Creative Mindfulness

Creative mindfulness is fun; it's the playful little games and habits I find to be mindful and in the moment, and train my brain to be less concerned with my inner monologue. 

Mindfulness requires me to get out of my head and look outward, to my environment and the people in my sphere. I shift my focus throughout my day and life - from head to presence - and it's easy and natural when I'm with the boys - like naming the flowers we see in the garden, or taking a very slow walk. How can I more regularly be in that zone?

Agenda:

1. Read "A Book That Takes It's Time"
2. Build self-awareness for creativity.
3. Creativity goals
4. Simple project list
5. Start a seed charm

1. Read "A Book That Takes It's Time":

I just got this pretty book by Irene Smit and Astrid van der Hulst (2017), part of "A Flow Book" series. Chapter 1 is Time to Breathe, about taking some unscheduled time, and the first essay is "Look, a Beautiful Moment"- she suggests that I write down some of the everyday things that make me happy and put them in a jar to look at once in awhile.

2. Build self-awareness for creativity:

One part of my Flow Project is to "start with personal leadership, asking how can I improve the underlying system of my life?" and the first step is to build self-awareness. 

Today I plan to think about my creative self. I ask: "What is my creative process? How do I choose or prefer to do tasks? What are my best creative traits, and what traits could I build?"

From the Inside-out Mastery site I found these traits I should nurture to unlock my creative potential:

• Openness and eagerness to new experiences
• Genuine curiosity – and rarely drawing definite conclusions
• Physical energy and a discipline to explore consistently
• Mental energy and habits to create clarity and focus
• Appreciation for solitude to think and reflect
• A positive mental attitude in general

The two in red are the traits I need to grow.

3. Creativity goals: 

After gaining self-awareness, I can "define achievable, meaningful goals, and seek accountability for progress toward those goals". My intentions are to

• Train my brain to be creatively mindful throughout the day, and become more open and eager for new experiences. Experiment with mindfulness games, and a flow of habits that bring me back to the present moment; make a weekly plan to explore a new activity; say yes more often to random experiences; talk to more people.
• Challenge myself to take creative action every day, in some way. Build my physical energy and discipline to consistently be creative, and build the creative muscle through doing the reps: Create a piece of art or a craft, OR come up with a creative idea or vision every day. Think about problems or experiences in my life, or big challenges the world is facing and brainstorm ways to improve them.

I've also set up bi-weekly meetings with a friend to help keep me   on track.

4. Simple project list:

In the fall I started using Leo Babauta's "Simple Projects List", with my top three projects. (A "project" is something that has several steps, and takes only a week or two.) "The top three projects on your Simple Projects List will be your entire focus until you finish all three ... This ensures that you aren't spreading your focus too thin, and that you are completing your projects." 

Tips: You can't actually do projects - you can only do tasks. Make a list of tasks for each project, and focus on doing one at a time. Each day, choose three tasks to complete. 

My simple projects list next week:

• Create seed charms to solve the problems of the world
• Bean camp: Plant beans, bean art, Jack in the beanstalk play
• Flow project- focus on creative mindfulness. This week, enter nature’s soul - choose a plant / mineral / animal to commune with; put myself into her consciousness; listen for messages of healing; carry her with me all day.
  

5. Start a seed charm:

I've got an intention to take creative action every day, in some way, thinking about problems or experiences in my life, or big challenges the world is facing and brainstorm ways to improve them; and also to make art for creative self-care - art that feeds my soul with a hopeful flow, anchors me, builds my resilience, and helps me to impact the world.

I'm going to try to wrap this all together in a seed charm project. 

Seed charm for my sister, 2023

I made several these a few years ago,  small fabric tokens that contain actual seeds, images, and words that  connect us to nature and to each other.

This one, for my sister, had a tag that said:

Seed Charm

A charm is a token worn or carried to bring good fortune. I made this charm by hand, with love and intent, especially for you, which ensures it will be strong medicine. 

This charm contains 5 apple seeds. Seeds are a source of growth, and a gift of Creation, and the apple is a symbol of Love and Health. 

I hope this charm brings you love, health, and a strong connection to the earth and all Creation.