Tuesday, September 12, 2017

Living the Artistic Life Everyday of the Week

Hey there, friends!

Today I want to talk about living artistically. I know a lot of you are creatives, and often it can be hard to juggle school, work, family, relationships and all of the other things life throws at us. How do we make time for creative pursuits in the midst of daily life, not just on the weekends? Here are some of the ways I tackle this in my own life.

Listen to music.

Yo, for real though. This might seem like a simple tip, but adding music to your day can make your life feel like a film that you are the star of. Walking to and from work, I always try and listen to music that inspires me or makes me happy, like the Beach Boys. Listening to good music can get you ready to tackle the day, calm you down and feed your creative side.

Unplug after a pre-determined hour.


This is so important, y'all. All day long we rush around, tapping away at our computers, completing assignment after assignment in the digital world. Devoting an hour or two before bed to completely unplug is magical. It helps your brain recharge. Take the time to write your thoughts in a journal, pick up your guitar, or paint. Often we feel like we have less time than we actually do because it's eaten up with so much technology. UNPLUG!

Keep a notebook.

Even if you're not a writer or "the notebook type," this tip can help you hold onto ideas you didn't know you were losing. I don't know how many times I've overheard some wonderful snatch of dialogue or gotten a great idea for a story/song on the fly. Having a notebook on you at all times ensures that you can be creative wherever, whenever. It's fun to write down your ideas on actual paper and not just on your phone because then you will have a full volume of all your cool ideas in one place!

Read.

One of the things that keeps me constantly inspired and growing is reading. Read everything - magazines, novels, the newspaper, websites, other people's blogs, your own blog, the back of soup cans...you get the point. You would not believe the inspiration that can come from reading other people's work and learning about the world. Especially if you're not taking classes! Reading is one of the biggest ways to learn on your own.


The windows are boarded up because of Hurricane Irma. I can't wait til FL is safe again!

Support your local creatives.

Get out in your community and meet the people who are pursuing their dreams and creating wonderful things in your town. Rubbing shoulders with those who do what they love can help you form meaningful connections and inspire you to move forward in your own creative pursuits.

Devote time daily to your passion projects.

This could be anything from baking cookies to learning photography to writing your novel. But the important thing is that you move ahead. Even thirty minutes a day towards a project is still PROGRESS. Take that time you would have spent checking and re-checking your social media and devote it to your craft. Creativity doesn't just have to be for the weekend. If you can't find the time, try going to bed at a decent hour and waking up one hour earlier than usual.

What about you?

How do you stay creative during weekdays? Are there any websites or makers who have been inspiring you lately? Is this a type of post you'd like to see more of?
Let me know in the comments!  

18 comments:

  1. (First off can I say that I rather love your hair)

    THESE TIPS!!! YES!!! They are fantastic XD Social media seriously is the WORST time killer, and I'm really trying to cut it out. And consistently reading and journaling are probably the two things that help me the most. It's just a constant flow of inspiration, y'know/

    Fantastic post, Erin. <3

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    1. You are so sweet!! Thank you! :)

      Oh man, it's the worst! I get so lazy when I get on social media that it definitely keeps me in the way of my goals, yo. Thank you for your sweet words! Hope this inspires you! :)

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  2. Awesome post! I definitely need to unplug. I tend to use my "relax time" for watching mindless things, when it would be better spend journaling or playing an instrument or even just doodling and letting my mind empty of all the day's chaotic thoughts.

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    1. Thank you! Oh wow, that reminds me, I haven't doodled in forever! I used to draw a lot in class (hehe) but it's been a while. Unplugging is something I have to preach to myself ALL THE TIME. It's a battle but worth it to spend sometime offline :)

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  3. Bless your soul for sharing these tips! I kept a journal with me in my school bag last year and noted down so many ideas for little stories and poems on my way to school. I am for sure going to be doing that this year too. I would love to see more posts like this!

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    1. Thank you so much!! I LOVE those kinds of journals. Sometimes I look back through my own volumes when writer's block creeps up. Thanks so much for your kind comment! <3

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  4. AHH YES I LOVE THIS. I basically listen to music nonstop and it's a great way to be in that creative mindset even if I'm just doing school or driving down the highway.

    Also: you're so aesthetic I can't even. THAT DRESS IS GORGEOUS. <3 <3

    (also... how is your community down there in FL? Do you have lots of damage? Are your friends and family okay?)

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    1. Thank you so much! :-) I listen to music 24/7, too. It's very rare when I have a day that I don't!

      GAH thank you! Literally made my day. :)

      You're so sweet for asking! In my area, we are doing relatively well, although the power just came back on after about 3 days and there are some trees down in the area. Everyone is safe, though, so I'm praising the Lord for that!! :) <3

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  5. AH YES I LOVE THIS. I'm a self proclaimed creative haha, but actually finding the time to devote energy to the creative pursuits is a lot harder than I like to make myself think xD Your tips are all super good too. UNPLUGGING BEFORE BED YESS. I've tried to do that so often, but I just can't seem to stay off my phone UGH. The struggle is real. Hopefully I can make myself go to bed earlier tonight :))

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    1. Glad you liked it! :) <3 YES that's exactly the struggle - trying to find the energy and time to throw at the passion projects! Thank you so much for your kind words! Try setting an alarm on your phone for your unplug time. Because sleep is EVERYTHING, yo. :)

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  6. I LOVE THIS POST I LOVE POSTS LIKE THIS PLEASE DO MORE. <3333 your tips are straight FIRE, yo!! I love the idea of unplugging at a certain time every evening. SO THERAPEUTIC. I don't do it nearly enough, but I'm going to have to make a habit of it!!! Because omg you're right it feels awesome. *fist bump* YOU ROCK, GIRL.

    peace,
    abbiee

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    1. Aw, thank you so much Abbie! :) I definitely want to explore more posts on this topic! And I agree, unplugging is tough and something I haven't made a habit of yet, but I intend to because it's so refreshing. Thanks for commenting! <3

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  7. I try to be creative every single day, it keeps me alive! Without music in my ears when I'm outside everything would be too grey for me to handle.

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    1. Yes! Keep creating! Writing and photography and music make my soul sing when life is otherwise dull. Keep it up! <3

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  8. Oh, I feel this.. I've been finding I don't have time for creative pursuits, and it's just not good. These are good tips - especially the unplug one. I find I just need to make time to do something, even if it's small, it totally brightens my day. Thanks for the encouragement, and keep pursuing your creative endeavours. Also glad to hear you're all safe with the hurricane!

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    1. Thank you! :-) I think the unplug one is definitely the hardest. In a world that wants to stress us out with always being online and connected, it's hard to go counter to that. Thank you for your kind words!! <3 I'm so glad I finally have power again and that the hurricane has passed. :) Keep creating!

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  9. 110% echo these -- especially the notebooks and reading! I sometimes think of it as input and output ... if I'm going to spend a lot of time getting art of my head, in any form, I need to spend almost equal time putting new art/words/TV/music back IN ... otherwise I hit "empty" so so fast!!

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    1. I totally agree with that - what a great way to put it! We can't always be pouring out art, we need to be refreshing ourselves and staying inspired, too. Great perspective! Thanks for commenting! :-) <3

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Go with grace.