More Artist/Creator Care
Caring for the Body
The other day I just could not do it, I couldn’t get myself to write.
I went through the usual agonies until I remembered HALT, and realized I just had no energy. Once I realized that my energy was depleted, writing was out of the question. I knew I needed an activity like restorative yoga or tai chi to restore my energy, before I could even think about getting my butt in a chair.
Are you tired, hungry, thirsty? Do you need to move? Can you find stillness and groundedness in your body? Think of the nervous system: Are you calm and centered, or are you triggered, is there background anxiety? Are you emotionally regulated? Are you lonely, afraid, upset, worried? Is there something you need to do to care for yourself, physically or emotionally, before you ask yourself to sit down and create?
Spend a few moments getting in touch with your creator part. Are you giving it encouragement and kindness? Do you need to write in company? Writing with others is extremely powerful. You can join an online writers’ group like The Writing Room, or a co-working group like Focusmate, where you can always find someone who needs a work-study partner, at any hour, from all over the world. Even going to a coffee shop will activate your mirror neurons, those cells responsible for helping us learn in community – extremely powerful.
Creative Anxiety
For those of us with anxious creative parts, psychotherapist Rachel Duvall has put together an amazing list of activities to use to calm and heal those parts. Among other things, Duvall recommends simply “drawing the breath” on a piece of paper with a pen or pencil; cutting and pasting collage images; and writing down a dialogue between an anxious part and a voice of compassion. Detailed instructions are found on her website, here (https://www.rachelduvallpsychotherapy.com/blog/creative-activities-to-reduce-anxiety)
Repetitive Tasks
LifebyDeanna.com suggests that engaging in a repetitive task can soothe and calm the nervous system. Repetitive tasks engage the TPN, the task-positive network, which may help “turn off” the DMN or “default mode network,” the mode we are in when we are ruminating (associated with depression), or worrying about the past or in the future. She suggests trying knitting or crochet, weaving, writing affirmation cards (especially to your inner creator, see below!), scrapbooking or coloring. (https://lifebydeanna.com/how-to-take-care-of-your-inner-child-artist-for-deeper-self-discovery/)
Affirmations
Lifebydeanna.com also suggests using affirmations to help care for your inner creator. Here are a few she suggests: I let go of the need to perform, please for the approval of others I allow myself to play and not take my craft too seriously Every idea doesn’t have to work out, and that’s okay with me I deserve to discover the little things that light my spirit. My ideas, thoughts, and feelings deserve to be listened to and respected. I tap into my creative energy by doing things that make me happy My favorite affirmation is “I create easily and without expectations of perfection.” You can write these out on index cards, or just in your journal – remembering that repetitive tasks can allow the brain to relax and restore.
Yoga for Writers
Writer Peyton Hayes suggests this routine for writers, which takes special care of the upper back and shoulders:
In seated meditation pose: Shoulder rolls; Head circles; Chin to chest; Ear to shoulder (each side); Clasp fingers at mid-back, palms out, squeezing shoulders back Shake out upper body gently
Seated twist (each side); Cat/cow; Child’s pose; Cat/cow; Child’s pose
Sphinx; Cobra; Sphinx; Child’s pose; Thread the needle (each side)
Half-wind relieving pose (each side); Corpse pose
I did this routine in under 7 minutes, and felt refreshed and relaxed afterwards. You can read more and find detailed instructions here (https://www.paytonhayes.com/blog/yoga-for-writers-a-30-minute-routine-to-do-between-writing-sessions). Outside Magazine also suggests the best stretches to use throughout the day to counteract sitting here (https://www.outsideonline.com/2410593/best-stretches-after-sitting).
Tea for Creativitiy
It’s thought that while caffeine can give you boost in mental alertness, it’s the L-theanine in tea that helps you feel relaxed while slightly stimulated – an excellent state for creative pursuits. L-theanine has also been shown to help increase alpha brain waves, reducing irrelevant mental activity and distractions. According to Tucson Teas, the following make the best teas for creativity:
Green Tea: Rich in antioxidants and L-theanine, green tea provides a gentle boost of energy while promoting a state of relaxed alertness, which can be conducive to creative thinking.
Matcha: A concentrated form of green tea, matcha is known for its higher caffeine content and is often used to improve focus and creativity. The ritual of preparing and sipping matcha can also be inspiring.
Black Tea: Black tea contains caffeine, which can provide mental clarity and energy for creative tasks. The depth of flavor and aroma in various black teas can also stimulate the senses.
Oolong Tea: Oolong tea falls between green and black teas in terms of caffeine content. It offers a complex flavor profile that can evoke a sense of tranquility and creativity.
White Tea: White tea is subtle in flavor and contains less caffeine than other types of tea, making it a good choice for those who want a milder boost of mental clarity and focus.
Herbal Teas: Some herbal teas, such as peppermint, rosemary, and ginkgo biloba, are believed to enhance cognitive function and may be beneficial for creativity. Experiment with herbal blends to find what works best for you.
Yerba Mate: While not technically a tea, yerba mate is a South American beverage rich in caffeine and nutrients. It's known for promoting alertness and mental clarity, which can be valuable for creative tasks.
Chai Tea: Chai blends, with their aromatic spices and black tea base, can awaken the senses and provide a burst of inspiration.
Earl Grey: Earl Grey tea, with its distinctive bergamot flavor, can have an uplifting and mood-enhancing effect, which may stimulate creativity.
Naturally Tucson teas of course encourages you to try them all, as taste and effect vary from person to person (https://tucsontea.com/blogs/tea-tips/tea-and-creativity-how-tea-can-enhance-your-creative-process#:~:text=Green%20Tea%3A%20Rich%20in%20antioxidants,be%20conducive%20to%20creative%20thinking.).
Miscellaneous But Important Care
Creator Pauline Wiles has a list of 50 self-care strategies for writers for free on her website (https://brilliantauthor.com/articles/50-self-care-ideas-writers). Some of the best are:
Light a scented candle when you’re writing.
Every 1000 words, take a 10 minute walk.
Meet another writer for coffee.
Bake something. While your creation is in the oven, do a word sprint. (Set a timer, just in case!)
Visit a lake, ocean or river
Write a letter of encouragement to your future self.
Make a playlist for writing inspiration. Use liberally!
Visit a library you’ve never been to before
Delete 10 emails you know you’ll never read.
Volunteer, especially at an event that supports writing, or literacy skills.
Write & mail a thank you note to someone who’s helped your writing.
And three more suggestions included almost everywhere I looked:
Do different kinds of art – it can be freeing to play in a medium you have no expertise in
Get outside – too many benefits to list
Unplug from the tech world – read printed books and materials, or better yet, see a person and/or nature
