A creative life calls for fuel that supports your mind, body and spirit, preparing you to take action on your “hits” of inspiration. The ability to act on creative impulses in the moment requires a sense of being in touch with what moves you — and that’s hard to decipher if you are frequently sluggish, distracted by “monkey mind” or barely move out of your office chair.
To get clear on the balance of mind, body and spirit that is ideal for you throughout the day, it’s important to know what creative fuel inspires and energizes you most effectively. This includes the food, activities and creative soul “treats” you use to sustain you each day.
Define your Unique Fuel
I think the easiest way to find your creative fuel combo is to try some new things and then write down what works best. Also track what things you tend to eat or do when you are stressed and how they make you feel. Here’s a quick example of the creative fuel that works well for me:
Body: Lots of water, veggies, some carbs, healthy protein etc. paired with exercise like yoga, walking, biking, rest
Mind: Walks, looking out the window, meditation, day dreaming, rest, reading inspirational quotes, planning and visualizing
Spirit: Reading inspiring books, meditation, walking, laying in the grass, taking pictures of wildlife, chakra-balancing energy work, journaling, rest
After you create a short list, look at what activities overlap. That’s key to choosing creative fuel that works best for you, especially when you are pressed for time.
For example, walking is one of my most effective creative fuel options. I get the physical exercise I need and it supports what I need to fuel my mind and spirit. I just take a quick 20 minutes and walk around my neighborhood or if I have longer, I wander to a near-by park.
Going for a walk not only clears my head, but kicks up my creative observation. In nature I’m interacting with colors, animals, the warmth of the sun on my face — all things that help me feel more connected with my physical body and the creative inner me. Then, when I sit back in my office chair ready to write, my perspective and ideas are more energized, more visionary. Instead of just writing the words, I see the finish line for the vision I desire to create, and the words flow through with ease to get me there.
On days I have more time, I can switch up my activities to include a specific “favorite” for mind, body and spirit, but most often, walks are not negotiable if I want to be at my creative best. Rest is another very important element of my creative fuel. Pushing too much for too long without rest puts me at risk of burnout or a pro-longed creative lapse. I’ve learned this lesson often, the hard way.
Another helpful tip is to make note of what happens when you are stressed, or the things you tend to do more of when your creative fuel is low.
Here are some behaviors that signal my creative fuel is a bit on the down slope:
Increased mental and physical stress: Poor sleep, jumpy body and mind, crave more sugar, feel rushed (even if the deadline is doable)
Increase in cravings: Chai, coffee, salt and vinegar chips, mindless television
If you can take 10 minutes to put together a list as a simple support system, you will be more aware of the best fuel for your creative journey and be able to leverage it more readily.
Share some simple tips or insights about things that work to kick-start your creative fuel!