“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” ― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own Whatever the medium of your creative expression, inspiration can be far more elusive if you’re feeling low on energy, making every project far more challenging. It’s hard to be creative when your body is exhausted. Finding your […]
Henry Miller on Perspective, Acceptance, and the Beauty of Making Art
“When you put your mind to such a simple, innocent thing, for example, as making a watercolour, you lose some of the anguish which derives from being a member of a world gone mad. Whether you paint flowers, stars, horses or angels you acquire respect and admiration for all the elements which go to make […]
The Neuroscience of Imagination
Albert Einstein said of the theory of relativity, “I thought of it while riding my bicycle.” Anyone who exercises regularly knows that your thinking process changes when you are walking, jogging, biking, swimming, riding the elliptical trainer, etc. New ideas tend to bubble up and crystallize when you are inside the aerobic zone. You are […]
Brain-Boosting Smoothies for Creatives
Mango, Avocado and Spinach Smoothie Mangos are full of vitamin C and beta-carotene. Avocados are rich in vitamin E, which has been shown to help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, while both spinach and chia seeds are full of iron and omega-3s. 1/2 fresh mango 1/4 avocado 1 cup fresh spinach 1 cup chilled […]
Overcome Writing Doubt: 5 Effective Psychology Techniques
“Writing is finally about one thing: going into a room alone and doing it. Putting words on paper that have never been there in quite that way before. And although you are physically by yourself, the haunting Demon never leaves you, that Demon being the knowledge of your own terrible limitations, your hopeless inadequacy, the […]
10 Creative Benefits of Spending Time in Nature
There’s nothing more nourishing than spending time in nature. Nothing that is more nurturing to our spirit and soothing to our soul than being in the natural world. Our creative expression becomes more instinctive when immersed in the stillness of a forest or the invigorating seascape of a beach. Just as creativity is a natural part of […]
Writing, Wit and Wisdom from Mark Twain
Needing no introduction (but having one anyway), Mark Twain aka Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was a novelist, literary critic, short story writer, essayist, lecturer, joker, pontificator and all round commenter on the great theatre that is life. Growing up with 19 cats can do that to you. Both his birth and death coincided with a passing […]
Simple 5-Minute Meditation for Beginners
5-Minute Meditation This simple meditation is ideal for those new to the practice. Although people meditate for many different reasons, they all share the common goal of relaxing and calming the mind. Your aim, while meditating, is to release tension in order to bring about mental states that are more peaceful. “There is no success […]
Hitchcock on Happiness
Hitchcock offers his simple recipe for happiness. Clear away all negativity, resentment and hurt so your creativity can flourish. “A clear horizon, nothing to worry about on your plate. Only things that are creative and not destructive. That’s within yourself, within me I can’t bear quarrelling I can’t bare feelings between people. I think hatred […]
Being Calm in Times of Stress: How to Have Joy in Spite of Everything
“Don’t worry about things. Don’t push. Just do your work and you’ll survive. The important thing is to have a ball, to be joyful, to be loving and to be explosive. Out of that comes everything and you grow.” ~ Ray Bradbury There’s a lot up against us, life can be capricious, sometimes a joker, other times a friend, […]