Tag Archives: mindfulness

the in-between moments…

Are you working from home right now?

maybe you find yourself there half-time, full-time, or no-time.

I know this Season has been hard in oh so many ways….and for so many people.

It has never been more important than now to care for our hearts…and CARE DEEPLY! Our personal soul-care is vital to our well being, both mentally and physically. It is from our OVER-FLOW that we are able to affect those around us…hopefully for their good.

When we are emotionally spent – which, haven’t we all been there a bit too often lately? – there is nothing left to give others. Not our families, not our friends….even our work people suffer at the hands of our personal neglect.

But filling up can be a challenge when we are faced with stress, job loss, money shortages …temper shortages. The negative culture around us can affect us so deeply if we allow it to. So I would like you to do something for me….for you….

Find Beauty in an In-Between Moment

Right now in fact… Stand Up and walk to the closest window…

What do you see?

Now look closer – notice something that you hadn’t before. What does it look like? What color is it? How does it move [or not move]? What surrounds it? Is it affected by its surroundings?

Now craft a little story in your head about this noticing.

Tell it’s Story

It doesn’t have to take long. Imagine you are telling a child about this thing. Everything has a story, even inanimate things. How does it look, feel, think.

Imagine the possibilities.

Taking yourself out of the auto-pilot moments of the day, and into creative story, helps you to find beauty in life. This practice can lift your Spirit, and bring you more in-tune with the present moments that you often can’t see because of busyness, obligation, and world view. As you fill up with these, your over-flow will change the culture around you.

Notice the change. It may be very subtle at first, but as you lift, so will the atmosphere.

Somehow we all need to find a disconnect….in order to reconnect – to what’s important, to the natural world around us…to our very Souls.

Take time today to find beauty in the In-Between Moments…

Make it a habit every hour or so. Stretch. Walk. Look. Breathe. Five minutes is all it takes to totally change your perspective. Over time you will begin to see your Spirit lift, your emotions settle, your mood improve, and your Creative Heart begin to soar!

As you transform, so does the world around you….for it’s good

WHAT do you see right now? I would love to hear it! Please leave a comment and encourage the world. We are all in this together my friends!

Don’t forget to share, comment and engage! I would love to connect with you

Peace and Love and Art! ~lisaellen

Bringing Mindfulness into Your Creative Practice

Being present to the moments of life can encourage thankfulness, exercise our minds, increase productivity, and even inspire beauty and creativity.

With so much stress being a part of our regular state of being lately, the practice of mindfulness has never been more important. When you think about why we have the concerns we do as of late, it is no wonder depression is on the rise.

Mindfulness reduces anxiety, increases feelings of well being, improves memory, increases self-control, regulates emotions, improves brain function and improves relationships. The benefits of this activity are too many to list here, but know that this is something that anyone can incorporate into their days, and almost a MUST DO for creatives.

5 Ways To Bring Mindfulness Into Your Creative Practice

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is simply the state of being aware of the present moment. Try this:

1. Take a walk in a park, through the woods, or even down the street before sitting down to work on something creative. Breathe deeply (fresh air in) and notice any scents that may be present. How do they make you feel, or what do they make you think of? (fresh air out) Repeat this deep breathing with each of the 5 senses, paying close attention. Using your senses while you walk can get your brain thinking outside the box and increase inspiration and motivation. Write these reactions down in a journal or even sketch them out….no rules here

2. Do a Brain Dump. Often we are so consumed with ideas, thoughts, reactions, and feelings that we are incapable of fitting anything else in. Sometimes I have so many ideas that come at me all at once that I am frozen in my ability to take any action what-so-ever. Write them all down. Create a list, journal them all in one long no punctuation paragraph, or fill little bubbles with the general idea. This serves to get it all out in front of you so that individual attention can be given to each piece, at the appropriate time. Creating a grocery list is similar in that you don’t want to forget to pick up things you need and a reminder is necessary. *If you’d like to make them pretty, Code them with color in order of importance so you know which to deal with first.

3. Stretch before, during and after your creative time. Pay attention to each part you are stretching. Notice how it feels: tight? pain? does your spine crack or align during the stretch? Loosening up is great for your body and your mind, especially if you will be spending a lot of time in a chair. Most of my studio practice is spent behind a computer or sitting at an easel. I can focus much more if I have gotten all the stiffs and aches out.

4. Get out in the Garden. Gardening is a huge part of my creative practice because I draw and paint flowers & herbs, vegetables & trees, as well as insects & birds. Incorporating plant materials through print making as well as dyeing drying and arranging for my home is other ways I like to get out into Nature. Even if you don’t use the garden in your creative expression, the garden itself can promote feelings of peace & tranquility and is an awesome place to set up a table or bench to engage in whatever it is that you do. I like to create garden rooms that give various spaces to different focuses. For instance a small table surrounded by a hedge and set next to a pond with a trickling waterfall can serve as great setting for a short story, or poem in the making. I’ve even set up easels in the midst of the flowering lettuce to capture the beauty up close and personal

5. Listening to music. This is one of my favorite mindfulness tools while I am creating. I’m particularly found of instrumentals because they don’t clash with the thought processes that occur during creating endeavors, but sometimes I am inspired by other forms of music. A word or phrase, or even a certain melody will conjure images in my mind that become some of my favorite pieces of art. Choose something that inspires you…everyone is different. But try to avoid things that get you really worked up or angry. Peace is the goal here, so that the inner you can come out to play for a while.

I hope this has inspired you to incorporate some mindfulness into your life today.

Till next time!

Peace and love my friends ~lisa