An Apple a Day and the Artist's Way

So often during our Artist’s Way Workshops the subject of extra weight and extra baggage comes up when discussing the creative process and how to let creativity flow without blocks. If you are a person who has added un-wanted pounds or whether you are feeling figuratively burdened with the weight of blocked creativity, the same suggestion is worth a check. Here goes. Eat an apple. Yep. Turns out that taking a break on purpose with an apple both increases your later satisfaction with a meal (so you'll eat less and still feel satisfied)as well as adds fiber in a way that involves your teeth. So what?

I digress a moment, as the creative process often demands, to share that I was once given an exercise in a beginners acting class designed to warm up mouth muscles. “Repeat after me.” urged our teacher, “and loudly!” “The lips, the tongue, the tips of the teeth.” Over and over again we sang it, shouted it, and whispered it until we were all laughing and relaxed. “The lips, the tongue, the tips of the teeth.” Try it if you’re in that kind of mood.

Back to the point. The lips, the tongue, the tips of your teeth are involved in nummy apple crunching as well as teeth brushing. Ok, what, does teeth brushing have to do with un-blocking creativity and the artist’s way you’ve gotta be asking ‘bout now. Here’s the secret; next time, brush your teeth with your non-dominant hand. That’s a shock! Yep, that startle to your system is a terrific boost to creativity. Just try it no matter how awkward you feel. It's your 'no-cost' do-it-yourself boost to the creative flow.

Doing simple, repetitive chores that you’ve become accustomed to doing, only now using your other hand, stimulates the production of a certain protein (BDNF I’m told by my chiropractor pal) which is involved in both mood as well as memory. Sound silly? Just try it.

What if it were easy to both support your creativity process while doing an activity designed to keep you from wanting more food? Yes, finally we make the connection; when your teeth are newly brushed, you send a signal that you’ve finished eating. So, by switching hands to do the task, you are actually accomplishing so much more than merely hygiene! You
1. trick or startle or surprise your body into releasing helpful proteins
2. simultaneously elevate your mood
3. establish that eating is finished.
Now, that’s a power-packed zap for your creative process! The artist's way can be the healthy way and the healthy way can be the artist's way.

Enjoy your creativity; even the creative way you prepare your apple or brush your teeth. You'll be glad for the zap and who knows what creative surprise is around the corner!