creativity

Whatever Wednesdays – Mental Clarity for Writing

If you are a writer with a full time job, or have extra duties in the home, I bet you sometimes wish that you could lock yourself in a closet and use that time to write, write, write. Only when you get that time, you find yourself looking at a blinking cursor on a blank, white page.

I am a stay at home mom and my children are in school all day. That means that I’ve got tons of time to write, right? No. There are dishes to be done, floors to be vacuumed, laundry to be done and let’s not forget the dog that thinks her task is demanding that you pet her every time you sit down at the computer.

There’s also the distraction of those awful daytime television shows and those tons of movies that you’ve recorded and haven’t had a chance to watch. And, there is always the lure of that huge, empty bed and the promise of “I’ll be a lot fresher if I take a nap.”

As Public Enemy said, “Don’t Believe the Hype”.

Creativity is something that cannot be forced. But it can be nurtured.

Proper brain function is important for every aspect of life, but especially when you are trying to focus your thinking and your creativity for a certain amount of time. When you are a busy person in general, the time that you spend at the computer, creating, must be productive.

What’s my secret? Herbs! I’m a crunchy, granola, hippy type of gal and I believe in herbs, essential oils and supplements.

Herbs won’t make you produce faster, but I have found that it improves my concentration and keeps me focused on the task at hand.

Now, I’m not a doctor, nor do I play one on television, consult a medical care professional before you take my advice. However, some of the herb supplements I use for mental clarity are “Better Brain” by Gardens of Life. It’s an extra bonus because you also get some Omega 3 fatty acids. And who can’t use more Omega 3 fatty acids?

You could also try Himalaya Herbal Healthcare, MindCare, as well as Eclectic Institute Fresh Freeze-Dried Ginkgo Gotu Kola Combo.

Again, consult your doctor before beginning any herbal supplement regimen. Just because the supplements are natural doesn’t mean that they are right for everyone.

Happy writing!

Cleanse Your Headspace

Some writers take a break from writing and go on social media. I don’t find social media relaxing. In fact, it clutters up the mind and may even stunt creativity.

The occasional peek into asocial media platform can turn into following conversations that more often than not ended with name-calling and pointing nasty fingers. The quick scan of another social media feed included more politics than I cared to consume on a daily basis. It was becoming more difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff and my space, the area of my spirit I used for creativity, was suffering.

I don’t go in for controversy, detailed celeb news or negative speak. I was always one to believe actions speak louder than words. See something wrong? Do what you can in the moment. I believe that peace can overcome war. I believe in protecting my headspace.

Being an writer in the genre I chose, I understand there will always be some controversy. Someone doesn’t like this book. A reviewer gives an unfair reading of an author’s book. Readers lash out at authors. Authors lash out at readers.

I’m not going to say “can’t we all just get along”. Nope. I can only control my actions.

So, I cleaned house. I hid the posts that gave me agita. I cleared my feeds and added positive vibes, rather than negative ones. I loaded my playlist with meditative music and pulled out my mala beads.

It’s so important to stay focused on the things which have true meaning in one’s life: family, friends and the beauty of life itself. It’s very easy to get caught up in the raging tides of every day, especially when the Internet can bring it right into your home.

Certainly, this is not a post that advocates ignoring everything around you and navel-gazing for peace. There is a time and a place for everything. When you feel yourself become overwhelmed, then it’s time to take a break. It’ll wait, right?

#MotivationMonday – 5 Ways to Kickstart Your Muse

We all have those days where we’d rather be writing, but nothing is flowing. Instead we putter around, catch up on programs or simply sit and stare at a blank page. Believe me, you’re not alone. It happens to everyone.

I don’t like wasted time, because you never get it back. I try not to dither away time on social media either, because that’s a hole you can get sucked down and not emerge until three hours later. While I do love the cat vids and the cool memes, there’s a time for work and a time for play.

This brings me to the point of my post. Sometimes inspiration doesn’t sit waiting for you, you have to run it down and beat it into submission. Inspiration is wonderful. Inspiration can get you writing 5k a day. However, when inspiration decides to take a little break, what do you do?

You jump start your creativity. You can do it! Here’s seven quick ways to get that brain churning.

1. Listen to music – Remember “The Mozart Effect”? While that’s kind of gone the way of the dodo, the premise can still be used. Grab a song or two that you really love and jam out to it for a couple of minutes. Sing, dance, get the blood moving to that stuffy brain. Then, sit down and dare that blank page to defy your words.

2. Write by hand – I can’t recommend this technique enough. There is something about putting pencil to paper which gets the creativity going, especially if you imagine yourself as the royal scribe for the kingdom of…whatever. Point is, the physical act of writing may send stimulus to the brain that it’s time to get to work.

3. Get out of the house – We spend a lot of time indoors, especially in those of us in areas of colder winters. Shake yourself out of a rut by going outside – bundle up if you need to! Even as little as ten minutes taking in nature will mostly like shake that creativity into submission.

4. Work with your hands– Activating your hands will activate your brain. Cooking, knitting, crocheting…even washing dishes has an effect. Something about focusing on a bit of a mundane task makes the brain want to entertain itself. I swear to you, I’ve had some excellent ideas when up to my wrists in dishwater.

5. Play video games – I have a terrible secret to share. When I feel I’m stuck and can’t write another word, I go onto Facebook….and spin those fake slots. Or, I’ll play Zuma, where a frog spits beads. In other words, I do something totally mindless. Again, the brain gets bored, and tries to entertain itself. And as odd as it sounds, it really does work.

One thing I don’t recommend is scrolling social media. Depending on your temperament, it might actually be detrimental to your ability to create, depending on what you run into on your feed. As we all know, news stories and other people’s issues can be stressful, even if we are not directly involved. Save your social media involvement for after you’ve finished working. You won’t be sorry.

Do you have a tip to get the creative motor running? Leave it in the comments.

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Dahlia