E34 Dance Like No One's Watching: Embracing Creative Freedom
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~ I have loved the theater. I grew up in a mid sized city that was not close to any Broadway or off Broadway performances, but my mom, she would take me to community theater and semi professional theaters in the Quad Cities where I grew up.~
~We went to outdoor performances the theater shows that were at nearby colleges, and the organized community theater production groups. And this is where my love for musicals and mysteries and Shakespeare began. Now, in the past 25 years, as an adult, I've had some fun on my own actually being in some community theater productions.~
~And one of the shows I was in was Godspell. I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with this musical. And while we were learning one of the musical numbers, the shoot. In the past 25 years, I've had some fun on my own, actually being in community. In the past 25 years, I can't believe it's been that long.~
~Now in the past 25 years, in the past 25 years, I cannot believe. That is been that long. I've had some fun on my own actually being in some community theater productions. And one of the shows I was in was Godspell. Let's try that again. Be a little bit more interesting.~
~I have always loved theater since I was in grade school.~
~I have always loved the theater, going to the theater and seeing live. performances. Now, I grew up in a mid sized city that was not close to any Broadway or off Broadway performances, but my mom would take me to community theater and semi professional theaters in the Quad Cities where I grew up. So we went to outdoor performances we went to theater productions at the nearby colleges and organized community theater groups.~
~We saw all of these kinds of shows. And this is where my love for musicals and mysteries and Shakespeare began. And in the past 25 years, can't believe it's been that long. I've had some fun on my own actually being in some community theater productions. And one of the shows I was in was Godspell. It was one of my favorites.~
~And I'm sure that there are a lot of you out there that are familiar with this musical. And while we were learning one of the music numbers, the sheet music gave the cast this note in the music saying, Dance with Abandon. Now, there was no choreography given, just dance. with abandon. How joyous is that?~
~I loved this note, and I have never forgotten it. Now, these two words, they are so descriptive, right? Dance and abandon. I have often thought how important the word abandon can be when I pair it with other things in my life. And that, my Is what we're going to chat about today. So welcome back my creative friend to another episode of BDI create today.~
~This is a podcast where we explore and celebrate the many ways creativity can enhance your life. Today, we're going to turn our thoughts and look at the word abandon. We're going to observe it in a positive light so that you will be able to use this word as a tool to actually strengthen your creative happiness.~
~Yay. Yay. So first let's. Let's take a look at the word ABANDON. Now the Merriam Webster dictionary gives this definition to the word ABANDON. When you look at the word ABANDON as a verb, the definitions in the dictionary are to give up the control or influence of another person or agent. to give up the intent of never again claiming a right or interest, or to withdraw from, often in the face of danger or encroachment, such as abandon ship, or withdraw protection, support, or help from something or someone, such as they abandoned their family.~
~Now, these sad definitions have even a few more examples, but I think you get the point. That as a verb, the word abandon is a little depressing. And then to add to the gloom, in the dictionary, they always give a list of the synonyms, those words that are similar to the word you're looking up. And here are the synonyms that are similar to the verb abandon.~
~And here's the words that were provided. Abandon, give up, surrender, yield, and the list went on. So right now we're not feeling a reason to feel joy here, right? Yes, we are not. But here's a very odd thing about the word abandon. The definition of abandon as a noun? It's very different from the verb abandon as a noun.~
~The definition of abandon is a thorough yielding to natural impulses, especially enthusiasm. And exuberance. Wow. That's pretty cool. And then the synonyms provided were ease. Lightheartedness, naturalness, spontaneity, spontaneousness, unconstrain, uninhibited. Now those. Those are some pretty fun words, right?~
~How odd that one word can have such different emotions between its definition as a verb, which is an action, and its definition as a noun, which is a person, place, or thing. And to make this word even odder Today, we are taking the positivity of the noun definition of abandon, and then we're going to use this noun as a verb.~
~We're going to turn it on its head, and we're going to make this positive noun a positive verb. So much fun. I love grammar. Now if you're thinking, okay Beth, where is this going? Let's stop being geeky about words in the dictionary and let's get into whatever it is you're trying to talk about today.~
~Okay. Here we go. Hang with me for just a second. There's one more fascinating tidbit that the dictionary provides that will shed some light on why I'm talking about abandon and how it's going to make you a happier creative. Now, beneath the definitions for the verb and the noun and the synonyms that accompany the word, Merriam Webster provided this note called, Did You Know?~
~And here's the gold that captures today's focus. And I quote from Merriam Webster. And I quote from Merriam Webster, You may associate this word, abandon, with the act of leaving and never returning, given the familiar, given the familiarity, ha. ~
~You may associate this word, abandon, with the act of leaving and never returning, given the familiarity of the word abandon.~
~But, The noun abandoned, with its more pleasant connotations of freedom, is likely here to stay despite being a relative newcomer. Because language, my friend, is always evolving, right? So the word abandoned only entered the English language in the early 1800s as borrowing from a French word that goes back to an old French word.~
~Now here's where things get interesting. Merriam Webster continues this little story by saying Louisa May Alcott recognized the word abandons utility. When she used it when talking about Joe in Little Women. She writes that, quote, when the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandoned.~
~Quote, when the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandoned and led a blissful life unconscious of work.~
~Writing that quote, when the writing fit came on, she gave herself up to it with entire abandon and led a blissful life unconscious of want, care, or bad weather, unquote. And this my friend, this is the reason I want to talk about the noun definition for the word abandon. And today we will link abandon to our happiness.~
~as a creative. Are you ready? Here goes. ~[00:00:00] Today, when we talk about abandon, we're focusing on the positive aspect like Jo in Little Women and how she just let herself loose when the fit of writing came on. So it's about creating purely for yourself, embracing the freedom and joy that comes with the act of being creative.
Oof. So good. So when you create with abandon, and I suggest that you take a moment right now to replace the word create with whatever your creative passion might be. ~ Paint, sing, dance, draw, create, spreadsheets, bake, do whatever you want. ~Paint, sing, dance, draw, create, spreadsheets, bake, garden. So you'll replace create with paint with abandon, dance with abandon, create spreadsheets with abandon, bake with abandon.
See where I'm going with this, right? So when you [00:01:00] create. With abandon, you give yourself up to the pure passion and internal love of whatever you love to create. And when you are in the act of doing this thing, of abandon. You close the door to worry, to stress or self judgment and the door of all the concerns you have about what others might think about what you are creating at this moment.
When you can close the door to these thoughts, you allow your true creativity to flow like a beautiful Now, research shows that engaging in creative activities can reduce stress, improve mood, and increase overall happiness. But, if you create with the weight of your inner [00:02:00] critic sitting on your shoulders, it is difficult to let the true benefits of creativity flood you with its goodness.
Creating with abandon is incredibly beneficial for your mental and emotional well being. When you free yourself from the constraints of judgment and expectations, And this judgment that includes your own criticism and the criticism that you fear or expect from others, even if you didn't actually hear it from them.
When you allow yourself to just let go, when you abandon your fears and doubts about what you're creating, then you open up a space. for genuine expression and innovation and just pure play. ~Now a study from the American Journal of Public Health highlighted that art making can significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol.~
~Additionally, A survey by the British Journal of Occupational Therapy found that creative activities help boost self esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment. ~Now, a study from the American [00:03:00] Journal of Public Health highlighted that art making can significantly lower levels of the stress hormone Cortisol.
And additionally, a survey by the British Journal of Occupational Therapy found that creative activities help boost self esteem and provide a sense of accomplishment. Those are all great things. So creating with abandon isn't just fun, it's also a powerful tool for your mental health. This is the stuff that will make you a happier creative.
It's cool, huh? Now, just me saying a create with abandon is not going to magically allow yourself to truly understand what this means or how to actually do it. So let's dig a little deeper. First, here's an experiment. It's going to be super easy for you to do this week. [00:04:00] I want you to find a moment when you're by yourself and then just simply turn on some fabulous music that you love, that makes you feel upbeat.
And then my friend just dance. That saying dance like no one is watching. Just do that. Just dance, feel the music and move to the feeling, the music. is giving your heart. Just move. Abandon your cares and feel the joy of the song and just get your groove on. And when the song is over, I want you to realize that you have just done something with abandon.
You've just danced with it. With a band ~and truth be told I dance in the kitchen a lot now my friend might ~and truth be told I dance in the kitchen a lot now My kids are grown and I work from home and Tom has a real job in an actual [00:05:00] office So I am home by myself a lot. ~So a majority of my kitchen dancing It's just me and little Raz watching me without judgment You ~So wherever you happen to be in your house, this is a definite try this at home.
Get used to the feeling of, Oh, what the hell? No one's watching. And just bust your moves. ~Feel the feeling of doing something with abandon. And then my friend, you just created something with abandon just by dancing in your kitchen. It's pretty sweet. Isn't it?~
And then my friend, feel the feeling of doing something with abandon. My friend, you've just created with abandon, just by dancing in your kitchen. ~It's pretty sweet. Sweet, huh? Now feel the feeling of doing something with abandon. My friend, if you've danced in your kitchen, you've just created with abandon, just by dancing in your kitchen.~
That's pretty sweet. Now let's expand the opportunities of creating that feeling of positive abandon that can increase your happiness to a few more ideas that you can try at home. Number one, and if you haven't already done this, do it. And when I say this, you'll be like, Oh, I just, I do that all the time.
The first thing on my list is sing in the shower or the car or [00:06:00] wherever. Yep. ~When you do this. ~Open up those lungs and you just let your feelings push their way out through your rendition of whatever. Just sing for the glory of making blissful sounds just for yourself and you'll be creating with abandon.
Number two. Try an abstract painting. Just grab some paints and a canvas and let your emotions guide your brush. Don't think about the final product. Don't try and make something. Don't try and make the best painting you've ever made. Just focus on your feelings. And the act of painting ~itself. ~Number three, improvisational music.
Now, if you play an instrument, spend some time improvising. Let go of trying to read music or perform perfectly and just see where your creativity takes you. Number four is mindful doodling. [00:07:00] So I want you to keep a sketchbook handy and doodle whenever you have a few minutes. And don't worry about making a masterpiece, just enjoy the act of drawing.
And my friends, I want you to stay tuned a little bit more about doodling. We're going to explore the world of doodling more very soon. So doodle now and then doodle soon with me and we'll discover more about the benefits that doodling can bring to you. So stay tuned.
~Number five, collage making. Number five, collage making. I want you to gather materials, just like magazines and newspapers, fabric scraps, glitter, whatever, and just create a collage. Let your intuition guide you as you arrange and you glue the pieces. I want you to I want you to enjoy the feeling of the paper and the materials and the sounds that are made as you're making your collage and the sensation of gluing, cutting, and the sensation of finding, arranging, cutting, and gluing your found images.~
~That is going to help you create. ~Number five. Collage making. Gather materials like magazines and newspapers, fabric scraps and glitter, ribbons, whatever. Make a collage. Let your intuition guide you as you arrange and glue the pieces. And just enjoy the feeling of the paper and the materials and the sensation of gluing your found images ~to create.~
~a thought or a story. ~To illustrate a [00:08:00] thought or a story. Number six, cooking without a recipe. Now, this could turn into a hot mess, but head into the kitchen and create a meal without following a recipe. Just use whatever ingredients you have on hand and let your creativity shine. ~Hopefully you'll end up something.~
Hopefully you'll end up with something that's edible, but even if it's not. Have some fun just ~feeling the food and~ loving the sounds and smelling all the goodness that you are creating through your sautéing and your cooking and your baking. Have some fun. ~Hopefully this list,~
now I hope this list will inspire you with other ideas that can let you just abandon your cares, And focus on creativity and expressing your emotions, ~letting those out, even if those are,~ even if those emotions aren't necessarily joyful, [00:09:00] letting out whatever is pent up inside you. is going to make you creatively healthier because you are letting loose, you're venting whatever is building.
~When you incorporate practices like this into your day, you're going You'll be able to embrace the freedom of releasing the stress of what will people say. And you'll, ~when you incorporate practices like this with abandon into your day, you'll be able to embrace the freedom of releasing the stress of, ~Oh my gosh,~ what will people say?
Or, Oh my gosh, I'm not good enough for anyone to see this. Because you're doing something. Just for you. No one ever has to see it, or hear it, or taste it. And you're doing this just to experience the joy or whatever emotion emits from this abandon. And I want you then to realize that this is going to benefit your creative voice.
And this is going to provide this mental strength to your [00:10:00] life. ~Now, let's look at more benefits about creating with abandon and how these bene ~Now, let's look more at some benefits that creating with abandon can bring to your life. ~Here's a beautiful list that you can enjoy when you do what you do creatively.~
~And you can do it with abandon. ~Here is a list of benefits that you will enjoy as a result when you do what you do creatively and you do it with abandon. Number one, you can break through creative blocks. When you're not worried about making something perfect, you're more likely to experiment and take risks.
And the act of not caring what ends up or how this is going to turn out, or what people might think, this can help you actually let go of a lot of stress and it will open the door to help you realize new ideas or find solutions that weren't apparent when you were stressed. about perfection. So creating with abandon can help [00:11:00] you break through creative blocks, discover new ideas, and even solve problems.
Pretty nice, huh? Number two, enhance your personal growth. When you allow yourself to create with abandon, without fear of your inner critic's judgment, or fear about how others will judge you, this allows you to freely focus and explore different facets of your own personality and experiences. And this can lead to greater self worth.
Self expression, greater self awareness, and personal growth. Hello, creative confidence and self worth. And this can start with just dancing in your kitchen, my friend. ~Number three, finding joy in the process. When you create with abandon, you're not creating for what you think others will want, or what others will buy, or what they will approve of, or what they will think about you.~
~And you won't be thinking, wow, is that person talented or not talented? You won't worry about any of that. Instead, you are just purely creating for the sheer joy of doing whatever it is your creative passion happens to be. The process itself becomes the reason you are doing whatever you are creating.~
~Baking, gardening, painting, sculpting, singing, playing an instrument, writing, performing, doesn't matter. This, my friend, this process of becoming~
~This, my friend, the act of creating with abandon is more rewriting. This, my friend, this act of creating with abandon is more rewriting.~
Number three, finding joy in the process. When you create with abandon, you're not [00:12:00] creating for what you think others will want or what others will buy or approve of or think about you as a person. ~whether or not you're talented or you're not talented. ~Instead, you're creating purely for the sheer joy of doing whatever your creative passion is.
The process itself becomes the reason you are doing what you're creating. And this, ~my friend,~ is more rewarding for your heart, mind, body, and soul. You're creating, just to create. You're not creating to reach an end result. Do you see the difference in that? The act of creating or the act of making something that someone will purchase or someone will want.
You're not doing that. You're just creating for the sheer love of God. Of your creative passion. This is especially important for folks who are making a living selling their work. You need to take time [00:13:00] away from the act of trying to make the almighty dollar and take time to create. ~ ~What others might think is just pure nonsense.
Do something that is outside of your wheelhouse or do something that might not even be considered sellable and do it just because, do it just for you. This can rekindle your passion for your art. It can remind you why you started in the first place. And my friend it doesn't have to even be related to what you do as a creative for a living.
It can be like me just doing some community theater or joining a choir group, even though you're not a professional singer, find something that you love to do, and then just go and do it.
So today's chat about creativity is all about exhaling, especially when life is a bit too [00:14:00] fast, a bit too loud, a bit too much. And lately that's pretty much every day for a lot of us. We all have days when we doubt our talents. We doubt the direction we're heading. We doubt our actual selves. ~We have days when we feel creativity is blossoming in our being with a force that needs, ~and we also have days like Jo in Little Women where we feel creativity blossoming in our being with a force that needs to be reckoned with.
And at this time, when we have that feeling of, Oh, I got to get this out. We need to let our ideas bloom and grow without the poison of our inner critic. and imposter syndrome. ~So it's times like these when we need to be able to exhale and then inhale. It's time. So it's times like these when we need to be able to exhale that poison and inhale.~
~to create with abandon. And~ it's times like these when we need to be able to exhale the poison and then inhale the goodness ~so we can, ~so that we can create with abandon. ~Creating with abandon is about letting go of our fears, and worries about judgment. When we can shut the door, ~when we can shut the door to judgment and let our creativity flow, we [00:15:00] find true joy.
Creating with Abandon, it's about rekindling your inspiration for experimentation and play. And it's about finding joy and freedom just in doing ~your creative process. Just in doing~ the process of your creativity by embracing this mindset of positive abandon, you can break through creative blocks, enhance your personal growth, and rediscover the pure joy of why you love to create.
It's also going to help you remember to shut the door to criticism. So today, let's start by Just turning on some great music and then allow yourself to dance with abandon. Come on. Let's dance.
Realize the joy you feel when you dance like no [00:16:00] one's watching. And then take this joy and create with the same abandon with whatever your creative passion might be. ~Exhale, that poison of judgment, ~exhale the poison that judgment brings and inhale the joy of abandon. My friend, I hope you are finding time to create today and that you remember to come and create each week with me as we explore all the shiny facets that creativity has to offer.
~Finding and practicing your creativity has benefits that are as important as ~finding and practicing your creativity has benefits that are as important as good nutrition, sleep, and exercise. And one way to become a healthier and happier creative is by joining the Create Today community. This vibrant community of curious creatives enjoys workshops, tutorials, online courses, a membership, and one to one [00:17:00] coaching.
It's a wonderful place to meet new friends and become a more confident creative and even achieve your lifelong dreams. If you found a tiny tidbit of goodness in today's creative conversation, let me know. And please share these thoughts and this podcast with your friends and your family, because everyone is creative.
So let's share the goodness.
Thank you for taking time out of your busy week to tune in to this episode of Create Today. I hope that you will soon be dancing in your kitchen, or singing in your car, or creating with whatever abandon your creativity is calling you to explore. Wherever or whatever you decide to abandon ~with~ positively.
Just remember [00:18:00] to stay creative, my friend.
00:00 Introduction: A Love for Theater
00:59 Discovering 'Dance with Abandon'
02:01 Exploring the Word 'Abandon'
03:57 The Positive Side of Abandon
07:09 Creating with Abandon
11:05 Practical Tips for Creating with Abandon
17:19 Benefits of Creating with Abandon
21:02 Conclusion: Embrace Your Creative Freedom
Links to Create-Today
Get my Free Kickstart Video:
https://www.bdi-create.today/kickstart
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https://www.bdi-create.today
