Unlock your mindfulness through exploring your creative mind…
Mindfulness – all about sitting there feeling blissfully chilled, without a thought in your mind right?
But, erm, how to I actually do that when I’m mad busy and can’t get my brain to be quiet unless I’m actually asleep?!
I’ve been on a bit of journey to find balance and quieten my mind in the last few years. High powered job. Stressed out and wired like all of the time. With that constant choc-a-block to do list running in my head in every waking hour.
It’s got to be said – I like to be busy. But boy do I wish I could be more chilled too! Especially in those frantic “where is the off switch for my brain” type moments!
So a couple of years ago I heard about mindfulness. Scientifically proven to chill you out, improve your brain and just make you a more balanced, healthy person. And I thought Yippee! Brilliant! This is the solution to full on frantic living and my mind bending moments! B-E-A-U-T-IFUL! Zen Zara here I come!
In my early pursuits of this clear space nirvana I joined a few classes, tried yoga nidra and also downloaded a great app to guide me through 10 mins of daily mindfulness space. Every time I tried it I was guided to focus on my breath….and to “think about my thoughts like items on a conveyor belt” – “let go” they say….”just observe them going past you”…”If you pick one up…then put it back down and return to your breath”….easier said than done when you’re just plain tempted to scoop up all of those thoughts and metaphorical items, put them into your shopping basket and run out of the store!
Well I’m not one to be defeated.
So I persevered with my practice. But I also had an interesting Ah Hah moment at the Glastonbury festival last year. One day, whilst hippified up with flowers and glitter in my hair, I ventured into the ‘healing fields’. I absolutely love it here. It’s high vibe, filled with interesting people, psychics, and lots of cool cosmic stuff. So I thought why not I’ll go and get myself a reading and see what the universe has to say….Well the universe delivered. BIG TIME!
My brain was constantly running?
The lovely lady with purple hair told me that my brain was constantly running on a super high speed (so true – was it written across my face?!).
She said I needed to and that I need to find a way to relax so that my intuition could guide me and also so I could just feel damn great!
The answer?
She suggested that that the best thing to try would be creative hobbies – ideally something colourful and new that would completely take over my brain and absorb my attention – like sewing maybe?
Feeling blissfully aligned with the universe and clear on my next steps I skipped out of that tent and back to the music! The next day I woke up and thought – what?! Creative hobbies! I’m an adult now – I don’t have time for that! But a little voice in my head said….but you always loved it – maybe you should just try?….
So, spurred on by my message from the universe, with about 20 years between me and my last craft session I signed up to a 1 day glasswork workshop! And that day was, well….just awesome! I’d forgotten how amazing it feels to just doing something cool, creative and mind absorbing! And I haven’t looked back since – so far in my pursuit of creative mindfulness I’ve tried shabby chic furniture painting, learning to play the sax (lifelong dream!), sewing, basket weaving, flower arranging. I’ve loved the adventure of trying them all, and the possibilities of where to go next are endless.
When I’m doing these creative activities I’m totally absorbed…
…totally focussed on what I’m doing and not aware of the time. I lose track of my never ending to do list. My worries drift out of my mind and I’m just there – completely in the moment! Positive Psychologists call this the ‘State of Flow’. There’s no need to force it. No need to try to enjoy it or to try to control my mind. It actually just takes care of itself and I come out the other side with a beautiful creation (well most of the time ;)) and a refreshed, recharged and chilled out me! It is honestly the easiest way to get to all the benefits of mindfulness without the stress and worry of trying to become a Zen Buddhist convert!
Fancy giving it a go?
Then GO FOR IT! Sign up for something TODAY. Try something you’ve never done before. Something that’s going to absorb your attention. But also something that you really fancy. Whether its flower arranging, pot throwing, learning how to be a DJ or even maypole dancing give it a go! Creative mindfulness really is super easy.
Finally….if you’re still reading and you’re not quite sure…well why not take this as your message from the universe and GO GIVE IT A TRY!
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