creativity

8
Jan
An update & Creativity First Aid Kit
creativity / Inspiration / 0 Comment / 8th January 2020

Last year my husband and I moved to France, and we now live in a small hamlet in beautiful Limousin, surrounded by fields and trees.
We love the area, and I’m very grateful for the house we found – light filled rooms, white walls, wooden floors (goodbye carpet at last!), and a small garden.

All types of change are stressful though, even those we choose.
As a Highly Sensitive Person, I need extra time to integrate all the new sights, scents, sounds, and experiences, no matter how beautiful they are, and also time to grieve for all the people, places, and familiar habits left behind.

So once the excitement of the move wore off, I went through a phase of low mood and my inspiration reached rock bottom. I didn’t know what I wanted to create any more, and so I took time off from my business and from social media, and gave myself permission to grieve, be still, do some soul searching, and replenish my creative well.

This took months, and at times I worried and wondered if I’d ever feel inspired again…but knowing that creativity is a cycle of ebb and flow, I kept trusting that eventually all would be well again.

I’m happy to report that I’m finally feeling inspired again, and very excited about a new project I’m cooking up for this year – something dear to my heart, that I’ve been thinking about for a long time.

I’ll talk about this soon, but first I want to share with you something that may help you when you’re going through a creative drought: the “Creativity First Aid Kit” – simple tips and prompts to help you rekindle inspiration when you hit a creative slump.

I hope you enjoy this download and find it helpful, and please feel free to share it with anyone who might find it helpful too :)

 

 


5
Mar
New series & new beginnings
creativity / photography / seasonal self portraits / 4 Comments / 5th March 2019

For the first two months of the year I was snowed in with work and didn’t have much time to play with flowers, nor blog. I did however create a self-portrait, the first of a series inspired by the seasons and the Wheel of the Year.

The Celts celebrated the beginning of spring on the first day of February, at Imbolc, and since the seasons and seasonal cycles are a great source of inspiration for my work, it made sense to start this new series, and new creative path, with a celebration marking new beginnings.

I had the idea for the series while meditating, which proves the point that to hear your own voice, you need to be still and clear the noise, physical and virtual ;)

This series is pushing me way out of my comfort zone – I’m much more comfortable behind a camera that in front of it – and being a middle age woman doesn’t help my self-confidence, as our society is so focused on celebrating youth and beauty, for women especially.

The thought of hiring a model for this series did cross my mind, but then I decided against it for several reasons.

First of all, these self portraits are not about me – they’re not just a selfie, they’re actually all about creativity, celebrating the seasons, our inner beauty, and the divine feminine that’s within all women.

I also want to be part of a different narrative about age, beauty, and women, a narrative where beauty isn’t only skin deep, and womanhood is celebrated at all stages, including middle and old age.

I might not be as pretty and svelte as I was in my 20s or 30s, but with time I haven’t gained only lines, under-eye bags, and some extra weight around the midriff, but also self-awareness, knowledge, creative skills, and more acceptance, kindness, and compassion towards others and myself.

So I’m making it a point to be the model for this series, in the hope that my perfectly imperfect body serves as an example for the young generations, and encourages other women to see and celebrate their own perfectly imperfect beauty.

I chose not to have children, so my art, my work, and this message are all part of my legacy, and I hope that it reaches and inspires many.

Making the floral crown, dressing up, and putting some make up on was much fun, although I managed to spill the silver eco glitter all over the house…cleaning it up was not so much fun, but the mess was a preview of what’s to come…

In a few weeks I’ll be moving to France with my husband and the kitties, and at the moment I’m swamped in boxes and packing material.
The house will soon look like a higgledy piggledy mess of boxes and furniture, more like a storage unit than a home, but that’s just part of the logistics of moving, and after so many moves I’m very familiar with what’s coming – it’s a price we gladly pay for new beginnings.

After Italy, Ireland, and Great Britain, we’ll soon be living in a rural area north of Limoges. The countryside there is beautiful, and the pace of life very slow – exactly what my husband and I are looking for.
I’m both excited about our new adventure, worried about the actual move, and sad about the wonderful friends we’ll be leaving behind…thank goodness for Skype!

In the next few days I’ll create a new seasonal portrait for the spring equinox, and then it’ll be time to forget about flowers for a few weeks, and pack all my props and photography equipment…all but my beloved camera of course, which is travelling with us.

I’ll keep you posted about the move, and will let you know about life in our new home :)


20
Aug
How to find inspiration within
creativity / 2 Comments / 20th August 2018

There is nothing truly original, and every creation is based on existing concepts connected in a novel way. What’s truly unique is the individual viewpoint – there’s only one “you” in this world.

Personality traits, surroundings, upbringing, travels, hobbies, and experiences all contribute to influence your perception of reality, and shape your unique perspective.
The act of creating is an act of self-expression, so looking within and trusting your vision are essential to produce innovative work.

As a recovering perfectionist, it took me some time, and a lot of journalling and introspection, to trust my imagination and let it guide my creative work.
Along the way I learnt a few lessons, and discovered several ways to stay inspired.

Balance consumption with creation

Creativity requires a mix of external stimuli to build on, and solitude to make connections and produce work.

I’m a lifelong learner and a voracious reader, and every time something tickles my imagination I turn to books and blogs to learn and deepen my understanding.
I’m very grateful to live in an era where knowledge, inspiration, and like-minded people are just a click away, however when I work I need to clear the outside noise, both real and virtual, to reach that place of stillness where I can actually hear my own voice, and create from the heart.

As much as I love looking at beautiful images, and studying work of artists whose style I admire, if I don’t take regular breaks from the internet I risk hitting a creative slump.

Even though creativity builds on ideas and thoughts conceived by others, when I feed my mind too much content I often reach a point when I can’t hear my own voice any more.
The constant stream of information numbs my imagination, and I need to step back from the online world to restore some form of balance.

Being an introvert and HSP, I need quite a lot of time alone to recharge my batteries.
Sometimes a few days offline are enough, and sometimes a longer break is necessary – I usually stay off social media for a few weeks in summer and towards the end of the year, and afterwards I always feel refreshed, inspired, and ready to tackle new projects.

Avoid the comparison trap

When I spend excessive time on social media I also risk falling into the comparison trap, and abandoning projects in their infancy, in fear that they wouldn’t be good enough anyway.

I know that no one really shares all the heartache, disappointments, and failed attempts behind a successful project.
Months, or sometimes years, of hard work are condensed in just a few beautiful, curated moments, but despite being aware of this sometimes I can still feel inadequate and doubt my self-worth.

When I notice that I start comparing my beginning, or middle, to the end of someone else’s journey, I know that it’s time to take a step back and enjoy some time offline – again ;)
I turn to my inspiration boards to remind myself of my core values and desires, I review my progress to give myself a boost, and then set myself to create, ignoring what everyone else is doing.

Calm the mind

When my mind is abuzz with thoughts and worries, it becomes very difficult to loosen up and be creative.
Most days I do 15-20 minutes of yoga first thing in the morning, followed by some meditation. This routine is helping me set the tone for the whole day, and feel calmer and more present.

I still have challenges though, like everyone else.
When I’m working on something and feel stuck, my first reaction would be to check my Instagram feed, read someone’s blog, or catch up with my emails, but I have learnt that these distractions don’t help, and actually hinder creativity even more. Adding more stuff to my already overworked mind doesn’t work, so I try to be constructive with my breaks.

One of my favourite ways to calm the mind is to work in the garden, even if it’s just for 10-15 minutes. Focusing on the simple act of pulling weeds, repotting a plant, deadheading, or just checking that there are no aphids on my roses is one of the best way to still my mind and clear negative thoughts.

Cooking and baking are also soothing activities, and the repetitive tasks of chopping, mixing, stirring, and kneading help me turn off the chatter box in my head.

When I’m really busy and only have a few minutes to spare, I close my eyes and focus on my breath, and let the cycle of inhaling and exhaling transport me back to the present moment, and my intuition.

Be idle

In his book “Autopilot: The Art and Science of Doing Nothing”, author Andrew Smart explains how the areas of the brain connected with creativity, introspection, and abstract thought are more active when you’re not trying to carry out cognitive tasks, or when you’re not worrying about work, than when you do.
It follows that a period of inactivity can help generate ideas and lead to original thoughts and insights.

Society shuns the notion of being idle though, and instead encourages productivity at all costs. Spending time doing nothing is seen as wasteful and egocentric, and like many others I find it difficult to just sit and be idle, without checking the phone, flicking through a magazine, or reading a book.

I’ve discovered, however, that inactivity is beneficial in the development of a creative idea in its incubation stage.

When you are idle, you enable your subconscious to connect random thoughts and concepts in new ways, until eventually they are manifested into the much desired a-ha moment.

I’ve been regularly practising doing nothing for short periods of time, especially when I’m not sure how to proceed on a particular project.
As much as I’d like my mind to come up with an immediate solution, I’m learning to be patient, and accept idleness as a fundamental part of the creative process.

Expand your life

Creativity comes from within, so the richer your interior life is, the more ideas and connections you will be able to create.

All your experiences affect your viewpoint, which is a major contributor to the development of original ideas, and so it’s important to pursue those activities that spark your interest, nourish your soul, and keep your curiosity alive.

I make sure to spend as much time as possible walking in the woods or in the countryside, my favourite places in the world. Nature is a constant source of inspiration, and it soothes and nurtures me.

Every garden, museum, art exhibition, and new place I visit, enriches my vision of the world and grows my inner web of concepts, thoughts, and emotions.

In the same way, all the books I read and new skills I learn not only give me pleasure, but also help me flex my creative muscles and make new connections.

Play

Insights and fresh ideas happen when you let go of all expectations and shift your focus from the final result to the actual process of creating.

Creativity flourishes with playful exploration. When you allow yourself to look at things with the fresh eyes of a beginner, and are willing to embrace failure, exciting things happen.
Freed up from the burden of producing good work, the mind relaxes and is more likely to connect thoughts in unusual ways.

Setting aside a regular time for creative play is invaluable for training yourself to generate original ideas and stay inspired.
Even if you choose an activity totally unrelated to your main creative pursuit, doing something regularly for the fun of it is incredibly helpful, and its beneficial effects will have an impact on all areas of your work.

Move your body

I’ve never been into sports, and I’d always choose reading a good book over any kind of physical exercise, but there’s no doubt that moving your body can aid your imagination.

Exercise helps to clear the mind from excessive thinking, releases tension from the body, and increases oxygen in the blood, providing mental energy to the brain.

Philosopher Henry David Thoreau said: “the moment my legs begin to move my thoughts begin to flow”.
This seems to be true for me too. My favourite forms of exercise are in fact walking in nature, and practising yoga. Many times I have come back from a walk in the woods with fresh thoughts and insights on my projects.
In a similar way, stretching my muscles often seems to stretch my thoughts too, and enhance my mental clarity.

Keep a journal and/or a sketchbook

About four years ago I started keeping a journal. I use it in the morning, as a way to dump my thoughts and clear my mind.
It’s not a pretty art journal, just a place where I write in a “stream of consciousness” kind of way, without editing, simply to give voice to all that goes on in my mind on that particular day.
Sometimes I don’t have much to say, other times I fill page after page with words, tackling something I’m anxious about, or just topics that are close to my heart.
Journalling is an incredible way to access your intuition, and in fact I often come up with insights and ideas, which I then promptly jot down on my sketchbook.
That’s where I write down all the ideas for photographs, courses, and projects I’d like to explore, with thumbnail sketches, diagrams, and notes. This way, I’m sure that I won’t forget my ideas, and when I’m stuck I can flip through the pages in search of inspiration.

 

5 simple ideas to cultivate your imagination

The next time you are feeling uninspired, remind yourself that the best way to keep your imagination flowing is to nurture it. You need to replenish the creative well with new experiences, to expand your perception of reality and shape up your unique perspective.

These are just a few simple tips to help you do just that:

  • Make a list of nearby places that you have never been to – a park, art gallery, museum, botanical garden, library, or even a new coffee shop.
    Visit one place a month, notice all the beautiful, unusual, interesting things you see, and record them in your journal with a photograph, a quick sketch, or a few words.
  • Set aside time for creative play as often as you can, even if it’s just for 15 minutes every week. Let go of all expectations, focus on the process and have fun.
  • Practice being idle: sit on the sofa for a few minutes doing nothing, lie on the grass looking at cloud shapes or birds flying, sit on a bench and watch people walking by, daydream.
  • Take regular breaks from the internet, and spend that time on activities that nourish you: travel, cook, meet a friend, go for a walk in the park, read a book, go to a concert, play with your children and pets, relax.
  • Introduce some exercise in your routine. Find the time to move your body on a regular basis. To stay motivated, choose an activity that you enjoy: walking, running, swimming, yoga, pilates, or even dancing in your living room, as long as it keeps you moving and helps you clear your mind and release tension.

Do you do any of this to stay inspired? Let me know in the comments below :)

 

–

Parts of this text originally appeared on Breathe magazine, issue 10


6
Jun
Instagram, creativity & popularity
creativity / 20 Comments / 6th June 2018

In my last post I wrote about Instagram, algorithms, and their effect on creativity and mental health, but I have more to say about this.

Internet, and apps like Instagram, are double-edged swords.

On one side, they act as showcases for so many talented creatives, and let us connect with like-minded people. For this I’ll be forever grateful, and for all the inspiration and knowledge that’s literally at my fingertips.

On the other side, this constant stream of content has drawbacks, both as consumers and as creators.

As consumers, mindless use of social media makes us numb to the inherent beauty and creative energy behind all the lovely images we see.

Have you ever found yourself scrolling your feed, perhaps even double-tapping to like an image, without really taking it in?
No time to stay with it for more than a couple of seconds, no time to absorb it.
Just a quick glance, and then off to the next picture, and the next one, and the next one… Until they’re all just a blur.
I’ve done this, and I’m sure that, from time to time,  everyone else has done it too.

The problem with this behaviour is that we risk losing the ability to appreciate beautiful work, especially if we’ve seen something similar before – as it’s almost always the case.
Then beautifully crafted flatlays with tea and flowers, or gorgeous sunsets, dawns, doors and buildings, all seem to become a cliché, and we grow bored, and go looking for the next shiny new “thing”.

In our pursuit of novelty and originality, we become insensitive to beauty and creativity.

If we don’t let that beauty sink in and evoke emotions,  the lack of connection with what we see will leave us unsatisfied.
We crave this connection, but  if we don’t give ourselves time to experience it,  we keep scrolling, hoping that we’ll magically find it in the next image we see.

The only solution I’ve found is to limit time online, take breaks from social media, and look at other people’s work with intention. I try to read the caption, stay with the image long enough to really see it, and feel my emotional connection to it.
I’m not perfect though, and when I catch myself going back to the mindless scrolling I stop, slow down again, and really look. It’s all about mindfulness, and finding a balance between time offline and online.

As content creators, Instagram can push us to be original at all costs, hoping to stand out, get noticed, and become popular.

I’ve already talked about creativity and originality, and how nothing is truly original. Everything has already been done, and originality comes from the way we see and connect ideas based on our unique viewpoint.

Some people strive to always come up with original content though, and trail the internet for popular trends or ideas that might attract attention, followers, and business opportunities.
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to earn money through our creativity, but this struggle to be original sometimes seems a bit forced – even desperate.

Before the Internet, different styles and art movements took longer to reach artists and creatives, but nowadays everything is at our fingertips, and discovering the current popular trend is much easier.
Trends come and go though, so riding the current wave of popularity may work for a while, but it won’t have a lasting effect.

If the driving force behind our creativity is the desire to be popular, we base our satisfaction on something that comes from outside, and over which we have no control.

On social media, algorithms decide who sees our work and who doesn’t. It’s a game, designed to keep us on the app more and more.
When we get lots of positive feedback, our dopamines spike and we feel euphoric, but when the likes go down we may experience withdrawal symptoms, and feel low.
Popularity can then become the final aim, and being original at all costs may take precedence over the simple pleasure of creating.

Algorithms have no heart, they’re not human beings. They’re designed to see how many people engage with content within a certain time frame, and if the content does well, to push it to more people, to generate more engagement. That’s how posts go viral.

So if one of my images suddenly gets a lot of likes, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s better than other images I created, only that, thanks to a series of circumstances I have no control over, it’s become more popular.

But while seeing that one of my images is well liked certainly gives me a boost, it doesn’t give me joy.

True joy only comes from within.

Views and likes are not the measure of great content. While it’s true that positive feedback is always welcome, it’s also true that using likes and followers to evaluate content gives a skewed perspective and leads to comparison, and that is soul destructive.

If we become addicted to being popular,  the moment a new trend emerges, or the algorithm changes, the loss of likes and engagement will make us miserable… so we’re  forced to always create fantastic content, and strive to be as original as possible… But this is not sustainable in the long run, and after a while we’ll feel exhausted, and/or lose the pleasure of creating.

Instagram is not the whole world. Let’s treat it for what it is: a great tool that can help us showcase our work and make fantastic connections, but that doesn’t represent our value as a person/artist/content creator.

Creativity takes time, patience, and nurture. It needs playfulness, and the courage to let go of expectations.

In the end, it’s a choice between creating from the heart vs creating to be popular, which means creating only those types of photographs that generate lots of interest, and of course working the platform so that the algorithm is more likely to send hits our way.

My introvert and highly sensitive nature requires that I cannot, nor want to, do the latter, and my mental health requires that I create from the heart, because that’s when I find joy and quieten the mind.

I create because creating is a need within me – I simply must create.
That’s how I express myself, whether is through taking photographs, writing an article, wrapping a present, decorating my home, making a wreath, or even cooking a meal.

I love the thrill of seeing something take form that wasn’t there before. I get lost in the process, and anxiety and negative thoughts leave me alone.

In the past, famous artists would often paint, sculpt, or photograph the same thing over and over again. They loved a particular subject, and they kept exploring it and working with it, so that they could discover something new every time, reach a deeper level of understanding, and hone their skills. They didn’t hop from trend to trend hoping to become popular, they just followed their passion and stayed true to themselves.

I know that as long as I create and keep pushing myself for the joy of creating – and not for external approval – my experience will be positive and enriching.

This means that at times I may create images that are very similar, because I’m enjoying working with a certain flower, light, or composition.
Some other times my creativity may push me to explore a completely different technique and expand the limits of my visual storytelling.
The resulting images may or may not be very popular, but as long as I stay true to my vision and remember why I create, I’m fine with that.

So ask yourself: why do I create? And how can I keep the joy of creating?

Then forget about the algorithms, and popular trends, and follow your heart’s whispers.

 


24
May
Instagram & creativity unplugged
creativity / 26 Comments / 24th May 2018

Since the algorithm took over, Instagram has been very unpredictable, with some of my images getting a lot of likes and comments, and some others of similar quality not getting the same attention.
There are lots of opinions and theories about why that is, and how it’s possible to “trick” the algorithm or at least making it behave like it should, but the fact is that people’s feeds are no longer chronological, and when I check Instagram a computerised set of instructions a.k.a. algorithm, decides what images I see in my feed.

I use Instagram to show my work and keep in touch with my community, but that’s become much harder, more time consuming, and, to be honest, much less fun.

At some point I made the mistake of focusing all my creative energy on Instagram, neglecting my blog. Seeing all the likes and comments pouring through and getting lots of positive feedback was certainly amazing, and gave me the confidence to keep creating and sharing my work.

But what happens when the likes and comments slow down?

Normally I tend to remind myself not to get caught in the numbers and to be grateful for the lovely comments and interactions – after all, thanks to Instagram I have made friends, online and in real life, and connected with many beautiful, creative souls.

I’ve been dealing with anxiety and cyclical depression since I was in my early twenties, and creativity has been my anchor and my saviour for many years.
When I create my floral images, I feel calmer and more grounded. When I’m absorbed in my creative work, I’m no longer in the future or in the past. I’m fully present, anxiety and negative thoughts leave me alone, and I feel better.

I wish I could create every day, but I have a house to clean, meals to cook, a business to run, a body to look after, loved ones to cherish, friends to meet.. and so sometimes creativity takes a step back, and that’s when I’m usually more vulnerable.

A couple of weeks ago I was having one of those days when I feel quite fragile, and I need to coach myself to keep a positive attitude.

My latest images had performed better than usual on Instagram, and I felt that maybe the algorithm was liking me again. But then I posted a photograph, a photograph I quite liked, and it didn’t perform well at all – the likes and comments were slow to come, and I knew that it would not do well.
At first I dismissed it as another algorithm quirk, and got on with my to do list.
As the hours passed though, I started to feel a bit off. My mood got worse and worse, and I even had one of those “what’s the point of all this” moments that I’m sure happen to every creative person.

I trudged through most of my day, feeling overwhelmed, miserable, demotivated..until I finally asked myself – what triggered this low mood?

And I realised that it was the poor engagement of my photograph.

Oh yes, as shallow and trivial as it might sound, that was my trigger.

I know very well that getting likes and comments is not a measure of my work’s value, but subconsciously I started to question, and doubt, my creativity, and eventually my self-worth, just because one of my photographs hadn’t performed well.

Once I realised the reason behind my low mood, it suddenly improved. My rational mind took over, I shook my head and laughed a bit at myself for falling into the social media trap, and then took a few days off Instagram to gather my thoughts on the nature of the App, and how I want to use it from now on.

It turns out that I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about this, so many that there’s more than enough for two blog posts. But let’s start with the most important points I want to make today :)

First of all, we need to remember that social media is a global broadcasting platform, and algorithms are designed to push us to use their Apps more and more, because that’s where they can make money – more use, more content, more opportunities for advertisers, more money for the platform. This is true for all social media – Instagram too.

Algorithms are not human beings. They cannot determine the quality of an image posted. Instead, they measure engagement (likes and comments) and make images with high engagement visible to more users, so that those images can get even more likes and comments.

So Instagram is pushing us to be more and more on the platform, to consume content, and to produce more and more of it to stay in the game. It’s pushing us to always be there, otherwise the algorithm will forget us.

In the past few months I’ve forced myself to be on Instagram, share and engage, with the pressure of having to always create something special, aiming for likes and visibility…sharing more out of fear than out of pleasure.

And I don’t like it.

Not a little bit.

I don’t want to become a slave to likes and comments.

I want to create, explore, play, and have fun. If some of my work doesn’t get as much positive feedback as it used to when everyone’s feed was chronological, that’s fine. The important thing is that I like it, and I enjoy creating it.

In the same way that I don’t watch TV because I want to be in control of what I consume, I also want to limit the time I spend on social media, because it eats up my day, and drains my energy.

I don’t want to leave Instagram, because there is so much inspiration, so many creatives and like-minded people, and so much beauty being shared. But there’s also a lot of noise, so many people wanting attention, and too much interaction online overwhelms me just like too much interaction in real life…so I want to change how I use Instagram.
I still haven’t figured out all the details, but I jotted down a few points on my journal to find clarity and help me figure out how to share my work and run my business in a way that not only inspires and serves others, but also inspires and nourishes me.

I’m going to review the list of people I follow and probably unfollow a few of them, post only two or maximum three times a week, and not beat myself up if I can’t answer every single comment.
I want to check out hashtags more, comment and connect with meaning and intentions, and share more of who I am and what I believe in and stand for, with kindness and no drama, just showing up as I am and allowing myself – and others – to be who they are.

At the beginning of my Instagram journey, sharing and creating images on a daily basis made sense. It kindled my creativity and allowed me to grow and fine tune my passions, however, I now have so many projects going on, and so many ideas, that creating and sharing an image a day is no longer my priority.

I want to keep creating and playing with flowers as much as possible, because I adore flowers and because creativity keeps me sane and heals my anxious mind, but I don’t want nor need to share every day.

In fact I haven’t been sharing every day for a while now, but I was feeling guilty about it and so I’d become erratic – not posting on those days when I can’t face the world, and then sharing in bursts for fear of not doing enough.

But..

My introvert and highly sensitive nature requires time alone, and unplugged.

I can inspire and be inspired only when I create from the heart. That means turning off the noise, looking within, and finding the stillness, the quiet place where I can hear the whispers of my heart.

So from now on I’m going to post on Instagram a bit less, forgetting about the likes, grateful for the connections and support, and without the guilt of time spent offline, nourishing myself and creating.

Another topic that’s close to my heart is the relationship between Instagram, creativity, and popularity, and you can read my thoughts here.

 

 


15
Mar
BTS: Blossomzine Spring cover
creativity / styling / 8 Comments / 15th March 2018

The spring issue of Blossomzine is just out, and I’m thrilled to see my image on the cover!  I enjoyed creating the cover image very much, and I’d like to share a little behind the scenes of the whole process.

The brief

When SBM Life Science commissioned the spring issue cover of Blossomzine, director Dana Frigerio contacted me to create and photograph the image. I’ve been a regular contributor of Blossomzine since November 2015, and met Dana a couple of years ago. We regularly Skype to brainstorm ideas and chat about all things creative, so I jumped at the opportunity to collaborate with her.

The challenge

The company asked Dana to feature their NutriOne fertiliser in the cover image in a subtle, creative way.

The brainstorming

We had a long brainstorming session on Skype. We discussed the concept for the cover, Spring, and the way it symbolises rebirth and growth. We talked about plants, and how they need water, nutrients, and good soil to develop strong roots and grow.
After looking at many images of spring flowers, roots, seeds, and bulbs, we decided that Dana would paint an illustration of roots using NutriOne fertiliser as ink, and that we would use spring flowers and bulbs. Some of the bulbs would be whole plants, complete with roots and possibly soil.

The collaboration

Dana painted the illustration of roots, to fulfil the brief, while I chose the flowers, and created and photographed the composition.

She flew over here with her precious illustrations, and her trip was an adventure! Storm Emma got in her way, and after one cancelled flight and a delayed one she finally arrived at my place at 3.30am, chilled to bone and exhausted.

I had placed an order with my florists days in advance, but after reading the weather forecast I started to fear that I couldn’t get my delivery. I scoured every possible place in town, and even asked my husband to visit a florist and supermarket close to his office, to get as many flowers as possible. Thank goodness for this, because the delivery guy couldn’t reach my florist, so I had to make do with the bits and pieces I’d managed to buy the previous days, and a single snowdrop that I managed to salvage from the garden.

We chose the grey backdrop together, from a selection that I had just painted. The storm had a silver lining though: I take photos in natural light, by a large glass door, and the snow covered ground acted as a giant reflector – the light was beautiful!

The styling tips

I paired flowers in odd numbers – like five yellow flowers, three blue grape hyacinths, and so on.
I always work in odd numbers – this is called the rule of odds, and even though I don’t like rules I always follow this one.
Using an odd number of subjects makes the image visually interesting. We naturally try to pair items, and when we cannot find the pair we keep looking, staying engaged with the composition.
The only exception to the rule is the couple, as two subjects work well together too.

I added some soil to the image as texture, to soften the edges of the illustration and tie all the elements of the composition together.

Reflections

Having too many directives often stifles creativity. The best scenario, in my opinion, is when you have creative freedom with one single challenge. This is a good starting point, as it prevents the “fear of the blank canvas” and leaves plenty of room for individual creativity – do you agree?

Dana and I only had one requirement each: she had to include the fertiliser in the cover, and I had to use her illustration in the image. SBM Life Science gave us creative freedom, and that let our creativity shine – a perfect job!

Blossomzine is a bi-lingual e-magazine about flowers and plants. The articles are both in Italian and in English, so head over there to feast your eyes with beautiful photographs and read interesting articles.

Please feel free to let me know your thoughts about your idea of a perfect job in the comments below :)

 


25
Jan
How to make inspiration boards
creativity / 6 Comments / 25th January 2018

At the start of every new year I set intentions for the months ahead, and then create an inspiration board. This helps me have a clear picture of what I’d like to create in the coming year, and keeps me going when I hit a creative slump or feel overwhelmed by the tasks ahead.

Creating an inspiration board is like a ritual, feels a bit like playing with magic, and can lead to further discoveries and insights on my intentions and goals.

I light a candle and some incense, brew a cup of tea, and put on some relaxing music. I let intuition guide me, and choose images that evoke a strong emotional response.

Once the inspiration board is finished, I keep it somewhere where I can see it as often as possible – like pinned on the wall by my computer, or on the first page of the notebook where I jot down my ideas.

All inspiration boards are powerful tools. The moment you glue pictures and words onto paper, you are giving shape to your dreams.

Inspiration boards are so effective because the images trigger the emotional response necessary to feel inspired and motivated to take action – they take you closer to your vision.

Pictures bypass the mind and its negative thoughts of self doubt and fear, and bring to life the emotions behind the goals.

Every time you look at your board, you are basically practising a short visualisation, a mental training technique that’s been effectively used for decades in sports, to improve performance.

Beside reminding you of your intentions, on a practical level inspiration boards can also help you make decisions.

Nowadays, when opportunities and requests pop into my inbox, I ask myself: is this aligned with my intentions? Will it take me closer to my goal?
When I’m not sure, a quick look at my inspiration board is usually enough to help me decide whether the project I’m asked to work on is in line with my goals or not.

This whole process of setting intentions and making inspiration boards gives me clarity and motivation, helps me avoid distractions, and makes it easier to follow my own path.

One of the first inspiration boards I made is about my core values and desires, and that’s pinned to the wall by my desk. This way, every time I raise my eyes from the screen, I can see a reminder of what motivates me to create.

I set intentions and make a board each time I start a big project. For example, before I create a new e-course, I think of how I want the class to feel, what I want to share with my students, and how. The inspiration board helps me stay on track, and gives me the push to overcome challenges and doubts.

I also set intentions and make a simple collage every time I start a new journal, on its first page.

I do this for two reasons: to have a reminder to keep discovering more about myself, and to overcome the fear of the blank page.

For years I was afraid of spoiling a brand new journal, and often put off writing in it – silly I know, but that’s how I felt. Having a collage on the first page is a way of leaving perfectionism behind and to just focus on the process, on writing and exploring, rather than on unnecessary expectations: journalling is not about writing a masterpiece, so there’s no need to feel precious about it.

Tips for making an inspiration board

You can set intentions and make inspiration boards for all areas of your life: work, relationships, personal growth, home, and so on.

‣ Start with finding clarity on your goals, and explore the reasons behind them in your journal, to get to the core of your desires (see some tips here).

‣ Choose a few keywords that sum up your intentions – they can be words like balance, abundance, healing, or combinations like “healthy mind & body”, “be present”, “mindful eating”, “connect from the heart”, and so on.

‣ Inspiration boards are all unique. There are no rules, no set layouts or design guidelines. What’s important is to choose images that, in your heart, bring your vision to life.

‣ Set aside a couple of hours of uninterrupted time just for yourself, perhaps at the weekend, or in the evening or early morning. Create your own ritual, perhaps with candles, a favourite drink, some music, to make the whole process even more special and magical.

‣ Gather some magazines, scissors to cut your images, glue or double sided tape, and some card to use as a base. Choose magazines with articles that resonate on what your topics are. I like to use Breathe, Psychologies, The Simple Things, Womankind, and magazines about yoga and natural health. You can also use washi tape and coloured felt tip pens to embellish your board, if you like.

‣ Tear out pictures and cut out words from the magazines, and put them aside in a pile. Choose all those images that evoke the emotional response attached to your intentions, those images that make you “feel” your goal and vision. If you cannot find a word to cut out, just write it on a piece of washi tape or on a paper label.

‣ When you think you’ve gathered enough material, start making your board. Move pictures and cut-out words around, until they feel right, and then glue them, or tape them, onto the board. You can slightly overlap some of the images, place one in the middle and arrange the others around, or even create a simple grid.

‣ Remember to enjoy the process and keep the whole experience playful: you’re not making a business presentation ;) The inspiration board is just for you, so don’t worry about doing it wrong – just follow your intuition, and make sure that you find the board inspiring.

‣ Once your board is done, keep it somewhere where you can see it often, as a visual reminder of your goals and intentions.

Enjoy!

 

Parts of this text originally appeared on Breathe magazine, issue 8

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16
Jan
Starting the year with intention
creativity / 2 Comments / 16th January 2018

 

Do you make new year’s resolutions? I don’t. I tried a few times when I was much younger, but I never managed to actually keep them, and I ended up feeling frustrated and disappointed with myself.

I also dislike all the “new year, new you” kind of talk. The idea of making big changes and starting the year at full speed doesn’t suit my nature at all – too much pressure, too many expectations, and the assumption that, after the holidays, I’m full of energy and vitality.

The truth is, I need a slow start of the year. I spend the first couple of weeks figuring out how I want my life, work, and creative journey to feel for the next twelve months, and then I set my intentions accordingly.
I do make plans, of course, but they’re flexible, to leave room for possibility, serendipity, and new opportunities.

This is something I’ve been doing only for the past few years though. When I first started working on my own, I didn’t really know how to organise my time, so I tried making detailed plans following a rigid structure.

It didn’t work.

I tend to work in bursts, and after a period of intense productivity I usually need some down time to wind down and recharge my batteries, ready for a new project. These bursts of energy are not set in stone; they tend to change with my energy levels and mental health, so it’s quite hard to predict how much I’ll be able to achieve on a set day, or week.

Every time I’ve tried making detailed plans, I’ve never managed to meet my schedule. What sounded so good on paper often clashed with my productivity level, and I ended up feeling frustrated and disheartened because I wasn’t achieving my goals.

When I let myself have too much flexibility though, I tend to feel scattered and unfocused, and waste time on tasks that are not really a priority.

After a lot of trial and error, I figured out that I’m most productive when I set intentions, make loose plans, choose a word for the year, and create inspiration boards. This may sounds like a lot of work, but in fact it’s an enjoyable process that supports my creative nature and helps me achieve my goals.

By loose plans I mean a flexible schedule that features the most important deadlines and projects – my priorities. These signposts give me a gentle structure with enough freedom to follow my energy levels and creative inspiration.

So how I decide my priorities?

The first step is to understand how I want to feel in the coming months, and what I want to achieve. I look inside, and answer these question  in my journal.
I’ve been regularly journalling for about 4 years, as a way to dump my thoughts on paper and access my intuition. Something magical happens when I write on my notebook, digging deep into myself, and discovering dreams, insights, and even creative ideas for new projects.

Instead of making resolutions, I figure out my vision for the year ahead, and my intentions become the foundation, the driving force and motivators of my life, work, and creativity.

I also choose a word for the year, a word that I use as a guide, a reminder of how I want to feel for the next 12 months.

My choice for 2018 is inspire – myself, and others. I want to feel inspired, and I want to inspire others too, and help them shine their own beautiful light. This means creating more online courses, and creating images that inspire me and make me happy – and hopefully make other people happy too :)

If making resolutions doesn’t work for you either, why not try setting intentions like I do? Here are a few tips to get you started:

‣ Grab a notebook, and take some time to think about what you want to achieve, be it a tangible thing, or a state of mind. Write your goals down, and then for each goal write the reasons behind your choices. This is a crucial step if you want to make lasting changes and feel motivated.

‣ Take your time to identify the emotional attachment behind your intentions. At the heart of all your dreams and goals there’s always a desire to feel a certain way, so it becomes very important to figure out the emotion behind them. You embark on a project because you think it will give you joy, connection, satisfaction, purpose, pleasure, peace.. or whatever it is that makes you feel good at this stage of your life. The real motivator is not the actual goal, but the emotion behind it – the feeling you will experience when you finally achieve it.

‣ Don’t write down what you think you “should” do. Instead, listen to your heart, trust your intuition, and choose your intentions based on what you most desire. Every time I’ve tried listening to my head rather than my heart, and set goals that I thought I should reach, I haven’t been able to achieve them – probably because I had no real emotional attachment, and I was trying to please others rather than being true to myself. So it pays off to listen to your heart and being honest with yourself.

Once you’re clear on what your intentions are, make an inspiration board or collage that represents your vision for the year ahead. In my next blog post I’ll share a few tips about this process too.

I’ll leave you with some resources to help you set intentions for the new year:

 

 

 

 

Parts of this text originally appeared on Breathe magazine, issue 8

 


24
Nov
Creativity & perfectionism – part 2
creativity / 0 Comment / 24th November 2017

Last week I talked about my experience of being a perfectionist, and how perfectionism affected my creativity.

Today I’m sharing all the steps I took to overcome perfectionism, and also a few simple exercises to help you embrace imperfection.

Understanding what’s behind perfectionism

My first step was to understand the reasons and beliefs behind my perfectionism, and I did this mostly through journalling.
I asked myself why I needed my work to be perfect, and what I was afraid of.
Fear is always trying to keep us safe, so what would happen if I allowed myself to make mistakes? How dangerous would that be?

Exploring the roots of my beliefs about perfectionism was fascinating, and led me to a deeper understanding of how the mind works, and how our thoughts affect our life for better or worse.

A belief is a thought that we repeat ourselves over and over until it becomes true – we believe in it – so it comes to reason that if you change your thoughts, your beliefs will change too.

That was my next step: changing my beliefs about perfectionism.

This kind of change takes time. It takes years to create a belief pattern, so I couldn’t expect to quickly reverse it. Some beliefs are deeply ingrained in our subconscious, and I knew that it might take me a very long time to completely overcome perfectionism.

Retraining the mind

Changing a belief requires retraining the mind, and practising new thoughts on a regular basis.
An exercise that helped me was reframing my beliefs about perfectionism in a positive way, and rewriting them into new possible beliefs – such as “my work has value even with a few faults”, or “my work can inspire others regardless of its imperfections”.

I chose the most inspiring sentences, wrote them down on library cards, and then I kept them in as many places as possible, to see them often, especially when creating, and let the message sink in.

Even now, I have an inspiration wall by my desk where I hang quotes and positive affirmations to keep me on track.

Noticing when perfectionism stops creativity

When I have too many expectations, a particular project might become The Project, and I fall back into the perfection trap.

Every time I find myself procrastinating, or wasting too much time editing my work, I pause and ask myself if perfectionism is the reason behind my behaviour – most of the times, it is.

In these cases, I recognise and accept my behaviour for what it is: a thought-induced pattern that stems from my fears.
I remind myself that perfection doesn’t exist, take a short break to relax, and try to coax myself into creating.

I talk to myself like I would to a scared child, with kindness and soothing words: “Nothing to fear here, I’m just playing for a bit. I’m going to create only a couple of images, or jot down a few words, and see where that takes me.” It might sound silly, but it usually works.

When I feel too tense, I take a break and do something mindful to calm down and get back to the present moment. I might do a bit of yoga, brew a cup of tea, focus on my breathing for a few minutes, or step into the garden for a little while until my mind is quiet again, and I feel ready to get back to work.

Practicing imperfection

Creating a new pattern through action is a good way to change a belief, so I have been mindfully practising imperfection as a way to learn to be comfortable with making mistakes.

Even though at a rational level I know that mistakes are important in the learning process, deep within I still fear them and tend to overreact when I make one.

To make it easier, I started my practice with small things that didn’t relate to my creative work but still were important to me.

I like decorating the table for special occasions, or when we have friends over for a meal, so one day I decided to use nice china and cutlery, beautiful candles, flowers, and one single mismatched fork.

At first, all I could see was that fork – the mistake in an otherwise perfect table. I kept laying the table this way, though, and after a while, that same fork became familiar and was no longer a big deal.

It’s fascinating to see how, with time and practice, my perception changed. I learned to be comfortable with imperfection and to realise, at a deep level, that a tiny flaw doesn’t detract from work that’s overall good.

Besides giving myself permission to make mistakes, I also make sure to regularly spend some time creating for fun, with no expectations in mind, just for the sake of creating.

During these sessions I try different approaches, explore new techniques, and basically play around, conscious that what I do might bear no fruits at all.

I let curiosity guide me, forget about the result, and go with the flow. I emerge from these sessions relaxed, happy, and always a step closer to fully embracing imperfection.

“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good” – John Steinbeck

If you are struggling with perfectionism, try these 5 simple exercises to help you embrace imperfection:

  • Lay the table with all your favourite items, and leave one place intentionally “imperfect” – a fork askew, a mismatched napkin or plate.
  • Fill the first page of your journal with doodles, scribbles, or a simple collage. Add some ink splatters, or a coffee stain.
  • When you fold your laundry, roll one item instead of folding it.
  • Make a posy of white flowers, and add one flower in a different colour.
  • Choose a simple creative activity that you’re a total beginner at, and practice it just for the fun of it, allowing yourself to make mistakes.
  • Remember, change takes time, so be patient and kind to yourself, and don’t beat yourself up if you find yourself slipping back into old habits – just notice them, and then start again.

We’re all a work in progress, after all :)

 

Parts of this text originally appeared on Breathe magazine, issue 6

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