E33 - Snack Your Way to Creative Genius: Great Tips for Busy Minds
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[00:00:00] Hello, my creative friends! This next week, I'm getting ready to ~go to~ visit family in Nebraska, and we are going to drive. Now, it's a 10 hour drive from Chicagoland to the small towns of Bladen and Blue Hill, where my Nebraska family lives.
Now, I don't remember a time where driving to Nebraska was not part of my life. I have always looked forward to our visits. And all my years of growing up, my family lived out of state. We lived in Kansas or Illinois. So getting together with my grandparents, my aunts, my uncles, and all my cousins, it involves some travel.
So we always piled all our things into the car for the journey. ~I haven't even considered a plane for most of these trips~ because, well, there really wasn't a close airport that made traveling easier [00:01:00] to get there than just getting in the car and driving. And, truth be told, like a pup riding with the windows down, oh my goodness, I love a car ride.
Hello, my creative friends. You know, next week, I am going to be going on a road trip to visit family in Nebraska, and we are going to drive. Now, it's a 10 hour drive from Chicagoland to the small towns of Bladen and Blue Hill, where my Nebraska family lives.
And I don't remember a time where driving to Nebraska wasn't a part of my life. all my years growing up, my family lived out of state. We lived in Kansas or we lived in Illinois. So getting together with my grandparents and my aunts and my uncles and cousins, It always involved travel and we always just piled our things into the car for the journey Never even considered a plane for these trips Mostly because there [00:02:00] wasn't or isn't still a close airport that made traveling easier by plane than just getting in the car and driving And, truth be told, like a pup riding with the windows down, oh my goodness, I love a car ride.
I mean, it's the best excuse for uninterrupted reading and napping and snacking. Snacking is a big part of getting ready for a successful car journey. Anyway, that's my opinion. Now, as a kid who was just a passenger, who wanted to get to grandma's as soon as possible, who was impatient and asking, are we there yet?
Even before we left our city limits, snacking was serious and it was a vital component to any car ride that was over 30 minutes long. And as a kid, my favorite car snacks had nothing to do with nutrition or staying alert and focused in the car. [00:03:00] My main concern when I was a kid was, is the snack sweet? Is it crunchy?
And could I nibble on whatever it was whenever I wanted it for a good amount of time? Because it gave me something to do while sitting in the car for hours. And that was important. ~ Now, as an adult who, as the driver, needs to avoid getting drowsy, cause that's a driver's worst nightmare.~
~Or as the co pilot who is making sure that the driver is awake and alert. Cause that's also a nightmare knowing that you're, driver is getting sleepy. I know that snacks are the fuel to keep the driver~
~ Now as an adult who as the driver needs to avoid getting drowsy or as the co pilot who is making sure that the driver is staying awake and alert, I know that snacks are the fool. ~
Now, as an adult who, as the driver, needs to avoid getting drowsy, or as the co pilot who is making sure that the driver is awake and alert, I know that snacks are the fuel to keep the driver and the co pilot busy with munching. So that there is no time to get drowsy. But if I let myself just eat stupidly in the car, just any old thing going into the mouth, I know at this wise age that I will pay for it later by feeling bloated or sluggish and some of those [00:04:00] things can make you sleepy too.
So these days I'm hyper aware of what I'd toss into the proverbial pie hole so that I can stay awake and alert during my car ride. but still, I want to nibble on something that I want to eat that will be enjoyable. snacking during a 10 hour car journey takes a bit of planning ~to keep the food available or I feel sick.~
~Without making Tom and I sluggish and disgusting, especially when we finally get to our destination.~ So today, my friend, because I want to talk to you about creativity and I have travel snacks on my mind, we're going to combine those two things together and we're going to explore a metaphor, surprise, about snacks and your creativity.
So, welcome back, my friend, to another episode of BDI Create Today, where we explore and celebrate the many ways that creativity can enhance your life. And today, we're chatting about [00:05:00] creative snacking. just like physical snacks, creative snacks can keep our energy levels up and our minds alert and focused and creative snacks can keep our imagination fueled and our spirits high.
we're going to look at how to snack healthy as a creative, and we're going to talk about some not so healthy snacks that you might think of as possibly being creatively healthy, but will actually make you feel weighed down like an overload of processed food and added sugars. If you can learn how to snack creatively, you'll realize all the benefits snacking provides.
And this will make you creatively happier and healthier in heart, mind, body, and soul. And that's the goal, right? So feeling full with satisfaction in your life that is [00:06:00] coupled with a zesty energy and curiosity about what you will create today. This can be achieved by knowing how to snack.~ That sounds pretty great, right?~
So let's get started. By first, just looking at the word snack.~ The definition of the word snack according to Merriam Webster Dictionary.~
The definition of snack according to the online Merriam Webster Dictionary is a portion of food or a light meal. ~So~
~ ~these are just small nibbles. So to make something small really make a big impact, you need to concentrate on making it delicious. and memorable. So first up, let's talk about how you can have artistic tapas. Now we have an amazing restaurant close to my house. It's called Maison Sabica and they serve Spanish tapas.
Now tapas means small plates. ~So when you eat at Maison Sabica, you order small plates that come in a plethora of varieties from tiny little salad things and things with shrimp ~
So when you eat at [00:07:00] Maison Sabica, you're encouraged to order. all these tiny plates. They have an incredibly big menu that has a selection of just amazing different varieties of these tiny plates. And you're encouraged to share them with your lunch or dinner companions. And then you're not overwhelmed by one giant serving of a single entree.
Instead, you have fun trying many different tastes and quite often you get experimental and try something new because you only get a small plate of it. So you're more enticed to try something that you wouldn't normally get because you wouldn't want an entire huge dinner plate full of something that you found out you didn't like.
So when you're ~at~ doing tapas, you think, what the heck, let's give it a try. So it's a fun way to sample a lot of delicious food. Tapas. Give it a try sometime. Now, imagine your [00:08:00] creative life as a table full of tapas. Imagine a plethora of small plates that you can experience a wide variety of delicious creativity, each representing a different creative endeavor.
By sampling a little of this and a little of that, say creating a doodle and writing a poem or making up a melody, you keep your creative palette excited and fresh. And these little bites can combine together to create a fulfilling and diverse artistic interest in your life. And this is going to help you determine what your true creative passion might be and help you find your creative voice.
The beauty of artistic tapas is that you don't need hours to indulge. Even a few minutes spent on a single little project can ignite [00:09:00] your imagination and inspire you to tackle larger creative challenges.
~And by the way, if you're thinking I'm saying tap less, please, I am not. I am saying tapas. That's spelled T A P A S. Look it up.~ Now, let's talk a little bit about nutritional creative snacks. And just as our bodies need a balanced diet to thrive and feel good and have energies, our minds need a creative variety to stay sharp and inspired.
~So snacking creatively means feeding your imagination with a mix of different activities. So, just like tapas, you're thinking about, maybe I'm going to read a good book, I'm going to draw, I'm going to brainstorm new ideas, ~
so snacking creatively means feeding your imagination with a mix of different activities. You're reading a good book, you're drawing, you're brainstorming new ideas. You are taking walks. You're going to the theater. you're going to concerts. You're listening to new musicians. You're just experimenting with a lot of things that is going to balance your creative health.
So just Like having tapas, which is concentrating on [00:10:00] small plates, having a balanced nutritional creative life means that you're not ~just~ going to always just do one kind of creativity, but you're going to keep that experimentation going so that you can stay flexible and healthy and you never know when you're going to find a new passion that really creates a spark and a flame in your life that will make you happier in heart, mind, body, and soul.
So the mental and physical benefits of creatively snacking in a healthy way, well they are profound. Letting your imagination loose by taking time for these creative activities, it's going to reduce stress, it's going to improve mood, enhance problem solving skills, and~ even empower you. ~And even boost your immune system.
It's like giving your brain a workout while you're also nurturing your soul.~ That sounds good.~ [00:11:00] So how can we incorporate these concepts of creative tapas? And nutritional creativity into a busy life. 'cause we can always listen to these things, on a podcast or see them written down on paper, but actually incorporating things into your life, sometimes you need a little boost, right?
So. As you know, I love a good metaphor and I love a good list. Here's a list of four ways that you can incorporate this idea of ~ tapas,~ creative tapas, and nutritionally being creative with your ~creative~ snacks. Now, number one is Sketch while you're waiting. ~So just remember, we used to talk about that micro bit of creativity.~
This is such a great idea. Keep a small notebook with you and doodle while waiting in line~ or during a commute.~ Give yourself time to do something creative, even if it's as small as drawing flowers while you're standing in line at the grocery store.
Number [00:12:00] two.
~Scrolling on your iPhone and then make~ quick creative breaks So if you are doing something at your computer that is really intense or you are busy doing a house chore that you find no creativity in, take some ~five or ten minute~ breaks ~to throughout your day~ to find something creative to do.
Provide a haiku, take some photos of flowers outdoors, or brainstorm ideas that are going to help you finish a creative project or start a new craft. Take a break and let your imagination just let it loose. The third thing is daily prompts. Use daily prompts to spark some quick creative exercises. So write a paragraph, draw something that inspires you, or compose a short melody.
And I want you to stay tuned to what's going to be happening here in the Create Today community just in a few weeks, because we are going to be talking about how you can make some daily [00:13:00] prompts that will carry you through the rest of the year. So stay tuned for that. The fourth thing in our list are creative rituals.
when you have a good habit, like brushing ~your teeth~ or flossing your teeth, those are things that you ~might do every day without even really thinking about it, but it is something that you~ need to do. And because you've made it a habit or a ritual as you get ready to go to bed or as you get ready to go out into your day, you don't forget to do it.
And so setting a creative ritual and practicing it enough that it becomes something that you just do without having to either give yourself permission to do or forcing yourself to do it. That's important. So you're going to incorporate a short creative activity into your morning or your evening routine that will just become a habit.
Something simple and easy. Something that you will look forward to doing, it is going to set a positive tone to start your day or to end your day. [00:14:00] Now, snacking can also be a great way to tackle large projects. So let's say you have a very large project that you need to do and you are really kind of dreading getting started.
Maybe this is a project for a client that has a really big deadline and that is causing you to get a little overwhelmed. so you're faced with brainstorming ideas, creating concepts, creating the actual project, doing the art, making revisions, and then getting that final art ready on time for a very discerning client.
This can create some stress. and then this project, it might be for a client or it could be like preparing something that you're going to put together for a gift, like knitting a sweater for someone for a birthday or a holiday. And you want to [00:15:00] finish this ~in time and maybe several others.~ before that certain holiday.
So you need to, figure out what you're going to do. And then you need to get all the supplies and you need to find the patterns and figure out how to construct it. Then you need to find time to do the project and finish up all the last minute pieces and then clean up everything when the project or projects are done.
And then finding the time to get this project completed. You suddenly feel like, Oh, maybe I can't do it. And that creates some stress, even though you really want to make this sweater. And you think you could do it, but when you think about all the project as one big giant thing, it's overwhelming.
So I want you to think of this project as ~breaking it down into~ tiny snacks. This is going to help you not get overwhelmed. This is one of my favorite strategies for tackling a big project. And that is just breaking it down into those snackable bites.
~I heard a story the other day about someone who was getting ready to start biking more and they used to bike a lot and they were just getting back into the groove to get on their bike and their goal was to do a lot of biking one summer. I mean, we're talking hundreds of miles during that summer, so they hadn't been biking at all.~
~They were a little overwhelmed by the goal that they wanted to do, but they really in their heart knew this is what they wanted to be able to accomplish. So, to break it down into snackable, doable tasks, the person started really simply by washing their bike. That was all they did one day, was they just got their bike all set, got their bike ready.~
~And then one of the days, they just made sure they had a helmet And that was it. Hanging on a bike handle. Then, that was one of the days. And every day they did just a little bit more. Well, now my bike is all set. Now my helmet is ready.~
~Now I'm going to go on a little ride. But imagine if they just thought, I'm going to go biking. And they had to find their bike and get it ready. Get it cleaned up. Get air in the tires. Find their helmet. Get their helmet on. And then go biking. All of that just seems like So much, but if you can break it down into a little bit every day, suddenly you find you start building that energy that allows you to do those tasks.~
~And by breaking it down into those small snacks and you say, all you have to do today is this. And then you can be done. That suddenly makes it like something you can do. ~
so ~this way, when you break things down, ~if you tried to do [00:16:00] that whole project in just one big sitting, that would be like sitting down to eat an entire. cake. Now you don't need to have an entire cake. And then actually the best way to ~have a,~ have a cake and eat it is to have a slice a day.
~And so when you think about just having one slice of cake a day,~ that is one slice that you can easily, you eat and digest. It's not going to make you feel overfilled or overwhelmed. And then you have more cake to have the next day. It's something for you to look forward to and something that you can easily accomplish.
This way, my friend, you can have your cake and eat it too. So trying to complete a huge project all at once is not always sensible. But ~when you think of it as working on a project. And~ dividing it into those small, manageable, snackable tasks. And then let your brain think, Hey, you only need to complete this small snack today.
The process will become more fun and less stressful. And [00:17:00] that's it! There's another way ~you can look at this too~ that really is helpful for you as you're getting a project done.~ Think about it that you can also be sure that you can reach a chosen deadline by scheduling these snackable projects into your calendar.~
I love to take a look at a project and think, okay, today is The first of the month and this project needs to be done by the 30th ~of the month.~ So I have 30 days to finish this project. How am I going to break it down into small snackable tasks so that I can easily work on this project from day one to day 30 and have the same sort of focus ~intensity?~
On each day without feeling overwhelmed ~or not being afraid of, Oh my gosh, the deadline is here~ because if you start procrastinating, then you have less time to do a good job. if you take a look at the time you have from today to when it's due, and you break that down into those snackable tasks, you'll be able to know that you're not only on target to reach your deadline, but you're not going to be overwhelmed or surprised later on down the road.
So if [00:18:00] you put that onto a calendar, you can ~even then be a little bit flexible and find out, Oh, you know, it took me longer to do this. So I need to rearrange by time so I can reach the task, or you might be surprised that something didn't take as long and you could rearrange your schedule, but~ make sure that you have that schedule set into a snackable, projects.
within that big project so that you can reach your deadline without overwhelm. Now, let's also talk just a little bit about the opposite side of snacking. Because there's healthy snacks, and then there's junk food, right? So let's talk a little bit about creative junk food versus creative superfoods. So we all know what junk food is, and we all have that certain junk food weakness that just makes us lose our minds with any self control that we have, right?
And oh my goodness, if I even have one kettle cooked potato chip, I cannot stop. I love kettle cooked potato chips. So just as our bodies can suffer from too much junk food, because I know if I [00:19:00] overindulge in potato chips, I do feel just horrible later. So just as our bodies can suffer from too much junk food, our creativity can be dulled by things that seem like a harmless, sweet snack.
So imagine if you thought to yourself, you know, I'll just have one cookie with coffee this afternoon to wake me up. Yeah, that doesn't seem like a bad thing. It's just one cookie. But then, you know, you have that one cookie and you think, oh, it was kind of small. Maybe I'll have two or, oof, maybe three. I mean, what's one more?
Just today. That starts a daily habit that suddenly turns into, oh, maybe three cookies every afternoon. And then my friend, do the math, that ends up being a hundred and twenty cookies. every month. Yikes. In comparison, think about the time you might spend looking at Instagram. you think, you know, I just want to find out what a few of my [00:20:00] other creative friends are doing.
And your quick minute turns into 15 minutes several times a day. That turns into one to two hours a day. And my friend that becomes 30 to 60 hours a month scrolling on Instagram while this seems like just a quick daily snack too much time on mindless junk food activities like binge watching TV or endlessly scrolling on our phones.
That adds up. Have you ever felt oddly ~full or~ drained after a snack of mindless creative scrawling or after binge watching something on Netflix? These junk food activities can drain our energy and It stifles our creativity. Instead, we need to ramp up our snack intake on creative superfoods. activities that nourish our [00:21:00] imagination and spark our inspiration.
maybe swap out a TV show for a fascinating book. Replace social media scrolling with quick doodling instead. A quick doodle session could lead into an intense sketching session that gives you something that you really adore.
Or exchange a mindless video game for a few minutes of journaling. these healthier choices can keep your creative energy high and your mind sharp. ~And it doesn't mean that you have to completely take away television time or time looking on Instagram or time playing video games. ~
~Some of that time,~ because if you were spending 60 hours a month on Instagram or Netflix or video games, what if you broke that down and ~it suddenly became you~ did 30 hours of creativity and 30 hours of whatever that super junk food is? Imagine how your creativity will a rocket. That's a really good thing to think about.
So you want to take a look at [00:22:00] where those empty calories of time are spent on unproductive activities. ~So~ take a good look at what you might think of as creative snacking, but it might just be creative junk food, like excessive YouTube videos or social media.
And replace those with activities that are going to energize and inspire you, such as taking a nature walk, playing an instrument, or doing a new craft. What do you need to tweak in your life to become a healthier creative in heart, mind, body, and soul?
do you need to think about how you could detox your creative routine? Here's a few ways to create a healthier creative routine.
Number one, think about mindful scheduling. If you know that you're, scrolling and your television watching or your video games are just a little bit out of control, [00:23:00] take a look at scheduling time for doing that, but scheduling time for creative scheduling.
snacking as well. Just as you would for setting up a dentist appointment or setting up exercise or taking time to walk the dog, make time for yourself for some creative snacking that is a superfood, not a junk food.
Number two. Think about your environment, find a space and then create a space that encourages your creativity.
So have a space, a room, a corner that you love to be in. so that will be easier for you to want to go to that place to spend time doing something that you really enjoy. So declutter an existing area or space, or maybe you need to add a little something and.[00:24:00]
And then be certain that you have the tools that you need and the supplies that you need so that when you sit down to actually do this scheduled time, you're ready to go, that you don't go, Oh, I don't have a pencil. I don't have my markers are all dried out. Whatever might slow you down, just make sure that you get that set up so that when you are ready, you are ready to create.
~And~
number three, digital detox. This is taking breaks from digital devices. ~Actually, just setting that time.~ You don't have to start with ~like~ an entirely dry digital day. You could just do a tech free hour each day. Or, Maybe build up to then just a tech free day each week.
And you'll be surprised how much freedom this is going to bring into your creative day or just that creative time.
Now we've talked about being a healthy creative a lot. But it is [00:25:00] always worth repeating. Being a healthy creative is as important as good nutrition, as good sleep.
and exercise. And snacking can help you be healthier and happier. when you snack creatively and maintain a balanced creative diet, you will keep your imagination vibrant and your spirits will be uplifted. ~So think about your creative journey.~
How are you preparing your creative snacks so that you can stay alert and focused as you travel to your creative destination?
~And ~One way to learn more about creating these healthy, creative snacks is becoming part of the Create Today community. This vibrant community of curious creatives provides you with a variety of snacking recipes through workshops, tutorials, Online courses, monthly memberships, and one to one coaching.
~ The Create Today community is a wonderful place to meet new creative friends, become a happier and more confident creative and reach lifelong dreams that you have about your creative goals.~
~So remember to share this podcast with anyone who needs to strengthen their creativity. And as we know, everyone is creative. So basically share this creative conversation with your friends and your family.~
~ Imagine how wonderful our world would be if everyone was snacking creatively as they journeyed to the creative destinations that they have chosen. ~
~I'll be wondering about how you are creatively snacking as I drive to Nebraska. So no matter how you choose to creatively snack, Remember to stay creative, my friend.~
~ Think about your creative journey. How are you preparing your creative snacks so that you can stay alert and focused as you travel to your creative destination? One way to learn more about creating these healthy creative snacks is becoming part of the Create Today community.~
~This vibrant community of curious creatives provides you with a variety of snacking recipes through workshops, tutorials, online courses, monthly memberships, and one to one coaching. And ~the Create Today community is a wonderful place to meet new friends, [00:26:00] become happier and more confident as a creative, and reach lifetime dreams you have about your creative goals.
So remember to share this podcast with anyone who needs to strengthen their creativity. And as we know, everyone is creative. So basically share this creative conversation with your friends and your family.
~Remember, my friend, to share this podcast with anyone who needs to strengthen their creativity. So share this podcast with all your friends and your family.~ Imagine how wonderful our world would be if everyone was snacking creatively as they journeyed to their creative destinations that they've chosen.
I'll be wondering about how you are creatively snacking as I drive to Nebraska.~ So, no matter how you choose to creatively snack, Remember to stay creative, my friend.~
So, no matter how you choose to ~creatively~ snack, remember to stay creative, my friend.
00:00 Introduction and Upcoming Road Trip
02:15 The Importance of Snacks on a Road Trip
04:22 Creative Snacking: A Metaphor
06:41 Artistic Tapas: Small Bites of Creativity
09:05 Nutritional Creative Snacks
10:59 Incorporating Creative Snacks into Daily Life
14:01 Tackling Large Projects with Snackable Tasks
18:14 Creative Junk Food vs. Creative Superfoods
22:42 Creating a Healthier Creative Routine
24:55 Conclusion and Community Invitation
Links to Create-Today
Get my Free Kickstart Video:
https://www.bdi-create.today/kickstart
Join the Create-Today Community:
https://www.bdi-create.today
