Many business people and solopreneurs are creative, yet over the years in every professional capacity I experienced, co-workers and leaders told me over and over how lucky I was to be creative, followed by a confession that they weren’t. I believe every single human is creative and that we all discover the importance creativity plays in our life… and work for a healthy career.
Thank you, by the way, for praising my creativity, recognizing it, and expressing value in creative practices. That feels better than acknowledging a big sale or passing some certification to sell more services for a larger price tag. Honestly, I find so much more fulfillment as a writer treated like a magical mystical creature in the background, creating content and copy for clients, than I ever did winning the company cruise or ski vacation.
Imagine a day that you realize that your creativity is right there working diligently in your favor every day. And when you consciously embrace and practice creativity, you will expand your possibilities a million times (OK, that’s not a scientifically proven number, but it will feel like it).
Here are just a few benefits of inviting creativity into your work and home life:
- Problem-solving. Creative thinkers exercise brain muscles to slap salve on pain points or invent solutions that blow our minds.
- Humor. Creative people fine-tune timing, twist the meaning of words, implement surprise, and ultimately make people laugh (and laughter is really good for you).
- Enhancing relationships, professional and otherwise. Creative people figure out how to make and grow the best relationships selflessly.
- Coloring outside the lines. Thinking outside the box. Daring to be bold.
- Breaking boredom. Only boring people are bored, and creative people simply are rarely if ever bore anyone.
See? Just think how much better the world can be if everyone exercises creativity instead of telling themselves and everyone around them that they are not creative.
You need examples. OK. A few years ago when I was (cough cough) an insurance agent… I know, as my friend Megan says, “Laura, insurance is so off-brand for you.” She’s 100% right… Those were desperate times. And frankly, I started to realize that and felt like I hit a deep dark cold low. I hired an art therapist to help me out. Through doodles, big wild loose painting, imaginary friend role-playing, collages, bridge-drawings, and journaling with my non-dominant hand, I found myself. Not only did I rediscover my true self (like a long lost friend I used to know decades ago) I saw clearly how I needed to change everything. All of it, including my sales career. Finally I found my way back to writing. I found my way to my ideal personal life too.
My life is amazing now. Cynical friends of my past would scoff at the concept of work/life balance. They claimed it didn’t exist. I dare say I’m living proof that they are wrong.
What action steps can you take to embrace creativity for improved work/life balance?
Try a 30 day challenge to try something new every day for a month. Some ideas to try:
- Wonder Doodles with Jodi Rose Studio
- Drawing or doodling with your non-dominant hand
- Journaling with your non-dominant hand (your compassionate side speaks)
- Try an instrument you’ve never played before… even if it’s a shakeree or recorder
- Write a joke
- Sing a poem out loud (to your pet or box fan is fun, or to a far away friend’s voicemail)
- Take a dance class
- Pick and arrange flowers into an asymmetrical bouquet
- Make a clay pinch pot
- Try origami or kirigami
- Meditate, then paint a big piece of paper with your eyes closed
- Write a “love” letter to a friend using every sense (sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste)
- Write your own epitaph and obituary
- Sew a sock puppet
- Puppeteer an adlib play (totally make it up as you go)
- Build a snow or sand castle to a scale you’ve never attempted before
- Create a meal from scratch you’ve never made before without using a recipe
What do any of these creative acts do for your work and personal life? They stretch your brain, relieve anxiety, soften rigid barriers you unknowingly boxed yourself into, and wake up sensational ties to the artistic idea-forming side of your brain. The more you exercise the creative side of your brain, the more positive opportunities will unfold for you. I don’t want to guarantee this, but I kind of want to promise you.
What I can promise is to reveal more in a few weeks. You’ll be able to see exactly what I have been able to manifest in an astoundingly short amount of time. It might cause goosebumps.
In the meantime, go forth and create. Tap into your creativity, imagination, and seek out the awe and wonder we humans deserve. And if you really need help getting unstuck or carryout some communication, feel free to grab time on my calendar. Whether you recognize it or not, You’re awesome!
About Wa’am Writes, LLC
Laura Paisley Beck of Wa’am Writes works wonders for small businesses and solopreneurs. She sharpened her copywriting skills as a serial entrepreneur and corporate trained salesperson for decades. Reminder: copywriting is sales writing. The best sales writing is savvy, empowering storytelling. Want a colorful experienced successful writer for your content? Schedule time with Laura Paisley Beck today!
