Tag Archives: creativity

Spending Time in Nature

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Listen to the whispers of your soulSpending time in nature can have numerous benefits for refreshing body, mind and soul.

Being in a natural and tranquil environment is conducive to reducing stress and anxiety. There is growing evidence that the sights, sounds, and smells of nature are likely to lower cortisol levels (a stress hormone) and promote a sense of calm and relaxation. This can lead to an improved overall mood and a refreshed state of mind.

When you take a break from the constant stimulation of modern life by being in nature, you allow your mind to unwind and recharge.

Time in nature has been linked to improved cognitive function, enhanced creativity, and increased attention span. It provides space for you to experience a mental reset that helps you think more clearly and problem-solve effectively.

Furthermore, spending time in nature fosters a sense of connection to your surrounds, which can be spiritually uplifting. This also promotes feelings of well-being, contentment, and happiness.

tiny flowerMany people find solace and a sense of purpose when they spend time outdoors, whether it’s hiking in the mountains, strolling in a park, or simply sitting under a shady tree. As an aside, exercise also helps to lower your cortisol levels and manage your stress.

There is always something to observe.  You may find yourself cloud watching or following an insect as it goes about its business. Perhaps even the tiniest flower or an intriguing rock may take your interest. You may even find yourself listening to the various sounds, such as the rustling of leaves in a gentle wind or nature’s orchestra – the birds.

Overall, spending time in nature offers a valuable opportunity to disconnect from the demands of daily life, reconnect with yourself, and refresh your soul, leading to improved mental and emotional well-being.

How doodling can help your mental health

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A simple and effective way to help your mental health is by doodling. “What is doodling?”  you may well ask. Doodling is drawing simple, spontaneous, and often repetitive lines, patterns, shapes, or designs. While it may seem like a mindless activity, doodling can serve as a powerful tool for relaxation and stress reduction.

There are various ways in which doodling is beneficial for your mental well-being and health:

Reducing stress:

Engaging in doodling can help redirect your focus and attention away from stressful thoughts and worries. It can be a form of mindfulness, as you immerse yourself in the creative process, allowing your mind to take a break from the pressures of daily life.

Improving concentration and focus:

Contrary to the perception that doodling can be distracting, it can actually improve concentration and focus, especially in situations where attention might wander, such as during lectures, meetings, or phone calls. Doodling can help maintain just enough cognitive engagement to prevent daydreaming or zoning out completely. I’ve found over the years that my retention of content in lectures or presentations is better when I have a page of notes complemented by various doodles in the margins.

Improved mood:

Doodling can stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. Engaging in a creative activity like doodling can boost your mood and leave you feeling more positive and content.

Increased self-expression:

Doodling provides an outlet for self-expression, allowing you to express your thoughts, emotions, and ideas visually. It can be a non-verbal way to communicate your feelings and experiences.

Relaxation and mindfulness:

The repetitive and rhythmic nature of doodling can induce a state of relaxation and calm. It can be likened to a form of meditation, as you focus on the present moment and let go of external concerns.

Coping with anxiety:

Doodling can serve as a coping mechanism for anxiety. It provides a safe and constructive way to channel nervous energy and tension, helping to reduce feelings of restlessness and agitation.

Improved memory and learning:

Doodling engages both the creative and logical parts of the brain. Studies have shown that doodling while listening to information can enhance retention and understanding, making it easier to recall details later on.

Building confidence:

Doodling is a low-pressure way to explore your artistic abilities and build creative confidence. It’s not about creating perfect art; rather, it’s a free form and unrestricted form of expression. You may just surprise yourself with your finished product!

Boredom buster:

Doodling is an enjoyable and productive way to pass the time during periods of boredom or waiting. Having a small notebook and pen or pencil handy – especially if you have long waiting periods at the doctors – is a great way to engage your creative mind rather than zoning out on social media.

Remember, doodling should be a fun and spontaneous activity. There are no rules or expectations for what your doodles should look like. Embrace the process, and allow yourself the freedom to create without judgment. Whether you’re an experienced artist or a complete beginner, doodling is a simple and accessible way to nurture your mental well-being.

Art Therapy and Stress Management

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Art therapy is a form of therapy that involves using art to express oneself and explore emotions. It can be a helpful tool for managing stress, as it allows you to process your feelings in a non-verbal way and can provide a sense of relaxation and mindfulness.

One way art therapy can help manage stress is by providing a creative outlet for you to express yourself. Creating art can be a way to release pent-up emotions and reduce feelings of anxiety or tension. The act of making art can also be calming and meditative, allowing you to focus your attention on the present moment and let go of worries about the past or future.

Art therapy can also help you to gain insight into your feelings and thought patterns. Creating art can be a way to access and explore the subconscious mind, which can lead to new insights and a greater understanding of oneself. Therefore the process of creating and reflecting on art you can learn to identify and manage sources of stress.

Finally, art therapy can be a way to connect with others and build a sense of community. Participating in group art therapy sessions can provide a supportive environment where you can share experiences and feel validated and understood. This sense of connection and belonging can help reduce feelings of stress and isolation.

Overall, art therapy can be a valuable tool for managing stress and promoting overall well-being. If you’re interested in exploring art therapy, consider reaching out to me and I can guide you through the process, helping you to develop a personalized plan for managing your stress through art.

Three Steps to Successful Visualization

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The three steps to successful visualization are: a goal, belief in the power of visualization and acceptance.

  • Firstly, creating a goal that is something that we want in our life (not something we think we or others should have) and being crystal clear about what that would look, hear, feel like, will help with a successful visualization.
  • Secondly, when we believe or have faith that the visualization process works, we are more likely to have a positive outcome.
  • And thirdly, we must be ready to accept what we have intended to manifest, having made sure our subconscious mind has removed any blocks to this happening.

How you create your goal is often a very personal choice and may depend on what learning style you gravitate towards.

vision boardCreating a successful visualization needs to take time and some effort. Of course the goal needs to be reviewed to ensure that it is achievable, although if you want to stretch your beliefs, you can move into the realm of manifestation. So how to best approach it all?

Some people find that creating a vision board using pictures and words from magazines an effective way to visualize a goal. Frequent viewing will help imprint your subconscious mind with what you want to achieve.

Others may like to mind map and create a web of ideas that show the goal as the central target and the steps required to get there.

Perhaps you are more comfortable with a more linear approach and draw/create a spreadsheet of sorts with columns that allow you to compartmentalize the goal, the steps or action to take and the resources that you have or would need to achieve the goal.

There is something in common with all of these methods. It is the physical representation of bringing out your thoughts and expressing them. The end result can remain as private or public as you want it to be.

In Art Therapy there is yet another way and that is to create a scene map. Sketching a scene that depicts the outcome of your intended goal. Using language to describe it as if it has already happened. I used this technique to express my desire to get a dog and just 6 days later there was a dog ready for adoption. You can read more about that HERE

 

Creative Flow

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So what is creative flow? Creative flow can best be described as a relaxed state of mind that has been brought about by focusing on creating an image or piece of art work.Creating or colouring in mandalas are an ideal way to achieve this.

Benefits other than creative flow are:creative flow

  • distraction
  • detachment
  • self reflection

By engaging our senses – visual and kinaesthetic – we are able to enter into a meditative state.  The action of colouring in, as well as engaging the mind in selection of the colours, helps us to distract the conscious mind. In turn, this allows the subconscious mind to create images that may represent previously forgotten conflicts or traumas. These can then be interpreted by having a discussion about what meaning the image has to you.

During the course of a therapy program, you may well discover that as you experience this creative flow, you also become more aware of strategies that help you to reduce your stress. With stress reduced, you will enjoy more self awareness and able to better focus on daily tasks.

Growth

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Trees and stress reliefWalking amongst the trees to observe their seasonal change and growth was the one thing I really looked forward to during the second lockdown here in Victoria. These trees were planted many years ago and the park is part of a precinct that now includes an art gallery and a library. The trees were most likely planted by some settlers of Irish origin who took up farming in the area who may not have envisaged the growth of the urban sprawl that has since happened.

I have a fascination with how things grow. From germinating seeds to seeing the growth of people when they have had a coaching or hypnotherapy session and have resolved a long term issue.

The metaphor of the seed, that it just knows – given the right conditions – how to germinate. The wind may blow a seed many kilometres away from where the tree stands, but if the soil is fertile and there is enough water and nutrients to  nourish it –  it will flourish and reward us with its growth.  Some seeds may lie dormant in the soil for many years, waiting for the right conditions to germinate.

So too with us humans…. we can wait until the conditions are suitable until we nurture the seed of a thought and allow it to grow, nourished by curiosity and a belief that anything is possible.

 

Art Therapy

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How can Art Therapy help in our current times?  But what if I’m not “good” at art or “don’t have an artistic background”.  These and more questions have been asked of me in recent days. I have responded with examples of my own portfolio which demonstrates that I am not necessarily an accomplished artist. It is about the symbolic nature of what you create and bringing to your conscious mind feelings or emotions that need resolution. What you do with it later, can be either even more creative or cathartic. Art Therapy is more about the Therapy than being an accomplished artist.

Art helps with feelings of sorrow, particularly the medium of photography. It can convey the immediacy of a situation and captures – particularly in black and white – to the collective and subconscious emotions of the viewers.

Situations viewed through the photographic lens allow the viewer to simultaneously view an event whilst experiencing it as a disconnected viewer. Focus and contrast can be easily manipulated to draw the eye to a specific area. This is beneficial, in that emotion that may not have been otherwise expressed or subconsciously repressed can be brought to the fore and by the expression of same, healing can begin.

Evaluate Your Calendar

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Evaluate your Calendar

Evaluate your calendarIt’s time to evaluate your calendar. By using a digital calendar (such as Outlook) you can colour code your appointments. This will give you a visual representation in which areas you may be over committed. I run several calendars – digital, a desk top diary and the trusty kitchen calendar. The old proverb (Wikipedia tells me it was first recorded back in 1659) “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”.

evaluate your calendar
From the Daily Guidance from the Angels oracle deck by Doreen Virtue

Indeed, it’s important to schedule some “me time” into your calendar. Therefore I would recommend when you evaluate your calendar, you schedule some regular meditation time as this not only relaxes or de-stresses you, but is an excellent way of improving your creativity.

In addition, when was the last time you actually scheduled some fun, some play into your calendar?

I am fortunate enough to have young grandchildren to play with and each week I have a day scheduled in my calendar as my “inner child day”. I paint or draw, watch clouds go by, look for creatures in the garden or go “fishing” with agapanthus stalks and seed heads.

The intention for this week is to: create space in my calendar to do things that relax me, so that I can approach my work with creativity and energy.

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5 Steps to Overcoming the Challenges To A Balanced Life

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What is a balanced life?
Can we ever achieve it?

A wise man said to me just recently that a completely balanced life is impossible to achieve, but I believe that we can take steps to make sure that it not completely unbalanced.

A very useful exercise is the “Wheel of Life” where you look at specific areas of your life and rate them accordingly. It is improbable if you joined the numbers on this wheel that you would see a perfectly balanced circle, although it is my belief that if you are aware of deficits, you can do something about improving that area. However one should also consider that balance consists of bringing the head and the heart into alignment.

The biggest challenge for many people is being present. One way to be present is to cut back on extra responsibilities and focus on what is really important to you. Look at your routines and prioritise. Eliminate or minimise what is not that important.

The next challenge is taking care of your body. Got a cold or flu? Then don’t “soldier on” as the ad says. Give yourself some down time or “me time” and consider if you continue to go to work whilst unwell, your presence may be compromising someone else’s health if they have an at risk immune system. Review your diet and lifestyle and choose not to eat highly processed foods and if you have the funds, book yourself in for a regular massage or Reiki to ease any tension stored in the body.

What’s your passion – your heart’s desire? Creativity will help you bring your life back into balance and studies show that regular meditation can increase your creativity whilst at the same time decreasing your stress response.

Another important element to consider in balancing your life is Patience. Life can get busy, there are the demands of work, home children…. the daily commute….

My Reiki practice includes the daily reflection on the precepts…

Just for today, refrain from worry – accept.
Just for today, refrain from anger – accept.
Honour your parents, teachers and elders.
Count your blessings.
Earn your living honestly.
Show gratitude to every living thing.
Mikao Usui

At times it seems like life is getting overly complicated and what may seem like a counter intuitive strategy, Simplicity is the key to getting back into some semblance of balance. Take a moment, 15 minutes would be ideal, to audit your work, relationships, diet and whatever else seems to be out of kilter.

Could you teach someone else how to manage these areas in a simple way?

For example, do you follow a difficult and time consuming diet/eating plan?

Look at whether you are consuming foods or eating at irregular times that contribute to increased stress levels and weakening your immune system.

Realistically, a work/life balance will fluctuate. There will be ebb and flow in various areas of your life and what works for you in bringing back some balance won’t necessarily work for others, but ultimately to create more balance in your life, you need to go within and reflect upon how much responsibility you will take to overcome these challenges.

5 Steps to Visualizing Success

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Using Guided Visualization or Hypnotherapy to create a new mindsetCreate a quiet space. Turn off the phone, the tablet the computer… if you have trouble disconnecting completely use the “aeroplane mode” so that you won’t be disturbed while you are doing your visualization. Check that there is nothing else to distract your attention either…..dogs, cats etc…and make sure the ambient temperature is just right and you are sitting in a comfortable position.

Take a deep breath and as you exhale, close your eyes. Do several more deep breaths, breathing in relaxation and exhaling any tension.  You may notice your heart rate slowing down a little and as your eyes are closed, you will be more aware of other sensations and noises in your environment.

In your mind’s eye, imagine your success participating in a particular endeavour dear to you. You don’t have to disclose your vision or goal to anyone else. Make the picture clear and focus on the details. Include the sounds you would hear, feelings of how you would feel if you were to jump into or become a part of this vision.  Are there any smells that you can add that would make the vision even stronger?  Expand your vision further by using your imagination to hear what others are saying and how positively they are reacting to your success. As your vision gets clearer, notice how your feelings change. Keep this picture in your mind’s eye and see yourself achieving even more, setting and achieving goals easily and effortlessly…. manifesting the success that you are destined for.

To create new and successful thought pathways  and to reprogramme your subconscious mind you need to practice. Just as you need to practice a musical instrument or a sport to become proficient, visualizing or manifesting requires some effort. Done daily or even twice daily, using positive language …. as if your success is happening right now…. will make it more real.

Take your time….create a quality vision and be open to what comes up during your sessions, as your subconscious mind will seek to bring you even more clarity to your visualization. New and unexpected opportunities and synchronicities will pop up as you refine your vision and the time spent in this meditative state will have other benefits such as enhanced creativity and an inner peacefulness. After each session, journal your insights or add to your vision board.