Creativity, Transformation and Spring

Sprouts of new life, vibrant colors emerging - it's an inspiring and uplifting transformation.

There is so much work to be done this time of year - cleaning, preparation, getting rid of the old to make way for the new - it's all good and very therapeutic.  But, what can be overlooked is the opportunity to take this time to reflect and transform your creative spirit.  What better time than spring to try something new.

Your doodling journal can be where you explore new ideas, try drawing in a different style or different subject matter.  An open heart and open mind is all you need.

Take time to pay attention to what is stirring inside.  If you don't know, a good question to ask yourself is:  If I could do whatever I want right now, what would it be?  Write your thoughts down, or at least, make a mental note of them.  And don't allow "but I can't because...." to take over your thoughts. 

Maybe, practically speaking, it's not something you can do at the moment, but don't allow that to stop you from visualizing or thinking about it.  You are what you focus on; therefore, you can do or become what you want.  So, think of this as a time for planting seeds of intention.

As with all the work that is involved with your yard and garden, you will need to give the same amount of care to your newly sprouted ideas and intentions.  Your life is no different than your garden - it can flourish and become lush in its growth and beauty, or it can be ordinary and just survive, or worse, it can wither from neglect.

Give it the care it needs in the early stages of growth, allow it to find its own path, support it and give it the nutrients and foundation it needs.  Your ideas and intentions will also need to be protected from the weeds - don't allow negative thoughts or people to take over. 

Your dreams will thrive if you can provide them with sunny, positive energy and a constant flow of creative juices.  Creativity is what brought them to life and is what will make them flourish.

Keep your doodle journal at your side to record the journey and help you find the answers you seek.  If doubts or negative thoughts sprout up, get them out on paper to help eliminate them.

Try this as a way to literally wipe out negative influences:

• Doodle, draw or scribble whatever the thought feels like, then draw something that eliminates or overpowers it.  Even scribbling over it or just crossing it out will work.
• However, if the feeling is still there or you now feel more anxiety, continue to draw what you feel until you start to get a better understanding of what it is that you are feeling.
• You want to transform or eliminate the feeling, not just cover it up.

Deeper feelings and self-doubt are the tougher weeds that will appear often.  You will need to keep an eye on them and continue to be vigilant about eliminating them.

If you keep up with your Daily Doodle Journal, you will be able to monitor your feelings and progress.  Progress that will lead to transformation. 

Using the law of attraction along with your creativity is a powerful way to transform your ideas and intentions into your dreams.  If you would like more information on the law of attraction, here are a few of my favorite books on the topic.

Happy Doodling!

Overcoming Creative Blocks - Creative Mood

For most of my creative life, I needed to be in the mood to create.  My state of mind or emotional state dictated if and when I could do what I loved.

Not being able to do something creative would make me feel extremely frustrated and discouraged, which would then continue the mood that would keep me from creating.

So much prescious time was lost.  So, I thought.

Here's where a Doodle Journal can help transform your negative mood or low energy into a positive, flowing, energetic state.

All you have to do is get out your pad and pencil.  Give yourself a moment to clear your thoughts, meditate or state your intentions.  Put on paper whatever it is you are feeling.  Even if it is a lonely, little dot in the middle of the page - do it!  Consider this a warm-up exercise; not a work of art.  If you have that expectation, it may only make it more difficult to transform your mood.

The idea is to acknowledge your current state and transition to a more receptive, creative state.

Suppose after several minutes, you can only manage a few weak, squiggly lines drooping downward on the page.  Or maybe your page is filled with a lot of jagged lines bouncing back and forth across the page.  Now what? 

You may not realize it, but you did create something!  You now know what your inner state looks like.  Keep going - do additional pages!

There are a few ways you can approach the next step.

You can continue to draw, following what you feel until there is a natural shift in the flow.  Or you can consciously start to draw or doodle in a way that is familiar to you - more or less forcing a shift.  That can be a little more difficult if you're just not in a creative state, and may not always be that effective.  But it may be a good idea if you just need to shift from a logical, left brain state to a creative, right brain state or if you're working on a project with a deadline. 

I prefer to let the the process take its own natural path.  It becomes my self-reflection.  Many things are resolved and revealed to me during these, what I used to refer to as, dry spells.  I now consider these moments to be full of surprises that allow me to release any stress or negative energy.

The most important thing is that you now have a way to bring yourself back into a flowing, creative state.  You don't have to wait for the creative mood to miraculously appear.  You can bring it out natually.  Just allow your inner voice to reveal itself.  Respect and acknowledge what comes out on the page.

And don't limit this technique to artistic persuits - this works just as well when trying to overcome a writer's block or trying to come up with ideas.  Doodling can clear your mind of all the mental clutter.  Use it as a tool to transform your mood and state of mind to a fountain of creativity.

If you are a creative soul like me, you know the deep sense of frustration when creativity stops flowing.  While I no longer want to waste any more time staying in a state of "stuckness", I also believe that creative droughts appear for a reason and are very valuable to the whole process.  Possibly, something needs to be cleared away to make room for something new.  Or maybe, an issue needs to be resolved before going forward.

In her truly inspirational book, Making Pearls, Living the Creative Life, Jeanne Carbonetti, writes about the stages of creation.  She explains, "You may have felt blocked at times, uninspired at others, or perhaps frustrated and self-critical.  All of these experiences come from not honoring where you are in the creative cycle."

In her chapters on waiting, opening, closing, holding, releasing, emptying and sitting, she describes the purpose and gifts of each stage.  Her book is filled with inspiration and is a profoundly different way to look at the creative process.  And while it's filled with art, it is a great book for anyone interested in developing creativity of any kind.

So, the questions to contemplate are:

• Instead of facing an obstacle as if it were a brick wall, can it be envisioned as a door that can be opened to transport you through to a new level of being?
• Can you learn to appreciate and even welcome obstacles and uncertainty as opportunities for self-reflection?

The Daily Doodle Journal can put you on that path, help you transform your mood and take you further on your creative journey.

Doodle On!

Drawing to Music



Doodle Therapy - Drawing to Music - Lola - Patricia Kay

 Having trouble getting in a creative mood?

If you're stressed, or find that you just can't get into a creative state of mind, Try this exercise.  The mind-body connection will change your mood and put you into a more receptive brain state.

For this, all you will need is a pencil and large sheets of paper - a pad of newsprint is best for these warm-up exercises.  However, if you don't have large sheets of paper at the moment, use what you have.

Now, get out your favorite music to uplift you.  If upbeat music gets you going, go with that.  Or,if you prefer, go with soothing music to calm you.   Go with whatever you need at the moment.  Instrumentals will work best.  Music with lyrics can be distracting and get the brain into a thinking mode.  The idea is to turn off that process and let the music activate the feeling process.  For myself, I prefer light jazz, easy listening or new age music to relax and escape from the stress.

This exercise will work best is you are standing.  You will want to be able to draw working with your whole arm - from your hand to your shoulder - not just the hand and wrist.

Then, with sweeping movements, draw, scribble or doodle to the beat or melody of the music.  I guarantee that you will draw in a totally different way using this method.

Use your arm in dramatic or lyrical-type movements, as if you are a conductor.  Feel the music.  Mimic what you feel in the drawing.  Do you feel bold slash marks or long, curving squiggly lines?  Maybe you're feeling punctuated dots or never-ending sprials. 

It may take a few minutes or it may take a few sheets of paper before you start to channel the music into you hand.  But once you feel it, and then see it on paper, you will experience a great sense of freedom.

Just don't judge it!  Keep one important thing in mind:  this is not meant to be a finished product.  This is meant to be a warm-up exercise to get the creative energies flowing.  On the other hand, have positive expectations - this may be the best environment to cultivate your creativity and bring out your best work.

Take some time after you are finished to sit and look at your drawings.  Take time to appreciate what you did.  Do you see surprising shapes and forms that you find appealing?  Are you finding some that you really dislike.  Allow some contemplation time.

When I first tried this, I was amazed at the different quality of my drawing.  I was so intriqued with the new forms that appeared, I kept doing page after page late into the night, just to see more results.  It was an extremely freeing moment and a huge confidence booster because I now realized the look I was searching for in my work was naturally within me.   I just needed to allow it to flow.

Happy Doodling!

My favorites.....



The Creative Journey - Overcoming Creative Blocks

Have you started your creative journal or any new project yet?  What's holding you back?

The number one creative block is fear of criticism or being judged by other people.  You may have had horrible experiences from someone's careless or mean-spirited comments that have left lasting scars.  And whether is was total insensitivity or deliberate cruelty, the experience is still holding you back.

Maybe when you start something new, the voice of that critic reappears or maybe that critic is still in your life.  Either way, the seeds of self-doubt are firmly rooted in place.  You can cut them down to get rid of them, but until you remove the roots, they'll keep coming back.

Other times, you may be moving along making great progress - then out of the blue, you're faced with a monumental road block.  Sometimes it's not really clear what is preventing you from going forward.  Today, I'll just focus on criticism.

Often, I have found that those that are affected by or sensitive to judgment the most are those that are very judgmental themselves.  More than likely, their voice has taken over for the original critic. 

Whatever the case, you may not be able to silence the critics, but you can try to desensitize yourself to it. 

I don't have a magic formula or easy way to achieve this.  I'm not a psychologist or art therapist, but I can tell you this:  If you are willing to learn what each of these blocked moments/periods have to teach you about yourself, and you are determined to overcome what holds you back, the voice of that critic (whether it's yours or someone else) will lose its power over you.

It's going to take a lot of work and self-reflection, but it's worth every minute of it if you can finally free yourself and live a creative, fulfilling life. 

This is where the Daily Doodle Journal can be an important tool in the learning and healing process.

Because doodling can put you into a more reflective, receptive state, it is the perfect medium to focus on the process of creativity or problem solving rather than the product or outcome.

And more importantly, because doodling is not perceived as a serious art form, there is less pressure on you to create what you consider to be a work of art.

This will be your process for working through issues.  Welcome the blocks.  You don't have to understand what you are feeling at this point.  Just acknowledge and take note of it.  If you would like to write about it as well, you can add it to your page or use another journal for writing.  The choice is yours.

Do this daily, if you can.  You may want to avoid this when you are stressed or unable to cope, but that is the very best time.

Try this exercise:

If you are stressed or upset - draw it.  Don't know how to draw? - feel it.  What does it feel like - don't think in terms of a picture.  It could be dagger-like lines, scribbles or just in big letters - the word, STOP or a big question mark!  Let your emotions come up.  Do not let your mind take over.

It doesn't have to be detailed and you don't have to spend a lot of time on it.  A couple minutes is sometimes all that it takes.  Do a couple more pages if you can until you see the look and energy change to a calmer feel.

Take a minute after you are finished to reflect on what was bothering you and where in your body you were feeling the tension.

Just promise to keep the momentum going.  If you dedicate the time to this, you will begin to see the change in your drawings and your confidence in your creative abilities.

Doodle when you're happy,

Doodle when you're sad.

Doodle anything and everything -

even if it looks bad!!!

If you would like more information on this topic, one of the best books I've read, is Point Zero, Creativity Without Limits by Michelle Cassou  The book is about developing your creativity and overcoming all types of blocks.  I highly recommend it! 

Happy Doodling!





The Creative Journey - Doodling Journal

If you have been thinking about starting a visual journal, but feel that you don't know what to write or you just don't want to reveal your feelings on paper, a doodling journal may be the perfect thing for you.

You could just doodle on scrap paper that you may or may not keep, but an actual sketch pad or journal that shows your drawings in dated sequence will provide you with a progressive history that will reveal far more about you.

So, here is your first assignment:

• Get a sketch or drawing pad just for your daily doodles - I prefer a 9 x 12 pad with a top spiral for freer hand movement.  If this size is too large and intimidating, go smaller and try to eventually go to the larger size.  If you're ready to start, but don't have a pad, use copy paper or whatever you have.
• Use whatever you prefer to draw with:  pencils, markers, chalk pastel pencils or sticks or crayons.  I  prefer a #4 pencil for my daily journal because I usually just do simple, quick abstract drawings without the influence of color, but a plain old #2 is just fine. 
• When you're ready, close your eyes for a moment to clear your mind of any clutter.  Meditate or make an intention to allow the flow of creativity to flow through your spirit into your body and onto the paper.
• You may have to find little ways to outsmart yourself if you are a perfectionist, critical or are having a problem letting go.  (We'll get more into this in later posts.)  Just keep in mind that it's just a sheet of paper.  If you feel that you are wasting money, get an inexpensive newsprint pad.  This may sound silly, but sometimes starting on the 2nd page feels better - do whatever it takes to get you started.
• Pay attention while drawing to what you are feeling both emotionally and physically.  Where are you feeling it and what is triggering it?
• If you start hearing the voice of the critic - ignore it.  It will take a while to silence it.
• Learn to trust your intuition.  Sometimes you will be urged to draw something that seems strange to you.  Just allow it to emerge.  If that's hard for you to do, just do it out of curiosity to see what it becomes!  Remember, your intuition knows best.  You will almost always find that the drawings that were inspired by your intuition rather than guided by your mind, will be the more interesting ones.
• Learn about yourself from your drawings, but don't take yourself too seriously.  I love the drawings that come out that are offbeat, strange or a little goofy.
• Use your doodle time to let off steam.  In fact, if you are in a negative state, getting it on paper will help get it out of your system.  Don't be afraid to just scribble - mimic what you are feeling on paper.  Maybe it's a jumbled mess or maybe it's daggar-like slashes.  It's an excellent way to drain off toxic emotions.  Do additional pages until you see a shift in the look of your drawings.
• Give yourself at least a few minutes every day to keep the creative flow going.
• Doodle when you need ideas or answers - you will be amazed how much faster they will come to you.
• Doodle when you're tense, doodle when your bored.  Make doodling your therapy!  You will begin to see your personal style and symbols develop and you will be better able to identify what you are feeling.
• Try to remember to date your drawings to monitor your progress.  It'll be interesing to look back at your old journals.  The dates will help you remember what was going at the time.

Happy Doodling!