finding creative motivation :: bucket list of creative stimulation exercises {step 3}

image from ikea

let me first start off by saying that this step, quite honestly, is whatever floats your boat. but i do encourage you to test out almost all of my suggestions because you never know what will get those creative juices a flowin'...

i find that i have some go-tos stashed away in my back pocket for when i desperately need some creativity: tea and incense, artful movies, listening to bjork...just to name a few. i have provided a list to help you find something that works for you. Now, if something works once, it may not work right away again but keep it in your back pocket for future use.

start off by trying the ones that most intrigue you but try to be open to all of the suggestions. after all, you just never know! i've found myself in the most seemingly uninteresting situations and have been surprisingly stimulated. see?! you just never know!

so hopefully you have some idea of what it feels like to be creatively stimulated or have an imaginative breakthrough or have a 'lightbulb' moment. if not, i can only describe it as a sudden bolt of excitement and flow of ideas -- total breakthrough in my opinion. it's beautiful and glorious. be sure to always keep a little journal {can be a small pad of paper or post-its} or sketchbook with you wherever you go. you'll want to write down EVERYTHING that comes to mind.

DO NOT CENSOR YOUR IDEAS

there is no such thing as a stupid or useless idea. learn to embrace them...all of them. they may not seem as stupid or useless at a later date. they might even seem brilliant by then! honestly, it happens! i speak from experience. but try to be positive towards your flow of free-wheelin' ideas. this practice will only encourage a more free-flowing, steady stream of ideas.

i also like to do this thing called 'piggybacking.' when an idea will come to me, i let it work itself out. then, i try to elaborate and build on what i've already developed. possibly thinking about what i've come up with and translating it into different mediums.

okay! so here we go! remember to have fun and channel your little 6 year-old self - full of energy and a thirst for exploration. now, get to gettin'!

BUCKET LIST OF CREATIVE STIMULATION EXERCISES::

• go to world market and pick out some beautiful, exotic incense or even candles if you'd prefer. place them around your house or workspace and let the foreign aromas stimulate your senses and imagination.
• drink tea! stash has so many deliciously stimulating blends. some of my favorite go-to flavors are chai green tea and moroccan mint tea. test them out and even pick up a crazy creative mug to drink them from.
• go to the library and look through sections you've never been through before. see what kind of things catch your eye. indulge your curiosity.
• take a roadtrip to somewhere you've never been.
• take the long route home
• watch the movie yes man and get inspired to start saying yes to things - you never know what you may open yourself up to
• take a picnic to a not-so-typical setting
• walk in a park
• watch masterpiece theater classics
• listen to really experimental music and even if you don't like what you are hearing, think about certain elements of the composition that you can definitely appreciate as a fellow artist. you can youtube their music for free to see if it's something you can get into. just sit with your eyes shut and listen to the music...while you're doing so let your creative mind wander wherever.
• Bjork {eclectic}
• CocoRosie {freak folk}
• Sneaker Pimps {trip-hop}
• The Good, The Bad & The Queen {song cycle also a mystery play about london}
• Journey to the West {soundtrack to chinese musical composed by damon albarn of gorillaz}
• Justice - A Cross the Universe live {opera-disco elctronica}
• google more!!
• watch visually interesting or imaginative films
• moulin rouge
• children of men
• hellboy 2
• moonrise kingdom
• romeo and juliet {baz luhrman version}
• coffee and cigarettes
• sin city
• i'm not there
• amelie
• metropolis
• persepolis
• a little princess 
• what dreams may come
• blade runner
• memento
• check out this imdb list that has some other great picks!
• watch old movies - you'll allow your mind to journey to a different time
• charade {thriller with cary grant and audrey hepburn}
• bringing up baby {comedy with cary grant and katharine hepburn}
• the paleface {comedy with bob hope and jane russell}
• metropolis {again! one of the first and arguably best science fiction films}
• the man who knew too much {doris day, jimmy stewart by hitchcock}
• gidget {sandra dee}
• on the waterfront {marlon brando - i coulda been a contender - epic!}
• this list has some really old experimental and sometimes heavy films. i can't speak for all of them but it's a really good list.
• challenge yourself to sketch out your ideas -- even if you think you suck at drawing -- don't let that inner voice hold you back
• visit museums. always be open to learning - keep your mind open and free.
• study science and history
• read conspiracy theories or articles about secret societies...it truly allows you to become imaginative.  teach your mind to be open to seemingly impossible or unexplainable things. it will open you up to a new creative process. to start: 
• loch ness monster 
• bermuda triangle 
• illuminati 
• the philadephia experiment
• giant squid
• roswell
• find more! 
• study ancient cultures and their artifacts. this has always provided me with endless inspiration
• visit antique stores. seek out odd and interesting items that allow you to learn about the past. some of my most interesting finds have been mourning jewelry and odd fellows' items with their symbols engraved
• do an activity a child would do: finger paint, fly a kite, play catch, visit a zoo, play dress up. it will allow you to see the world in another way. it will also give you a sense of excitement about, well, everything.
• go to a comic book store and browse through the indie section. get lost in the art, stories and uniqueness of it all.
• go see a play, opera, concert or some kind of live performance art.
• read/watch fantasy - it will teach your brain to step out of the unexpected.

to check out the previous steps in this finding creative motivation after a breakup series, follow the links below::

step one
step two

mr. creative :: ridley scott's storyboards

storyboards by ridley scott for the films alien and blade runner.

can i just say that i am so psyched to see prometheus tonight?!

i am not much of a chick flick girl; i basically live for action and fantasy! {as well as the occasional indie and old movie flick} i also absolutely love any movie that looks inspiring. i studied cinematography while at school so when i see shots that inspire me...i'm pretty much sold on the movie. well, this was the case with prometheus.

the other day a thought popped into my head :: just how many films has ridley scott done?! seemed like a million to me - so i imdb'd it of course. as i read more about him as a director, i gained so much respect for his work. did you know that he actually studied graphic design? not only that, but he likes to do his own storyboards - which is really unusual for a director. for the film alien, he earned the film a much larger budget just because his storyboards were so beautifully intricate. as you can tell from the images above.

aren't they amazing?! i love finding these well-rounded, passionate creatives. it makes me feel less foreign in my field. whenever i get down on myself about not having a defined focus in my art, i like to think of these types of successful people.

so my advice is to ::
dabble fearlessly in anything that intrigues you.
& NEVER FEEL GUILTY ABOUT DOING SO...
you never know what you will find that sparks that creative fire inside you.

finding creative motivation after a breakup {step two}

art by caitlin peters of wanderlustings

hello lovely people!

i'm here with step 2 of 5 in helping you reclaim your creative drive after a breakup. now these steps aren't just for this particular situation; you can also use these steps just for getting in touch with/finding your creative voice. or you could use these steps just for bettering yourself or finding inner-peace or even self-worth after a breakup. whatever the case may be, i hope these steps help spark something within you.

today's post is about choosing to find and appreciate the beauty around you.

as i relayed in my first step of this series, for most of my life i was full of self-loathing, pessimism and insecurities. definitely not the way you want to go through life. lots of these feelings can be related to the environment that surrounds you. growing up, i was constantly reminded to be scared or fearful of things, making me see the world as a horrible, frightening place. as a child, you can't really do anything to change your circumstances, unfortunately. but as an adult, you have the power and strength to change and challenge these flawed viewpoints and meet them with positivity, appreciation and excitement instead.

1. analyze your circle of friends
the first thing you should evaluate, after yourself, is the circle of people around you. i know it may sound callous, but if you want to feel good, you need to surround yourself with 'good' people. do you have a friend that is perhaps very closed off to trying new things or puts you down? maybe when you are excited about something, they will look at it in a negative light and their attitude about it will then get you down? trust me - i can relate.

so the question is:: why are you surrounding yourself with this type of negativity?

what are you getting out of this relationship? negativity is never nurturing. sometimes people are scared to 'be alone' or want to keep a menagerie of friends to feel good about themselves or are worried that their friend won't be able to cope without them. i know because i have experienced all of these reasons firsthand.

but the bottom line truth is:: your first concern should be yourself and your well-being.

it may sound really corny, baby, but you only get this one life. in order to achieve -- or heck, even just realize --  your dreams you need to ooze confidence, determination and positivity. these qualities are never going to flourish within you if you are constantly surrounded by people feeding you fear, negativity and insecurities -- ya savvy?

this doesn't mean that you have to completely break it off with this person; just interact and confide in them less. in turn, appreciate those friends who nourish and encourage your life and goals. you'll find that you enjoy doing and sharing things with them more because you feel so darn good when you're around them and as a result of all this you'll begin feeling amazing about yourself.

a beautiful, handmade card from one of my loving friends

2. seek out positive and encouraging friendships
if you don't have a friend you can turn to like this, maybe it's about time you started looking for one. when i first moved to the city and lived on my own i was very lonely and didn't have much luck meeting anyone that i really connected with. i think this was because, at the time, i really didn't know who i was or where i was going. so be true to yourself, your goals, your passions and interests. make a little list of things you really enjoy doing. for example, i am passionate about handmakers. i found this amazing group of girls in chicago with the same interests. by getting involved with them, i found some amazing friends. reconnect with old friends from school. don't turn down opportunities to meet new people. i am always challenged by this but i never regret following through on it.

3. you get what you give
be sure to always give out what you want to get back. meaning if you want people to respond to you with positivity, encouragement and love - be sure you are freewheeling those qualities in all interactions all the time! it makes me feel like a million bucks when i do so! and this doesn't mean you can't give your honest opinion about certain things - just do it in a nice and considerate way. people will appreciate that.

4. be mindful of what you say and how you act towards others
be mindful of what you say and how you say things. try not to be judgmental, sanctimonious, jealous, etc. if you do act this way, try to recognize that these qualities stem from insecurities that are within you. they may be buried so deep that you don't even realize that they're there. so i challenge you to dig and find out why you're behaving that way. when you do find the reason, recognize and acknowledge it. whenever i behave negatively, acknowledging my behavior and then recognizing where it stems from are two of the most helpful ways in guiding me to change and repair those thoughts and actions. and it's okay that you're thinking/feeling this way; you are NOT a bad person. but you are going to aim for betterment - that's all.

my gratitude journal that ima gave me.

5. keep a gratitude journal
another way you can learn to appreciate the beauty around you is by keeping a gratitude journal. this was such a beautiful idea from my amazing friend, ima. she gave me the book pictured above. every night, before i go to bed, i write down three things i am thankful/grateful for that day. i usually can't seem to stop myself at just three - so i allow myself to indulge in a few more. it's so low-committal and super-easy. i find that it puts me in a really good frame of mind right before bed and have more pleasant dreams.

6. be in nature - appreciate it
first off, that body you are in right now, is a miracle. you are a miracle of this universe. this earth and everything on it is a miracle. you are so lucky to be experiencing it right now. and chances are your life is pretty good. you have food, water, clothing, shelter and hopefully health. perspective. so get your miracle butt out the door and appreciate all this amazing earth has to share and offer.

lately, since it's been lovely out, i journal outside in the morning with my cup of tea. it feels like such a luxury. it is so peaceful with the birds chirping and chipmunks scampering by my feet. i also like to ride my bike on local trails, to the grocery store or even to visit people. all of it makes me so gosh darn happy. along the way i just look at the trees and the sky - it's heavenly.

if you are reading this and it's wintertime, bundle up, put on those boots, make yourself something warm and soothing and take a walk. notice all the beauty around you. one of my favorite moments is right after it snows; everything is so still, silent and sparkly - it amazes me every time. hell! play in the snow! one of my fondest memories was two years ago when a record-setting blizzard {or snowmageddon as newspapers called it} hit chicago. my sister and i attempted to shovel parts of my parents driveway. we ended up just playing in the snow; it was so much fun.

all of these things are really important in helping you get to a healthy frame of mind. when you're healthy, your creativity can blossom and flourish. so practice these items we discussed and then get ready for step three next week. we will talk about finding creative stimulators {as i like to call them - and yes, they are legal} on your journey to creative freedom!

if you missed it, read the first step here.

finding creative motivation after a breakup {step one}

hello lovely people!

i sincerely apologize for the lack of posting last week. the truth is, i just went through a breakup. and no matter how many you experience or how long the relationship was, breakups never get any easier. i think even as we age and become more like the person we want to be, it seems harder to find that perfect fit and therefore harder to let go of a person who was close to being that perfect fit.

being a creative and going through this, i always feel as though there is a period of time where my ego suffers and my creativity just fizzles out completely right after experiencing a breakup. instead of seeing the world as this beautiful, amazing subject to shape and shift in the most remote parts of my mind, i see it as this flat, one-dimensional happening that just seems to occur around me.

if you can relate to these circumstances, which i am pretty much betting that you can, i think the question that we struggle most with is this ::

how do i reignite my creativity? 

honestly, i can guide you through this in so many different ways but i have outlined them in five steps. the first step {and most important in my opinion} is to focus on loving yourself.

i know, i know. it may sound ultra-cheesy but it is the first step you really need to take in order to get you on your path again. i think loving yourself is such a crucial practice not just to be put into action after a breakup, but ideally, every day.

i treated myself like crap for almost almost 20 years of my life and during that time i deeply suffered from depression and anxiety as a result. i was definitely my worst enemy and my toughest critic - never my own cheerleader. as i've grown, become more aware and accepting of myself, and with a ton of help from my friends and therapist, i came to realize just how awful i was treating myself.

before, i would work myself to the bone: 7.5 hours at my day job, sometimes 10 hours making jewelry and blogging and if i was lucky, maybe 4 hours of sleep. even after days like this, i would still be mad at myself for not pushing myself harder. people would tell me that i needed to take better care of myself and i never really 'got' what they meant. even after making literally hundreds of sales in one weekend, i would think to myself: ok, now how do i do this better, faster, more frequent? -- total freakazoid.

i couldn't even pat myself on the back - too afraid that i would rest on my laurels. sure, there are great things to be said for self-motivation but in my case it was a bit too much. so what i do now is keep an ongoing list of things i've accomplished every day that i should acknowledge and view as a productive use of my time. i'm talking simple, people: from washing your sheets to answering an email you had been putting off. keep track of these things and give yourself a little pat on the back each time you've accomplished something.

see yourself for who you are and who you should be: your own best friend. take care of yourself. set things aside for a few days and just focus on pampering yourself. one of my friends said it best: 'how would you take care of a friend in that situation? now, do that for yourself.'

i also have a bad case of perfectionism. always have. i censor my work as well as ideas instead of letting them flourish and take shape freely. if you are also guilty of this, recognize and acknowledge that it is a problem. that is the first step to creative freedom. i also find that meditation is extremely helpful in dealing with this. try to meditate every morning - even if it's just for 10 minutes. journal your feelings and explore why you are censoring yourself or why you feel the need to create 'perfect' work.

perfect is boring. 
perfect is predictable. 
mistakes can be exciting.

embrace your mistakes. nourish and encourage imperfection in your work. mistakes are exciting and they can define us. embrace your process because by extension they are you and you need to love them and be amazed by their occurrence.

you see that picture above? i created it three years ago but it wasn't good enough. but guess what? it is a part of me and my process - and i love that. so it is here; loud and proud for everyone to see. this is a really good exercise in un-censoring your work. your ego may be suffering from your breakup but it doesn't have to affect your pride in your work.

so enough about me, here are some ways to love yourself the way you deserve to be loved:

• practice meditation {try to do it every day}
• print out some positive affirmations about loving yourself {say them aloud to yourself and hang them up where you will see them often}
• buy a big, fat journal. write down what you are going through. for every negative thing you say in there, regarding yourself or situation, follow it up with a positive outlook on that same thing. you can even sketch out your feelings - it's fun and it exercises your creative brain!
• pamper yourself. indulge in something you don't usually allow yourself. {massage, accupuncture, piano lessons, etc.}
• sing, dance, smile. smile especially when you are feeling down. it sends signals to your brain that will make you feel happy.
• rest and relax. go to bed at a decent time - no ifs, ands or buts! being well-rested will put you in a better frame of mind.
• take care of your physical appearance. it will in turn make you feel good on the inside.
• practice good posture. a simple shift in proper posture can make you feel like you can take on the world.
• read some of gala darling's radical self-love posts. she is amazing simply put.

so get out there and love yo self!
next up: finding creative motivation after a breakup {step two} - be thankful for the beauty around you