E31 Push Me–Pull You… Tandem strength will increase your creativity!
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Hello, my creative friend. Welcome back to another episode of BDI Create today. Last week, we discussed the importance of having a creative mind. And we had Mary Jo Hoffman here as a guest. She is the author of the book, Still the Art of Noticing. And Mary Jo shared that her daily practice had two integral parts.
~ ~First, she made a pact to create art every day. And then second, and maybe most important, she concentrated on not breaking the chain of creating art every day. So today we're going to look and build on this discussion about having a creative practice and explore a little bit more about the creative strengths.
to have strong creativity that can help you create art every day. So let's take a look at [00:01:00] how a daily practice allows you to mix differing strengths of creativity together to create that superpower that Mary Jo talked about. Because remember, creativity is going to make you happier and healthier in heart, mind, body, and soul.
So today we're going to focus on creating Well, for a lack of a better term, uh, creating a buddy system with your creative talents. So let's look at how your creative strengths can work in tandem with each other. And so, you know how I love a metaphor. Here's my metaphor today.~ Now, almost 20 years ago, Tom surprised me with a tandem bike and she's a beauty.~
~She's a beautiful cyan blue and we have little bells on there and a bag so that we can drive, we can bike some and, and she's a beauty. We have bike bells. We have a big bag on the back of it so that we can bike and have lunch and she's a beauty and we. Have ridden thousands of miles on this beautiful cyan blue bike.~
~See,~
almost 20 years ago, Tom surprised me. With the tandem bike and she's a beauty and we have ridden thousands of miles in the past 20 years on this beautiful cyan blue tandem, and we've done it together. Now, let me explain the strengths of the people, [00:02:00] Tom and I on this tandem bike.~ First there's Tom. And he, well he's run dozens of, he's run,~ first there's Tom, he has run marathons and half marathons and he can easily bike over 500 miles in one week.
But ask Tom to draw a dog or notice the color palette in a sunset and well, let's just say he would struggle. And then there's me, and I feel athletic when I walk the dog. Um, I, I take Pilates classes, and I follow along with weightlifting tutorials on YouTube, but my athletic prowess is way below Tom.
My brain hates on me if I attempt to run farther than a block. But ask me to draw a dog, or notice the color of a sunset? And I will flood you with color theory and drawings and paintings of all sorts of breeds and sizes and colors of pups. And Tom and I, you can see, we bring really different strengths to our tandem.
Yep. Our tandem bike is the stirring [00:03:00] together of two very, very different individuals. But when Tom and I ride in tandem. I'm a stronger biker because I have a buddy ~that is,~ that pushes me to pedal more and ~maybe~ pedal harder. And I have someone to encourage me to bike more often. And when we bike together, Tom realizes and sees more of the world around him while we bike.
~Because~ when we bike together, we have conversations about the wildflowers we see and how different they are every time we bike. ~And we talk about the growth of the flowers and the colors of the flowers.~ And we talk about where we will most likely see deer. And we ~count and recognize and~ are amazed at the odd bodies that we see in the beautiful snowy egrets that we see along our journey.
So, between the two of us, we strengthen the enjoyment of our tandem ride together by sharing our individual strengths.~ And I think this is a super illustration that shows the power of tandem strengths as a couple who actually ride a tandem. And this is the definition,~
so I think this is a really good metaphor that shows the power of two different strengths coming together. work in [00:04:00] tandem. ~So here's another example of tandem strengths. Let's look at, and here's another example of combining strengths. Let's look at the power of stan, um, and here's another example of two differing, ~and here's another example.
Let's look at the power of tandem strengths in muscles that we use in our body every day. Now, the bicep and the tricep muscles are located in the upper arm. Bicep on the front and triceps are on the underneath or the backside of the arm. And when you lift a weight to do a bicep curl, this movement makes the biceps contract as you move up.
And so that means they're shortening~ as you lift the weight.~ as you lift the weight. And during this movement, the triceps then lengthen, allowing the elbow joint to bend smoothly. And conversely, when you do a tricep curl, the triceps contract to straighten the elbow while the biceps lengthen. And this coordinated push pull movement between the bicep and the tricep muscles, it facilitates a smooth and controlled arm movement, and it also [00:05:00] enhances the overall arm strength.
So tandem muscles, if you do a little research, you're going to find that the human body is full of them. It is brilliant. Thank you, Creator, for making such a beautiful body that has tandem muscles to help us move better. And just as your biceps and triceps collaborate to produce that push pull movement to make your body move smoother and become stronger, differing creative muscles can also pair up to create that same push pull motion to amplify your creative strength.
And potential. So here's a couple examples of combining differing skills that can enhance your creativity. Some examples would be observation, combining with your drawing. Another one would be brainstorming. With [00:06:00] writing or setting, ~uh, or achieving~ a daily goal. That's one of the strengths and then making art daily that combined together creates a powerhouse.
Just like Mary Jo taught us. ~So by pairing,~ by pairing these different creative strengths, you can significantly enhance your overall creative output. It's true. So let's look again at Mary Jo's wonderful suggestion from last week of don't break the chain.~ So when you create a daily practice, you're allowing two shiny creative strengths to work together in tandem.~
So when you create a daily practice, you allow two differing strengths to work in tandem. The first is just the dedication. of completing a simple action every day. That's number one. And two is create art. And because you're doing this action every day, that art is created every day. So when you have these two tandem strengths that are [00:07:00] allowed to create that push pull motion, do something every day.
that something is art, create art every day, the result can lead to remarkable progress and breakthroughs in your creative journey. ~ So you can imagine if you only focused on one thing at a time, say you only sit in your studio with paper and supplies, but you haven't taken time to think about or realize what you're going to draw or paint.~
~You haven't brought ideas to to your studio, then you're going to be someone who just doesn't know what to paint or draw. Or, if you're someone who gets mired in the constant purchasing and collecting of art supplies, but you never get work started, To get that crafting going, or maybe you're someone who constantly is on Pinterest, making pin boards of your next creative idea.~
~And you have so many, but again, you never quite sit down to get your ideas started all these things of just concentrating on one thing, research, collecting ideas or crafts, or just. Pulling together, um, an organization of ideas, but you never do the second thing. ~
So you can imagine that if you only focus on one strength at a time, so say you only sit in your studio with, ~um,~ a piece of paper in front of you, but you haven't taken time to think about the idea. You've not collected any ideas. You probably are not going to be able to draw because you don't know what to draw.
Or, if you're someone who gets really involved in the constant purchasing of art supplies, but you never sit down to actually create art with your supplies, That's a problem. Or if you're someone who's constantly on Pinterest and making pinboards of what could be your next great creative masterpiece, [00:08:00] but you never quite get your ideas started and finished, all of this is going to lead to burnout or lack of motivation or loss of productivity for whatever your creative passion is.
~So when you understand the importance of co co ~So when you understand the importance of incorporating these tandem strengths together, like research and drawing or getting art supplies and completing a project and actually doing the work, you'll be amazed at how your creativity will rocket.~ And needless to say, you'll be happier~
And needless to say, you're going to be a happier creative in heart, mind, body, and soul. ~So you'll notice that often these creative strengths will very, will be, ~so you'll notice that often these creative strengths that you're going to be putting together in tandem will, will People be unlike each other, like Tom and I on our tandem, the athlete and the creative.
~But when brought together in that push me, pull you motion, they feel, ~but when brought together in that push me, pull you motion, they form a creative superpower like Mary Jo discovered with her daily [00:09:00] practice. ~It's pretty exciting, right?~ Sounds exciting, right? ~So when you pair these inner strengths. ~
And then when you pair inner strengths with outer strengths ~as your tandem facets,~ you're going to find that it is easier to maintain endurance that will allow your overall creative skills to exceed past your wildest dreams.
~So now if you're thinking, what do you mean inner and outer strengths best? ~Now, now if you're thinking, what do you mean inner and outer strengths, Beth? Let me give you an example. Let's take a look at the Olympic athlete, Sydney McLaughlin Lavrone. I hope I'm saying her name right. She ~um,~ has demonstrated an incredible synergy between physical training, ~that's outer,~ that's an outer strength, and mindset training.
Thank you. That would be the inner strength in her athletic achievements. Sydney is an American hurdler and sprinter, and she is a perfect illustration of how athletes combine physical training in tandem [00:10:00] with mindset training to maximize their talents. ~So as a world record holder in the 400 meter, ~she is a world record holder in the 400 meter hurdles.
And her success. is not solely due to her athletic skills, but also her mental resilience and strategic mindset. So along with rigorous training that includes strength conditioning and speed work and technical drills, she also trains and prepares her mind. So that she's ready to compete. She visualizes her races, imagining each hurdle and every stride she needs to take so she is capable of thinking about how to win a race and this mental preparation works in tandem with her physical training and this enables her to stay calm and perform her best during the stress of high stakes competitions.[00:11:00]
She is a better athlete because Sydney has combined two very different, but equally important tandem strengths. The inner strength that's thinking about winning and the outer strength that is winning. getting strong and allowing her innate talents as an athlete to win. So now let's consider the same idea of inner and outer strengths that work in tandem for us with our creativity.
So just like Tom and I on our tandem bike, these two facets can incorporate different skills and habits and disciplines that when you put them to work together, they will push your creative practice past what you ever thought you were capable of producing. For example, combining Observation with making your art can enhance your ability to notice details and then [00:12:00] draw inspiration from art every day.
And you will see that you will make better art because you've been a better observer. ~And then pairing brainstorming with a disciplined creative execution, let's say you put those are your tandem strengths you're putting together. Now~ let's look at maybe comparing brainstorming and having a disciplined creative execution.
~This will ensure that your good ideas are not only better generated, This will, ahem, ahem, ahem, ahem, ugh, ~this will ensure that your ideas are not only better generated, but also, are finished and released into the world in a timely manner.~ So you'll not only be able to start a project with great ideas, but you'll able to, but you'll be able to finish more projects.~
So you'll not only be able to start a project with great ideas, but you'll also be able to finish more projects because you're purposely combining two of your creative strengths to work in tandem with each other. Now, Mary Jo's practice of combining don't break the chain with photographing nature meant she created a daily habit that allowed her to reach a goal.
And because she combined these two strengths together, no matter how crazy her [00:13:00] day might get, she knew she could get her goal done. ~Of doing something~ and she gets that accomplished daily because she took the pressure off of making perfect art. And this gave her room to experiment. And oh my goodness, she was gifted with some incredible art because she coupled these two tandem.
And just as tandem muscles in the body work together to achieve greater strength and performance, tandem strengths empower us to reach new heights in our creative endeavors. And then over time, this consistent effort of employing that push me pull you motion in our creativity is going to lead to improved skills, deeper insights, and a more robust creative process.
Thanks. Now, as always, it might be easy to understand the theory about working in tandem with two strengths in your creative skills, but [00:14:00] taking a message and then figuring out, okay, how do I put this to work in my daily creative life? Well, that can be hard to figure out. So as much as you know, I love a good metaphor.
You also know I love a good list. So here are three ideas about how you can incorporate these tandem strengths into your creative life. My hope is one of these ideas you'll be able to take and, you know, rearrange to make it work in your creative practice. So here's the first idea. Let's take a look back at last week's episode 30 ~and then follow the steps taken by Mary Jo.~
And then follow the steps taken by Mary Jo. ~So this one is ~don't break the chain and create art daily. ~So that are the, ~that's the two tandem strengths. The activity is just a daily art challenge. So here's the objective. Commit to creating a small piece of art every day for, well, start with a month and then see where it [00:15:00] goes.
Focus on consistency, ~uh,~ with that, let's get this done daily resolution, but allow yourself to make the art really simple so that you don't become burned out or worse bored with your challenge because ~you'll see your creative goal. ~If you get bored or you get overwhelmed, you'll see your goal either crash and burn, or it will slowly ghost itself into a vapor of just good intentions.
So choose something that you're passionate about. and then keep it simple so that you can get it done each day with a small amount of time and energy if or when your life gets busy. And the outcome, here it is, you're going to reap the benefits of a diverse collection of 30 artworks if you go for a month and that could result in more if you keep the challenge going.
Remember Mary Jo has over 4, 600 pieces of artwork after 12 years of having a simple creative practice that's daily.~ The art you create will reflect the theme you've chosen and your experimentation during your journey of creating daily practice. ~[00:16:00] The art you create will reflect the theme you've chosen and your experimentation during your journey of this daily creative practice.
So you'll enjoy reviewing your creative growth and ~you'll And~ you can high five yourself with some awesome persistence that you will see because you made it simple and because you did it daily. And so the tandem strengths you'll see ~here ~ ~ and here are the tandem strengths with a resolution of a daily challenge of doing art daily challenge doing it daily.~
~And so your, and so your tandem strengths, uh, you know,~ with that resolution of a daily challenge, you are strengthening your dedication to a daily practice, which means you're honing your organizational skills and you're strengthening the creative skills you use to make your art. that you will be creating each day.
The secret here is giving yourself the permission and the confidence to take a moment in each day to do the thing that you've dedicated your creativity to create for a month or more. Now here's the second idea. The tandem strengths are [00:17:00] visualizing creative goals, So, this is goal oriented and creating art.
So the project is a doodle diary. So here's the activity. Instead of creating a vision board, I think all of us know a vision board is something that you do by clipping out images from a magazine ~or maybe you're doing it digitally. Or may, ~or maybe you're doing it digitally, ~um,~ on your computer or your iPad.
And this is where you're going to be finding images on the internet. But the thing is, most vision boards are limited by the images you can locate to match what you're thinking about with your vision.~ So the cool thing about the, let's go.~
~So instead you're going. So~ instead of using found images, you're going to create your vision in your imagination. ~What is that creative goal that you want to reach?~ And then you're going to doodle your dreams. What are those dreams? ~And as you doodle this, You're going to be considering the vibe, the people, the interactions that you will find and, and, uh, encounter that are going to, and, ~and as you doodle this, consider the vibe, the people and the interactions.
All of this will help you doodle your creative goals. ~Now, here's the objective by creating a deity. And here's, Now, here's the objective. Create a daily, oh my goodness, ~here's the objective. Create [00:18:00] a daily doodle diary where you doodle your dreams daily. These doodles can, um, be accompanied by a simple note, a quote, a sentiment about what you've envisioned, but most importantly, doodle a doodle that captures the vibes of your creative dreams and goals or event.
or life achievement that you have set for yourself to reach.~ And here's the outcome, an insightful, and here, and here's the,~ and here's the outcome. You're going to create an insightful visual diary that illustrates the story of your creative goals through the doodles you've dreamed and drawn. ~And here's to your stand up strengths.~
~And here's the tandem strengths. ~Your tandem creative strengths are your mindset, that's that inner strength, because if you can dream it, you can doodle it, and you can do it. And the other strength is that you are creating art. Imagine yourself reaching creative [00:19:00] goals and drawing your creative goals will help you determine the path to achieve those goals.
Much like the athlete, Sydney McLaughlin Lavrone, who created confidence in winning races by imagining herself running and leaping hurdles and maintaining a lead and winning races, your doodle board is going to provide the same kind of confidence. You're going to imagine and draw. your dreams, your goals.
You're going to draw yourself actually achieving your dreams. And because you're drawing, you're making yourself confident that you can win, just like Sidney McLaughlin LeBron. So you'll discover much like a vision board, a doodle board will help you manifest your goals. ~Okay, yeah. And because you're doodling, ~and because you're just doodling, you've taken the pressure off of creating a masterpiece every day.
And because you've [00:20:00] allowed yourself to play, you'll strengthen your sketching skills through this relaxed state. Creative fun.~ So here's our third idea, a tandem. And here's our third idea and the creative, the tandem creative strengths.~ And here's our third idea. The tandem creative strengths are collaboration and creating art.
So here's the activity, a community mural project. So you're going to be gathering a group of creatives and community members. So they don't all have to be artists, right? They can ~just~ be people who have ~great~ creative ideas and you're going to get them together for a brainstorming session to design thoughts for a community mural.
~And here's the objective. You're going to design, create. And here's the objective. You're going to create a mural design that reflects a chosen focus, such as history or diversity or creative aspirations or creativity. ~And here's the objective. You're going to create a mural design that reflects a chosen focus, like history, diversity, creativity, Or some sort of aspiration.
The ideas, my friend, are endless, right? ~So, and here's the outcome. A beautifully creative, no,~ here's the outcome. A beautifully curated [00:21:00] collaborative mural that serves as a public piece of art. A lasting tribute that fosters community pride and engagement. So, the tandem strengths. Let's talk about that a little bit.
Do you remember our guest Lori Siebert? She talked about the value of collaboration. Remember when she was talking about when you invite other artists to come and be and create with you, you become immersed into their creative worlds, their perspectives, and their unique creative energy. You're not only immersed in it, but you share yours and they're immersed in your world too.
~And this helps you. ~And this helps you to become open to new and different ways of thinking and seeing and communicating. ~And you'll find that when you allow yourself to both share and receive creative image, ~and you'll find that when you allow yourself to both share and receive creative information, ~that you'll make creative relationships.~
That you'll make creative relationships that will last for years, and your [00:22:00] creativity is going to rocket to new heights because you are open to new ideas and perspectives and ways to create. So my dear friend, ~as we wrap up today's episode,~ remember that incorporating these tandem strengths These push pull movements in your creative practice, this can transform your creative journey.
And just like those push me pull you muscles that work in harmony in our bodies to build physical strength and let you move in a beautiful smooth motion, your creative skills can also elevate each other when combined thoughtfully. Embracing a creative habit that incorporates tandem strengths will help you build momentum through a daily practice and making each day's effort a stepping stone towards greater creativity.
~Embracing a creative habit that incorporates tandem strengths will help you build momentum. ~Embracing a creative habit that incorporates [00:23:00] Tandem strengths will help you build momentum through a daily practice, making each day's effort, a stepping stone towards greater creativity.~ And if you found today, and if you found value in today's creative chat, I want you.~
And if you found value in today's creative chat and you want to continue nurturing your creative journey, I personally invite you to join the Create Today community. ~Inside this beautiful community, you can explore free tutorials. You can participate in workshops. You can enroll in courses and benefit from personalized ~Inside this beautiful community, you can explore free tutorials, participate in workshops, enroll in courses, and benefit from personalized coaching opportunities.
Just visit www. bdi create. today to become part of this vibrant community of beautiful creatives. Working in tandem. We as creatives can unlock the beautiful creative potential that ~you have inside yourself and~ we have inside of ourselves. ~And at the same time, ~we can support each other [00:24:00] as we explore the world around us.
And as we continue to travel through this journey, we will That we call life. Thank you for joining me on this episode of BDI Create Today. Remember, creativity is a daily journey and every step you take, no matter how small, contributes to your growth. And it doesn't matter how fast you go, my friend, as long as you're As you don't stop.
Until we meet again, remember, I double dog dared you last week to create a daily practice. What might that be my friend? Think on it and then check back with me next week. But no matter what you do~ or think, ~stay creative my friend.
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