My 4 Favorite Self Care Activities to Boost Confident Creativity
One of the greatest things I have ever done, which not coincidentally also required the most courage of anything I’ve ever done, was sign up for Film Acting classes in Atlanta at a studio called Drama Inc. Growing up, acting was one of the great loves of my life and I was always involved in high school and community theater. It was something I pictured myself “ending up doing.” And as I graduated college and started working full time in Marketing, it became abundantly clear that the only thing stopping me from getting back into acting… was me.
Both through my classes and as I have started writing, I learned that what you do OUTSIDE of your creative pursuits greatly impacts what you do within them. I guess that’s true of most things in life: your stress levels and family situation impact your performance at work and vice versa.
All of that to say, through my acting classes and creative projects, these self care activities have helped me the most to feel relaxed and able to create. In my experience, creativity and great ideas do not come when you’re trying to force them or are already stressed about the outcome. And even if you don’t have a “creative” side hustle, I think these are extremely valuable lessons that have also helped me in my presentations at work, conversations with others, and show up more authentically online.
My 4 Favorite Self Care Activities:
Meditation is something I was interested in trying for a long time, but never actively practiced until I started acting lessons. It was recommended by my genius teacher, Cat Dyer. Turns out, when you’re standing in front of a room full of people with a camera 12 inches from your face, sometimes your brain “goes out for a smoke break” (her words, not mine :) ). It can be so easy to let your mind slip into “What am I supposed to say next? Oh my gosh people are watching me. What do you think they think? Is this going well?” instead of staying in the moment. So if you’re working on staying present or learning to share in a vulnerable way, I highly recommend giving meditation a try. Headspace is my fav.
Have a Mantra. This is another tip I picked up in class. We all had to go around in a circle and share our personal mantra, something we could repeat to ourselves just before a performance to calm nerves, reassure yourself, and help remind you to show up fully as you are. For inspiration, mine was: You can do this. You are strong. You are enough. Feel free to borrow next time you need a pep talk.
Do something “not creative” that will distract your brain. Take a walk. Take a bath. Go for a drive. Do a workout. I like to listen to a podcast or audiobook at the same time. Stepping away and giving your brain something else to occupy itself as a way to stir creativity is a tactic I’ve heard from several other creatives, especially writers. Great ideas don’t usually come when you’re sitting in front of a blank page waiting for them to come. And have your voice memos handy.
Tidy your space. It doesn’t even have to be that clean, but there is something about having my chores (lol) done that help me settle into doing something creative. For me, it just takes 5 minutes of running around and picking things up and wiping down the kitchen counter to feel like I have accomplished that part of my to do list. Otherwise, I have a nagging feeling in the back of my head that there is something I “should” be doing. It feels chaotic. Anyone else? Also, light a candle. Just a personal preference.
Okay, so those were my biggest tips to 1. Quiet your mind, 2. Feel confident, 3. Get inspired, and 4. Feel ready to get down to business. They may seem simple, but the difference I saw in myself after applying these was TANGIBLE and I hope it is for you too.
I would love to hear from you in the comments or on Instagram if these activities are already part of your routine or if you implement them!