I wanted to share a few creative exercises from a workshop I did this past summer during a month-long virtual camp for creative entrepreneurs. In the workshop, the facilitator had the attendees dig deep about what internal self talk we were currently dealing with, what our dreams were, and what brings us joy. This work session was exactly what I needed at that moment in time, and I think as creative people in sometimes stifling roles, situations, and/or institutions, we need to step back and do some self work in order to keep our well-being in check, remind ourselves that our job doesn't define us, and to feed our creativity.
This past summer, as a part of Creatives Ignite, a month-long virtual camp for creative entrepreneurs started by my friend Diane Gibbs, identity coach Van Cooley lead the first of four workshops. In the workshop, Van had the attendees dig deep about what internal self talk we were currently dealing with, what our dreams were, and what brings us joy. Van’s “When you Dream You Fly: Connecting with Joy” work session was exactly what I needed at that moment in time. Here are some of the exercises she guided us through.
We were to create, with our medium of choice, a word or phrase that was resonating with us at the moment, and I chose “Explore.” Lately I feel like I need to explore my inner self; what I need to recharge, what direction to head, and what I want and need from my professional and personal life.
This prompt was to create a digital vision board that answers “What does JOY look, feel, taste, and sound like to you?”
The images included in my digital collage were:
- Look: Dirty hands—I enjoy getting my hands physically dirty, especially while in the process of making something.
- Feel: Daydreaming—Daydreaming allows me to escape the real world for a bit to work out challenges or possible solutions. These thoughts might be related to the current work I’m creating, or it might be completely unrelated.
- Feel: Following a thought—I’m a slow processor, meaning I usually need time to stop and think deeply about something, fully think it out, and possibly do some research in order to make an informed decision. Having the time and space to chase a fleeting thought is always welcomed.
- Feel: Wander/Wonder—I quite like wordplay, and this one supports that. I enjoy venturing outside, especially in an unfamiliar place, to walk around, soak in my surroundings, and look for something interesting. This usually centers around visual objects, but it could be the entire experience of everything around me. I think if time weren’t a constraint, I could be found wandering around all over the place. The wonder part speaks to my intellect, and for those who know me know I might lean pretty heavily on overthinking even.
- Sound: The Album Leaf band—This band’s music, especially their earlier albums, were mainly instrumental, and featured keyboards, drums, and various percussion instruments. The music is melodic and chill, but also has a strong rhythmic underpinning that makes them relaxing to listen to.
- Taste: Whipped cream—It doesn’t have a lot of taste, but whipped cream has the lightest, fluffiest feeling, and that certainly brings me joy. Sure, a calorie-rich, heavily sweet dessert hits the spot sometimes, but it usually comes with a feeling of gluttony, which isn’t the best feeling in the world.
As you have time, I invite you to step away from your daily tasks to reflect and explore your wants and needs, then assess if they are being met, or if you need to make an adjustment. Hopefully these exercises will highlight some ways for you to have better alignment with your current situation and your dreams in order to bring you the joy you deserve.