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“Unused creativity is not benign.” ~ Brene Brown, The Gifts of Imperfection

I believe in creativity.

I believe creativity heals.

I believe creativity loves.

I believe creativity gives power and confidence beyond measure.

I believe creativity – if not used – destroys. It erases your magic, crushes your heart and annihilates all joy.

I believe expressing creativity is therefor an essential tool in every body-love experience for a happy you equals a happy body and a joyful you equals a joyful heart.

Discovering your creative side gives you a channel through which you can deal with your emotions, expand your horizon and work through unresolved issues.  On top of that, it’s also a way of acknowledging your body for what it enables you to do. Plus, it’s tons of funfun (yes, funfun).

Now, you might be saying: Great, but I don’t have a creative side. I can’t paint. I can’t sing. I sure as hell can’t dance and I won’t make a fool of myself trying. And, no, it’s NOT funfun at all.

Art, you say, is for others. Art, you say, is for those with too much time. Art, you say, has no place in your life.

To which I reply: This is Bullshit. Bullshit.

You do have a creative side. You can sing. You can paint. You can dance. You can write. You’ve done it before. You’ve done it a million times. You’ve lived it, breathed it, felt it.

Creativity used to be an impulse, a given. You had an idea and you acted on it. It was just the way life was meant to be.

But then, you learned to control your impulse. You conformed. You lost your personal touch, your artistic voice, your free spirit.

You learned that it was not OK to draw a dragon with four heads because you felt like it. You learned that marching to a different drummer (or as we say in Germany: dancing out of line) meant being a problem, an annoyance. You learned that there was a certain way – a right way – to paint, write a poem or move your body. Slowly, you learned to mistrust your own ideas.

Slowly, you repressed your creativity and with it, all of your feelings: joy, anger, lust, love, aggression, vulnerability and your sense of self.

And now, you’re sitting here; feeling inadequate, frustrated and void. And, even worse, directing these negative emotions towards hating upon your body.

Let’s change that. Let’s create a sacred space for your creative side, your art.

If you do, you’ll see, your heart will be freer, your body will feel lighter and your breath will flow freer.  Your life will simply be better.

Here are ten easy breezy ways to incorporate more creativity into your daily life.

1. Download Instagram.

I’m a fan of Instagram because it’s literally opened up a whole new world for me. Ever since I downloaded the app, I’ve been looking at the world in a different light. I now walk through the streets, actively searching for something to photograph, actively looking to create art. It’s easy and it’s funfun.

2. Go offline.

Sounds too simple, doesn’t it? Or maybe it sounds frightening. Fantastic. This means going offline is essential for you. Shutting down the computer, turning off the TV and silencing your phone instantly creates peace of mind. It calms your brain and it makes you search for other ways to “waste your time”. Just the act of having a technology deadline will give you more freedom to create.

3. Look at the world upside down.

What’s irritating you today? Your job? Your husband? Your body? You yourself? Good. Use that irritation to challenge yourself. Come up with at least five things that are great about your situation. Five things that are amazing about your body, five things that are perfect about your job. Reframe and grow into a happy you.  Go even further and create a piece of art for that very irritation: maybe create a new dish named after it or knit a hat dedicating to it. The world is your playground.

4. Do it anyway.

If you’re scared that you’ll judge your words/your drawing/your voice the moment you begin to express yourself, do it anyway. It’s normal that you’re a bit rusty and that you’re terrified of being judged. However, remember, if you don’t want to, nobody will look at your painting. Nobody will read your words, but you. And if you are your own worst enemy, then promise yourself, you’ll burn your piece of art, shred it or put it away the moment you’re done with it. That way, your judging voice won’t have a say and you’ll feel AMAZING having pushed through that initial scare.

5. Change your medium.

So, you like to write and you feel quite comfortable doing it. Great. Now, go and learn to dye wool. Challenging your mind creates a happy mind (yup, it’s scientifically proven). So, venture out of your creative comfort zone and experience a new level of fulfillment and love.

6. Remember your goal.

OK, so chances are, you’re not going to be the next Picasso. Chances are you won’t to sell your short stories. Chances are, you won’t perform on stage. That’s perfect because – for most of you – that is not the goal. The goal is happiness and joy. So, stop the pressure already and just have some funfun. Mess up. Make mistakes. Laugh at yourself and do it all over again. What would life be without a twinkle in the eye and a smile on your face?

7. Play with theme days.

Set yourself little challenges by committing to different theme days. One day is orange, one day is green. One day could be round or another could be sharp. One day could be all about the word “soft” and another one about “alien”. This is an easy way of changing the way you think about your art and it’ll get you out of a creative block.

8. Make it a sisterhood affair.

Invite your girlfriends over and have an artsy evening. Buy pretty, art supplies, pizza and a bottle of wine and have a go at it.

Join Write Your Way to Body Love and experience the energy of a group expressing themselves and their needs.

And always remember. No comparisons!

9. Train your imagination.

Nisha Moodley shared with us that she made her long and boring subway rides more fun by imagining her fellow commuters as little babies. I’ve tried it. It’s a fun exercise and leaves you smirking more often than not. Bored by your daily life? Imagine your co-worker as a 2-month old, your boss playing in kindergarten or your taxi driver learning to walk.

10. Your body, your muse.

Your body – though you may not believe it just yet – is a glorious creation. Give your body the chance to inspire you. Take a few minutes to observe yourself in the mirror – no judgment: look at your face, your curves, your shape. Then, create.

Try these ten tips and see how your world changes, how your confidence grows and how your mind feels joy.

Art, you’ll say, is for me. Art, you’ll say, is my lifeline, my place of sanity, my healing ground. Art, you’ll say, will always have a place in my life, a sacred place in my heart. For art is what makes me me. For art is who I am.  [Click to Tweet]

On to you: What’s your favorite way to express your creativity? Are you afraid of being creative? Have you noticed a difference in your life with or without creating art? 

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