tell yourself a story that’s just as unhelpful.

When we write, there can be a fight that we wrestle through each time, or we can simply get something out. We can acknowledge our Inner Critic or Inner Editor who says it’s not perfect yet and let it know you hear it and acknowledge that its ideas are valid. But, right now is time for first thoughts and fresh, crazy ideas to come out to play from your five-year-old self and that, in a little while, after the playing, then the Critic and Editor can come and hone and craft the playful words into something polished.

So, open up a new word document or grab a pen and notebook, set the timer for ten minutes and simply write. Keep your pen flowing, your keyboard clicking and let whatever words present themselves come out as rubbish or bizarre as they might be. Know that you can trust your instinct with words to play for ten minutes, knowing that afterward, your editor can edit.

Happy Writing!

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What are your most common barriers when it comes to sitting down to write?

Leave me a comment. 🙂

5 Questions I Ask Myself to Stay Creative

Hello! I’m Molly! I’m excited–always–to help people express more creativity in their lives.

Making Creativity a Habit

It is just that: a habit. A habit is something that we regularly do whether we think about it or not. It can be something good (e.g.: 30 minutes of daily exercise) or something that we’d like to change (e.g.: biting my nails). “Creative” is something that we’re born to be. When we make creativity a habit, we become more settled into being ourselves. I have lots of habits I’d like to change, but in a time of self-reflection, I discovered these five questions are helpful to keep me moving toward healthy habits and positive life changes. These questions were so helpful for me, that I started to share them with my friends and family. Now, I’d like to share them with you!

5 Questions to Ask Yourself to Stay Creative

Who is in your life?

Who encourages you? Who do you go to for help? Who are you trying to please? Who do you avoid at all costs? Who sucks the life out of you? Noticing the people whom you surround yourself with will help you recognize who you want closeby and who you might not need as close to you anymore. Now, I’m not necessarily talking about cutting people out of your life. In most cases, there are ways to stay engaged in a relationship, but not investing as much energy in it as you might have in the past. People who challenge you today to become who you want to be, people who help you be who you believe you’re meant to be are great to keep around.

Who has been in your life in the past? Good or bad, do you want the memory of them to carry the weight of authority in your life? From personal experience there are two particular people in my life who have passed away, but still are a significant part of my life. I have one person that was harmful and I’ve had to heal and overcome lots of harsh realities from that relationship. I don’t want to give weight and authority to that person anymore. On the other hand, I have a second person that was tremendously beneficial and empowering to me at a crucial time in my life. I want this person’s words, presence, and encouragement to stick with me as it can.

What are you listening to?

What goes into our physical ears and into our figurative heart has a deep impact on creativity. Do you listen to the same people in podcasts or radio stations? Do you listen to the same genre of music every day? Perhaps trying to listen to something or someone new could be the mini-jolt you need to propel you into more creativity. Does what you hear build you up or discourage you? Are you listening to voices from your past that cut down your dreams? Or are you listening to voices from your past that spur you on? Do you have a destructive train of thought that you hop on to be distracted or do you intentionally choose to listen to affirming voices?

What are you reading?

Reading is a habit that encourages creativity. Learning via reading non-fiction or learning via reading fiction, we can see the world from a different point of view. Examining our reading habits and how we fill our mind is crucial to safely harbor creativity. I make it a habit to regularly be reading a few different types of books at any given time. If I find myself stuck in one genre, I ask for recommendations or simply pick up a random book from the library, bookstore, or friend’s bookshelf.

Poetry teaches me about writing and communicating succinctly.
Fiction novels and short stories introduce me to characters that often think about the world differently from me and it can be a release of fun getting to travel around the world, space, and through time from the comfort of my own yellow, winged-back IKEA chair. I learn how to create stunning setting, believable characters, and how to develop a story arc that make sense and is entertaining.
Life stories, biographies, or memoirs are fascinating to learn about history and to get to know “famous people” when I’d never be likely to meet them. It’s an inside look at someone else’s point of view. It feels like a privilege to be invited in.
Books that challenge my faith and beliefs. The challenge happens either because they are living in a compelling way or their experiences are vastly different from mine. I don’t want to be stuck in my own worldview.
Non-fiction entrepreneur, business, mindset, creativity, wellness books of many varieties–even travel stories–which keep my head in the game of being and becoming more of who I want to be and believe I’m meant to be.

4. What are you eating?

Garbage in, garbage out. When I eat junk, which I love to eat so many snacks and “fun” foods, I often don’t feel good. I feel a bit sludgey and grumpy and not creative at all, but on the worst days of junk food eating, I feel sad and unmotivated. When I eat primarily fruits and vegetables and other foods that I know aren’t junk, I’m lively, spritely, and full of creative energy. I’m excited and inspired to create and I feel happy to take action.

5. What are you creating?

Asking myself what am I creating is an intentional present continuous verb. What am I physically, actually, tangibly making right here, right now? I can easily get stuck in my thoughts and action never leaves my imagination. This can be disappointing and unmotivating. It can also reinvigorate my fears, fueling the fires of disappointment and stagnant living. I believe we humans are made in the image of a creator God, so we are all creative. Whether you build physical bridges because you’re a civil engineer, or you build relational bridges because you’re a good neighbor, everything in between takes creative effort. When we are creative, we are more like the selves we’re meant to be. When we are not creating, then we are not living life as truest self.

Try asking yourself these questions and see what happens. #creativityisahabit

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