Sunday, November 11, 2012

Tickled Pink Woman Podcast: Episode 2




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Tickled Pink Woman Podcast Show Notes:
Sunday, November 11, 2012

Hello and welcome to Episode 2 of the Tickled Pink Woman podcast, a celebration of all things Zen, elegant and feminine.  The focus of today’s podcast: Making your creative mark.

The impetus for today’s podcast came from my own personal observations following a recent trip to Bloomington, Indiana:
·      Realized I was truly seeing things I hadn’t actually seen before (access the blog post inspired by what I saw here) …
·      Couldn’t wait to begin and end my day with writing…
·      Focused on the beauty in everything…
·      Made efforts to live my life as art…

From my recent guest blog post on author Gail McMeekin’s  Creative Success blog.

Creativity is a precious gift. Likewise, the time you spend creating art is sacred space, deservedly worthy of certain rituals and considerations.  The following are five measures designed to evoke an innovative frame of mind, celebrate your artistic pursuits and designate creative time as sacrosanct.
1.             Environment. Your art is hallowed. The space you chose to create in should be as well. You will perform best from locations that have special meaning or induce the warmest of feelings within you. Consider making your art from venues such as a favorite neighborhood cafe, your own flower garden, or atop a breathtaking hill. If you have a studio or create from home, make your workspaces reflective of what inspires you. Incorporate cherished art into your creativity areas. Have comfort items (e.g. soft throws, plush pillows, luscious essential oils, etc.) close at hand. Display photos of loved ones.
2.             Intention/Dedication. Carve out time, beforehand, to establish an intention for your artistic efforts; for example, to grow, shine, or learn. Another option is to dedicate your endeavor to someone else—the friend who recently suffered a loss, your mother celebrating her birthday several states away… Revisit your intention or dedication as you bring your creative time to a close.
3.             Hydrate. Ensure your thirst is satiated. Sometimes, a glass of water with lemon will do the job. At others, a hot cup of herbal tea hits the spot. A steaming cup of java can certainly be as welcome as a visit from a dear friend. Ensure your favorite libations are close at hand. Doing so keeps the creative juices flowing.
4.             Ritual. Light a candle. Say a prayer. Close your eyes and meditate. Clasp a rose quartz crystal in the palm of your hand and visualize. Encompass at least one simple act, that speaks to your spirit, into every artistic endeavor.
5.             Music. It sways your body, and sings to your soul. Like your creative undertakings, it is art. Play tunes that best inspire you while you create. Know when to adjust the volume up or down. Equally important, honor your Wise Self’s whisperings of when to create without music as well.
Pinking Shears: Ways to take today’s concepts away and tailor them for your needs! 


“Just for one day:
·      Hide all the clocks in your house;
·      Compliment yourself constantly.
·      Tape a piece of paper over the tv screen and write ideas for brand new shows on it;
·      Visit every tree near you and spend time memorizing the branches;
·      Spend $20 on magazines and read them all at once.”

Activity #2: This activity is taken from Gail McMeekin’s The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women Journal (p. 20).  McMeekin notes, “An essential part of the creative process is focus.  You must ease up on your busyness and put a filter on all the external stimuli (information and media overload, etc.) coming into your sphere so that you can receive your creative impulses. How can you best set up those filters?” List five or ten concrete things you will do to filter out excess noise.

As an example here are seven I came up with:

1)   When a creative thought occurs, STOP what I am doing and record it, explore it further; rather than going about my “busyness.”
2)   Replace my inner critic with nurturing affirmations;
3)   Choose activities and situations that stimulate my creativity versus drain in (yoga, being with inspiring people, candle lighting, meditation, ensuring my work/play portions of my life are balanced);
4)   When I am unfocused, use my breath or meditation to gain focus;
5)   Do one project at a time rather than overwhelm myself with too many;
6)   Before I engage in a mindless activity (e.g. watching tv), truly access it it’s my best use of time;
7)   Journal. Journal. Journal. It brings me clarity and focus.

Activity #3:  Embark on a creative endeavor utilizing the 5 measures outlined by me earlier in this podcast.  Have fun!!!

Rosy Resources: For those who want to explore today’s topic a bit further, check out these added sources of information:

Gail McMeekin’s Creative Success blog.

My recent guest blog post on Gail McMeekin’s Creative Success blog entitled Making Your Creative Mark; Markedly So



Tickled Pink Woman Promo: If you enjoyed today’s podcast, I hope you will check out my blog it’s a great source for added inspiration and it is where today’s show notes will be housed: tickledpinkwoman.blogspot.com.  Connect with me on Twitter (@TickledPinkTina) and Like Tickled Pink Woman on Facebook.  Check out my book, Eternal Presents: Accepting and Using the Precious, Intangible Gifts Others Give Us on Amazon and Etsy!

Thank you for joining me on today’s episode of the Tickled Pink Woman podcast. Hope you’ll join me this week on the blog! Joy & peace!