E56 - Do this… to improve your creativity, and live a fulfilling life –with guest, Wendy Townley
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Beth: Welcome my creative friend to another episode of Create Today with Beth Buffington. Today, I have another special guest that I am very excited for you to meet. This is a creative who touched base with me,
And we found out we had some really unique connections that Told us that you know what we needed to get in touch with each other.
And when we started chatting, we realized we had a lot of similar ideas about creativity, and I realized that Wendy is someone who you need to meet. So today I welcome Wendy Townley to the create today, creative table. I'm really excited to have you here today. Wendy, tell us a little bit about who you are, where you are and what you do.
Welcome.
Wendy: Yes. [00:01:00] Thank you, Beth. This is such a treat and a pleasure to be with you this day to talk about one of my favorite topics, which is creativity. As you mentioned, my name is Wendy Townley. I was born in Omaha, Nebraska and have lived in Nebraska my entire life. I have one sister wonderful parents.
extended family, many of whom are sprinkled across Nebraska and married and importantly, have to Westies Farley and Teddy, the same breed of dog you have as well. And so I have a very full and rich and active life. Faith is a big part of my life as well. But Honing in and talking about creativity, not just what I love to make, but how it feeds me and drives me has become just so important the older I get.
And so to be able to have a really good conversation with you today about that I'm really looking forward to it.
Beth: Oh, so good to have you here [00:02:00] today. And yes, the Westies really make your life full. They keep you really busy. Oh my
Wendy: gosh. Yes.
Beth: You're not
Wendy: sitting down for very long.
Beth: I am so pleased to have you here today. There are some unique perspectives you have about creativity that I cannot wait for you to share with our listeners today. When I start talking to someone about whether or not they would be a good match for an interview here on the podcast, I send out a questionnaire to answer.
And there was something that you said in your questionnaire on the very first line that just leaped out at me. And that was that you were describing who you are and you said of yourself that Wendy Townley is an everyday creative. And I thought, Oh, my goodness.
You need to talk about what you mean by that and then how you live up to that definition of yourself. So first of all, explain what you mean by you're an [00:03:00] everyday creative. What does that mean? Yes.
Wendy: So what I take that to mean and it is definitely evolved over the years is that. I am just have been made and in my bones.
I'm a very creative person. And what I started to realize either consciously or subconsciously, I'm taking creativity in big ways, in small ways, in every piece of my day, it will start literally as silly as it sounds is grabbing a coffee mug to make my tea and coffee in the morning that literally speaks to me.
Like I've got the bone white China ones. I've got ones from thrift stores. I've got ones that were gifts. And that is just like something that kind of lights me up in the morning is which coffee mug is speaking to me in the morning. And then it really will evolve to like what I want to wear. I love that.
Prints and florals and a tiny bit of bling, and then evolving into [00:04:00] what we'll talk about. a little later in my own creative projects with card making and scrapbooking, but even just how I approach my outlook on the day. And that is knowing that creativity and the hunt and the discovery of the creative.
That brings me such joy. It's like water. I need it throughout the day. So I'm always looking for it to bring it in different ways. And even in, a full time job in the role that I have as a fundraiser for the public library system here in Omaha it's weaving that in and knowing that I, that's not just something I can turn off.
And so I realized over the years that's something I'm just again consciously, but then I think also at times subconsciously choosing is to be creative because it just it brings me happiness. And several years ago, I would say like one social media started and the whole concept of the influencer, I knew many people that called [00:05:00] themselves creative, so they didn't say I'm a web designer or I'm a graphic designer.
That general creative title is what a lot of people use it. I felt that I was like a creative, but a little bit disguised because it wasn't my full time job. That wasn't how I was paying the bills, but I still felt like I was. Among them are on the periphery of friends who were working full time creatively.
And then I started to realize I'm going to give myself permission to be creative every single day, even though that is not again, what my full time job is. I would love for it to be that someday. But for right now, in this kind of season of my life, it's something that I'm bringing in. By choice, but also, through need because I just can't turn it off.
It's just, it's like a light. I just, I, it's just always will be there. It just happens.
Beth: Oh, I need to talk about a couple of the things that you said. First of all, I am in total [00:06:00] agreement with you about creativity with coffee mugs because I do. I'm not
Wendy: the only one. Oh my gosh. I
Beth: do exactly the same thing. I love coffee mugs.
every time I go on vacation, that is what I bring home is a coffee mug. And it's some sort of mug that speaks to me that says something about how I felt when I was on vacation.
I have a little drawer that pulls out over by the coffee station and Tom has said, all the coffee mugs need to fit here. So if you get one, you have to give one. So I do gift to Goodwill or Salvation Army so that my mugs don't over, overrun the kitchen.
So that's one thing. And it is, that is such a great way to think about that first decision in the morning is just, What is going to make me feel a little bit happier and perkier because of the mug that I've chosen
Something simple like that can be a huge [00:07:00] creative boost.
Wendy: So I love that.
Beth: Yes. Yes. What I do think your whole idea about choosing your mug in the morning that can be creative, figuring out how you're going to get yourself dressed in the morning. That can be creative. I love picking out earrings in the morning.
I wear them for myself, I love just picking out that little tiny bit of art to, to just keep with me for the day. So I, that kind of thing, everyone, you can be creative every day with the tiniest little detail in your day.
It can be the coffee mug that you pick out. We love that. Yeah. So that being brought to the attention and like you can be creative every day, you still are someone who does spend quite a bit of time doing creative things. tell us how you think those tiny decisions or finding time to actually do something that's creative.
How do you feel that it affects your [00:08:00] overall well being like during the day or maybe in a week or a month or a year. How does that affect you
Wendy: in a massive way? And in ways that I really didn't even realize until in recent years. So I am definitely a morning person and I come from parents who are also very early risers.
it will be a race between My parents in the morning who's going to text me first with a question or an update. 2 a. m., 3 a. m., 4 a. m. So I come from very early people. And so because of that, I am always an early riser. Now, I may not always feel 100 percent, Every morning, but I find when I can get up and get my body moving and start my day.
That's when the creativity will it's not the strongest, but it's where if I can tap into it. It sets my tone for the day. And so usually what that kind of looks like for me is I'm up and out of bed by 5 a. m. because two Westies [00:09:00] will not sleep. So by the time they get breakfast and they're settled, it is not uncommon for me to be working on a couple greeting cards or other, relatively small craft projects before I need to hop in the shower and then get to work and start my day.
And so I found that to be the case to really welcome in the day and to set the tone. And as a woman who is just turned 46 years old, night sweats, hot flashes, the hormone, like we're in the, we're in the middle of that. And so I'm not going to sleep well every night. I don't need to tell many women that struggle with that as well.
But even if I'm like feeling groggy just being in my crafting space And starting to plan what I'm going to make for that day or projects for the week or just being around by materials is really just what I need to get things moving for me like internally and [00:10:00] even spiritually on a level from a creative standpoint.
And so welcoming that on a regular basis is really key on days that I'm in the office when I'm not working from home. Again, I'm not going to be surrounded by my crafting supplies and materials, but that doesn't mean I'm not thinking at times about what I'm going to work on when I get back to it, or I'll read something or see something or talk to someone.
And that will give me another creative idea that I will just save for later. So it's the active, Time of when I'm actually making something, but then all the other experiences and conversations and interactions feed into that as well that are just needed that, it's like with exercise.
There's the exercise itself. So I'm told, and the recovery that's needed as well. And so I, So that balance that exists for me is just so important. It's just so [00:11:00] important for me. And again, as I shared earlier, I just can't turn it off. It's just how my brain functions.
Beth: So a couple of things that I think are important to realize is that.
When you're looking at, when can I find time to be creative during the day? You don't have to have a couple hours or an entire afternoon, or you don't have to commit an entire day. You can break it up into, I have a few minutes this morning. I can do something at lunch. I will do something while I watch television in the evenings.
Yeah. It can be. Something that you do in addition to or for just a little while and like you, you'd mentioned with exercise. Even with exercise, you don't have to have an hour to, get your gym bag packed and drive to the gym and do the gym thing and then take a shower at the gym and then come home from the gym.
You don't have to do that. Even with your creativity, tiny [00:12:00] moments of creativity are just as impactful. And they say that with exercise, get out for just even a 10 minute walk. Your body will respond in kind to just the smallest movements. It is the same with creativity, the brain reaction that you get and studies show that there
are scientific facts that say, when you allow yourself to let yourself be creative and let your imagination wander, that it lights up certain things in your brain that are going to help you focus better, going to help you solve problems better, going to make you feel more at home in yourself. The benefits of finding even tiny moments of creativity are.
Overwhelmingly great. So take a look at what Wendy just said, everyone, and think about your day. When would you have just moments to do something small?
[00:13:00] Find out those moments that are going to light you up and help you get through the rest of your day.
Wendy: Yes. And if I could add to that I also am a writer and have written, the majority of my life as well. And I've self published a couple of books over the years.
And I went to this wonderful writing retreat, gosh, Oh, more than 10 years ago now on Whidbey Island. And the, Writing coach that I met with gave me the greatest piece of advice that speaks to exactly what you're saying. When I was talking about writing and I've written for newspapers and magazines, but it never just written for myself.
And she said, Wendy, you don't always have to write for product. You can just write for yourself. And. as we're talking about this, I'm reminded of that conversation because what we're sharing here is that not everything that you do throughout your day, that's creative needs to have [00:14:00] an end product.
That doesn't, don't hold yourself to that limit that if I only have 10 minutes, that means I have 10 minutes to crochet a washcloth or, and then you think how's that going to happen or paint or sketch. That's not it. It's what. the process gives you and that is just as important as being able to hold up the scarf that you knitted or the card that you made or your sketch and it all feeds into it together.
Beth: There is another really famous study that proved that it is actually quantity. over quality. But if you just do stuff and you're not paying attention to the quality of work. And what I mean by that is that every time you sit down to be creative, you do not need to create a masterpiece.
You just need to create. And when you're creating and you create often, your creativity [00:15:00] gets better because you don't have the stress of being perfect and you don't have the pressure of this needs to be good. What am I going to do? You just sit down and do stuff. And then the more stuff you do every now and again, you're going to look up and go, Oh my gosh, this is truly a masterpiece.
Masterpieces. usually happen when you're not paying attention to something. It's because you've had practice because you're not paying attention because you don't have stress because you're relaxed because you're enjoying yourself.
You're enjoying the process. So it doesn't feel like I'm doing this, I'm laboring for this end result. Yeah. And that's, that goes into that whole aura and mystery of perfection that exists on social media that we need to dispel. It's great for aspirational, but it's not every day.
I know a lot of artists get on Instagram and they're scrolling through looking at a lot of other artists that they might follow and all they see is this amazing [00:16:00] artwork. But what they don't see is all the artwork that artist is not showing you because I am a professional artist and I do work that other people will be using for something.
But if you look insidemy Procreate gallery, you're going to see a lot of stuff that looks like a two year old drew it. And when you are an everyday creative, and I think even professional artists need to take a listen to this. And ask themselves, what am I doing to be an everyday creative? Because that might mean that you're doing something else besides what you do for a living as a creative.
Wendy: Very true. Yes, very true. Yes.
Beth: So I love that idea of an everyday creative,
Thank you so much for that beautiful perspective into creativity. now that we have talked to you for a little while, I think it's really important that we understand the kind of creative you are.
So I know that you are really [00:17:00] busy making art. Just share with everyone what you're creating, how you're doing it, how you're finding your inspiration.
Wendy: Yeah, so it, I will say, just to give a little bit of background for your listeners, it really started probably, gosh, more than five or six years ago now.
I was introduced to the cricket cutting machine, which I always considered myself like a creative person but didn't really know how to make that happen. And so I got a cricket. And dove into, labeling things and heat press and making cards and all of that and loved the creativity and the freedom.
With that, but for anyone who owns a cricket, it's not something you can do without a computer. So there is a bit of a, I would say a barrier between the hands on artistry of creativity that happens later once the cutting is done in your assembling, but you're still sitting in front of a screen. [00:18:00] And I really felt.
I didn't understand at the time. I'm like something is just like not clicking here and I hadn't yet Learned how to knit or crochet which I since have from friends and family But it was during the pandemic when We all know what that experience was like for us. But for us crafters it might have been a little bit of a gift.
And in fact, I had friends with a couple other people who are crafters and said we're not wishing the pandemic to repeat itself, but to have uninterrupted crafting time. As an escape is wonderful. So it was then that I really discovered die cutting and more paper crafting through brands like Anna Griffin, especially that really brought together the creativity from using the cricket plus.
The beautiful papers and dyes from Anna Griffin, and it really all came together in that time. And so since then, now, we're gosh, five [00:19:00] years post pandemic, I feel like I found my groove with regards to creativity and what I make. So when, since then, I still use my Cricut for any number of projects.
Projects and gifts. And if my, my mom needs something put on a tote bag or we need a sign made for a birthday party, I'll still do that. But really being able to touch and feel and experience the beautiful different paper types of vellum. And embossing and flocked paper and foil and heavy card stock and be able to get my hands on that and cut into it with a die cutting machine and assemble cards and scrapbook pages.
That's really what I have found my group to be. And that's what brings me the most amount of joy. And that's what I find myself doing most often. And especially like when I talk about, after I'm up in the morning and have time before I need to get ready for work. And I'm just like, feeling like I just need to [00:20:00] make something.
It's often will be like a greeting card, and not always for someone in mind. It's just, I need time even just running something through my. die cutting machine and having seeing the end result like that can be enough for me. So that's really what I've spent my time doing. And I know scrapbooking has been around for generations.
I didn't really get into it until probably the past year or two. I'll say I was intimidated by scrapbooking because I am comfortable in a five by seven. format with a card. So to ask me to then embellish and design a 12 by 12 page was very overwhelming. But once I started to and bringing in obviously family photos, it was a really great supplement to me for card making.
And then also, as we know, memory keeping is so critical and as much as we love shared photo albums in the cloud and photos on that we share online There's nothing like holding the [00:21:00] scrapbook in your lap and paging through the pages So for someone who's also very nostalgic that was a I think a natural transition for me from scrapbooking
Beth: that's beautiful.
And it's such a great way for you to find those. Pun intended scraps of time where you can start a project or do a little bit more and then come back later and your paint is not dry and your glue isn't, it's, you can do little snippets of work and come back to where you were, where you left off and start up again.
So I'm sure that works out really well with the kind of days that you have.
Wendy: It absolutely does, because if I only have 25 minutes, but I still feel like the creative juice is flowing, I'll at least get a couple cuts done, or pull a couple embellishments, and then, when I come back to the project at the end of my day, or maybe even the next morning, the ideas [00:22:00] that I've had, May have shifted based on what I saw someone wearing, at the grocery store on a print and that's where I also, oddly enough, get inspiration as well is I love to mix patterns, I love to mix different colors in unexpected ways.
And if I see a woman or it could be a man for that matter, wearing a shirt. Or a coat or a scarf. And I just love the play of the colors. I will take a photo of it, like many artists for inspiration. And had I not seen that person in line that I would not necessarily think to weave these in together.
Full disclosure, I do watch the Hallmark Channel at times, and recently I was watching some movie and the woman's blouse, I took a picture of it with my phone, had these beautiful navy green, peach, and red colors that I just was so captivated by, and I thought, I am [00:23:00] going to pull those colors for a card I'm going to make in the future, so just Being able to break up your creative projects can even benefit what you're making because it will ultimately change what the final product will be.
And I think it's only going to be for the better because it's opening your brain to more possibilities.
Beth: One of the things that I teach inside the Create Today community is a creative process that you can follow to stay in tune with what you're doing, what you need, when you need to work, and what you need to do to get finished with your work and do the things your work is being prepared for.
And when there's four R's for the process, and one of the R's is realize, the realize phase is you being aware of your surroundings as you walk through your day. And so many of us get on autopilot. We're just so in tune with what we have to get done that we're not paying attention [00:24:00] to the world around us.
And it is when we are open to colors and patterns and sights and sounds and how unusual things fit together and look interesting. It's when we can pay attention to that when we are doing something mundane, like driving or pushing the grocery cart around the store or walking the dog. It's when we're doing mundane things like that, that we can really find those creative inspirations.
It's cool to say, to hear you say, I was watching TV and I saw this thing and I had to take a picture of it. The fact that you took a picture of what you were watching on television so that you could look at it and take that color palette from a blouse that you saw on television, it shows that you've got that realize phase just burning nice and bright in, within and that is helping you stay creative throughout your day.
Wendy: It [00:25:00] absolutely is. And on that note, if I'm seeing, quote unquote, a finished product in blouse or a woman's handbag or a fun coffee travel mug, or anything that you see out in the wild, someone else created that. And someone else, had inspiration to bring those colors and those patterns together.
So why would I not consider those there is nothing worse than having to be on deadline and you pull open your word processing on your computer, and you just sit there at the blank page, And so you can't. Can't go to the creative workspace with no ideas. so you're mining ideas and inspiration all day. And sometimes you don't even know that it's seeping into you until you, it's time to start thinking about it
Beth: So something you just said there is really important. So while you're in this realize phase. That is when you are collecting and organizing what you've seen and what has inspired you, [00:26:00] because when you're at the grocery store, you're not in your room where all your art supplies are, and if you just say to yourself, that's a good idea, I'll remember that.
No, you won't. Don't fool yourself. You will not. You'll come home and you'll say, I had a great idea. I don't remember what it was. Yeah. Or you're going to say, I saw this blouse that had all these gorgeous colors in them. But you're not going to remember the vibrancy of them or were they really saturated or desaturated or how, what was the balance of the color?
You're not going to remember why that was intriguing, unless you take a picture, unless you do something that is going to help you catalog it so that when it's time to work, you can pull that out and go, yeah, that was a great idea. Here I go. So yes. And then. mining. I love the way you said that. And, but organizing those things so that when it's [00:27:00] time to work, you have choices.
Wendy: Yeah, exactly. And all of that process during the day when, and I love that you have a name for what I'm doing and what we do when we're out and discovering those ideas and that inspiration for me, it also ties into having an emotional reaction to being like, Oh, I'm drawn to that.
It's those little pieces and nuggets along the way. Give me an emotional reaction and that tells me, Oh, I need to jot that down. I need to get a photo of that for later. And that's also part of the process that I enjoy that has nothing to do with even, cutting and assembling.
Yes the
Beth: creative process is a process that allows you to enjoy An entire circle of swirling elements that don't always have everything to do with being in your space to do the work. Yes. Yes. But being aware [00:28:00] that this is something that will make you a healthier creative, it will make you a more productive creative.
It will make you a more successful and prolific creative. When you know about each of these four areas, revive, realize, refine, and release. it's helpful just to be aware of what is going to help you get through that project from the very beginning to the very end.
And do it in a successful way that when you're finished, you will still feel energized and ready to do something new. Yeah.
Wendy: Agreed. Yes. Agreed.
Beth: So anyway I. I love your creativity. And from what I can hear from what you've just talked about from when we started our conversation, you've got a busy day.
You've got a full time job. You've got parents that are texting you at two in the morning.
Wendy: No, I'm not always responding. However, that does not prevent them from texting me with questions or whatever.
Beth: Yes. So you've got some stuff going [00:29:00] on. How is your creativity helping you manage stress instead of just adding to more things you want to do in your day?
You could look at it that way Oh, I want to get to my creativity and I can't, how is it helping with your life and not causing more stress? Does that make
Wendy: sense, my question? It? Yes. Yes, it does.
And it definitely does help. there are moments. Where it does add a little self induced stress, but generally creativity is such a healing activity for me and an escape.
And about a year ago, my mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and she's in her early seventies and generally, very healthy her entire life. So clearly the diagnosis took all of us by surprise, knocked us back, completely upended what our days look like in terms of caring for her
But Even though early on, I was not like jazzed every day to get in the craft room and start making [00:30:00] things as we're juggling her chemotherapy appointments and everything. I still found that I needed to be creative because it was such a healing and quiet and Quite frankly, beautiful place to be with all of my materials and all of my papers and embellishments.
And even though I may not have been as quote unquote productive in those first several months of her diagnosis, I still could not and did not neglect being creative. Because it was something that I needed. And that doesn't mean again, that I was always making cards four and five days a week but just being around that as a wonderful escape and It provided such comfort and healing, and then, it would turn into making and sending thank you cards to people that have helped my mom, cards for people at the hospital that had cared for her, and generally the [00:31:00] feedback is very positive and people are appreciative of receiving the cards and love to get them
So realizing it isn't just a one sided experience at times that I'm really gifting it and paying it forward and blessing others through that helped me feel even better. Again, anyone who has cared for a loved one with any type of illness, short term or long term, the caregiver has to care for themselves.
If you're going to make it for the long haul And for part of that's not only Taking my vitamins and drinking water and sleeping, but it's also being kind to myself and being creative because I'm just going to be able to put stress aside temporarily and work on something beautiful that's either I'm only going to see or that will be for someone else.
Beth: I think that's beautiful. What I can see in how you approach your creativity is that your creativity [00:32:00] allows you to do something for yourself and it also allows you to know that it is okay to do something for yourself. And then Because you're creative and you're able to put creativity into small things like we've talked about.
Creativity is choosing your coffee mug in the morning. Creativity is wearing something that makes you feel festive or comfortable or cozy or cherished. Even something small like that. What that is doing is it's giving you a perspective in your life that says there's some things going on in my life that's hard.
But my glass is half full, even though you could say, no, my glass is half empty. Look what's going on in my life. It is difficult. You flip it around and you say, nope, my glass half full because I see creativity in my world. It makes your life better. [00:33:00]
Wendy: Yes. And denying myself of that is not going to make me a good.
Partner, sister, daughter, employee in the long run, like if I'm going to endure through all of this I'm going to need to take care of myself. And one of the acronyms that I came up with recently just, as our brains like to do is P E W pew, which I know, we find pews in churches, but what I realized it meant for me in this time of my life, but I think it can be for any life.
is to have the patience, the endurance, and also finding the right words when I'm interacting with others in the world. And so for me to be able to attain all that, and I'm not like, hitting it at 100 percent every day, but to try to Be and show up in that way. It's taking care of myself and creativity will just be a [00:34:00] huge part of that
Beth: Yeah, and
Wendy: when i'm stressed I will shop online for more craft supplies And ups and fedex will validate that It's still an opportunity for me
It's just, I can't turn that off.
Beth: So did everyone out there right now that is walking a similar path. They have someone in their family that need extra care, they have a job that is incredibly stressful, a commute that is just crippling.
So many things can be overpowering in your life. Did you hear what Wendy said? That it is okay to take time for yourself. Yeah
it's necessary. It's necessary. It is not. Yeah, It's non negotiable as far as I'm concerned, Yes. Yes. When you have a diagnosis that's given to you, that is someone dear to you or even of yourself, [00:35:00] you wouldn't stop breathing. So why would you stop creating?
Wendy: Yeah. And again, like if you wrestle with the idea of I don't deserve to have this creative time right now.
It's not about me. In that case, I would challenge you to say then whatever you're making, have plans to give it away because that will also help you because there's other people in your life besides the person you're caring for who could benefit from that support.
think about getting outside of yourself and that will ultimately feed you in ways that you just didn't even imagine. And I say you, but I'm speaking about obviously from personal experience.
Beth: I think that is a beautiful takeaway from the kind of everyday creative you are, that Your creativity isn't just a fun pastime.It is something that is keeping you healthy and keeping your wellbeing strong. And it is something that in turn [00:36:00] is actually helping you be a better person as a caretaker, as a full time worker as a wife it, everything that is your description in life, you're better at it because you have given yourself permission to know that this is something you need.
And so you take time to do it. Just
Wendy: like you
Beth: take time to go and set an appointment to go to the dentist. You need to do that same thing for your creativity.
Wendy: So true. Yes. Agreed.
Beth: Yes. So for people who are out in listening land, can you give them Any suggestions or advice for being an everyday creative? Yes. Yes.
Wendy: I would say, even though we've talked a lot about the internal feeling and the emotion and all of what you would joke about the woo feeling of creativity, [00:37:00] for it to work in your life and to welcome it in, if it doesn't currently exist in a meaningful way.
And you want to change that. It really has to be a bit of a discipline. And I know it has been drilled into our brains, the importance of water. So people are buying their Stanley cups and all sorts and drinking water.
Like it's nobody's business and that is a discipline to get an ultimate result. So I would say for your creativity to get you there or to head you in that right direction you're going to want to have some discipline in your day. And so that doesn't always mean I'm going to wait for the creative juices to start flowing and then I'll go start doing something.
It could be saying, okay, my Tuesday is looking a little lighter than Then I originally anticipated, I'm going to have a couple of hours to myself that afternoon rather than saying, I just, need to run errands or I'm going to get a couple more things done in my day, I'm going to set aside that time to be creative [00:38:00] or to even.
Think about being creative or to get inspiration online. So on some level to head you in that direction. It's going to need to be planned out just a little bit in looking at whatever else you're juggling in your day. And the more that you. You structure your days in that way, the more it will just happen organically because you're, you benefit from it and you realize this needs to be a priority for me.
Like so many of us with our morning coffee, you can't even imagine leaving the house without it. That is now a priority. Because for any number of reasons, the ritual, the caffeine, all of it. So creativity will inherently fall into that routine, but to start, you need to plan for it a little bit.
And again, as we've talked about already, that doesn't mean you have to accomplish something in that window of time, but you've got to start making it a priority. And then it will just happen.
Beth: I totally agree with what you just said. The two [00:39:00] things, one being. If you're going to be creative, you have to do the work.
You can't just think about it. You can't just buy the supplies. You can't just take the pretty pictures and go, that's a great idea. You have to sit down and get the work done. And that is important. And then secondarily, That time isn't just going to magically show up. No, one's going to say, now let's take you into this room here where you can get your work done.
No one, no, one's going to do that either. So you need to take a look at your week and say, is there, a time during my week where I could say I'm going to reserve this hour or these hours or even 15 minutes where I can do some work. Or can you look at your day and say, usually at this time during the day I know I could reserve that hour every day.
So it would be something that would be on a regular basis, just when you're going to have your coffee, you don't [00:40:00] have to. morning coffee in the afternoon. No, it is morning. And you're going to do that every day. And like you said, it is something you wouldn't consider not doing
And that is what creativity needs to become is that ritual that you look forward to, like your morning coffee or tea, if you're a tea drinker, When can you find that time to be good to yourself like that?
Wendy: Yes, because if you're not working in a career field, like I am not, I do not have a board of directors, president, that's going to come call me one day and say, Hey, Wendy, I want you to take the afternoon off and go work on those birthday cards. You've been meaning to get to that doesn't happen.
So I have to be. No, and I have wonderful board members and they love receiving my cards, but that's not, generally for most of us, that's not how it works. So you have to be very mindful and dare I say [00:41:00] strategic about bringing that into your day. And then again, it will just become a innate requirement for you that will just happen automatically.
Beth: Yep. You might find that you have a little time in the morning. You might find that you can work a little at noontime. You might find that rather than watching a couple hours of television, you could go and get some creative work done. You might even find that you can work on your creativity while you're watching television.
There, there's are, there are ways to figure out when that can happen. And the best. Way for you to work, you will figure that out. Yes. And the best words you ever will hear in your workday is we've got to cancel that meeting because then your day just opens up. And then I immediately go, okay, what am I going to get to work on?
Wendy: Not what do I have to work on, but what do I get to work on now with this extra hour or two in the day?
Beth: Absolutely. Such good [00:42:00] advice. I love it. Wendy how can people find you out there in the big wide world? How can we get in touch with you? How can we see your artwork? How can we know more about you?
Wendy: Absolutely. Thank you so much for asking. I am very active on Instagram. Thank you. And Facebook as well, sharing pictures of everything that I'm making my website, which is wendytownley. com is undergoing a transition and a whole redesign after the first of the year. I'm working with a group of creatives to re imagine what Kind of like my online presences and really what the story I want to tell about creativity in the new year.
So it will look on that. And I'm very excited because I will be attending a women's conference here in Omaha on the last Sunday in January, where I'll be sharing my cards and other designs that I make as one of the vendors and I've not really stepped into the world of [00:43:00] selling my things at craft fairs just yet, because to me that seems really overwhelming.
But a friend of mine said let's try something else where the whole emphasis isn't like we need to push product. And so being able to be in a group of like minded and I would say probably many are creatively focused women to share that love of creativity and talk about that as a really good gift.
I'm in, I'm deep in making cards and gift tags and other things for that, but really just heading into the new year with the idea that creativity will continue to be part of me, but I want to share more of it, much of what you do every day, Beth, and having the opportunity to still.
Need a full time job that pays the bills that I really do love, but then knowing that I can share that creative journey with many people online is where I'm headed.
Beth: Love it. I love it. So anyone that is interested in finding the links to find Wendy, you [00:44:00] can find that in the show notes.
Wendy, today has been just such a blessing. Getting to know you more is amazing. We have, Again, now we know we have the same sort of love about coffee mugs on top of having dogs and coming from Nebraska. but it's been delightful to have you come to the create today podcast and share your ideas about creativity.
I think that what you've shared today has opened up some new perspectives about what people can do for themselves. And just remembering that it is okay. To take time to care for yourself and that having that idea of what you can be as an everyday creative is going to help you find those pockets of time where you can care for your own needs.
And that is vitally important for everyone, no matter what season of life you are in or what [00:45:00] path you're walking on right now in your life. Are you taking care of yourself creatively? That is something that you need to address. And find the best ways to incorporate a full creative, everyday creative perspective in your life.
Thank you so much for joining us today. You've been a joy. I have enjoyed my time with you immensely. And so everyone, Are you giving yourself time to take care of yourself?
And are you scheduling time for your creativity? And remember it is important for you to do that so that you can be the person that you need to be for the people that need you and that you are taking care of. So I hope you will incorporate the topics that we've talked about into your life so that you can, always, stay creative, my friend.
Until next time, bye [00:46:00] bye.
00:00 Welcome and Introduction
00:43 Meet Wendy Townley
02:10 Everyday Creativity
08:14 Morning Routines and Creativity
11:13 Finding Time for Creativity
16:50 Creative Inspirations
29:00 The Healing Power of Creativity
36:35 Advice for Everyday Creatives
44:02 Conclusion and Farewell
How to reach out to Wendy Townley:
https://www.instagram.com/wendytownley/
https://www.facebook.com/wendytownley
www.wendytownley.com
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