How to Spark Creativity

Since graduating from college and becoming a mother, my priorities, energy, and brain has drastically shifted from formatting academic papers and citing articles to giving bubble baths and changing diapers.  It’s thrilling to change my focus and challenge my skill sets, but I like to stay fresh and current with my writing and creative projects.  I’m happy to know that I’m not alone.  Many fellow mothers, writers, entrepreneurs, and creative explorers are constantly seeking ways to learn, grow, create, and improve.  This led me to wonder how others find inspiration to get their creative juices flowing.  What is your secret?  Yoga every morning?  Doodling in a notebook with Netflix in the background?  A shot of whiskey and a chocolate truffle?

As for me, I have found inspiration through several outlets, and I know every person is capable of sparking creativity through these exercises:

HAVE CONVERSATIONS WITH STRANGERS.  Some of my most memorable lightbulb moments came from having random conversations with people I did not know– at the book store, on an airplane, and even online through a fellow blogger.  So many people walk around with interesting, engaging stories, waiting for a kind person to engage in conversation with them and move them away from their sunglasses, lattes, and cell phones.  I have also noticed that a random person imparting a simple pearl of wisdom upon me seems to stick in my brain so much more than when my mother says it (Sorry, Mom.).  Even if you never see these people again, they can touch your life and inspire you to do something great.

READ A CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK.  Other sources will tell you to read articles and read books, but sometimes busy people don’t have as much time as they would like to read everything they want to read.  So I extend a simpler challenge: read a children’s picture book.  It can be a picture book that you haven’t read since you were a child, such as The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein, or a new one that is sitting on the promotion table of the book store, like Sam and Dave Dig a Hole, by Mac Barnett.  Why read a children’s picture book?  Sure, I’m a children’s librarian and love them.  But children’s picture books can be short reads that take eight minutes out of your day.  Their illustrations can make your inner child smile.  They are brimming with humor and existential life lessons about friendship, love, family, nature, death, and other challenges and beauties of life.  There are TONS of children’s picture books out there that can really brighten your day and make you feel motivated to start something new.

ATTEND A WORKSHOP.  Look up local workshops in your area of interest, from a floristry design class at your local flower shop to a one-day business class at your local adult school.  There are also countless webinars, videos, and podcasts that can make you feel like a student again.  Best of all, you don’t take home a report card with a grade!  However, you might be able to score a completion certificate that will look stellar on your résumé.

GO FOR A WALK.  Sometimes a little fresh air and a date with Mother Nature helps you reset your brain, gain some endorphins, and forget your stresses.  It opens you up and unwinds your tight spots and anxious energy.  It gives you a break to think about random things.

RIDE A BUS.  Riding a bus or other form of public transportation with no specific destination allows you to people-watch.  It’s amazing how much insight you can get by observing behaviors and relationships.  You see sights that you’ve never noticed before.  You notice what people carry with them, what they do when they ride alone, and where their eyes wander as they travel home or wherever they are going.

VISIT A MUSEUM.  Museums are not only contemplative environments where you can learn something new, but they also tend to feature a special exhibit that highlights a time period, artist, or genre that can birth epiphanies.  In addition, being close to an artifact or work of art can ignite feelings you would not have if you saw the same piece in a book or on the Internet.

ATTEND A CITY MEETING, TOWN MEETING, OR OTHER OPEN BOARD MEETING.  Sometimes we see new additions to our city, like a statue or a line of trees, and we don’t know the story behind it  Or sometimes we wonder why no one is fixing the ten potholes on one street, unaware that it has been an agenda item for several years with no progress.  Attending a city meeting, town meeting, or other open board meeting, such as for a school district or water district, can be eye-opening and educating.  This can motivate you to research improvements, write articles, create a political piece of artwork, meet and interview prominent stakeholders, or brainstorm for a documentary.  It is always interesting to find out about local issues and hot topics, like cutting public library hours or adding a strip mall with dollar stores and cash advance centers to fit a lower income demographic.

MAKE A VISION BOARD.  An afternoon of scrapbooking and magazine clipping can be easy, fun, and inspiring.  Putting motivational quotes, life goals, and dream destinations on a board can help you to remember a passion that you put on the back burner and are willing to revisit with more gusto.  Take these ideas and run with them.

RESEARCH A RANDOM PLACE.  When one of my favorite podcast hosts and successful entrepreneurs, Jess Lively, announced that she would be moving to Ann Arbor, MI, I felt an urge to look up Ann Arbor to see what it offered a thriving businesswoman like her, and if it was the kind of environment I needed to attain similar victories.  Especially since I adore her style, intelligence, and ambition, I knew that she probably wouldn’t move someplace where her creative energies would go to die.  So I Googled “Ann Arbor” to learn more about the town, which made me smile.  Ann Arbor is full of young energy with unique shops and restaurants and an ideal cost of living.  By learning about a new place, my brain nearly exploded!  I suddenly felt inspired to look up different quaint towns in the United States that I had never visited, peruse flights, browse potential jobs and places to live, and dream about a new and exciting adventure in another place.  For you, it could be the historic architecture and luxurious gardens that inspires you.  It could be the hiking trails or the history.  This exercise can really surprise you and make you want to hop in your car and disappear for a few days, giving you the gift of incomparable exhilaration, wild stories, and life lessons that push you to pursue your passions with either a fresh perspective or a renewed energy.

What are some ways you spark creativity in your life? Etsy? Pinterest?  The local open mic night?  Please share your ideas in the comments! I would love to hear from you and I know others would too!

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5 Things to Do with your Mother-In-Law (That Won’t End in Suicide-Homicide)

I love my mother-in-law. I’m blessed to say that she’s one of my best friends!  But I know that not everyone feels this way.  However, we still need to get through Mothers’ Day, find the perfect, thoughtful gift, plan the surprise party for her son, and have the obligatory lunches.  For some, this is another day with laughs and gossip.  However, for those of us who dread this “quality time,” I have come up with some date suggestions that will hopefully be appealing to both you and your mother-in-law, ensuring a pleasant couple of hours.  Obviously, not every woman is interested in these activities.  You might have a mother-in-law who would enjoy going for a run, going to yoga, or going to a pub.  At the minimum, these ideas will make you smile and say, “Bless her heart, but that would never un-char my mother-in-law’s blackened heart.” 😉

NOTE: I have included specific ideas for LONG BEACH LOCALS. There is probably a similar venue, shop, or restaurant in your area!

5 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW (that won’t make you want to kill each other):

1. Brunch and Mimosas at Claire’s (Long Beach Museum of Art): This cafe is adorable with an ocean view.  A+ for ambiance if you don’t mind conversation with your mother-in-law.

2. Community Garden. If you’re like me and don’t have a yard, find a local community garden where you can inexpensively rent a plot of land to bond with your mother-in-law.  It’s a therapeutic, hands-on project that requires commitment (not just commitment through care of the garden, but a time commitment of at least a year. Don’t invest if you and your mother-in-law frequently get into tiffs where you don’t speak for months!).  This is especially great for you if your mother-in-law is sweet, but isn’t very chatty.

3. Wine and Paint Night. Alcohol and painting?  Count me in! You don’t have to be experienced.  All you need is an open mind and a sense of humor.  I don’t know any woman who doesn’t love this.

4. Antique shopping. If you don’t mind driving around with your mother-in-law, this can be fun.  I’ve gone with many women to window shop and get home decor ideas, not just my mother-in-law.  It was a great day with lots of “Aww, that is so cute.”

5. Mani-pedis. Pampering and gossip is always a great fall-back.  There’s a nail salon in every town!  This makes for a fairly inexpensive date that every woman needs.

Whatever it is, keep it light and keep it positive.  That is the best way to get along with even the most crotchety, stubborn mother-in-law.  You know the formula: like most women, they love to know that they are right, they love when you are polite, and they love to feel like you will never replace them in their son’s heart.

What other dates have you shared with your mother-in-law before?  Floral arrangement class?  Baby Shower registry?  Leave a comment!

Kind and Simple: How to Make This Summer COUNT

But first, here are a few little things that make me grateful on this Friday morning (and kickoff to my summer):

This homemade BEER sign from my brother-in-law’s wedding last year.  A lovely garden addition.

These dainty white flowers that remind me of God’s love.

My baby’s imperfect hand prints (one flat, where the middle finger was too long, so we awkwardly had to bend it… which ended up being cute and hilarious… and his classic pointer finger)

This future Long Beach wanderer, aerospace engineer.

These harmonious plants.

These luscious lemons.

And now, HOW TO MAKE THIS SUMMER COUNT:

1. Do fun, free things.  Sounds simple enough.  Go to the free museum.  Visit the beach.  Pack a cheap lunch and go to the park.  Reorganize your furniture in a way that complements your relaxation ideals.  Surprise yourself with all of the ideas you dream that cost you nothing.

2. Wake up early.  Don’t fall into the trap of sleeping in.  You won’t feel as great as waking up early to get a productive start on your day.  Besides, it’s a lot cooler in the morning, so it will be easier to hit the town or take a nice hike.

3. Think before you complain.  It is really easy to start complaining about the heat.  Don’t state the obvious.  Challenge yourself to come up with a more intellectual way to make conversation instead of just hearing yourself talk or filling empty awkward silence.  Do you ever notice that when you’re waiting in line at the grocery store or another place with strangers, most people find an icebreaker that involves complaining? “Ugh, these lines take forever.” Be the exception.

4. Volunteer. Find a cause or organization where you can devote some time, money, or energy.  It can be as simple as taking a trash bag with you when you go to the beach or picking up some pet food and dropping it off at the local animal shelter.  Little things count.

5. Make time for prayer and/or meditation.  In the fall, we bow our heads on Patriot’s Day.  Soon after, we reflect during Thanksgiving and the Christmas season.  In the spring, we are humbled at Easter.  But during the summer, we sometimes forget to give thanks during our more “idle” season.  Be less busy!  Make time for the quiet.

As you can tell, I work in a profession where I get a summer vacation like a first grader.  I am lucky to spend 7 glorious weeks with my little family, and I am going to make them wonderful and memorable.  Stay tuned for our adventures!  What other ways can you make this summer count?  Leave a comment!!