Simply Authentic...Your Soul Voice is Calling. Five Simple Steps to Open Your Creativity Channels

Five Simple Steps to Open Your Creativity Channels This is a perfect time of year to get out of the rut and into creative mode. We’re nearly into the second month of the new year. Are you doing the same old thing every week you did last year? How are the new year’s resolutions going? Do you want to invite greater creativity and new ideas into your life this year? Do I hear a hearty “Yes!”? I hope so! Because if we aren’t changing and growing, we’re shrinking – and that’s no fun. Here are five simple steps to bring creativity, new ideas and more fun into your life…starting now! 1. You probably already know I’m a big fan of walking outside; this practice can’t be recommended often enough. I get most of my best ideas while walking. The physical rhythm gets your left and right brain hemispheres working together. Learn how to start a Godwalk practice here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNSqwV7nBOI 2. Take Julia Cameron’s (http://juliacameronlive.com/) lead from The Artist’s Way and schedule a weekly artist’s date, a fun solo excursion. This can be squeezed in over your lunch hour, on a Saturday morning – whatever works best for your schedule. One fun hour, all to yourself, every week. Go to a museum. An art gallery or furniture store. A fabric store, crafts shop, antique haven. To the beach. Take a drive in the country until you find a small town you’ve never been to, then park your car somewhere and walk around. Go to a park and play on the swings and merry-go-round...whatever sounds like good, fun, creative time to you. Be prepared to take notes on any inspirations which come. 3. Declutter, organize and streamline your living space, starting with just one small drawer if need be. Being surrounded by things we don’t find either beautiful or consistently useful weighs us down and slows us down, making it challenging to open new creative channels. 4. Do that thing or learn that skill you’ve always wanted to do or learn. Take a cooking class. Learn to salsa dance, to knit, to make glass mosaics, to ride a motorcycle. Take a painting class or start piano lessons. Refinish that chair you’ve been “meaning to” for the past six years. Start writing your memoir. Scuba dive. Get a yoga mat and some DVDs. Do you keep thinking about adopting a dog, or a cat? This is your week to visit the animal shelter. Following this long-held desire will provide a sense of accomplishment and expand your mind with new stimulus. 5. Finally, do absolutely nothing for 15 minutes every day. This is more challenging than it sounds, and it’s also the best thing you can do for yourself. Many of us are constantly racing from one activity to the next, doing, doing, feeling too busy to fit in even 15 minutes daily of just being. Thanks to Martha Beck’s book, The Joy Diet, I have personally expanded my morning meditation time to a minimum 15 full minutes (I use a timer). I have jealously guarded my walking time for years, haven’t quite worked the artist’s dates into my weekly schedule in 2017 so far as I had hoped, but I have increased that meditation time and it helps! Fresh, new creative seeds can’t be planted and begin to sprout in a mind that’s constantly racing from one “have to” to another. Shut off the TV or social media feed– bingo! 15 extra minutes! I hope these tips have been helpful for you, and would love to hear, on the blog, which you plan to incorporate as we roll into February. Get out of your comfort zone and into your authentic zone with a community of like-minded Wishweavers to help you reach your potential! Look for a temporary discount on the Authentic Expression Wishweavers Circle on-line home study program starting next week! If you found this post helpful, please spread the love and pass it along to a friend! Authentically Yours, Laura