E93 - 10 Minute Everyday Creative Reset
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Speaker: Hello, my creative friend. Welcome to another episode of Create Today with Beth Buffington. Today we are going to talk about something super simple, but incredibly powerful. We are going to discover how in just 10 minutes of creative play each day, you can reset your mood, your focus, and even your health.
And we're talking about just 10 minutes Now, sometimes that's all it takes to shift your mind, calm your body, and remind your heart. You are strong enough to push through a tough day and actually find pockets of joy no matter what life is sprinkling or thundering down on you right now. It's no secret that we live in a world that's constantly demanding more and more of our time, our energy, and our attention, and this world has a way of ratcheting up our [00:01:00] anxiety, our worry, and dread about if this is happening right now, wholly smack. What is next? Keeping ourselves grounded and feeling stable with a simple creative practice might seem a bit woo and like magic potion esque, but what if just a few minutes could help you feel more inspired and ready to face whatever is in front of you?
Hmm. It's worth a look, see, right. That's exactly what we're going to do today. And like I said, this can be accomplished in as little as 10 minutes. Yep. Think of this as your 10 minute everyday creative reset,
And together we're going to walk through this actual practice that you can do every day without a ton of prep or supplies or special space. Very recently, I had one of those days where, where he felt like it was [00:02:00] sitting kind of like an elephant on my heart. Do you know that kind, uh, tightness of dread in your chest that just.
Drains you of energy, and this can happen from hearing bad news about a loved one or losing a valuable, like a wedding ring or your phone. It can be personal news about your health or your job or money, and it can be the latest breaking news story that is sending your mind spinning out of control.
This kind of dread and anxiety and worry while it pulls your attention and your energy away from the productivity that you planned to accomplish for the day. And suddenly you just wanna eat junk food or play video games or crawl under the covers in bed, and you wanna hide somewhere where you and your mind can disappear or escape.
Well, that was my day, that particular day, [00:03:00] and I had some art that needed to be revised. I had a client that was waiting for some art, but being productive at that moment seemed impossible. I sat with my iPad and my Apple pencil and I thought.
I should be productive, but nothing is there. Do you know that feeling? So instead, I, I started a new canvas and procreate, and I just started to scribble. I drew a curve and then a circle, and then I made another loopy shape and then another and another. And before I knew it, I was in full doodle mode. And 10 minutes later, I'm telling you, something shifted.
My breathing slowed and my thoughts settled and they felt a little less jumbled. And the pressure in my chest eased the day was still not great my friend. I am admitting [00:04:00] that a hundred percent, but I felt like I could carry on. And here's the funny thing, this doodle wasn't anything and it wasn't special, but it didn't have to be, and that wasn't the point.
You see, the act of creating without pressure gave my brain and my body the reset that it needed. Like resetting your computer when it freezes up from too many demands, right? So you just restart it and then it feels fresh and clean. So let's, let's see how you can do that.
Let's talk about how you can create your own reset. Like I told you, I'm calling what I'm sharing with you today, the 10 minute everyday creative reset. Now, I know that finding time to do one more thing during your day can feel absolutely impossible,
But I bet you dollars to donuts, that there are moments in your day where [00:05:00] you spend. 10 minutes or more doing things that are not entirely necessary and absolutely not productive with what you need to accomplish for the day. So let's think about where you might have those little windows of time. These are moments like when you're waiting for your coffee to brew, like when you're sitting in the carpool lane, taking a break between meetings.
When you have these little moments right now, are you finding yourself scrolling through social media? Hmm. Or are you playing random games on your phone? These moments are often mindlessly swallowed up by scrolling or stressing or idly filling your brain with stuff that, quite frankly, is not beneficial for your heart, mind, body, and soul.
But what if. Just sometimes you traded those idle moments [00:06:00] for something creatively positive for your happiness and your wellbeing. I'm going to share with you three easy, playful things that you can do for a creative reset. Think of these as micro creative practices, so let's get started. Micro creative practice number one.
I call this the 10 minute sketchy sketch sprint. So, you're going to want to grab a piece of paper that it can be anything. It could be a napkin, it can be the back of an envelope, it can be a post-it note, it could be your sketchbook. And then I want you to set a timer. You got your phone handy, right?
Set a timer. For 10 minutes and just draw without a plan, without worrying. If it looks good, you might be sketching. Nothing just loops and circles or lines or geometric things, or you might even doodle like a flower, a cartoon face, a little [00:07:00] landscape, but don't plan it out and don't think about what you're doing.
Just doodle The goal my friend isn't to make art. It's to give yourself space and to let your brain breathe. Now let's look at why such a simple, carefree doodle on paper is something positive that you should add to your life. Here's what happens when you allow for a 10 minute everyday creative reset.
Number one, your brain switches gears, worry and rumination. Keep your brain in that repetitive loop. You worry, then you try to solve the problem, but the problem is still there, which makes you worry. So you try to solve the problem again, but that problem is still there. You see the loop, Ben, in that loop.
I am familiar with that loop. That's [00:08:00] that constant circle, like a hamster wheel that just spirals out of your control and doesn't get you any progress. Creativity can break that loop by giving yourself something simple to do, doodle, and it gives your brain time and space to just settle. This relieves that pent up anxiety that is keeping you from being productive.
And often a calm brain, not spiked by cortisol. Will suddenly find solutions when and where you least expect it.
Number two, you give your body the space and time to calm down. Creative acts, even tiny ones, as I mentioned, can lower cortisol levels because you are giving yourself something simple, enjoyable to do [00:09:00] that isn't filled with ads or flashing lights or things you should be buy or life shaming influencers or bad news from breaking news.
These calm moments of your hand moving rhythmically and your mind having time to just muse quietly. Now, that gives your nervous system time to move out of fight or flight and into rest and restore. Number three, your confidence grows. 10 minutes of creative expression reminds you that you.
You are in charge and you can shift your own state. You don't have to wait for circumstances to change. You can change your experience right now, and here is the best part to be successful with a 10 minute everyday creative reset. You don't need fancy supplies. Just a pen, a pencil, a random sheet of paper, like I said, [00:10:00] a napkin, and you don't need to be good at art.
To doodle. Everyone can doodle. Everyone does doodle. So just enjoy the doodle.
Now let's take a moment to hear a word from our sponsor. And today's episode is brought to you by the Create Today Doodle Meditation Workshop. Now if you're enjoying learning about how a simple doodle can reset your day, I would love for you to join me inside my doodle meditation workshop. It's a guided experience where I show you how simple doodling can quiet your mind, reduce stress, and spark joy.
You'll learn the benefits of daily doodling to quiet the mind, and it can actually help you reach goals that you want to attain. It also provides you access to the Create Today Planner that is part daily meditation [00:11:00] and part to-do list.
This planner will keep you grounded in mind and organized with your daily goals and creative dreams. My friend, when you are ready to make creativity
a regular part of your life. Come and join the Create Today membership. This is where you can find the support, the workshops, encouragement, and a community of creatives who are exploring how creativity can help their life, their businesses flourish right alongside you.
because when we find creativity through community, even in the smallest moments, actions and shifts, we can make space for joy and success.
You can find the [00:12:00] Doodle Meditation Workshop and the Create Today membership registration. Here in the show notes, you'll find a live link, or you can go to www.bdicreate.today. You'll see on the website how easy it is to join the membership or sign up in the events area for the workshop.
Now, you might be curious about adding this power of doodling to your life, but I am also thinking that you might be thinking, well, that all seems great and all, but maybe just a wee bit magical and unrealistic.
Beth, you might be thinking, how can just doodling actually do anything beneficial?
I mean, we're just scribbling here, or is it just really another way to fill some idle time? Well, let's look at what science says. [00:13:00] My friend, science says Doodling really does help. A 2016 study published in the Arts in Psychotherapy
found that making art any kind of art, reduced cortisol, the stress hormone in participants and the good news, you don't need to be an artist for it to work even more interesting
research from applied cognitive psychology shows that doodling while listening to boring or difficult information, can improve memory and attention. Let me say that again. Doodling while listening can improve memory and attention. How fun is that? Participants in a study who doodled while listening to information remembered 29% more than those who didn't doodle.
So yes, your 10 minutes of doodling isn't just a playful break. It's helping your brain regulate stress, [00:14:00] improve focus, and recharge. What is not to love here? Now let's look at a couple more ways to practice doodling that are super fun and might be something that we'll call to you. Micro creative practice.
Number two, the word throw down. You wanna set a timer again, get your phone out, set that timer, and write down the first word that pops into your head, and then keep writing whatever words or phrases follow that word. It might be silly, poetic or random. Don't edit. Just see where your brain goes.
A word throwdown is like building your creativity in the same way you would build muscles. You're stretching your mind to reach for words and phrases. I want you to give yourself an extra bit of fun by making your words and phrases into cool block letters or interesting calligraphy that you make [00:15:00] with your own doodles, through the words and phrases that are dropping onto your paper.
And here's a third way you can practice doodling. Micro creative practice. Number three, movement and markings. This one is so much fun. I want you to put on your favorite music. Pick out a song that, um, could be sad or upbeat. Choose whatever music will help the emotions that you need to process. Then while the music is playing, hold a pencil, pen, or marker over your paper and let your hand move.
With the rhythm of the music, it's kind of like, um, artistic dancing. Make whatever marks you're feeling. Just move, make circles, squiggles, zigzag. Whatever happens, happens. This is a playful way to combine music and movement and [00:16:00] mark making. And yes, this crazy kind of doodling truly counts as creativity.
Now, I know that 10 minutes of doodling isn't going to solve all your life's problems, but it is one way to cope with them and it's going to give you a cool tool that will be a reminder that you are not powerless against worry. you have a toolbox that is filled with coping mechanisms and that toolbox.
It's your creativity. when you choose to use the tools in your creative box, they become valuable skills to shift your state from spiraling. Worry to this day is not the best, but I can cope. And here's the best news. When you stack these little resets day after day, guess what?
That's when transformation happens. You get stronger, you become more resilient. [00:17:00] You are more there for the people who need you every day. And here's the takeaway, the magic of the 10 minute everyday creative reset isn't about creating a masterpiece. It's not even about getting better with an artistic skill.
It's about reclaiming a tiny pocket of time in your day to reset your nervous system, shift your mood, and remind yourself that you are a creative, authentic, brilliant person right here and right now.
So take a moment to think. When do I have that 10 minute window during my day for my 10 minute everyday creative reset. How about right now? Try it. I dare you. Really, really allow yourself to concentrate on just doodling and releasing your tension and observe [00:18:00] how it's going to change the worry and anxiety that's been sitting on your heart.
If you're ready to try this in your day to day,
and then in your everyday, I've put together a simple PDF called the 10 minute Everyday Creative Reset guide and you can download it for free. Go to the show notes and you'll find that live link that will take you straight to the guide.
And if you're craving more support tools and encouragement to use your creativity for confidence and wellbeing every day. That's exactly what we do inside the Create Today membership. So come and try it out for a month. There's a special price for you to have a trial month to see how your creativity can flourish.
Next week [00:19:00] we'll build on this idea of reset by exploring the power of unplugging. What happens when you take away the noise and give your brain. A little silence. I'll share the surprising ways that silence feeds ideas, and I'll guide you through a sensory practice that you can do anywhere Until then, remember, 10 minutes can change your day, so grab your paper and pen and do a doodle and let yourself find rest in a reset.
As you doodle today and doodle tomorrow, remember that these activities are helping you stay creative, my friend.
