Amanda Stone -

Finding Inspiration Everywhere – Interview with Digital Artist Ron Van Alff

by Amanda StoneAwakened Creator Spotlight, Inspiration, Visual Arts September 2, 2022September 2, 2022No Comments

“Awakened Creator describes me really well, because I started creating art for the first time in my life (in my 40’s) in the same period that I started to awaken!” Today’s Awakened Creator Spotlight is on Ron van Alff, a digital artist, who explores his heartfelt expression through the merging of photography and spiritual intuition. Connect with him on Instagram/TikTok/Twitter @ronvibesart. Here is Ron in his own words on his creative journey and what it means to be an Awakened Creator. Tell us about your authentic creative expression. What do you love to create and why? I love to take pictures of trees, the sky, churches, houses, flowers & lamps for example. Afterwards I look for a picture that “speaks” to me and I start editing it. Because I have been doing this extensively for a while now I have some tricks up my sleeve. But when I start I don’t know exactly what it will become. I work very intuitively. During this process I start seeing something, feeling something and it gets spiritual meaning most of the times. I tend to create lots of portals, parallel universes and dreamworlds. This process makes me lose time and relaxes me. And I get excited starting something new. That’s why I do it! What most often gets in your way as a creator and how do you stay in alignment and flow? Because I have several special interests, I might become too involved with other things and not create any art for a few days. It’s just something I realise and then I make myself start on a photo. After a short while the drive and the routine comes back. Creating my art goes hand in hand with my spiritual work. So meditation and reading about philosophy helps me in my creative flow as well. If you could offer words of wisdom or support to your fellow creators, what would you say? Create what YOU like. Get excited about that, create every day, you’ll get better. But don’t give yourself deadlines with that. Some people improve within weeks, some people take years. And as a digital artist: look for collaborations after a while. They can be fun and you can learn a lot from it! I know I have! “Create what YOU like. Get excited about that, create every day, you’ll get better.” How did you become a part of the Awakened Creators community and what does being an Awakened Creator mean to you? I remember starting my Instagram account with my art last year and after a short while I gravitated to certain artists. What I noticed was their loving vibe, the positive way they communicate and the fact that they’re spiritual like me (in the end we are all spiritual beings). I started following Awakened Creators right away! Awakened Creator describes me really well, because I started creating art for the first time in my life (in my 40’s) in the same period that I started to awaken! I became interested in source, fabric of the universe, manifestation, reincarnation and more. Want to connect with Ron? Check out Ron’s incredible digital artwork on Instagram, TikTok, & Twitter @ronvibesart. Do you have the desire to align with your authentic creative expression? If you want to feel free to create from the heart, my HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide will show you a pathway home. I will personally guide you (with quick video lessons) through a simple yet powerful creative ritual that will bring your heART back online so you can start creating from that space again. Access the HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide for free.

Let Your Love Dance Free – Interview with Movement Artist Hilda Stumpf

by Amanda StoneAwakened Creator Spotlight, Inner Child, Inspiration, Performing Arts August 19, 2022August 19, 2022No Comments

“It’s funny the entire loop back. It’s what always brought me joy at a young age and I just had to find my way back to it.” Today’s first ever Official Awakened Creator Spotlight shines on Hilda Stumpf, a movement artist and intuitive dancer, who embodies the heartfelt authentic expression we aim for here at Awakened Creators. Connect with her on Instagram @hildaliz_stumpf_ Here is Hilda in her own words on her creative journey and what it means to be an Awakened Creator. Tell us about your authentic creative expression. What do you love to create and why? Movement. My main love is dancing but I’m also learning to hula hoop dance. Next on my list is ribbon dancing, bongo drumming and slack lining. Basically, if it catches my attention and it looks like fun I’m going to want to try it out. After my awakening I just don’t hold back. As early as elementary school I was always drawn to music videos and I would watch on repeat until I learned them. Like many teenagers during the 90s, I was making choreographies and teaching my best friend so we could perform it to anyone who would watch. It’s funny, at a younger age we have no shame of fear or judgment. We tend to start feeling it when we become aware of other’s expectations. That’s when I allowed myself to bury that part of me. At the age of 10, I can remember teaching myself how to use my parent’s camcorder to record my dancing. I also liked acting out scenes from my favorite movies. It’s funny the entire loop back. It’s what always brought me joy at a young age and I just had to find my way back to it. All because I followed that random thought to try hula hooping, I ended up finding my love of dancing again. What most often gets in your way as a creator and how do you stay in alignment and flow? I find the days where my energy is lower I end up getting in my own way and ultimately can’t create from a space of flow. The fluidity of my movements only comes easy when I’m in a grounded mindset. Not even necessarily in a ”positive” mindset but the awareness of what I’m currently feeling in that present moment and if I’m okay creating from that space then I can. I find meditation prior to practicing or just a calm morning routine to start the day can help. Also, listening to high frequency music has been a game changer when I’m feeling out of alignment. If you could offer words of wisdom or support to your fellow creators, what would you say? Something I wish I was told when I started my journey of self discovery is that when inspiration hits out of no where to create or try out an entirely new thing, don’t dismiss that thought. I was out one day getting groceries and I randomly decided I wanted to buy a hula hoop. So I did that very day and it’s what lead to my discovery that I can control my movement in ways I never knew. Before my awakening, I may have been too distracted to catch that thought let alone pursue it. Second, and just as important, whatever you do…do it for you. Follow your intuition or what feels right to you. You are the creator of your reality. There’s no need for outside validation for your art. Whatever you create do it from the heart. “There’s no need for outside validation for your art. Whatever you create do it from the heart.” How did you become a part of the Awakened Creators community and what does being an Awakened Creator mean to you? I found the Awakened Creator community through Instagram. Uplifting one another’s content allowed us to build a better connection. I have since participated in a few of the hosted meditations and plan to sit in on more. I believe that building connections, whether online or not, is how we progress. The more people, culture, ideas, conversation…diversity, the better I believe everyone will be for it. I have allowed myself to be open to building online friendships and connections. The connection to the Awakened Creator community happened naturally and organically for me. For me personally it means creating from a space of awareness. When you’re doing something you love that’s aligned with your higher self, all that can come out of it is pure. https://weareawakenedcreators.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/763deb5240dc4d69abdaf1b93605a033.mp4 Want to connect with Hilda? Check out Hilda’s heartfelt and groovy dance moves on her Instagram @hildaliz_stumpf_ Do you have the desire to align with your authentic creative expression? If you want to feel free to create from the heart, my HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide will show you a pathway home. I will personally guide you (with quick video lessons) through a simple yet powerful creative ritual that will bring your heART back online so you can start creating from that space again. Access the HeART Alignment Creative Ritual guide for free.

Have Everything But Still Unhappy? You Might be a Repressed Creative

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Inner Child, Inspiration June 29, 2022June 29, 2022No Comments

For over a decade I forced myself to deny my heart’s desires and go after career goals and aspirations that had more to do with what other people wanted than what my heart did. I figured, like lots of folks do, if I just check off this list of things (house, job, education, family, etc.) I would be satisfied. But when I got there, I was still unhappy. I had a master’s degree, a full time job helping others in higher education, a custom-built suburban home, a marriage, and a child. I had everything I was told would make me happy, but I was still miserable. Symptoms of my Core Unhappiness I felt ashamed. What was wrong with me that I could have everything and still be unhappy? And when you are unfulfilled, you look for ways to “fill up”… I didn’t know what the real problem was. I just knew I was unhappy. So I drank. First a little. Then a lot. And when the liquor store worker starts to know you by first name…you have a problem. But I didn’t know what the real problem was. I just knew I was unhappy, despite having everything. After hitting my rock bottom in 2017 and nearly throwing myself off a bridge and leaving my 2-year old son and husband behind, I had a change of heart…or well..my heart had a change of me. I had trapped my heart in a prison of other people’s expectations of the “right way” of living. But what could be more wrong than denying your heart its happiness?? Understanding my True Identity as a Creative I remember like it was yesterday. The energy was immense and pink and loving. It hit me like a wave and was so overwhelmingly loving that I broke down and cried, watching as all the shattered pieces of my life were stitched together in a perfect mosaic and I saw the truth. I was creative. A very, very repressed creative. I realized I was an artist (and always had been) who was pretending to be something I wasn’t. I had trapped my heart in a prison of other people’s expectations of the “right way” of living. But what could be more wrong than denying your heart its happiness?? Thus, my creative and spiritual awakening journey began, exploding in a swirl of writing and painting combined with meditation and journaling, as all manner of authentic self expression unleashed. I didn’t realize how much repressed creativity and suppressed emotions lived in me, stemming all the way back from childhood, that just wanted to be seen and heard. The more I expressed creatively the lighter I started to feel, like layers of heavy blankets being pulled off my spirit. Shortly thereafter, Awakened Creators was born in my mission to help others find the joy within that I did. I was tired of seeing creative souls suffering in jobs they hated, doing what they were told would make them happy (like I was) and being miserable day in and day out. I had broke free from my own prison and I was ready to help others do the same. Choosing to Live a Creative Life Instead Five years later, I am officially done with my unfulfilling 9-5 job and traveling the world full-time with my family, all while serving the creative community I love through Awakened Creators and expressing my own creativity through my writing and painting. I never thought I could be this happy! And don’t think I had some formulaic plan or strategy. In no way did I imagine things happening like they have. The Universe is so much more intelligent than I. All I knew was that creative expression was the answer and honoring it (despite how scared I was to follow my creative passion) has freed me to pursue the life of my dreams. Not to mention…doing a TON of inner work so I could do the outer work I loved. I share this raw truth about my past battle with addiction and suicide because it all led me to this moment. A moment my heart has waited all my life to feel again. Freedom. Joy. Purpose. And I believe you can make the shift as well, even if you are just at the beginning of your journey. So if you are told you have everything, but you are still unhappy, consider that you might be a repressed creative and let’s open the doorway to your heART. You are in the right place I promise. Welcome home, Awakened Creator.

The Best Prayer for Creativity: The Awakened Creators Invocation

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Inspiration, Spirituality, Videos April 27, 2021May 28, 2022No Comments

Listen up, because this is the creative ritual that I engage in before starting any creative project. It really helps me to release self-judgement and open up to creative flow. It is hands down, the best prayer for creativity I have ever used. The Awakened Creators Invocation (aka Creativity Prayer), is super easy to understand and use. You can check out the quick video I made to explain the process, or just read this blog! Step 1 – Create Sacred Space The first thing that I have to do is create sacred space as part of my creativity ritual. I have a whole video playlist devoted to how to create sacred space as part of developing your own creative rituals here. Creating sacred space for my creativity includes: Locking the door Asking my family not to disturb me Clearing my energy (you can burn sage or just take some deep breaths) Center in my heart (you can hold crystals (link to crystals for creativity) or just place your hands on your heart) Step 2 – Read the Creativity Prayer Out Loud Now it is time to read the Awakened Creators Invocation, which you can download in my FREE Elevate & Create Guide. Note: This creativity prayer allows you to insert the name of your own personal concept of God. It does not require you to hold any particular religion or belief system or any belief system at all. You could pray to Yoda for all I care. It is important that you read the invocation aloud and with sincerity. It will feel awkward at first and that’s okay. You will get used to it with time and soon even memorize the words. And that’s it! Performing this super simple ritual for creativity is a great way to clear your mind, and prepare yourself for whatever experience wants to come through. If you haven’t downloaded the FREE Elevate and Create PDF Guide you can do that here. The PDF of the invocation is gorgeous! I’m super proud of it! I hope this helps you. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. And don’t forget to join the Awakened Creators family over on Instagram @awakened.creators for daily creative inspiration and guidance. Much love, Amanda

two paintbrushes on multicolored abstract painting

4 Concrete Truths Abstract Art Taught Me

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Visual Arts February 1, 2021May 28, 2022No Comments

I have always wanted to paint. But I never felt comfortable with the medium. Even though I immensely love watercolor paintings, whenever I tried to paint them myself, it just made a smeary mess. And when I tried acrylics, the tiny tubes of paint felt so precious that I had this incredible fear of “wasting” paint. Enter…abstract art. I’ve always been attracted to abstract art. I appreciate how it can bypass the mind and go straight to the heart and soul. The experience of looking at abstract art is so different for each viewer and can speak to us in ways we can’t even articulate. Abstract art can be powerful. Over the last few weeks, I’ve been feeling the call to pick up some paints and give abstract painting a shot. So I set an intention to manifest some instruction and guidance and it wasn’t too long after that when Christa Forrest synchronisticly appeared in my Instagram feed. Her work resonated deeply with me and when I discovered she taught a FREE Artful Inspirations Course on Floral Abstracts I knew it was meant to be. Exploring this new form of expression took me on a swift but deep journey where I was able to learn some concrete truths about myself and my life. I wanted to share what I learned with you and I encourage you (if you have interest in abstract art) to try Christa’s free course and see what emerges for you. Truth 1: Just “going for it” = liberation and joy Before I even began painting, the experience of buying supplies terrified me. I was encouraged to purchase a canvas larger than I felt comfortable with and as I stood in the craft store, the size and price of the canvases scared me. “What if I wasted my money and just made a mess?” After trying to negotiate myself to a smaller size, I eventually just went for it and bought TWO 24” x 36” canvases and paints! The $80+ purchase made me nervous, but afterwards, I felt so free! I had invested in myself and my joy. And driving home with that feeling was priceless. Truth 2: Change is inevitable (and leads to growth) Each creative experience transforms us, taking us beyond the level we were at before. Sometimes the change is small. And sometimes, the change is HUGE and noticeable. As I worked through my abstract layers, each one painted to a different genre of music (Pandora/Spotify stations shown), a different part of myself was unveiled and each experience was entirely different. Layer 1 was freeing and fun, totally loose and flowing. Layer 2 was soothing and spiritual, completely meditative and trace-like. But then came Layer 3 and…HELLO CREATIVE BLOCK! Truth 3: Discomfort is a signal (not an invitation for judgement) Shortly after I began work on Layer 3, I started to feel totally lost. Something was blocking my creative flow and the experience was not pleasant. I could have stopped in that moment, said “screw it” and decided that I was not cut out for abstract art. But rather than judge myself, which I knew would get me nowhere, I decided to pause, tune inward, and compassionately ask myself what was wrong. Truth 4: It pays to listen (to yourself) As I got quiet and tuned in to listen…my intuition, my inner guidance, my higher self began to speak. What was wrong, I realized, was that I was clinging to the work I had done in Layer 2, even though I didn’t really love it. I felt obligated to stay committed to the direction my piece appeared to be going. I was torn between what I had started and what my heart really wanted. In an instant, I saw so many parallels in my life. Jobs I had clung to, even though I hated them, but felt “locked in” and “trapped”. Obligations to other people that I knew I should have never agreed to in the first place, but felt chained to now that I said “yes” when I should have said “no”. This was a moment for me to stand up for myself, for all those times I had let obligation and commitment rule me, instead of following my gut. So…I mixed up black and blue, picked up my brush and started making irreversible dark marks on my canvas. It was then, I realized I had come full circle by once more applying Truth 1, and going for it. Liberated and free, I allowed creative flow to return. The last two layers (4 & 5) came quite naturally, and I even spent some time in the company of my family as I worked the final layers of my painting. As I look at my finished piece I am reminded of the incredible journey it took me on from start to finish. I love the symbolic nature of the lotus flowers that emerged (and the subtle nod to the Tower card in tarot). If you don’t know, lotus flowers grow in the muddiest, mucky waters and through all that, they bloom this pure, gorgeous expression of nature. I also see a lot of chakra messaging in the colors of my painting, mainly the blue (throat), green (heart), and violet (crown), encouraging me to speak truth to my heart’s desire in order to experience divine alignment. Years ago, I could have never moved through this experience so easily. I feel fortunate to have a firm understanding of the Cycle of Creative Flow, a framework that came to me at the beginning of my creative journey, and has proven invaluable to my creative process. I apply the principles of the creative flow cycle to every creative project I undertake, including working on Awakened Creators content. And the best part is, that once you integrate these teachings, they stay with you forever. I share all the wisdom I have come to understand about The Cycle of Creative Flow in my online course, which features 15 quick …

3 Powerful Lessons Reclaiming Creativity Taught Me

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Inspiration January 10, 2021May 28, 2022No Comments

If you would have met me back in 2017, you would think I had everything going for me. I had a partner, a child, and a good paying job. I was even going to graduate school to further my career prospects. But despite appearances, my life was a complete mess. Beneath the surface, I was an alcoholic, putting down 1.5 to 2 bottles of wine every night (a huge improvement from my former pints of vodka). When I remembered, I would take my anti-depressant and anti-anxiety medication (a terrible mix with booze btw). And whenever alcohol wasn’t available, I would eat my feelings in a stomach-turning sugar binge. All of this self-destruction and self-loathing led me to the brink of suicide for the second time in my life. That is, until my creativity stepped in to saved me. Literally. When I began to reclaim my creativity, everything changed. I found my missing piece. The piece I had denied myself for so long because I believed the lie that my creativity wasn’t important, wasn’t practical, and wasn’t needed. This is the biggest lie a creative soul could ever tell themselves! After surviving this supreme low in life, reclaiming my creativity taught me 3 powerful lessons that I’d like to share with you. My sincere hope is that by sharing my journey, you will never need to sink into the darkness, like I did, to find these truths. 1. Creative expression is necessary for some people Society likes to treat creativity like sprinkles on a cupcake. An added extra to flavor life, but something you could easily do without. My experience taught me that this isn’t true for some people. For “creative souls”, our expression of creativity is as important as breathing. It is a vital element of our well-being and should be treated as such. When we disregard our creativity as an afterthought, or relentlessly judge it, we rob ourselves of this incredible lifeforce. As seen in my story, and in many I’ve heard from other creatives, ignoring this can be a death sentence. 2. Creativity is an act of self love When we take the time and space to pursue our creativity, it sends a powerful signal to our soul that we love and appreciate what makes us happy. By accepting creativity as a real part of our identity, deserving of our attention, we give ourselves the healing gift of unconditional love. It isn’t about achieving some creative goal or level of recognition (although that is very possible as an Awakened Creator). Reclaiming your creativity is caring about yourself enough to put your own oxygen mask on first before anyone else around you. To choose your creativity is to choose to love yourself. 3. The creative journey is all about transformation Creative souls aren’t just creatively talented for the heck of it, our creativity is a divine gift. When applied properly, our creativity can transform our lives and carry us on an incredible lifelong journey of self-discovery through joy. Your creative projects (and your setbacks) are a reflection of your inner state, and with each one, you learn something powerful about yourself, about life, about…everything! Creativity is a force for deep healing, and serves as both the tool and the path. As you transform, your work becomes infused with the wisdom you’ve gained and holds the power to help others heal as well. So how did I start reclaiming my creativity? How can you start making your creativity a priority and showing yourself some love through your creative expression? Here are 3 tools that worked beautifully for me (and that I still use): 1. Shadow Journaling At Awakened Creators, we refer to self-reflective journaling as “sacred journeying”. This invaluable process allows a clearer window into the often subconscious source(s) of blockages in our creative process. By surrendering our fears, anxieties, and rage onto the page, we not only give ourselves a safe space to feel our emotions and demonstrate powerful self-compassion, we start freeing ourselves from unhealthy attachment to and blind acceptance of false narratives that keep us stuck. I often share journal prompts on Instagram to encourage this practice and offer guidance for going deep. I recommend every creative keep a journal, and use it as often as they feel called, especially during creative blocks. 2. Meditation Meditation is a very powerful tool for learning how to quiet your inner critic and untangle old programming that is leaving you stuck. Meditation can be as simple or complex as you want it to be, so don’t feel bad starting with just a few minutes a day. As you start seeing the positive results of a meditation practice, you will actually want to do it for longer and more often. I use meditation as both a daily practice (as often as I can) and as a prescriptive medicine when I get into a funky head space. If you want help getting started, guided meditations are great because they walk you through the process step by step. I have a growing library of meditations I’ve recorded on the Awakened Creators YouTube Channel that you can check out. 3. Create (of course)! Did you actually think you could reclaim your creativity without picking up that pencil or paintbrush? Not a chance! Whatever your medium of expression, you MUST actually do it to experience the transformative power of the creative journey. I get it. It can be scary to start, especially if you’ve been repressing your creativity for years, but the rewards will be great. Yes, you will judge yourself. Yes, you will wonder what the heck to create, but taking that risk will be so worthwhile! When you are living in your joy and feeling better about your life than you ever have, you will only wish you’d started sooner! Well beautiful soul, I hope reading this helped you understand how essential reclaiming your creativity is to your well-being and given you some practical tools you can use to begin your journey. It is …

The REAL reason you can’t create (and 5 ways to fix it)

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Inspiration, Videos December 17, 2020May 28, 2022No Comments

You know the feeling. You pick up the blank paper or canvas, fully expecting to create something amazing, but then nothing happens. You’re completely paralyzed. Your mind starts racing and you think, “I used to be so creative. What happened?” Are you losing your creativity? Is creativity something you can even run out of? Let me reassure you, your creativity has not been lost! Even when you feel you can’t create or come up with ideas, your creativity is still churning away inside you. So, why won’t it come out? What happened? What is the REAL reason you can’t create? It might sound silly to some, but the truth is: Your creativity is hiding from you because it doesn’t feel SAFE. Think of your creativity like a shy animal in the woods. It will not emerge from behind the trees until it feels safe enough to do so. The question is, how are you creating that unsafe environment? There are a lot of reasons why you can’t create, but two of the most common attitudes that create an unsafe environment for your creativity and the likely reason you can’t create anymore is because you are: Placing too much pressure on a specific outcome. When we demand our creativity produce a specific outcome, we don’t allow ourselves to feel comfortable with making mistakes. Creativity does not work like logic and intellect. It doesn’t unfold in a linear fashion. If you do not provide a safe space for yourself to explore, expand, and refine, then your creativity will refuse to play with you. Trying to get from A to Z without making a single mistake or deviating from the expected timeline is a lot of pressure on your creativity. Rather than motivate, this kind of pressure ends up squashing your courage to create at all. Another way you’ve made it feel unsafe to create is because you are: Comparing yourself to others. Comparison is the kiss of death to any creative process because it requires that you buy into a lie. A lie that says your creativity it is not good enough. So rather than leave the door open for growth, you immediately cut off the creative flow. When you compare yourself to others, not only will your creativity refuse to perform for you in any capacity, but you will feel terrible about yourself in the process. It is a recipe for disaster and the only person you should ever compare yourself to is your past self, to cheer how far you’ve come. So, now that you know the REAL reason your creativity is hiding from you (because it doesn’t feel safe), let’s talk about 5 ways you can give yourself a safe space to create! Here are 5 ways you can fix it: Promise yourself it is okay to mess up This is not negotiable. Creation is not a clean process and your creativity needs to know it is okay to make mistakes and get messy. This is a simple but powerful truth, especially if you say it outloud to yourself before you begin any creative project. I think Ms. Frizzle captures it best. Reduce the pressure on yourself by allowing more time to complete your project Rather than tackling an entire project in one day, set yourself a manageable goal you know with 100% certainty you can meet. Chances are, you will exceed your goal and feel even more proud of yourself when you’re done. Note: this can only happen if the bar is low to begin with. If your self-imposed deadlines feel suffocating, throw yourself a life line and extend them. Put your mind at ease Creativity is supposed to be fun! Sometimes our mind can trick us into forgetting this. So distract your monkey mind by making your creative space fun to be in. Play music you enjoy, create outside in the sunshine, have a comforting object nearby. Whatever makes you feel more playful and open to creating, do it. Invoke Sacred Creative Space If you really want to raise the vibe of your creative process, make it a sacred time for yourself. Lock the door. Light a candle. Say a prayer or mantra (See Tip 5). Want a crash course in how to invoke sacred creative space? Watch my quick YouTube tutorial. Read a Mantra Mantras are phrases or statements that we say ceremoniously to invoke a certain frame of mind or feeling. It could be any phrase (or series of phrases) you resonate with, but I have designed the Official Awakened Creators Invocation to help you release fear and resistance so you can relax and open to unlimited creative possibilities. I use this invocation before starting ANY creative process, including working on Awakened Creators content. It works beautifully. The original invocation has been enhanced to include a full 8-page guide explaining how to use it, and other steps you can take to release blocks that keep you from creating. Grab the Elevate & Create guide here. Your creativity is a gift and, rest assured, not something you can lose. Save this blog article for the next time you feel you can’t create, to remind yourself the real reason why and how to fix it. If you enjoyed this article, consider joining the Awakened Creators family so you can receive regular creative support and inspiration in your inbox! Also, check out the Awakened Creators YouTube channel and Instagram to continue elevating your creative process. Namaste!

10 Creativity Prompts to Help You Take Creative Risks

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Inspiration, Journal Prompts April 1, 2020May 28, 2022No Comments

When we feel safe and protected, we are able to move beyond our comfort zones (whether by force or voluntarily) and still feel that we are okay. In human development, this is known as “secure attachment” and the effect of its presence or absence in our childhoods extends far into our adult lives. If we have experiences in life that failed to affirm our need for security, we can develop a maladaptive sense of attachment that I will call the “Dis-Comfort Zone”, because even though we are aware of its dysfunction and misalignment, it soon becomes all we know. The consequences of living in our “Dis-Comfort Zone” can affect our ability to express our creativity, have healthy relationships, and balance our emotional state. Fortunately, we can consciously make choices that foster a level of security within our current lives that will allow us to take creative risks without fear. These creative risks will benefit our continued growth and healing, sending a ripple of positive transformation through our lives. If you struggle at all with feeling safe enough to step outside your “Dis-Comfort Zone” use these Ten Creativity Prompts to Help You Take Creative Risks and foster a new sense of secure attachment within yourself. Reflect on your creation afterwards using the journal prompts provided. Write Write about a time you felt the most secure Write about an imaginary place that feels incredibly safe Write about a character finding comfort in something (or someone) Move Dance in a way that emphasizes your feet, legs, or bottom (aka your root chakra) Create a musical piece that inspires a feeling of being comforted or held Sing a song (or create your own) that reminds you of home or another place you feel most loved Make Create a self-portrait that evokes a feeling of security Craft something that brings you comfort (e.g, a stuffed animal, a scarf, a food dish) Snap a series of photographs that speak to a sense of home or feeling rooted Open-ended WRITE, MOVE, or MAKE something inspired by one or more of the following words: Safe Secure Home Comfort Rooted Loved Held Protected JOURNAL REFLECTION Now journal about what you created and why. What did you end up creating? Why do you think this was your interpretation of the creativity prompt? Is there a memory associated with your creation? If so, what about that memory relates to the idea of feeling safe? How can you evoke a greater sense of security and comfort in your daily experience? Are you ready to awaken the creator in you? If you want more support, consider joining the Awakened Creators Tribe on Instagram or YouTube for more inspiring content designed to bring you closer to your most creative self.

3 Family Dynamics that Killed Your Creativity as a Child

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Inner Child March 11, 2020March 10, 2023No Comments

A child’s capacity for creativity is unbridled. So much so that as adults, we often look to children for inspiration on how to be creative, open minded, and imaginative. But what happens to children whose creativity is not greeted with respect or is in some way inhibited by born-into circumstances? It is likely that those children grow up to suppress their creative impulses (often subconsciously), and carry within them the false belief that their creative talents are somehow a negative trait or simply not worthy of exploration. Decades of suppression, particularly in those who demonstrated early creative gifts, can lead to major life impediments, including depression, anxiety, or even substance abuse. Could a premature stifling of your own creative talents be the source of discomfort, low self-worth, or lack of direction in your own life? I’ve identified 3 Family Dynamics that Killed Your Creativity as a Child to help you stop blaming yourself and reclaim your gifts once and for all. Each dynamic will be balanced with practical action steps you can take to counter this negative programming and find out what you’ve been missing! Family Dynamic 1: The Anti-Creative Parent While most parents make an effort to encourage their children to be creative, or at least allow space for it to be explored, some may not be supportive at all, and in extreme cases may even punish their children who show signs of creative talent. This may be especially true for children whose creative talents exist outside of societal gender norms or those whose parent(s) are themselves repressed creatives (envy is a key sign) or have a narcissistic personality Growing up with this family dynamic may have meant your parent disrespected your creativity, either by expecting perfection or by punishing flickers of talent. Others may have experienced an overbearing emphasis on things other than creativity such as studying, analytical skills, religion, or cleanliness, leaving little room for you to explore and expand your creative talents or learn by making mistakes. This type of environment perpetuates the following negative programming: MY CREATIVITY HAS NO VALUE. The Antidote: Re-parenting yourself is key! Now that you are an adult, your job is to parent yourself the way you always wished you had been. This means giving yourself the things your parent(s) did not and doing it with all the love, compassion, and tenderness that you can muster. Here are two ways to counter the programming of an Anti-Creative Parent: Give yourself time to play. Whether it is a coloring book, strumming a guitar, or playing with PlayDoh, let your inner child have all the time they need to explore things that interest them. Extra Tip: Take note of how you feel before and after your play session in a journal so you can truly see for yourself the value it has for improving your mood and lifting your spirit. Treat your creative work with the utmost respect. A critical voice is usually the voice of someone else, and if you had an Anti-Creative Parent, you are likely unconsciously repeating things you heard them (or others) tell you growing up. Set the intention before a creative session not to judge your work. Instead affirm that you are a beginner and must crawl before you walk and that is perfectly okay. Extra Tip: Proudly place your work somewhere afterwards or reward yourself for your efforts in a healthy way. It takes a lot of courage to try something for the first time (or the first time in a very long time). Family Dynamic 2: Creative Lack Due to Childhood Poverty According to Children Incorporated, 21% of American children live below the poverty threshold, and anyone who has explored a creative pursuit knows it can be an expensive hobby. Burgeoning visual artists and musicians who did not grow up with means, or live in places where arts programs were available or properly funded, may have faced the harsh reality that their parent (even if supportive) simply could not afford to feed their creative impulses. Growing up within this dynamic makes it hard to justify spending money on your creativity, even as an adult. Instead, creative pursuits may be viewed as impractical and frivolous, in comparison to endeavors that might yield higher financial returns like finding gainful employment or pursuing a financially lucrative education program. This type of environment perpetuates the following negative programming: MY CREATIVITY IS A BURDEN. The Antidote: Even if your economic circumstances have improved since childhood and you are in a position to fund your own creative efforts, you may experience great resistance to doing so. Below are couple ideas for pushing back against your past and creating an abundance of creative opportunities in your life. Artist Dates Creativity Coach Julia Cameron, describes a practice in her essential book The Artist’s Way, called Artist Dates. To do this, you will take yourself on an excursion that places emphasis on your creativity. It could be a walk through a museum, listening to live music at a local restaurant, or a visit to the library to check out books relating to your chosen creative path. Extra Tip: Artist dates are intended to be taken solo, so you can revel in the experience without needing to entertain anyone else. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to not feel rushed. Invest in Yourself If possible, consider dropping some money on your creative interests. It could be something as simple as a pack of crayons and a coloring book or signing up for a local writing course. Allow yourself to feel the freedom of investing in yourself and being able to make your interests a priority. Extra Tip: While there are many “free” opportunities available, the intention here is to spend money so you truly feel the weight of that investment and can start exploring your feeling of worthiness (or lack of it) related to this. Journal how it felt to make that investment in yourself. Family Dynamic 3: The Spotlight Stealing Sibling Comparison is …

5 Signs You’re a Repressed Creative

by Amanda StoneCreativity, Inner Child, Videos July 4, 2019March 10, 2023No Comments

Are you unsatisfied with life, even though on paper everything seems like it should be fine? Does it feel like no matter what you do or try, you never seem to find that ever elusive fulfillment that you are seeking deep within? If so, you might be a repressed creative. Check in with the 5 Signs You’re a Repressed Creative outlined below and then catch my 3 solutions you can use to awaken the creator within. How do we become “repressed creatives”? Creativity comes in many forms and often times when we are younger we are more tapped into that source of creative flow, but as we age, practical things like education, bills, mortgages, and jobs take over our lives. Even if we are happy for the most part with what we have around us, we can still feel that odd pull within that somehow we are not doing what we are supposed to be doing. You may have a lot of obligations in your life that you feel keep you from expressing your desires, emotions, or dreams. It may be obligations you chose but might be ones that were given to you, or passed on through family traditions. Usually, through our lives we reach a point where we stuff the creative parts of us away, deem them unnecessary or frivolous and begin a journey into practicality and “realistic” thinking. While it may bring us financial or physical prosperity, the repressed creative will still feel unsatisfied with this abundance because it does nothing to feed its soul. Look through the following signs to see if you resonate with being a repressed creative and learn 3 ways you can unblock your creativity today and start feeling better. Sign #1 – You Were Talented/Gifted As a Child Children are naturally tuned into their creative joy and generally, adults do not steer them toward more “practical” pursuits until later in life (though there’s always an exception to the rule). As a younger person, you may have been in a special program based on your innate talents. Or perhaps you were told how creative, artistic, or unique you were growing up. Maybe you even played an instrument, wrote songs, sang, painted, wrote stories, or made short films. Fast forward to today and any trace of that part of you is all but forgotten. You may still have some memories of it lying around in a dusty box somewhere, but for the most part your life hardly resembles that of an artist, writer, filmmaker, or creative person. Which is part of the reason why… Sign #2 – You Deeply Admire Great Creators Even if you don’t create currently, you find yourself admiring highly creative people. Perhaps there is a particular screenwriter or film director whose movies you’ve watched dozens of times. Maybe there’s a musical artist that you never get tired of and you listen in awe at how deep the lyrics are or how innovate the beat is. Perhaps there is an artist whose work you would love to one day own a piece of, or an author whose written “voice” instantly transports you to another world. My father once told me, “greatness recognizes greatness.” And I firmly believe that you resonate on such a deep level with those you admire because you in fact have a similar innate talent and ability to create amazing things. You resonate on such a deep level with those you admire because you in fact have a similar innate talent and ability to create. But you don’t create. Instead… Sign #3 – You Binge Watch Creative Competition Shows You could (and perhaps do) spend hours watching creative competition shows like: Face Off, Skin Wars, Master Chef, Project Runway. If there are creative people expressing themselves, you are tuned in and curious. Your interest in these types of shows is primarily because of the same reason mentioned in Sign #2 and that is that you recognize a part of your own desires in them. Basically, when you are watching, you are living vicariously through these people. As you watch, you may start to imagine what you would create or design but quickly negate the idea with negative self-talk or other reasons why you aren’t as capable or able to accomplish such things. Which is the kind of thinking that shows… Sign #4 – You’re Secretly Jealous of Creative People Although you admire creative folks, you may find your mind turning negative and saying things like: “I could do a better job.” “I’d love to give up my job and paint full time but everyone knows that’s impossible.” “She’s only big now because she knows so-and-so.” Take it for what you will, but these negative thoughts are all limiting beliefs we have imposed on ourselves. They are lies the Ego tells us to keep us small and protected. Branching out would require us to risk getting hurt, failing, or being rejected and we are far too fragile for that right now. So instead, we watch with envy and prevent ourselves from seeing ourselves as fully capable of achieving the same success. Which is why… Sign #5 – No Level of Achievement Satisfies You This is a HUGE red flag. You may be highly accomplished in your education, career, or domestic life. On paper everything looks fine, but something deep inside you just doesn’t find fulfillment in it all. You may even feel guilty for feeling this way. I know I did. This subconscious dissatisfaction can start to manifest as addiction issues with shopping, alcohol, food, even sex and TV. You might find yourself doing everything you can to stuff down these feelings because you don’t feel like you have a way to solve them. So what can you do about it? Assuming you’ve read down this far and can see yourself clearly in the signs described above, I imagine you want to do something about this. “So I’m a repressed creative, now what?” Well, there are a couple of …