Creating Resilience
- Date: 2008-08-29 - Word Count: 414
Share This!
My friend and colleague, Sandy Davis, who lives in the northern reaches of the state of Maine, is an executive leadership coach. Among other things, he teaches people how to be resilient. He has a simple, effective formula that includes spending fifteen minutes each day in three different practices: a centering practice, an aerobic practice, and a creative practice. According to Sandy, along with some other basics like eating and sleeping well, if you consistently practice fifteen minutes daily in each of the three areas, you will develop and sustain a resilient mind, body and spirit.
I don't have difficulty with the centering or the aerobic practices. I make time for these easily every morning. I have always known that of the three resilience practices, my creative practice is the one I am most prone to let fall by the wayside.
While I am very creative in my work life, Sandy says that being creative at work (writing articles and creating workshops, for example) is not the same thing as a separate creative practice, like weaving, painting, or writing poetry. By the same token, if you are a poet and make your living that way, you would need a different creative practice that takes you out of the work arena.
Singing is my true creative practice, and sadly, I am not consistent.
In the past month, however, I've needed to sing nearly every day in preparation for a concert. As I practiced and rehearsed by myself and with my trio, I noticed that my energy was higher, my spirits lighter, and my attitude happier - not just during rehearsals but all the time. And this increased resilience seemed to radiate out into other domains of life. Singing always buoys me, but the songs I sang in this concert were particularly uplifting: "On A Wonderful Day Like Today," "Put On A Happy Face," and "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" to name a few.
This experience was a needed reminder of the benefits of a separate creative practice and has inspired me to sing at least fifteen minutes a day. How hard can that be?! What has kept me from it in the past is the interior dialogue: "I don't have time to practice; it takes too long to warm up and get ready to sing," -- stuff like that. What I noticed this time is that the warm-up IS singing and IS fun. So …
I will sing fifteen minutes a day. Promise to myself.
What is your creative practice? Have you actually practiced it lately?
I don't have difficulty with the centering or the aerobic practices. I make time for these easily every morning. I have always known that of the three resilience practices, my creative practice is the one I am most prone to let fall by the wayside.
While I am very creative in my work life, Sandy says that being creative at work (writing articles and creating workshops, for example) is not the same thing as a separate creative practice, like weaving, painting, or writing poetry. By the same token, if you are a poet and make your living that way, you would need a different creative practice that takes you out of the work arena.
Singing is my true creative practice, and sadly, I am not consistent.
In the past month, however, I've needed to sing nearly every day in preparation for a concert. As I practiced and rehearsed by myself and with my trio, I noticed that my energy was higher, my spirits lighter, and my attitude happier - not just during rehearsals but all the time. And this increased resilience seemed to radiate out into other domains of life. Singing always buoys me, but the songs I sang in this concert were particularly uplifting: "On A Wonderful Day Like Today," "Put On A Happy Face," and "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" to name a few.
This experience was a needed reminder of the benefits of a separate creative practice and has inspired me to sing at least fifteen minutes a day. How hard can that be?! What has kept me from it in the past is the interior dialogue: "I don't have time to practice; it takes too long to warm up and get ready to sing," -- stuff like that. What I noticed this time is that the warm-up IS singing and IS fun. So …
I will sing fifteen minutes a day. Promise to myself.
What is your creative practice? Have you actually practiced it lately?
Related Tags: self-improvement, resilience, centering, creative practice
Judy Ringer is the author of Unlikely Teachers: Finding the Hidden Gifts in Daily Conflict and the award-winning e-zine, Ki Moments. Judy is a black belt in aikido and nationally known presenter, specializing in unique workshops on conflict, communication, and creating a positive work environment. She is the founder of Power & Presence Training and chief instructor of Portsmouth Aikido, Portsmouth, NH, USA. To sign up for more free tips and articles like these, visit www.JudyRinger.com Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Jewellery Courses Tap Into Exploding Market
Jewellery has always been a lucrative business, and it's not surprising that the popularity of jewel - Selecting Gifts For Care Packages
There are many reasons why we sometimes have to send gifts through the mail. A son may be serving hi - Understanding Colors
Color can be both light and matter. In fact, color connects the worlds of light and matter - two wor - Imindmap Your Way To Bigger Business
Time was, doing business was simple. It was all about basic trade determined by existing needs. For - 6 Ways To Cultivate Your Creativity
Creativity is the ability to create, also known as the creative process. Sometimes though creativity - Why Promotional Items Have An Effect On Buyers
Spending money on promotional items in this economic climate might seem like a luxury for a business - Manifesting A Creative Life In 10 Ways
Imagine manifesting a totally creative life. There are people who do have this capacity and we have - Strictly Come Dancing - The John Sargeant Saga Continues
The Strictly Come Dancing audience gasped and the judges looked shell shocked when John Sargeant and - How To Use Affirmations In Business
Positive affirmations are powerful tools to help you manifest what you desire into your life. Everyt - Your Signature: Change It For Special Occasions-and Fun
Some people think there is only one way to write their signature, and they do it that way day after
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Creativity Management: The Value of Diversity
I recently gave a presentation at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design on a topic entitle - The Friendly Home Bar
Looking to entertain your guests with something stirred or shaken? No, not another manic video game. - Can Creativity Be Taught
Naturally, since I am not in fact a world famous sociologist with an endless supply of PhD's on the - Craving a Creative Kick? Try These 7 Tricks!
As entrepreneurs and creative types we have to keep those great business ideas flowing otherwise the - Can Creativity Be Measured?
Can creativity be measured? No, I don't think that creativity can be measured. There are no set rule - How To Unleash Your Creativity... A Guided Meditation
Unleash Your Creativity!What's so special about today? In this very moment you have a powerful oppor - Summer Every Season
Ahhh, the sumptuous days of summer. Clear skies, green lawns, barbeques and trips to the beach. Who - Just Say Yes to Your Creative Self!
How many times have you said to yourself, " I want to be more creative in my life?" and how many tim - Riding the Creative Flow
Notice that as soon as we wake up we start building stories inside our minds. It's a mixture of yest - Solving Those Difficult Business Problems
This is a brief introduction to a problem solving technique known as Boundary Relaxation.A problem b