Do you ever have a day when all you need to do is sleep? Do you give yourself some extra time to take a short (even five minute) nap? Do you sleep in or go to bed early? It is not always easy to get the sleep you need. It can be a baby who needs you, an assignment that needs to get done, or a commission that needs to be finished that keeps you from feeling rested. But what I know is that if you aren't getting the sleep you need, the nourishing food that fuels your body, or the exercise that energizes you, life can be much more difficult and creativity can suffer.
When I woke up yesterday after a really sleepless night I was totally uninspired to do anything. I wanted to paint. I wanted to write my blog post. I wanted to clean up my studio but the energy wasn't there. This is something very unusual for me and so at first I was unsure of what to do. Then I thought of what I would tell a coaching client. I would encourage her to take care of herself and to catch up on the sleep she missed the night before. I would encourage her to do what is best for her body and to see what happened. So I gave myself permission to do nothing. Sometimes I just sat in my favorite chair and looked outside and enjoyed the snow. I watched reality TV and enjoyed every single silly minute of doing it. I took a nap and I read. I didn't answer emails, didn't talk to anyone, and just did what I felt would help me most. For me, this time, one day was enough. I woke up this morning knowing what I would write about. I am anxious to clean up my studio so that I can paint later. I am ready to answer emails and to write to clients. It is important to know when the well is dry. It's important to know what you need to do to fill it up again. And most important of all is to give yourself permission to take as good care of yourself as you do everyone else. So, what will you do for you today?
Wednesday's Creativity Coaching Tip: Self-care is an important part of the creative journey. Knowing what you need to keep your mind, body, and spirit in balance is important. Giving yourself permission to take care of yourself is essential to creating the life you want to live. If your life is out of balance, begin with one small step towards doing what you need to do to feel your best. As always I would love to hear from you. Let me know what you are doing to take care of yourself. Let me know what makes a difference in your creative life. You can leave a comment or email me at [email protected]
When you share your dreams and your talent with the world, magic happens! Let the magic begin.
Ginny