Caregiving and Creativity: A guide to Daydreaming that will save your life!

Creativity is like an angel sitting on your shoulder waiting to have a conversation.

So many of you have heard my caregiving story. What most of you don’t know is that for a large portion of my life I have been a singer, songwriter, and musician. Yup, I was a singer in a rock and roll band. I had an amazing career in the music business and to this day dabble in music projects and occasionally still write music.

Surrounding myself with music sparked my creativity and opened a window in my soul to let the fresh air in. It allowed me to hit the pause button on my sorrow and stress. It let me bask in something that felt like grace. It made me smile. It reminded me there was something greater than myself out there.  It has kept me sane and saved me at the darkest of times and made me joyous at the best of them. Music was the secret password to my creativity. And creativity was an antidote to the stress and burnout I experienced as a Caregiver. I was always able to put down the worry and fatigue even for a little while when I tapped into my creativity. The simple gesture of putting on some of my favorite music helped me chase away the blues. I also began to journal about my experiences caring for my parents and loved ones and this simple act became the foundation of my blog, my upcoming book, and my social media presence and content. I can’t imagine what would have happened if I had ignored that little whisper from my heart encouraging me to sing or write or daydream.

Each and every one of us is a creative genius!

One of the most fascinating and rewarding aspects of being human is our ability to be creative. When we tap into our imagination we can be delighted and transformed. Creativity is in each and every one of us. It’s like a secret potion waiting to be opened. It’s always there when you need it, ready to let loose and dance. Creativity is like an angel sitting on your shoulder waiting to have a conversation. It’s inexplicable how dependable and consistent it is even though we ignore it or stifle it or forget about it. It’s a life force.

Caregivers need to tap into their creativity.

As caregivers, we can become overwhelmed with the needs of others and lose sight of that hidden gem of creativity that lies within us. When we open the door to our creativity even for 10 minutes a day, we can be nurtured, refreshed, and restored. I remember how good it felt to sing or write or even dance in my Mom’s kitchen with her to Dr. John, one of her favorites. We danced and sang and both felt like a million bucks for a few minutes. Here are a few tips to help you get in touch with this wonderful part of you. Being creative is so powerful, it can have a positive effect even if we only have 15 minutes a day to revel in it.

Define creativity for you

Creativity can be demonstrated in a million ways. We all have different ways of expressing creativity and we all have unique creative energy. Creativity can be about being the best friend you can be or finding a new way to fix your hair or someone else’s. It can be biking or cooking or whistling! The way you know you are being creative is the feeling of joy you feel when you are doing something. Once you hit that sweet spot, stop and take notice of what you are doing and make sure you allow yourself to play in that space daily. Commit to playing with that creative side of yourself every day.

Daydream 

Daydreaming is a soul vacation. We do so much of it as children but forget or refuse to do it as adults. We might even avoid it because we were told it was a waste of time. It isn’t! Get back into the habit of taking some time to just dream away. Put all the worries and cares away and just think about anything that pleases you and pretend you are on a magic ship to somewhere special.

Write about it 

Writing down your thoughts and feelings during or after your daydreaming. Or allow a few minutes when you wake up and or before bed to journal and express what’s in your heart. You will be surprised by the wonder that ends up on the page. The more I journaled the easier it was and I would miss it if I didn’t do it once a day.

Throw goals out the window

There are no goals, no time limits, no need to prove anything when we are being creative. It’s just something we do for and with ourselves for the sake and love of doing it. The point of being creative is finding the joy that is timeless and limitless. Our creativity may become an expression others can enjoy too, which is wonderful, but creativity doesn’t have to be proven or shared. It just has to be enjoyed.

 Music

Girl, put your records on. Music is magic. Music will put you in the zone and take you away. Let it guide you and lift you and open your heart. Music walks hand in hand with creativity and can be a wonderful catalyst for self-expression. Listen, dance, dream.

Find your creative spark!

Finding that creative spark that’s waiting for you is so much easier than you think. You just have to ask that quiet space inside of you to express itself. Be patient and willing and the creative force will always find you. Let those little moments of creativity reward you with big things. Be the creative genius you are!