Expressing Yourself Through Creativity

 
Learning to express yourself through creativity is a great way to learn to live more in the moment than in the past or future. It’s difficult to focus on anything but the present when your brain is actively involved in creating, and this is one of the ways you can live a healthier, more balanced, more fulfilling life overall.
 
There are so many ways to begin expressing yourself through creativity. Here, we’ll discuss a few of them, but this list is by no means exhaustive!
 
1.    Look for beauty in everything around you. A forest full of trees holds beauty, just like a city street lit up at night. Beauty is subjective, and you may find that the things you find beautiful, someone else does not. That’s okay! The point of the exercise is to hone your ability to look for and find beauty in all places – beauty that will inspire your creativity!
2.    Learn to communicate effectively. You will have difficulty expressing yourself if you can’t communicate your feelings and thoughts. Learning to communicate gives you the power to express yourself with words. It allows you the freedom to capture and relate the ideas you have when inspiration occurs. There is no expression without communication of some kind.
3.    Find or make a creative home for yourself. It could be a room in your home that you dedicate to expressing your creativity. Maybe it is an art studio away from home or a garden where you feel safe and unencumbered. Wherever you choose, you should feel excited to begin creating when you get there.
4.    Take a step in a creative direction by deciding on a form your creativity will take. It never has to be set in stone, which will change as you evolve. Maybe right now, it is dance, but later it might be drawing, journaling, woodcarving, or cooking. Don’t limit yourself! Try things that interest you, and if you find them fulfilling, wonderful! If you don’t, move on to something else.
5.    Give yourself time to practice every day. You won’t know if you enjoy something unless you do it. Don’t let the fear of imperfection prevent you from beginning. And realize that starting something new is always a little scary. The key is not allowing that fear to stop you from moving forward. 
 
Hopefully, these tips will get you moving in the right direction towards expressing yourself through creativity. Don’t let the fear stop you – just get started!
 
Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Happy Memorial Day

There is nothing more I can say except, I will remember. Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.

The Only Thing

Okay. Before you get upset. It is the weekend, and a holiday weekend at that. Remember, I said weekends and holidays, I would post quotes, tips, or affirmations.

I have a friend who sends me picture quotes everyday. I save them for times like today. I thought you might like this one by Abraham-Hicks.

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Stop

It’s the weekend. Time to relax, and enjoy life.

For Americans, this is a three-day weekend. Spend time with family and friends, but remember the men and women who sacrificed their lives so we could enjoy this and everyday living free.

Stop for a moment and give thanks to all the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for us. No one forced or coerced them. I am proud so many men and women in my family served, including my three sons.

I send my love and gratitude to all the men and women of the military, past and present. Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

27 FUN WAYS TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, pt. 5 of 5

Change Channels

What do you usually watch at the end of the day? What could you try which is different tonight? Again, by asking for recommendations from friends, you will discover entire genres you might never have considered before. Spend a fun night watching a half dozen pilot episodes for different series you never even heard of before.

Go Somewhere New

How often have you driven past a small business and said you would love to stop in someday? Today is your day to take a peek. You might find your new favorite store. You also get the added feel-good bonus from supporting a local business.

Switch Your Workout Around

We tend to fall into a particular Comfort Zone when exercising if we’re not careful, where we constantly do only the same things (running, weights, etc.). Today switch your workout to something entirely different. Take yoga or spin class. Try racquetball or rock climbing. You might be surprised how much you like it.

Stay Up All Night

Visit a diner at midnight. Take a drive through the sleeping city. Enjoy looking at the stars. There are many things to do at night when the world seems entirely different. Beat the discomfort of the dark by discovering the wonder of the night.

Have an Awkward Conversation

We have awkward conversations when we believe in something so strongly that we feel like we have to say something. We also put these off because they’re hard to do. This week, make a point to get one of these conversations off your chest. Sure, it’s hard, but you’ll feel amazing when you have what you need to say out in the open.

CONCLUSION

By following the tips in this article, you will start discovering new things about yourself. You’re also probably going to find some things you want to do on your own which weren’t on this list. If so, that’s wonderful! This list is meant as a starting point and by no means is a definitive collection of every different way to embrace discomfort. The important thing is for you to do you.

Follow where your heart leads you. Be bold and daring. Accept the Discomfort and turn it into something which will never have a hold over you again. You’ve got this!

I hope this five-part series was of benefit to you. Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

27 FUN WAYS TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE pt. 4 of 5

Make a Quick Decision

Don’t think about it, decide. Too often, we think we need to know all the options. This time though, go with your gut. A great place to try this tip out? A restaurant you’ve never been to before. Order the first thing on the menu, which looks reasonable. Or better yet, ask the server to decide for you.

Go on a Date…with Yourself

Who knows how to give you a good time better than you? Why not take yourself out to a special dinner at your favorite restaurant, followed by whatever activity feeds your soul? Going alone for an evening might seem uncomfortable at first, but you’ll be surprised at how fun this is.

Write a Fan Letter

Who is someone you admire? By writing a letter to a person who inspires you, you give yourself room to articulate what this person has meant to you in your life. By sending the letter to this person, you create a positive experience for them.

Notice Details

It’s incredible how much we tune out the world, especially if we’re constantly traveling the same route to work or school every day. Make a point to look around you the next time you’re taking a walk or are on the bus. Look up at the tops of buildings and trees. Note the cracks in the sidewalk. By paying attention to the little things, you’ll feel as though you’re exploring somewhere you’ve never been before, a gentle way to coax you into accepting the uncomfortable feeling of being someplace new.

Work Toward a Wild, Crazy Goal

What’s one thing you want to accomplish which feels too big ever to do? Break this goal down into bite-sized pieces and do something that will push you forward every day. Keep going until you get there.

Change Up Your Look

We all fall into a rut where we wear only 20-30% of our wardrobes. The rest of our clothes stay in the closet 24/7/365. Today, it’s time to change out the rotation. Grab something you haven’t dared to wear and take it for a spin. You might be surprised by how much you like it.

Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.

27 FUN WAYS pt. 3 of 5

Get Out

Throughout the years, communities offer all kinds of social options, hosting everything from Fireworks displays to parades and unique festivals based around whatever is grown locally.

Become Someone Else

Play the role (at least in your mind) of someone comfortable in this situation. By pretending to be someone else, you’ll weirdly enough take on their confidence.

Ask for Something Crazy

What’s something you always wished someone would do for you? Make a point to ask for this now. If the first person says ‘no,’ don’t give up. Ask someone else. Keep going until you get it.

Leave Your Mark

Grab some sticky notes and write positive messages on them. Leave them where people will be sure to see them, such as in public restrooms, on windows or seats of public transportation, or in little spots where they’re sure to be a pleasant surprise.

Create a Mantra

If you’re having trouble getting uncomfortable, adopt a catchphrase you can repeat when you need it, such as “I am strong,” “I am capable,” and “I can do this.” Write your phrase down somewhere you can see it and use it as an affirmation when you need it.

Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.

27 FUN WAYS TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE pt. 2 of 5

Visualize Success

Hold a picture in your mind of what you want to do next. See yourself accomplishing your task.

Face a Fear

What is one specific thing which makes you decidedly uncomfortable? How can you face this fear? Make a concrete plan to work through this fear in the next few days. Enlist a friend to help you out if needed. Replay this action until you’re not as bothered by the experience as you used to be.

Dance to a Different Beat

Instead of listening to music, you know every lyric, too; why not try something different here? Ask friends for music recommendations and enjoy something entirely new. Or better yet, go to a club and enjoy listening to a local band.

Act Childish

When was the last time you did something, you loved to do as a kid? Go sledding or make a snowman if it’s winter. Play outside with your dog. Visit an amusement park. We become uncomfortable with acting childish, which is such a mistake. It does us so much good emotionally and mentally to have fun once in a while.

Talk to Someone Who Has the Job You Want

Have a conversation with a person in your desired profession. Ask questions about their job and what it took to get where they are now. Getting advice from others will show you new possibilities you might have been too timid to explore.

Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.

27 FUN WAYS TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE, pt. 1 of 5

Life is…okay. Manageable. There are no surprises. You know what’s expected. The days revolve around the idea of one being very much the same as before. You’re staying in one place, but at least it’s a place you know well. Things are stable, and you’re content…

…and very, very bored.

Welcome to life in the Comfort Zone. Sure, it’s a great place to be if you arrived worn out, frazzled, and feeling like you were coming apart at the seams. But after some time spent resting and getting your equilibrium back, life doesn’t seem to fit quite as comfortably as a Comfort Zone is supposed to. If anything, you might even feel like you’re wearing a too-small coat or shoes too tight.

You’ve outgrown your Comfort Zone and need to move on.

Unfortunately, the only way to the next Comfort Zone involves enlarging this one. It means taking things you were only kinda-sorta comfortable with and making them your own. It also means looking challenge in the eye, doing things you’ve never done, and finding out what you’re capable of. It means growing and changing and becoming a bigger person than you are right now. Intrigued? Great! But how do you get there?

You start by pushing yourself in small ways and seeing what happens next. You grow by experimenting, being bold, and acting in ways you never imagined you could. By following the tips in this article, you should get some ideas that will push you in motion.

Stand Up Straight

Showing confidence even when you’re not feeling it will do wonders toward making you more comfortable in any situation.

Read Something Different

Are you in the Comfort Zone when reading, always stuck in the same genre? Why not try something completely different. Ask for a recommendation at the bookstore or go exploring at your local library. Try new authors or genres. Or try out an audiobook if you haven’t before.

Get Social

What are your interests? No matter what you’re intrigued by, somewhere, there’s a group that meets online or in-person where others share the same interests. Join in the conversation and make new friends who love the same things you do.

Explore a New Path

Take a different route on errands or to work. See what’s down a street you’ve never been down before.

Become Artistic

It doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re a creative person. Grab some paint or colored pencils and see what you can make. Or take this to the next level and sign up for a class to get some in-depth experience in something you’ve never tried before.

Volunteer For Something You Don’t Know How to Do

Getting involved in a project which requires you to learn something will open all kinds of new horizons and teach you how to be comfortable in situations you’ve never even imagined. The best part? Most places are willing to train volunteers. For example, Habitat for Humanity will get you comfortable with what it takes to build a house!

Tomorrow, I will add another five tips to help you out of your comfort zone. Until then, stay safe, and keep the faith.

I Hope

It is my prayer that you believe you are worthy! Until tomorrow, stay safe, and keep the faith.