Life moves fast- and time for ourselves is probably the hardest time to find. Somewhere, we also know, time for ourselves is the most important time to have. That means life changes, and setting and reaching goals is a frustrating and pretty unmanageable.
The problem of time, and other problems, like money and energy are the focus of a new branch of services at Creatively, called the Creativity Courses. 

Phase One of the Creativity Courses contains five main lessons, designed to help you understand yourself as a Creative Person, how to take care of yourself in this new space, connect to your Creative Community, and prepare yourself to commit to and do the work to live a healthy life as a Creative Person. In these lessons you will learn about Creativity Research, Psychology and Education to support a change in perspective and lifestyle. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to see yourself through the lens of your Creative Personality, and all the doors this opens for you in your life! 

Creativity and Mental Health: Rolling with Resistance, The Psychology of Creativity: Creative People and SAD, Psychology of Creativity During the Holidays, Tools for Creative People: Spoon Theory, Grants for Artists, Creative People and Abandonment, Intense Pressure for Creative People, Creative People and the Urge to Shop, Creative People Who Don't Know Who They Are

© 2023 Creatively, LLC
​www.creativelyllc.com ​

There is a moment. In fact there are many- in a Creative Person’s life- when you are between activities. You have something looming before you that you need to do. Sometimes it is big- a presentation, a new job, a performance. Sometimes, it is more routine- getting out of the car, up out of bed, out of a chair.
Consequently, a similar principle applies in each situation: resistant and the changing of stasis. Living things, human beings specifically, and Creative People especially, are resistant to changes in stasis. Your body and mind are in a “place,” especially a lower energy place, they naturally resist changing to a new “place,” especially a higher energy place. 

The concepts of resistance, change and stasis in Creative People are related to a previous post about Creative People and their sensory perception. Essentially, Creative People, due to powerful senses and emotions, also have powerful and the levels of involvement in both their internal and external worlds. This impacts the way that you as a Creative Person respond stimuli.
Some Creative People may relate this to things like diagnosed or undiagnosed ADHD in their past, and/or may be aware of other sensory diagnoses. While this may or may not apply to every Creative Person, what is important here is powerful sensory sensitivity and perception is related to your personality as a highly Creative Person. 

As highly Creative People, we know that our emotions are powerful. We know that our sensory perception is powerful. Overall, you are likely to be especially sensitive to experiences as a creative human being. This means if you have reached a moment of of homeostasis, such as in allostasis, your body is at rest and it can be especially difficult to disrupt that to ask your body to go someplace cold, hungry or to push yourself into activity requiring more energy or work. 

Too often, Creative People have been given the message that their powerful feelings and ways of living are problematic and that they should change. My regular message to Creative People is instead to recognize living loudly is part of who you are, and, to embrace and understand these features rather than wasting energy fighting them.

When it comes to resistance, we again look to the methodology of mindfulness as a technique to embrace our natural Creative Personalities. We recognize and remember, that, because of who we are, and how we are designed as Creative People, changing from a place of stasis is hard. We are likely experiencing powerful resistance. This is not broken-ness in us, nor is it unnatural. This is simply a part of our normal experiencing.
The next thing we do? We experience the resistance. We allow it. It is a part of our lives and all parts of us are a meaningful contribution to our lives as Creative People. We use mindfulness techniques to observe, not resist, and allow the resistance to be. We acknowledge it, and we move through. ​​

Applying mindfulness as a technique to support our Creative Personalities is another chapter in our Creativity Journey. It is one of our most effective tools to living naturally, healthy, creative lives. ​

Interested in learning more about your Creative Personality, using mindfulness techniques, and living healthy as a Creative Person? If you are interested in real, impactful and lasting change for your creative mind, I would love to help you. Let's connect and launch your life to the next level! I have three steps you can take, right now from my site if you are ready to take an important step forward in your life:
If you are interested in real, impactful and lasting change for your creative mind, I would love to help you. Let's connect and launch your life to the next level! I have three steps you can take, right now from my site if you are ready to take an important step forward in your life:
1) Book a Free Consultation. All new clients to Creatively, LLC are entitled to a 15 min, free consultation to sit with me and discuss your needs, services available, and we can problem solve and hand-pick best next steps to help you succeed.
2) Take a Creativity Course where you can build support, accountability and a network of Creative People as a stepping stone towards reconnecting and committing to your authentic, creative self.
3) Book a Coaching Package. Are you a working Creative in need of specific support? I offer a range of Creativity Coaching Packages from 150$- let's get started with one that is right for you. 

The Psychology of Creativity: Creative People and SAD, Psychology of Creativity During the Holidays, Tools for Creative People: Spoon Theory, Grants for Artists, Creative People and Abandonment, Intense Pressure for Creative People, Creative People and the Urge to Shop, Creative People Who Don't Know Who They Are, Concierge Counseling for Creative People, Creative People with Headaches and Stomach Aches,

The psychology of creativity is a field that has less research than other areas of psychology because it is fairly new. Whenever I decide to start a new article, I like to begin by looking at the research that already exists within the field of psychology and creativity. In this case we are researching, creative people and seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD.

Background on seasonal affective disorder. This is a diagnosis that exists in the DSM (diagnostic and statistical manual) index of all the mental health disorders as identified by the American psychological association. Seasonal affective disorder, generally indicates mood and behavior changing with the seasons. Specifically, when we talk about SAD, we tend to mean the depression of mood and behavior that occurs during the winter season. When I began looking into the psychology of creativity, creative people, and SAD, it was with the question of how creative people were impacted by SAD as compared to the general population. I wanted to know what research there is on the subject. 

What I found was a research article published in 2020 by Wim H. Winthorst, Elisabeth H. Bos, Annelieke M. Roest and Peter de Jonge. This project was done as an Internet-based crowdsourcing project on the Dutch general population with a sample size of over 5000 people. What the study was looking for was how mood and behavior change from season to season, including summer, spring, winter, and fall. Specifically, this study was also interested in the character trait of neuroticism, and how this moderated any behavior or mood changes of participants. The main finding of the study was that there was no significant changes found amongst participants mood and behavior between seasons. In other words, the study found no significant existence of seasonal affect disorder amongst the participants in their study. However, the study did find a significant change in mood and behavior between the seasons, amongst participants, who tested highly with the trait of neuroticism. 

There is a reason that this stood out to me. Not the least of which that this study is discrediting a major diagnosis frequently used in the DSM, but also that the study attributes the existence of this diagnosis to existing only well let's say, mainly, if not only, amongst those who also exhibit the character trait of neuroticism. Neuroticism is significant to me because this is a personality trait that those with creative personalities also score highly on increase in personality tests. If you are interested in specifically what the character trait of neuroticism means, before, jumping to conclusions, or worrying, there is more information on this blog, and on the create well minute cast YouTube channel about the significance of the character trait of neuroticism. 

Set aside, there are some interesting conjectures that I am making from this study. First, it seems that my original question, that creative people, or if creative people are significantly impacted by seasonal affective disorder is true, and, in fact, creative people may be the only, according to the study, people impacted by seasonal affective disorder. This, leads me to conjecture number two: that, perhaps, if you suffer from seasonal affective disorder, this could be an indicator of creative personality traits in reverse. 

I realize I am reading a research done by someone else, two years ago and making a possible conclusions from their studies conclusions. However, to me, they are very compelling. I am interested in hearing the thoughts of the creative community, educators, researchers, and others in the field, and what your thoughts and experiences are on the matter.

If you are a creative person, are interested in the psychology of creativity, have questions about either of these, or would like to have a free consultation to talk more about anything that you have read on this website and/or in this article, I would love to talk to you. We can even discuss concierge counseling services as an option. Here are some steps you can take from this article to learn more:
1) Book a Free Consultation. All new clients to Creatively, LLC are entitled to a 15 min, free consultation to sit with me and discuss your needs, services available, and we can problem solve and hand-pick best next steps to help you succeed.
2) Join my Artists in Residency Program. This is a Free, Online Community of Artists where you can build support, accountability and a network of Creative People as a stepping stone towards reconnecting and committing to your authentic, creative self.
3) Book a Coaching Package. Are you a working Creative in need of specific support? I offer a range of Coaching Packages from 150$- let's get started with one that is right for you. 

Psychology of Creativity During the Holidays, Tools for Creative People: Spoon Theory, Grants for Artists, Creative People and Abandonment, Intense Pressure for Creative People, Creative People and the Urge to Shop, Creative People Who Don't Know Who They Are, Concierge Counseling for Creative People, Creative People with Headaches and Stomach Aches,

References:
Seasonality of mood and affect in a large general population sample
From: PLoS ONE (Vol. 15, Issue 9) Peer-Reviewed
Authors: Wim H. Winthorst, Elisabeth H. Bos, Annelieke M. Roest and Peter de Jonge
Date: Sept. 14, 2020 

© 2022 Creatively, LLC
​www.creativelyllc.com ​

As you are learning about your creative personality, and embracing your strength, you will begin to make other changes in how you live in what serves you and what doesn’t- what parts of your life were chosen for others, and what parts of your life you chose for yourself. 

Let’s consider the upcoming holidays. In mainstream society in the United States, at least, they have become about commercialism, conformity and displays of wealth. We try to give, eat, decorate and display, bigger, better, and more, it seems, with every passing year. Without making value statements about it- that is not my purpose here- I want to instead, take a moment for you to consider what aspects of your current holiday celebrations serve you, and which don’t. A good tool for doing so, is through mindfulness.

By now you have had some introduction to what mindfulness is and some ways to use it in your life. Mindfulness is beautifully simple and uncomplicated. When we are mindful, we are quieting the mind and focusing on our present experiences. Even those of us that feel seasoned and successful in mindfulness practices can get diverted from this state of being during the Holiday Season.

Part of the problem with the Holidays is we want them to “be” something. Therefore, we have expectations for them. We compare out and feel pressure to deliver certain things to those around us. Usually these are with the intention of giving the perfect Holiday Season to others. This year, I give you permission to be a little more selfish. Ask yourself what makes the Holidays memorable and special for you? Of the list of things you “have to do” for your Holiday Season- why do items make that list? Let’s make mindful choices this year for how and why we celebrate. Try this simple exercise (as always I advise not to do these exercises without the guidance of therapy sessions- so let’s schedule one of those, too!):

So often when there are big calendar events like during the Holiday Season, we become so focused on outcomes and making them “perfect,” we miss enjoying them for what they really can be: peace, happiness, family, love, fulfillment and more. This year your new Holiday Tradition is yourself: create a more mindful Holiday Season. 

If you are a creative person, are interested in the psychology of creativity, have questions about either of these, or would like to have a free consultation to talk more about anything that you have read on this website and/or in this article, I would love to talk to you. Here are some steps you can take from this article to learn more:
1) Book a Free Consultation. All new clients to Creatively, LLC are entitled to a 15 min, free therapy or creativity coaching consultation to sit with me and discuss your needs, services available, and we can problem solve and hand-pick best next steps to help you succeed.
2) Join my Artists in Residency Program. This is a Free, Online Community of Artists where you can build support, accountability and a network of Creative People as a stepping stone towards reconnecting and committing to your authentic, creative self.
3) Book a Creativity Coaching Package. Are you a working Creative in need of specific support? I offer a range of Coaching Packages from 150$- let's get started with one that is right for you. 

© 2022 Creatively, LLC
​www.creativelyllc.com ​

Creatives, I can’t get over how the universe works in cycles and patterns. Part of the magic of my job is to vicariously experience, like a fly on the wall, so many different walks of life- I truly feel the magnitude of the gift of hearing your stories. It is from my third person perspective that I see cycles emerge- patterns of high and low energies, trends in struggles and successes, commonalities in content and themes. I am in awe and amazement of the beautiful intricacies of life that unite the human experience. Time and again I watch people who don’t and will probably never know each other struggle together, succeed simultaneously and seek the same insights at the same time. I find myself giving the same models, theories or suggestions in bursts, to be immediately followed by a fresh wave of commonalities. And so again this week- I bring you a theme that has been a focus lately in the Creatively rooms. I trust to the ebb and flow of the universe that it is timed well for your journey. 

Her theory has many other facets, and also isn’t presented without solution- she also recommends activities that “free up spoons.” These are your personal recharging strategies- some of them fairly universal- a good night’s sleep, good nutrition, good activity levels, being around good and supportive people. Other strategies are more personalized- (read: individual coping skills), “me” time for introverts, “others” time for extroverts, “creative” time for creatives, and more. The short answer here is you are in need of your own personal cocktail of spoon- freeing things, and part of your regular self awareness should be checking in with and improving the effectiveness of this recipe. 

Let’s take this theory and apply it to our creative process. I have said before that creativity necessitates giving of ourselves (see creative personality posts) and therefore- takes spoons. We also talk about creative flow of energy, being in the creative zone- this happens when we have enough spoons. In a creative rut? You guessed it-possible explanation: out of spoons.
​The other thing to remember is you are caught in a feedback loop a bit here: creating takes spoons, but it also frees up your spoons. I suppose this just proves what I regularly say to the creative people I work with: creative people need to be creating to stay well. Feeling stuck? Create more. Feeling low in energy? Create more. Yes- that first push will take spoons- so do other “spoon-freeing” activities to generate some initial energy- but if you are creating regularly you can be in your own self-sustaining cycle of spoon maintenance.

Research in Psychology (including my own!) has begun to identify the important and unique features of Creative People and their personalities. This is so important when learning to care for yourself as a Creative Person in the world and live well. Ready to learn more about yourself as a Creative Mind, and what that means?
Try one of these three things, today:
1) Schedule a free individual consultation for creative people
2) Get started with creativity counseling
3) Get started with creativity coaching

Grants for Artists, Creative People and Abandonment, Intense Pressure for Creative People, Creative People and the Urge to Shop, Creative People Who Don't Know Who They Are, Concierge Counseling for Creative People, Creative People with Headaches and Stomach Aches, Creation Translation, Crisis of Meaning: Creative People Lost

© 2022 Creatively, LLC
​www.creativelyllc.com ​

Did you know there are grants available for artists and creatives, both in the United States and in other countries, like Germany, Canada, and the United Kingdom? Let's talk about what you need to know as a creative person.