E107 - Creative Deposits
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Speaker: [00:00:00] Hello, my creative friend.
Hello, my creative friend and welcome back to Create Today. Today we're talking about something simple, yet profoundly life changing. How tiny daily creative actions, Hello. Hello my creative friend and welcome back to Create Today.
Today we're talking about something simple, yet profoundly life-changing. How tiny daily creative actions, what I call creative deposits, can grow into lasting wellbeing. Resilience and even joy. It's an investment that you can provide to your future self. It's kind of like saving money
[00:01:00] You see investing just a little amount each day adds up over time, right? And before you know it, you've built something valuable. That's exactly what happens when you invest in your creativity with micro deposits. The results you may be surprised to discover is increased emotional health and wellbeing.
We're going to look into that and show you how that works today.
I like to think of this episode as a conversation between present you and future you. Because the creative choices you make today will actively shape how resilient, calm, and fulfilled your future self will feel tomorrow. And the good news, you don't need more time or talent to get this accomplished.
Intrigued you should be. Hi there my friend. I'm Beth Buffington. This is Create Today. [00:02:00] Welcome to episode 1 0 7. So let's get started with this question.
What do you think of when you hear the word creativity? Big projects. Masterpieces. something that takes hours or a lot of talent or specialized skills. What if the answer to this question was none of the above is necessary to have amazing creative results?
Let me introduce to you something that I live by creative deposits. A creative deposit is a small, intentional creative action, such as a quick drawing in a sketchbook, a few sentences in a journal, sitting at the piano for 15 minutes of noodling, humming, a tune, or dancing in your kitchen while you make dinner.
These are moments that are brief. But they matter and they add up. I call them deposits because they work like compound interest. [00:03:00] Each one is an investment in your emotional health, your nervous system, and your mental flexibility. It's kind of like a slow drip that eventually fills a bucket, one drip at a time.
So let's say every day you buy a Starbucks latte, eh, it's gonna be between five and $6, depending on the size you choose. So let's say that instead of buying that coffee, you save your money and you make a small deposit. Eventually, if you keep this action up, you could take an amazing vacation all from the tiny deposits that didn't go to Starbucks, that went into a vacation fund.
It seems easy, right? But here's where people always get stuck. They start to think, well, this is too small to matter. Or if I can't do this in larger chunks, well then why bother? [00:04:00] Or if I skip this one time, what's the harm? The key to having successful deposits for your future self is being consistent.
And let me say this again, success doesn't happen when you occasionally make a deposit. What I'm talking about right now, these creative deposits, they need compound growth and compound growth only happens when we are consistent with an action and I'm not just making this up. Science backs up through studies that prove that small creative actions improve mood.
They reduce stress, they support wellbeing, especially when they are repeated consistently. Creativity doesn't need to be impressive to be effective. Creativity needs to be returned to. So let's talk about. [00:05:00] Compounding for a moment. When you save a little bit of money regularly, the real magic doesn't happen right away, right?
The magic happens because you are saving regularly. Creative wellbeing works the same way. Each creative deposit activates multiple areas in your brain. Attention, emotion, memory, and reward systems. Neuroscience tells us that creative pursuits engage multiple regions of the brain, sight, sound, motion, emotion.
And this strengthens networks that support attention, memory, and emotional balance ballot.
That means when you make creativity a habit, you're actually reinforcing your brain's wiring again and again and again. And there's evidence that these small creative acts promote an upwards spiral of [00:06:00] flourishing, meaning that creativity today. Boosts wellbeing tomorrow, which in turn supports more creativity the next day.
And that's when you start seeing that compounding benefits with your creativity. So when you create today. You're more likely to feel better tomorrow. And when you feel better tomorrow, you are more likely to create today again. And the cycle and the upward spiral of creative deposits is set in motion and your future self will flourish.
and my friend, these habits don't just add up. They multiply your capacity for resilience. A creative practice strengthens your ability to adapt, problem solve, and respond with flexibility When life gets tough
And because this becomes reoccurring actions, [00:07:00] you will eventually feel compelled to keep making these creative deposits. This is how a drip fills a bucket. This is how a trickle becomes a tide. and this does not happen by doing more, but by doing something.
Consistently, and this is where present day you starts actively working on behalf of a better and happier future you. So what does future you actually gain from these creative deposits? First? Clearer problem solving. Creativity actually strengthens your brain's ability to make connections and see alternatives to problems.
And this spills over into everyday life like your work decisions, the relationships you have with people, even how you talk to [00:08:00] think about and judge yourself. Second, creativity will better emotional steadiness. Daily creative activity helps calm the nervous system. It lowers stress, hormones, and creativity creates a more stable, emotional baseline.
This doesn't create a superhuman you who is perfectly calm in every situation new,
but it will help you become less reactive, less overwhelmed, and more able to respond. Positively instead of reacting negatively.
And third, long-term brain health. Ongoing creative engagement has been linked to cognitive resilience as we age, keeping the brain flexible and curious and engaged. So when science talks about creativity as assisting your [00:09:00] wellbeing. It's not being poetic. It's providing practical evidence about how you can be happier and even healthier with your creativity.
This is a real investment that provides real returns. So hopefully you're thinking, Ooh yes, Beth, tell me more about how I can start making creative deposits in my life for my future self. So let's talk about implementation. What does a creative deposit need in order to be successful for future you?
So let's talk about what that means. Your creative deposit should be. Number one, small and easily accomplished. Number two, something that you look forward to and enjoy doing consistently. Number three, it should be easy to repeat, so not expensive, and [00:10:00] something with little or no setup and cleanup.
Number four, it needs to be quick. Think five to 15 minutes, and number five, it should be low pressure. So no judgment. This is an art that needs to show or share or to be given or sold to someone. It's just fun. The success behind what you're doing is the doing, not the outcome of what you did.
So the list of what you can do for your creative deposit, that list is long, my friend. You just need to want to do it and want to do it consistently. And here are a few ideas that will help you get started.
Number one, sketching while your coffee brew or while you sip on that first cup. Just a quick sketch just in that brief amount of time. Number two, writing a sentence or two in a journal.
Number three, [00:11:00] shuffling words into a haiku. Number four, singing along to a song that you love in your car or in the shower. Number five, dancing to your favorite tune of the day. Number six, collecting something meaningful each day so you could focus on a shape or a color, or something from nature while you're taking your walk or while you're walking your dog.
So my friend, these are just suggestions to help you get started with a creative deposit that fits your interests and your energy and in case you're thinking, Beth, I'm not creative. How can I make creative deposits? Here's what I know for a fact. Everyone is creative.
Neuroscience shows that engaging in any novel activity, music, art, cooking, sewing, [00:12:00] crafts, or even strategic games, increases connectivity in the brain and expands neuroplasticity, and remember this moment of consistent creativity. It's not about being the best or being super skilled or even being good.
It's not about making art for someone or something. It's about showing up and showing up consistently. Progress happens when you prioritize returning to your creativity, not refining your creativity, and here's where consistency becomes your secret sauce, your creative deposit that you make each day. It doesn't need to disrupt your life.
You build these deposits into your routines, into your morning coffee, your midday break, your evening wind down. You make it [00:13:00] simple so that it is not hard to do, and you can keep coming back to it time and time and time again. Now, let's, circle back and remind ourselves why these creative deposits.
So important, and the answer is simply,
your future self. Is hungry for emotional happiness and a feeling of wellbeing and your future self will benefit from the creativity that you allow yourself to enjoy today. The creative deposit that you make today. Tomorrow and the next, tomorrow and beyond, they will compound into emotional resilience.
They will sharpen your problem solving muscles, and they will help you navigate future challenges with more ease. When you show up creatively in your life, the spiraling up of your wellbeing, well, [00:14:00] it inspires those all around you. Your family and your friends, your colleagues, and your community. So the ripples that we talked about earlier, they touch more than just your future self.
They ripple out into the world, and the world needs that kind of kindness, my friend. Here is the takeaway for today. Your future wellbeing isn't built in a single breakthrough moment. It is built in quiet, repeated choices. Whether your creative deposit is a scribble, a song, a small stitch, or whatever makes you feel energized, present, you is either making those deposits today or it's skipping them.
What are you doing today? There's no shame in noticing where you [00:15:00] are right now,
Either you are making some creative choices or you need to start making some creative choices, But it is important to realize the power in choosing creative consistency. The people who experience the deepest benefits from creativity aren't the most talented.
They're the ones who keep going. Keep doing, and here's something I have learned through years of coaching creatives. Most people don't struggle because they don't believe creativity matters.
They struggle because consistency is often hard to maintain by yourself. Life interrupts, motivation fades. Old habits, resurface stuff happens. As a creative coach who has seen results from consistent [00:16:00] creativity, here's a secret.
Creative wellbeing thrives with community and guidance. We all need encouragement. We all need accountability, and we all need a little applause with our creative efforts. We all need people who understand us, and it can be a lifesaver to have a coach and a community who helps keep your creativity from slipping through the cracks.
It's helpful to have a space where you feel connected to your creative practice by people who have similar creative wishes, goals and dreams. Having support from a community and a coach helps you spiral up and flourish when you're ready.
Check out my creative wellness membership Sylva Sessions. I cannot wait to help you create today and [00:17:00] tomorrow. Oh, my friend. Thank you for spending time with me today. If you know a friend or a loved one
who would benefit from today's message, please share this episode with them. If you remember one thing from today's message, let it be this. Your future wellbeing is shaped by the small creative choices you make today and that you continue to make tomorrow.
Keep making those creative deposits. Keep returning to the creativity that nourishes and excites you. And trust that the creativity that you enjoy today is quietly building something meaningful for your tomorrows. so my friend. Stay creative. Your future self will. Thank [00:18:00] you.
