Learn how small, intentional art journaling practices can fit into your self-care, overcoming perfectionism and busyness. Set heartfelt intentions and empower your creative journey in the new year.
EMBRACE MINDFUL MUSINGS: YOUR KEY TO CREATIVE FREEDOM AND SELF-DISCOVERY
TRANSFORMATIVE MINDFUL ART RETREAT: A JOURNEY AT LAKE ATITLAN, GUATEMALA
Win a Ticket to LIFE BOOK 2023! | A year-long mixed media art class! 💖
Have you seen the teacher line up for LIFE BOOK 2023 yet?! Hint: I'm one of them (yayyy!).
Registration is now open! And! I get to GIVE AWAY 1 spot on the course!
Yay!I hope you'll join this fantastic year long art course, you won't be disappointed!
HOW TO ENTER THE LIFE BOOK 2023 GIVEAWAY:
In order to enter this give away make sure you…
❥ Follow me on Instagram here and Facebook here.
❥ Join my newsletter here (for lots of fun mindful art tips!).
What is LIFE BOOK 2023?
Life Book 2023 is a year-long mixed media art class focused on creativity & wellbeing.
Over 80+ mixed media art & wellbeing classes (a couple from yours truly!) :)
Learn from 30 expert artists
Includes a virtual gift bag with lots of goodies including extra free classes!
Learn to use your creativity to support your wellbeing
Lifetime access to all class videos
All content downloadable
ONLY £149 GBP (or approx $174 USD) for the whole course (valued at over $3500)
Join the free Life Book Taster Sessions here!
Signup for Life Book 2023 here!PLUS, I’m giving away ONE TICKET! Enter to win! Winner chosen on October 9th! :)
I’ll be randomly choosing the 1 Lucky Winner on October 9th! Check back for more updates here and on my social media. I hope to connect with you during the Life Book Taster Sessions or year of creativity together!
You can sign up to join and watch the Life Book Taster Sessions here! These are super fun and creative samples and mini art lessons. Save your spot for Life Book 2023 (a year long mixed-media art class) here!
Good luck! 💖
STAY CONNECTED WITH MINDFUL CREATIVE MUSE AND CYNTHIA! :)
3 KEYS FOR CREATIVITY AND FLOW STATES
Do you feel more creative when in a "flow state"?
Do you have an inner critic or voice saying "I'm not creative" or "I'm not good enough"?
Explore 3 key things about creativity and being in a "flow state" below...
When I was attending graduate art school in 2005, I fell into a bit of a creative slump. One of my Art Professors at the time encouraged me to "strike while the iron is hot."
I remember her telling all of the artists in our graduate art program that we needed to consistently create artwork and produce something every day to ensure our creative juices kept flowing. While I know her intentions were good (and she was speaking from what worked well for her), I found her firm words triggered feelings of shame in me.
My inner child felt like it wasn't good enough. I tried as hard as I could to produce "work"; to churn out amazingly creative pieces and to deeply connect with the "muse" in my life. However, the love affair with my muse was seemingly absent. Quiet. Still.
My professors words stuck with me for years (especially when I found myself in a similar "dry spell" creatively). Strike while the iron is hot. What iron am I supposed to be striking? Why did it run cold in the first place? I'm a failure as an artist, I thought. I'm not creative, I thought. However, after years of experiencing this cyclical dance of creating, I began to notice:
my creative process came in waves; it ebbed and flowed.
Similar to everything in nature, my creative output appeared to have it's own seasons. When I wasn't doing something creative, my thoughts and creative juices were incubating. It reminds me of trees in the winter. Upon first glance, trees may seem barren and frozen, however beneath the surface they are soaking up nutrients that will help them grow, expand, and flourish when the sun comes out and the timing is right.
Maybe you've experience similar seasons of creating in your life? Maybe you have the same inner critic and voice saying "I'm not creative" or "I'm not good enough." I believe:
Everyone is creative in their own way
Everyone has a different process of expressing their creativity
Creativity is healing and fundamental to our self-care and well-being
So what does creativity mean to you? How are you creative in your life?
Creativity is defined as "the ability to make new things or think of new ideas." Creativity isn't always equated to artwork, and instead Creativity = Innovation. Process. Ideas. Expression. Thinking of creativity in this way, you may find it easier to recognize ways you think of new ideas, express yourself, or give back to the world. For one person, creativity may look like painting, drawing, writing, collage, photography, or dance; for others, creativity may look like gardening, hiking, working on cars or home repair; and for others it may also look like solving math problems, creating software apps, sharing new ideas at a work meeting, solving a problem in a different way and sharing the results with your peers.
Creativity comes in a variety of shapes and forms, however one thing is common:
Creativity is often linked to being in a Flow State: an "optimal state of consciousness where we feel our best and perform our best.” Psychology Today wrote an interesting article about the connection between Creativity and Flow states here. When we're expressing ourselves creatively, we are often in a Flow State, and this state feels so effortless that we may not give our efforts enough credit. Flow States enhance our creativity, because we're in an altered state of consciousness. Our breath is deepened. Our focus is precise and clear. Time passes quickly, and it's easy for us to lose ourselves in the moment.
So how can we enhance our likelihood of being in a Flow State and enhancing our Creativity? I'm glad you asked. There are many ways we can enter into this flow state, and I'll share 5 of my favorite top tips to help you tap into your creative spirit in my next Blog. Be sure to subscribe below!
I hope this has sparked ideas for you regarding what creativity means in your life, and please know if you're in a season of rest that you're exactly where you need to be! If you'd like to tap into your creative spirit, connect in a flow state, and share in a non-judgmental space, I hope you'll join us for one of our upcoming Art and Yoga Workshops or online expressive arts and mindfulness e-courses.
If you want to be the first to receive our expressive arts inspirations and exercises, art and yoga schedule, self-care tips, and updates through our newsletter and blog, sign-up here:
💜 EXPLORE CREATIVE SELF-CARE AT HOME 💜 ...Be the first to know... get class updates, tips, announcements, and more by joining my newsletter below.
p.s. I'd love to hear when you feel you're in a flow state and how creativity manifests in your life! Please share in the comments! :)