Ten things I learned while helping folks carve out time for creativity
It's been a year since I launched an online creativity and wellbeing club. I've also been working with small-yet-mighty artists, designers and Lego-builders, who have inspired me to explore new ways.
I’ve been running creative workshops, plus group coaching sessions, both online and in person for the past year. Here’s what I’d tell myself, if I could rewind the clock…
1. Post-lockdown, there’s a real need to reconnect. While folks will enjoy learning about easy to action, evidence-based ways they can boost their health and wellbeing, what they will love most is the opportunity to share experiences, ideas and sticking points. Prioritise this.
2. These days there is so much information available to access at the touch of a screen. And with the complexities of making the right choice ethically, in every single thing we do, it’s little wonder we often feel overloaded and fall into analysis paralysis. Decision fatigue is real. Simplifying things – while still allowing for nuance – is an art in itself.
3. Much as we all benefit from it, many people are really struggling to carve out time for nourishing creative practice. Right now you are full of ideas. But you will discover that simply guiding folks into a state of flow, and giving them the opportunity to experience this positive psychological state in community, is some of the most important work you will do.
4. Kids are amazing. You know this already, but you will be reminded of just how creative, resilient and inspiring these wee humans tend to be. Who needs paintbrushes when you have hands? Volunteering to work with them will give you new ideas and encourage you to mix things up. Start sooner.
5. When we are supported to be our authentic selves, and to express ourselves creatively, beautiful things begin to happen. You will be reminded of this time and time again. And you will feel it yourself too.
6. Creativity sparks creativity. Spending more time thinking, talking and creating with other curious folks will be incredibly generative. Sometimes you will have to stop the shower and streak through the house to get the poem line down before it is gone. Often you will be too late. Google waterproof notebooks now.
7. Surround yourself with people who give you the courage to create. Self-doubt is a wave that we all ride regularly. And all creative folks need encouragement sometimes. Some need it often. Self-compassion is a practice. Keep practising.
8. It’s easier to see strengths in others than it is to see them in yourself. Letting someone know that you see their perseverance / kindness / ability to embrace complexity, is a wonderful thing to do.
9. Poetry can be a powerful pathway to post-traumatic growth. You knew this anyway, having experienced it yourself, but are still in awe each time you see someone else use it to explore, process and rewrite their narrative. Two years into therapy, you will value the regular support of ‘monthly maintenance’ sessions. And you’ll no longer be gripped by flashbacks that flicker and burn. You’ll also be exploring embodied practice and positive ageing, and wondering how the hell you’re going to settle on just one topic for your final Masters project.
10. You can tell a group of 10 year-olds that the science you specialise in is the one that explores how we complex, often messy humans can thrive together all you like, but they will still request that you do the Mento in a Coke-bottle experiment at your next session. After the second request, you will willingly comply. Don’t wear the white top.
If the past year has taught you any creative lessons, I’d love to hear them! Please do feel free to comment or share if this post spoke to you. There’s a wonderful community of writers and creators here on Substack and I’d love to connect with wonderful you.
And if you’d like to know more about The Spark Crew creative club and community gatherings, then you can pop over to our website.
Finally, number 10 got me thinking about this music video by OK Go, which was shot in one take. While trying to track it down, I came across a list of one-shot music videos (or videos made to look like they were shot in one take). Turns out, there’s a lot of them. Here’s another of my favourites, Undone - The Sweater Song by Weezer, which also has a weird and wonderful story behind it. If you’re curious to know more, you can follow that rabbit hole over at Weezerpedia (Is there a word for the shiver of delight you feel when you discover something as delicious as this fan-made website? If not, there should be!).
Smiles all round 😁
Popped off down that old rabbit hole before I’d left a comment! So here I am back. Great list, really love your writing. It just flows so beautifully and makes me smile. Here’s the music video in one take that I thought of immediately: Keisha, Hideaway....😀 love the OK Go video.