E40-Create Time Just for You: A Journey to Self-Care and Creativity
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[00:00:00] Hello, my creative friend. Today, you're with me as I walk along a beach along Lake Michigan. Lake Michigan is one of the Great Lakes. So when you look out towards the water, It feels like you're looking into the ocean. The waves are rolling in and I'm walking along the shore about ankle deep, walking in the water, listening to the sounds of the waves, noticing the different patterns of little bird feet as they waddle through the sand, ~collecting rocks.~
Well, it's something I love to do, just walking here along the beach, and I'm not alone here, I know. I know there are a lot of people that just [00:01:00] love the water. There's something soothing and regenerative about being next to a majestic amount of water. And, as you may have guessed, Well, today I'm on vacation.
I'm taking a break from a bunch of responsibilities and I'm exhaling a few worries. And this week I've calmed down my deadlines, reversed the day to more hours of relaxing and fewer hours of work. So my days this week are more, ah, and less ugh. This week, when I get up, I'm thinking, What do I want to do today?
Yesterday, when I was thinking this, I realized That having this decision to make is gorgeous. What do I want to do? ~ So, hey, ~so hey there, my friends, welcome back to Create Today, where we [00:02:00] explore how to successfully and artfully weave creativity into every day of our lives. Today, we're talking about something that we all crave, but often struggle to find.
time for. But even harder than just finding time specifically, this is time for you. And to narrow down this even a little more, time for your creativity.~ Often these two things are decisions for doing that are important Right? But they take a backburner. Often, these two things, finding time for you, and finding time for your crea Often, often, these two things, finding time for you, and time for your creativity, these are things That need to be decided for what are you going to do, but these decisions often take a backburner.~
~Too long. ~Often these two things, time for you and time for your creativity, are decisions ~about what to do~ that take a backburner. ~I would guess that like me, more often your time, ~And I would guess that, just like me, more often, your time is sacrificed to give others what they need, or to get a project done for someone or something,~ or it's hours per week spent on a commute.~
Or, unlike me right now, [00:03:00] it's hours per week spent on a commute. I've been there, my friend. I have been on those long commutes. Or maybe your time is given to prepare for something that is needed for someone else's today or their tomorrow. And this leaves you very little time for you. Does that sound familiar?
Probably so. ~ Today, we're going to explore this. What are you going? ~ ~So~ today we're going to explore this. What are you doing today? Just for you. Now, if you sat down with pen and paper with this list of what you're going to do for you. today. Would that list be long? If so, applause to you, my friend. Way to go.
Or is this list really short? ~If your answer is, uh, Beth, it's really short, or even, nah, on my list today, there's a, if your answer is, well, Beth, My list is really short or even there is nothing on my list for just me today. Don't feel alone. A lot of my days when I'm not on vacation seem that way. So let's unpack this a little.~
~How often, if your answer to this,~
if your answer to this is my list [00:04:00] is really short, Beth, or even there's nothing on my list for me today. Don't feel alone. So let's unpack this a little. How often do you give yourself permission to relax, explore, and of course create something, anything just for you? Today we're going to chat about how to find time just for you and then realize that in order to make this happen, you need to give yourself permission.
You need to give yourself approval to actually take the time. Just for you, because my friend, it's important as we've discussed and discovered in many episodes of Create Today, finding time for you and time for whatever your creative passion might be. Well, this [00:05:00] can actually make you happier and healthier in heart, mind, body, and soul.
So let's take a peek. First, a few things that are super easy to do. You know, things that you could do quickly just for you. So let me tell you a little bit about my normal ~work~ week.~ When I'm not vacationing at a sweet little cottage, a long make, during, when, when I'm not vacationing at a sweet little college.~
~Oh my gosh. When I'm not vacationing at a sweet little cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan, I work out of my home studio every day. A regular day consists of Tom leaving for work super early in the morning. He's out the door at 5 15. Let's see. During my normal work week, when I'm not vacationing at a sweet little college.~
~During my normal work week,~ when I'm not vacationing at a sweet little cottage on the shores of Lake Michigan, I work ~out~ Monday through Friday out of my home studio. Now, a regular day consists of Tom leaving for work super early in the morning. Oh, he is out the door at like 5. 15, that man. So, often, the only living beings I encounter during my day until Tom comes home in the evening is Raspberry, my pup, and Gabriel and Cake.
My angelfish. Now I have other fish, but Gabriel and Cake are the only sociable fish in the tank. They actually will [00:06:00] come up to the tank window and give me a friendly little fin wave when I lean in to say hello. So anyway, the reason I am bringing this up is fish and dogs, they don't expect much from me.
~Fish expect, ~fish expect food. ~And pups, while a little more demanding, um, and pups. ~And Raspberry, while a little more demanding, okay, a lot more demanding, she needs some rubs outside, she needs time for fetch, she wants some tubby rubs, and she loves her treats. But the thing is, that fish and dogs, they don't expect me to look good, smell good, or dress in any particular way.
They would treat me exactly the same ~way~ if I was wearing the same clothes for days without brushing my hair or even brushing my teeth. Or they would treat me exactly the same way if I dressed like I was attending opening night at the opera every day in my studio. They do not care how I look or how I dress.
They have [00:07:00] very low expectations of that part of me. They just want their food and their tummy rubs. Now here's the reason I am mentioning this odd bit of info about me and fish and pups, even though no one is home to actually see me. After decades of working from home alone, I get up every morning and I carefully choose what I'll wear to work.
I pick out something tasteful, something that I'm going to feel good in, albeit very comfortable. I do that. I love picking out what earrings I'm going to wear. I love dangly earrings. I like that feeling of something just knocking against my neck as I talk or nod my head. And I spritz on perfume that makes me feel good.
I have a quick makeup routine each morning so that when I'm ready for the day, when I pass by a mirror in the house, I'll be happy to say hello to that reflection. [00:08:00] Here's a few other things that I do just for me. I often light candles. I drink my coffee out of special mugs that I have carefully chosen on vacations that I've taken.
So you can bet I will be looking for a new mug this week. I also drink my water or sip my soda or sparkling water or sip wine and cocktails out of pretty stemware and glasses. I love. Pretty dishes. And I use them. I don't save my gorgeous dishes only for important guests. I use them because I like them.
Each week I buy fresh flowers for my kitchen. I get a little jolt of happiness each time I'm in the kitchen, loading the dishwasher or standing at the sink, all because of those colorful blossoms. I do these rituals and use these beautiful things. And enjoy [00:09:00] them just for me. I have found I feel better about myself if I take a bit of time to care and pamper me.
When I do these small things for me, I feel more productive. I feel more professional. I feel more sure of myself. I feel more confident, and it's all because I've taken a few moments to do these little things just for me. I have a question for you to ask yourself. How often do you do something just for you?
~And I'm not talking about the Things you feel you have to do, like brush your teeth or get gas in your car. ~And I'm not talking about the things that you feel you have to do to take care of yourself, like brush your teeth or get gas in your car, or maybe even mow your lawn. My friends, I mean something that's purely for your own enjoyment and fulfillment.
~I mean something that's purely for your own enjoyment and fulfillment. ~So think about this. ~Do you ever dressed,~ do you ever dress to impress others? [00:10:00] Do you do that often? Do you make decisions based on what you think people will say about you or what they expect of you? ~ We spend so, ~
~we spend, we spend so much of our lives ~We spend so much of our lives trying to fit into the mold of what friends or family or work expect of us or from us or ~even what we expect from us or even ~what is ~just~ trending on social media. But my friend, when was the last time you stepped back and asked yourself, what do I want?
What do I want? ~So let's take a, ~so let's take a moment to think. When was the last time you did something for no one else, but yourself? No expectations, no judgment from others, just pure, unfiltered. Because I want to. Maybe it was something simple, like treating yourself to your favorite afternoon snack.
Or [00:11:00] maybe it was you saying, I want to watch this on television tonight. Or maybe it was something even bigger, ~like taking a day to revive, ~like taking a day to revive your creativity by going to a museum or a farmer's market. Or maybe it's just getting your nails done. ~ ~ ~These moments were a Eupriatorial moment.~
These moments where you prioritize you are pretty sweet, and you should think about having both the large and small moments happen more often. Now, since this is Create Today, let's focus a little on your creativity. Your creative passion is one of the most personal things in your life. It's an expression of who you are.
So how often are you allowing yourself time to create and enjoy the you inside your creativity? And when you create, are you able to relax without being concerned about what others will think about your work? [00:12:00] Or are you always working to just create something for a deadline for someone else? When was the last time you created something just for you?
When you can create. Just for the joy of expressing what your imagination is wanting to share, you unlock something powerful. You're allowing your artistic voice to shine and share its unique message without filters, without restrictions. That, my friend, is the magic of creativity. We say this often on the podcast, that creativity It is not just about producing that next great masterpiece.
It's about the joy and the relaxation that comes from just doing. Your creative passion. And this doing is special [00:13:00] because it's just for you. My friend, studies consistently highlight the profound benefits of engaging in creative activities, showing that taking time for yourself to be creative can significantly reduce stress, elevate your mood, and promote a sense of accomplishment.
Science agrees here. ~Information provided by the, the Utah and science agrees. ~Information provided by the Utah State University Extension shared that people who engaged in daily creative activities experience higher levels of wellbeing and positive emotions. To read this full article, check out the link in the show notes.
Now, my friend, a crucial element in creating a mindset that will allow you the time to have these do this for you moments is you need to give yourself permission to [00:14:00] actually schedule the time for yourself. Just like you would set time for a meeting or a doctor's appointment to make a do it for you event actually happen, you need to just block out time in your calendar dedicated solely to you and your creativity.
And then you need to treat it as a sacred commitment to yourself and take that time that you have blocked off for you. So today As you consider creating this Do This For You mindset, take this seriously. It can transform how you think and care and pamper yourself. It will help you realize how important it is to be kind to you.
And then ultimately, a do this for you mindset will help you realize that finding time for your [00:15:00] creativity is a priority. So start small, light those candles, wear those fun earrings, because when you give yourself permission to do small things to pamper and care for you, it makes it easier to allow time for larger blocks of time just for you and your creativity.
Trust me. Your creativity will thank you by making you feel happier in heart, mind, body, and soul. ~And my friend, here is a really easy way to schedule time for your, just for you, creative list.~
And my friend, here is an easy way to schedule some time Just for you and your creativity. Please come and join me at one of my Create Today workshops this fall. These workshops, I've designed them just for you to give you time. Time to have fun, time to grow your creativity, time to mingle with other creatives, time to Just like you and all this creativity is wrapped up in a [00:16:00] supportive and inviting environment.
When you give yourself time to come to a Create Today event, you're going to learn new creative ideas. techniques, and discover how to incorporate all of this into your daily life. It is a really easy way to take some time just for you, and you can do it with me. ~For more details about the Create Today Fall Workshops, Just visit bdi, create today, and you're going to find the events calendar.~
~It's a perfect way just for you to enjoy a workshop. For more details, visit bdi. Create Today and find the perfect creative just for you workshop and a date that doesn't make sense.~
For more details, visit bdi create. today and find the perfect workshop just for you and pick a date that is perfect for you. Remember, taking time to nurture your creativity, it's not just a luxury. It's not something you do when you get everything else done for everyone else in your life, in your family, in your world.
It's a vital part of living a fulfilled and happy life. Embracing you [00:17:00] And your creativity can lead to greater contentment and joy, enriching not only your life, but when you're feeling more content, this happiness is going to radiate to the lives of those all around you who depend on you and need you every day.
So my friend, thank you for joining me today on this episode of Create Today. If you found a nugget of joy in today's episode, please share Create Today with your friends and family. And take a moment to leave a review and hey, find a friend or two or three and come and join me this fall at a create today workshop.
I cannot wait to meet you in person. ~So take a moment to look at your just for you list that you jotted down today. Find time to do something tiny or magnificent. So take a moment today and find time to do something tiny. ~So take a moment, find time to do something tiny or magnificent just for you today.
And then remember to continue to give yourself permission to do this [00:18:00] for you each day forward. Until we chat again, my friend, light a candle, drink something lovely from some beautiful stemware. Register for a Create Today workshop. Find a long, relaxing moment to do something just for you that makes you smile.
Whatever you plan and do, remember to stay creative, my friend.
00:00 Introduction and Beach Walk
01:08 Vacation Mode: Embracing Relaxation
02:08 The Struggle for Personal Time
03:28 Creating Time for Yourself
05:17 Daily Rituals for Self-Care
09:31 The Importance of Personal Enjoyment
11:27 Nurturing Your Creative Passion
13:44 Scheduling Time for Creativity
15:38 Join a Create Today Workshop
17:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Links you need!
Register to the Create-Today Workshops!
https://www.bdi-create.today/workshop-events-calendar
Other Resources at Create-Today:
https://www.bdi-create.today/almost-free-resources
The Create-Today Home Page:
https://www.bdi-create.today
Link to the article about creativity and happiness:
https://extension.usu.edu/mentalhealth/articles/how-hobbies-improve-mental-health
