{ Book extract from Tonics For Your Creative Spirit } 

Refuelling with Creative Me –Time

As a creative, you’ll know that much of the process is about expression – it’s an outward action, producing something, giving your gifts to the world.  

But like any sort of giving, there’s only so much we can offer before we need to restock the supply. 

For a healthy, happy and sustainable creative life, we need to balance all that outward expression with some receiving. 

We need to refuel whatever force it is that makes us want to create. 

We need to restore our spark with some Creative Me-Time.

What is Creative Me-Time?

Just as we prioritise our physical needs to ensure our physical wellness, taking care of our creative needs is an important part of our creative health.

After all, we can’t inspire others if we’re not inspired ourselves.

If we want to cultivate our best creative selves, it’s vital to refuel the force that makes us want to express our gifts in the first place, especially if we have big dreams or grand visions that we want to bring to life.

How do we refuel those creative energies?

By ensuring we receive regular doses of excitement, play, and novelty, as well as some space, time and freedom to follow our curiosity and interests.

Creative Me-Time is an intention to value whatever activities intrigue or delight you.

Designing your Creative Me-Time

To discover the activities that restore your creative energy, start to notice what inspires you and makes you want to create.

Ask…

What excites you?

What interests you?

What piques your curiosity?

What ignites your imagination?

What nurtures your creative self?

For me, as a writer, Creative Me-Time often involves books and bookshops – enjoying other people’s books inspire me to write my own.

I’ve learned that a few relaxing and unhurried hours in my favourite bookshops can be a valid and valuable part of my creative process.

(Whoever said that creativity has to always be hard work?!)

After a few hours browsing the latest releases in my favourite genres, I’m brimming with my own ideas, excited to get back to my own creations.

What inspires you?

What has a similar effect on you?

If you’re a painter, maybe you’re inspired by visiting art galleries or reading biographies of your favourite artists.

Or maybe what sets your creative heart aflame is being by the sea, gazing at the stars or spending time with animals.

Just like the wonderful varieties of creative expression and practice, Creative Me-Time will also vary from one person to another.

So, begin to pay attention to your inclinations, give some thought to how you love to tend your spirit.

Tune into your creative soul, pay attention to what it’s craving or calling for – then follow those nudges. That wise inner voice can reveal surprising new paths and adventures, so develop the habit of listening to it and following its lead.

If you’re not sure what Creative Me-Time activities are right for you, feel free to get creative!

Experiment. Play with ideas. Imagine… what might be inspiring for you?

You are a creative being, and you can turn your talents to the project of supporting and improving the creative process itself.

And trust that once you begin playing with this idea, your creative self will respond gratefully and begin to guide you to a stronger connection with your inner callings and desires.

When you know what Creative Me-Time looks like for you, the next step is to begin exploring how to regularly include this restorative fun in your daily, weekly and monthly schedules. (Aka, your life.)

Your ‘work’ is to discover how you can regularly refuel your beautiful creative spirit with whatever calls to you.

“Creativity requires vigilant self-nurturing.”

Julia Cameron

A note for the kind and generous ones…

Even though this idea means more joy, fun, and aliveness, it can actually be difficult to embrace and prioritise Creative Me-Time, especially if you have a tendency to put everybody else’s needs before your own.

If you worry about being self-indulgent or neglecting your loved ones, remember this: when you are inspired, creative and energised, you are more willing and able to take care of those around you.

And when you ensure that your innate needs for enjoyment have been met, you’re naturally more joyful, kind and loving – this version of you is a true gift to your loved ones, and it’s one they will love being around.

So, if your creativity is important to you, learning to insist on some Creative Me-Time can be a powerful, life-enhancing practice.

You don’t need to go far. You don’t need to spend a fortune. You don’t need to disappear for days or weeks.

You just need to prioritise you and your creativity enough to tend to your own spark.

What does your creative spirit need?

What will your Creative Me-Time look like?

And how soon can you begin?

Dive deeper…

If you’d like to dive deeper into this important work of refuelling and replenishing your brilliant creative spirit, I’ve created a virtual wellness retreat to help you.

The Muse Spa

A suite of digital treatments to nurture your creativity and enhance your wellbeing.

Wellness as a creative tool.

Creative Nonfiction Writing #bts

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