Struggling for ideas? Here’s how you can unlock your inner creative dynamo! [Friday: Mindfulness by Miles]
Miles Everson’s The Business Builder Daily speaks to the heart of what great marketers, business leaders, and other professionals need to succeed in advertising, communications, managing their investments, career strategy, and more.
A Note from Miles Everson:
Happy Friday, everyone!
Welcome to today’s edition of “Mindfulness by Miles!”
In these articles, we write about health- and mindfulness-related practices, book reviews, and future of work (FoW) topics. Our goal is to help you develop and improve the skills you need to grow in both your career and personal life.
Today, let’s talk about mindfulness and creativity.
Continue reading to know the connection between these two and how you can effectively use mindfulness to enhance your creative endeavors.
Miles Everson
CEO, MBO Partners
Chairman of the Advisory Board, The I Institute
Mindfulness by Miles
Imagine this: You’re sitting in a sun-drenched room. There, a blank canvas lies right in front of you, yet your mind is as empty as the page before you.
At that time, it’s as if creativity is an elusive butterfly fluttering out of reach.
Have you ever experienced that?
If your answer is yes, don’t worry. According to Miles Everson, CEO of MBO Partners, many others have experienced that too. That’s why today, he’ll let you in on one of the secrets to unleashing the maximum creativity within you.
Without further ado, let’s get into the captivating world where mindfulness meets creativity, a fusion that ignites the spark of imagination like never before!
Photo from New Scientist
Unlocking the Creative Magic: How Mindfulness Unleashes Your Inner Artist
Everson says mindfulness and creativity are two powerful practices that complement each other in various ways. Mindfulness, which involves being fully present and aware of one’s thoughts, feelings, sensations, and the surrounding environment, has been shown to have numerous benefits for mental well-being.
Meanwhile, creativity is the ability to generate new ideas, concepts, and solutions, and is highly valued in various fields such as arts, sciences, business, and everyday problem-solving.
Here’s the thing: Some of you might think mindfulness is just one of those buzzwords thrown around by yoga enthusiasts and self-help gurus… but for Everson, it’s more than that. Mindfulness is an ingredient that adds flavor to the often bland dish of your daily routine.
Basically, mindfulness is about being fully immersed in the now and accepting the moment without judgment. That’s precisely where the magic happens.
Besides, Everson states when you’re mindful, you’re not just brushing through life like a hurried commuter trying to catch the next train. You’re there, you’re aware, and your senses are heightened. That heightened awareness isn’t just some abstract concept; it’s the key that unlocks the door to a world of unbridled creativity.
The more you’re fully immersed in the present, the more you’ll start noticing the subtle hues of the sky, the rhythm of the raindrops, the whispers of the wind, etc.—details that might have slipped past you before. These “seemingly insignificant” observations become the building blocks of your next masterpiece.
Here’s how mindfulness enhances creativity:
- Enhanced Focus: Mindfulness helps in improving focus and concentration, enabling you to delve deeper into your creative tasks without being distracted by irrelevant thoughts or external stimuli.
- Stress Reduction: By calming the mind, mindfulness creates a conducive environment for creative thinking to flourish. Stress often hinders creativity, so reducing it can open up space for innovative thoughts.
- Emotional Regulation: Mindfulness encourages the acknowledgment and acceptance of emotions without judgment. This helps you navigate through the highs and lows of the creative process more effectively.
- Overcoming Creative Blocks: Mindfulness techniques foster a non-judgmental attitude towards yourself and your creative work. This enables you to move past self-doubt and negative thought patterns that may inhibit your creative expression.
- Improved Self-Expression: Mindfulness aids in understanding your thoughts and feelings better, which then leads to improved self-expression through various creative outlets like writing, painting, music, etc.
Now, let’s talk about the infamous creative block—that dreaded moment when the well of ideas runs dry, and you find yourself staring at a blank page for hours on end.
In such a scenario, Everson says mindfulness can serve as a beacon in the dark by helping you navigate through the labyrinth of self-doubt and criticism. By embracing the present moment, you let go of the burdens of past failures and the anxieties of future expectations. You’re left only with a clear mind, ready to explore uncharted territories of imagination.
… and it’s not just about the process but also about the product! Everson believes mindfulness allows you to infuse your creations with a piece of your soul.
It’s why a painting isn’t just strokes on a canvas but also a reflection of an artist’s inner world…
It’s why a melody isn’t just notes strung together but also an echo of a composer’s emotions…
It’s why a poem isn’t just words and symbolisms but also a product of a writer’s self-expression and storytelling…
Simply said, mindfulness helps you channel your innermost experiences into your art, making it resonate with others on a deeper, more profound level.
Below are some mindfulness tips to enhance your creativity:
- Set aside time each day for a mindfulness practice such as meditation, deep breathing, or mindful walking.
- Embrace moments of silence in your day to clear your mind and allow creative ideas to emerge more easily.
- Approach your creative work without judgment.
- Focus on the sensations, movements, and emotions involved in the creative process.
- Be grateful for your creative abilities and for the opportunities to engage in creative pursuits.
- Reflect mindfully on your creative work to identify patterns and approaches that enhance your creativity.
So, the next time you find yourself in a creative rut, Everson says you should take a moment to breathe. Embrace the stillness, and watch as your creativity unfurls its wings and soars to new heights. In the gentle dance between mindfulness and creativity, that’s where the true magic happens.
By incorporating mindfulness practices into your daily routine, you’ll be able to cultivate a mindset that is more conducive to creativity and innovation.
What’s more?
Techniques such as mindfulness meditation, mindful breathing, and mindful observation can all contribute to the development of a more creative and insightful perspective.
We hope you find today’s topic helpful and insightful!
Have an awesome Friday!
(This article is from The Business Builder Daily, a newsletter by The I Institute in collaboration with MBO Partners.)
About The Dynamic Marketing Communiqué’s
“Fridays: Mindfulness by Miles”
High-performance businesses are run by people who think and act differently.
In other words, these are people who are high-performing individuals.
Companies and individuals of this kind have found ways to escape the grind of commoditization and competition by focusing on the RIGHT goals.
High-performing businesses and individuals are also “return driven” businesses and “career driven” individuals. They conscientiously develop unique capabilities and resources that allow them to deliver offerings in ways no other firm or individual can.
Every Friday, we’ll publish tips and insights from MBO Partners and The I Institute’s “The Business Builder Daily” newsletter.
These will help you gain knowledge on the things that Miles Everson, the CEO of MBO Partners, often talks about regarding the future of the workforce.
We’ll also highlight other mindfulness advice on how you can be a high-performing individual both in your career and personal life.
Hope you’ve found this week’s insight interesting and helpful.
Stay tuned for next Friday’s “Mindfulness by Miles!”
Cheers,
Kyle Yu
Head of Marketing
Valens Dynamic Marketing Capabilities
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www.valens-research.com
