Welcome to this week’s Inspiration Mandala called “Move into Joy”.
This week’s mandala continues the asymmetrical theme, and follows Jacinta Cubis’ urging to break patterns in the latest The Creative Life Interview. It also shows how diverse a mandala can be.
Have you lost your creative spark or mojo? Do you feel like the past week, month, or even year, feels like a blur? Does it all feel a little routine?
It’s so easy to get caught up in our day-to-day routine that we forget to find the joy. We lose our spark; that zest. And it’s especially tricky when you’re relying on your creativity to make a living or produce those exceptional results at work.
Connecting with our joy is one of the easiest way to get into a creative flow.
The act of creation is not just a physical activity. The mindset and attitudes that you bring to the task play a big role in your creativity. As I have said before, you are more likely to be creative when you are feeling joyful, focused and relaxed, as opposed to when you are feeling tired, anxious, and stuck.
When I run a creativity class it is my duty to create a safe environment, not only physically, but where everyone feels free to explore different ideas, try new things, and express themselves. So in my class introduction, I set the tone by asking participants to keep some principles back of mind as they do the class activities. Continue reading
Unless you’ve been living in an internet-free cave during the last year, you might have noticed the growing popularity of colouring books for adults – yes, for adults, that’s right :-). And I’m not talking about cartoon or franchise inspired designs, but intricate, detailed and complex illustrations created by artists.
I’ve been happily watching this space with interest over the last year. There has been increasingly more press about the benefits of colouring. And I am still blown away that my Colouring For Grown Ups board on Pinterest is my most popular board, with around 4 times as many followers as most of my other boards. But I really knew that it was a “thing”, when I walked into my local bookstore to see their front display table full of adult colouring books! And then again, when I saw a big display at a large department retailer.
Colouring books on display at Jeffreys Books
Colouring in has become associated with the growing interest in mindfulness and seeking ways to destress and unwind in our increasingly high paced 24/7 lives. It’s even being used by companies to support staff in relation to workplace stress. And while colouring in can create some beautifully stunning results, is it really being creative?
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Going on a mandala Play Adventure was rewarding in so many ways. I got to introduce more play and fun into my day. I got to express myself creatively. I learnt more about the creative process and what worked for me. But the biggest takeaway was learning about the importance of developing a creative habit or practice: doing something creative on a regular basis and making it a normal part of my everyday life.
In the first week of my mandala Play Adventure, I wrote about the practical tips that helped me make time to create my mandalas each day. In this blog, I want to share the secret behind making a creative habit.
