WHY YOU SHOULD REFIL YOUR CREATIVE CUP.
Spend TIME nurturing your creative soul…
and see your CREATIVITY flourish.
You can’t drink from an empty cup. This is something I learnt the hard way.
Finding my creative career later in life meant I felt like I had to play catch up - I wouldn’t rest, I wouldn’t sleep; I’d just want to spend every minute of the day writing, creating recipes, prowling the internet for opportunities and reaching out to magazines to pitch articles. Sometimes I’d just stare at the screen and get nothing done, but the anxiousness of not achieving would bring me down. I lacked balance between what to do and when to step away. I got so embroiled in the creation of it all that I didn’t realise I was running on empty sometimes. Then I’d wonder why I’d be hit hard with burn out; my creativity would run dry and I’d just spend the next few days cross with myself.
It wasn’t until a few years ago and soon after reading The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron and The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday, when I become aware that I needed to step away and nurture the creative in me; almost treat myself as some precious jewel that needed care and a safe space. I began to do a lot of what Julia write’s about in the book - establish a morning pages routine (3 pages of freehand writing 1st thing in the morning), a weekly artist’s date and walking in nature. Just these small changes offered me such freedom to feel full of positivity and self- love. I didn’t do much else except stick to these small consistent changes. Slowly, I found my writing became better, I felt calmer and more creative.
CARVE OUT small moments, EMBRACE TINY changes and CREATE CALMING rituals that OFFER you TIME to thrive.
The more I read about this mindset change and began incorporating this time for me into my day, the more I saw that both my mind and body thrived. My creative soul felt nourished. This year I promised myself I’d get back to yoga and have managed to do a little every single day - I make a ritual of it each morning at 6am - candle, incense, yoga, music. No one and nothing can keep me away. I find I’m more productive and definitely calmer and creative.
When I look back at where this ‘keep going through thick and thin’ attitude comes from I realise it has a lot to do with my upbringing, my heritage and of course 12 years as a lawyer. The expectations of performance in Pakistani society was high and the general outlook was that rest was for the weak. I was never encouraged much to nurture my creative mind as I was to uphold my academic duties. Excellence in education is everything in Pakistan, in fact most South Asian households. Though I grew up with a mother who was creative, I did grow up as an only child and lofty expectations were placed on my shoulders. My father, through appreciative of my creative mind, inherently would favour and support my intellectual pursuits. As much as I’m indebted to them the opportunities they’ve offered me, I do believe that the need for academic excellence and little time to play creatively contributed to my not being mindful of the care that a creative mind requires. This sort of lifestyle also contributed to my being hard on myself when I failed in any way. I’m lucky though, when I eventually quit law, my parents were supportive and couldn’t have been prouder of me when I became an author.
In a world of now, we just want to click our heels and expect to have creativity and inspiration drop in our laps but that expectation is the killer of creation.
As counter intuitive as it might seem, it’s when you slow down and walk away from the need to be constantly creative, is when magic seeps through your fingertips and on to the page - or canvas, whatever your art is. We are ever harsh on ourselves and we expect to perform on call, but the truth is we need to take conscious steps not to constantly push ourselves. Instead looking to create rituals, moments and time each day feeding the soul is what creates a fountain of creativity and inspiration as you go through your creative life.
Begin small, don’t overwhelm yourself - do a little each week to nurture your creativity and see the shift in your energy and mindset. Here are some of the ways you can in a week, change your set patterns and begin this practice.
MY TOP TEN CREATIVE CHILL-OUTS:
Treat yourself: carve out small special treats for you - a coffee and cake at your favourite cafe, without family and friends, a small spa day out, just for you. You deserve it.
Quiet time: morning yoga, evening candlelit contemplation hour, journaling with calming music.
Movement: restorative yoga, rebounding or pilates, something to get the flow of energy moving.
Curiosity: question, enquire, be curious about everything and see how it fuels you.
Observe: small changes in the seasons, the way the petals fall off a rose, the smoke rising from embers.
Write: morning pages, letters to loved ones, lost family recipes.
Discover: old places long forgotten, new places never visited, old clothes behind your cupboard.
Walk: as seasons change, when it rains, when it snows, when the suns out - take in everything.
Read: different genres, different writers, childhood storybooks and books of food and flavour.
Sleep: as much as you can but at least 7 hours, make a ritual before bedtime, guard it sacredly.
Refill the well of wonder that is your creative mind and see your creative cup brim with bold new ideas
At the moment, I can only dream of a real break. It’s some weeks away for me as I’m currently working on a new course called Brewed, a 4 week online course to help craft your book proposal with a weekly dose of writer’s mindset and support too. Though I’m spending time writing this rather hearty course, I’m making sure I build in creative outlets and time for self-care each day, because I know if don’t, I’ll burn out and also not be able to dedicate my whole creative spirit into this course, as I plan to.
So, if you’re like me and you think you can run on an empty tank and that you can give more of yourself without giving time to yourself to rest - I promise you that you’re on a losing battle. I encourage you to prioritise creativity rest and recovery and build it into your time table and your daily to do list.
Taking a moment to nurture your creative soul is an ‘act of self-love’ and by taking the time to support your soul, you’re listening to your heart and honouring the well of creativity that oozes the abundant beauty you’re in this world to offer others.
A video with Julia Cameron on Nurturing the creative artist in you.
FROM DREAM TO DRAFT
If seeing your cookbook or non-fiction book published is one of your dreams - my online course Brewed launches in October - this is a 4 week programme to help create your dream to draft cookbook proposal but also work deeply with creative and writer’s mindset to help you find confidence as a writer.
JOIN BREWED
An infusion of realism and ritual to unearth your authentic voice, craft your cookbook proposal and nurture your confidence as a food writer.
