Welcome to Finders Friday

8.13.2021

---

HI there Girl X Design Community! It’s Friday the 13th - a day I have always loved these …. partly because the 13th is my lucky number and because I love Fridays. It makes me SO happy to head into the day feeling excitement for all the fun and exciting things that will transpire over the weekend. Friday always feels like a day full of possibility and freedom. But I also love spooky-ooky and kooky things (Well most of the time ;) So the possibility of some crazy, unexpected things happening on a Friday the 13th is extra exciting !!

I wanted to use this particular Friday to introduce you to some

thing I do most every Friday… I share fun things I found during the week on a dedicated Insta feed called Finders Friday. Give that account a follow!

I though it would be a great idea to merge the two communities on Friday because they share many of the same ideas and all kinds of creativity and joy can come from the things we find during our day to day. I founded Finders Friday as a way to share with my friends all the things I found during the week to inspire us, bring us joy & make life a little bit better! These are the same principles behind Girl x Design - making life better through creativity! So why not come together on Friday and share all the things. With out further adieu here are the things I found this week:

This weeks finds are all over the place - when aren’t they though -

1. Fabric Spray Paint from @Rustoleum is A-Mazing and why did I just find this??!! I have had some “hand me down” cushions for outdoor use that were in ok shape but did have some dirty spots and stains that just would not come out with wash treatments. I have to admit I was so skeptical about using this but pleasantly surprised and how well it turned out. I did choose a color that was similar to the original cushion color, so I can’t really speak to how it would turn out if you wanted to totally change colors but I would definitely try it. The thing that concerned me most was how the feel of the cushions would be after applying the paint… but to my surprise it was not bad - flexible and not “crunchy”! Give it a t

2. Zyia Active - I bought a pair of @zyiaactive short leggings and I am in love! I turned around and bought some leggings too. They are high waisted and have just the right amount of compression to hold in all the jiggles. I feel supported in a comfortable way when I exercise and the fabric is not see through - praise the lord! As if these features were not enough - they have POCKETS!! I bought mine from a friend who is a rep. If you need a referral, message me.

3. If you have been following me for a while you know I love to find a good new podcast. This week I binged @glennondoyle and @abbywambach on the We Can Do Hard Things Podcast. I found so much I love in so many episodes but I especially liked Episode OVERWHELM: Is our exhaustion a sign that we’re CareTicking time bombs? This episode made a huge impact with me because it put into words the feeling I have had in my mind for so long…. the constant ticking to-do list in my mind that feels so overwhelming and frustrating because my partner does not have this same ticking… A true A-Ha moment for me and something that I am working to improve in my family. Give it a listen!

4. We had a BBQ and I found a delicious recipe for Jalapeno Potato Salad that I highly recommend. It did have just a little spice (I am sure you can move the heat level up or down to your preference). I loved this recipe so much and so did our guests. I had most of the ingredients already on hand and had plenty of jalapenos from our garden.

5. Finally, I found that I am late to the Sturgill Simpson party! Wow -where have been? I love his music. It harkens back to the Waylon/Willie vibes that I love so much. If you are lucky enough to be in the area of his Tour grab a ticket and go! Either way add him to your streaming list stat!

That’s it for this weeks finds my friends. I hope you found something here to delight you and that your weekend if full of fun finds of your own. Now it’s time for me to find out what’s on the Happy Hour menu ~ Cheers, Kari

You Need to Make Creativity a Daily Habit

The TWO steps you need to start making creativity a daily habit

You Need to Make Creativity a Daily Habit. Why?? Well, because, if you are neglecting your creative spirit, you are not really getting in touch with your true self. Your creative spirit is YOU and devoting time to exploring that is important! In addition, as you spend more time doing creative activities you will be exercising your brain in a new way that will bring more joy and peace in your life. On top of that, spending time creating improves your brain function in a way that makes you better at so many other things in your life. Spending just 10-15 minutes a day doing something creative can make a huge impact on your mood, outlook and energy levels. It will also level up your ability to do your “day job” because your brain will start to problem solve in different ways. Seriously, Facts!!

Clouds are temporary.

The creative spirit is eternal.

I love this image because it reminds me that our spirit, our energy is all about creativity. We are not what our physical self looks like, we are truly creative beings full of energy, ideas and a way of looking at, thinking about things that is truly unique. Each one of us has a creative spirit that is unlike anyone else. We can create so many things in our lives via our minds and hearts. How can you not spend time nurturing your creative spirit? It really is something that deserves your daily attention!

So why don’t we spend time being creative each day? I think there are a few reasons, but mostly because we don’t understand the value and impact it can have on our daily lives. We are so busy with all the “life stuff” that we tell ourselves we don’t have time to spend being creative. We think it’s not important - when actually it is SUPER important! How you spend your time is a reflection of your priorities. So if you are not prioritizing your true inner creative self then what does that tell you about prioritizing yourself? UGH…. I know, I am totally guilty of it …If you are like me, you feel a little guilty spending time doing creative things when there is laundry to do…. (ALWAYS so much laundry - so much laundry….) Well my friends the laundry will always be there - trust me! So give yourself some grace to let it sit for just a bit while you focus on your creative spirit. You do not need to feel guilty spending time on yourself!! Repeat that as much as you need. Oh and get your kids/partner to do some of that laundry - LOL!

Read this and read it again - the aim of art (creativity) is INWARD. What does this mean?

Well to me it means art (creativity) is less about what we are making or how it “turns out” and more about just the process of doing! Just the simple process of creating is what art is all about . It is in the doing that we learn, we reflect, we grow! It does not matter what we make, it does not have to be perfect or even be shown to anyone, it just needs to be done. The practice of making, doing and being in creativity is what is significant.

So don’t worry about supplies or space - you do not need anything special to create you just need to devote time to doing something!

How?? How can I make creativity a DAILY habit with so much other stuff to do in a day? How many times have you thought about doing something creative but then get distracted and never do. All of a sudden a year has gone by and you haven’t taken any time to feed your Creative Spirit. How can this be? How can we keep doing this? Well my friends, we can’t and I am making an effort to commit to a daily practice of creativity that will nurture my creative spirit. I invite you to join me at Girl x Design and do it together.

One big reason I neglect my creative spirit it is because I don’t MAKE the time. Yes, that is right, I (like you) must MAKE time. It’s not about the space or the supplies, it’s about actually prioritizing creative time into your life. You need to make a daily habit of creativity. We all have the same amount of hours/minutes in a day and we choose to use them differently. In order to really spend some time with our creativity, we must choose to spend time on it. When I say make time - I mean choosing to prioritize creative endeavors. Just like exercise, creativity is something we must prioritize and make time for.

EVERYONE is creative in their own way and you need to make a daily habit of creativity to expand you brain, improve your mental health and just find a little time for JOY! Start now by saying to the universe “I’m creative and I commit to being creative”. This is all you have to do to begin. It’s about your mindset first, action second.

So here goes, here are the TWO steps you need to make creativity a daily habit:

1. Commit: Set aside a 10-15 block of time each day to sit in creativity and nurture your creative spirit. Want some guidance? I have created a free PDF that will guide you through a Daily Creative Habit exercise. Get it here

2. Act: No matter how crappy, how messy, just act and make and do something creative. I find that joining a group or class helps me to stay accountable. Meeting up with people to do creative things means I will actually do it! Sign up to join my creativity group Girl x Design where we walk through guided creative activities together online (eventually in person too!) Sign up here

I hope to see you in the community! Now go create ~ Kari

Why daily Creativity is Important

I bet if you are like me, you put your creativity on the back burner more often than you would like. There is just SO much laundry, errands, kid/family stuff to do each day and NOT TO MENTION —- Work!!!

With all of life’s TO DO’s, it seems impossible to squeeze in anything more in a day. Being creative, finding time for a creative outlet is often the first thing to fall off our list.

But studies show that a daily habit of creativity has great BENEFITS!!

I KNOW, I really do know that it can seem almost impossible to make time for creativity in our lives. I say MAKE, because it really takes effort to make (find, devote, prioritize) time. No one seems to have spare time these days. If we want something in our lives we have to make time for it. “Making” time for creativity is important. If you can prioritize it and spend just a few minutes daily on it, you will reap the benefits and all the others areas in you life will thank you for it!

Professor Brené Brown says:

“Unused creativity is not benign. It metastasizes. It turns into grief, rage, judgment, sorrow, shame. We are creative beings. We are by nature creative.”

I know this first hand. I thrive on having creative time. Even if it’s just a little time, I know I feel better when I nurture my creative spirit. Especially when I am stressed, overworked or dealing with stressful emotions. I have recently been dealing with some very stressful personal issues. For me, part of my healing process is to really prioritize my creativity. The benefits of being creative are felt in my body, my mind and in my attitude toward others.

Studies show that some benefits of creativity are:

• Reduce stress

• Improve anxiety & depression

• Helps you think better, better problem solver

• Increase self expression

• Be comfortable with uncertainty 

• Help release & move through feelings

• Find new energy 

• Enjoyment

• Learn new skills, challenge your brain

• Make things = pride, feeling useful

So let’s make time for creativity, it’s Important. It can help you feel better, work better and just be happier!

Imagine a world where everyone created things, took more risks and really found the beauty in each day!

Wouldn’t we all be happier, lighter, more relaxed? How different would the world be if everyone took more time to be creative and nurture their creativity - took more time to play, take risks… Imagine all the things that people could bring into this world…

Imagine all the things we are missing because people aren’t creating...