Dance Like No One is Watching
Want to increase flow or focus or shift perspective the next time you feel stuck?
A September 2022 article by Odessa Paloma Parker – “Forget About Being Good at Art. Just Do It.” [The Globe and Mail 09/09/22] – suggests injecting tiny moments of creativity into your day.
According to several experts referenced the article, the key to success with this routine disrupter is the exact opposite of practicing with a goal of becoming good at something. Instead, it’s to detach yourself from wanting/needing to be good/perfect on the first or subsequent tries so that you can simply enjoy the act of creating for its own sake.
“As adults, everything in our lives is operating at 1,000 miles an hour" ... "Everyone needs to be perfect, and to be perfect the first time. I think it's quite nice to have an opposite approach to some things in life, which is a little bit slower and maybe slightly 'imperfect,' but it's enjoyable."
– Giles Harrison, co-founder of Britain-based air-dry ceramics kit company Sculpd
Most adults who try this, me included, will initially be challenged to quiet their inner critic, invite vulnerability and be child-like. But the rewards are worth it says art therapist Tiffany Merritt – from functioning better at the task you interrupted, to “stimulate[ing] hope … expand[ing] capacity for self-regulation and increase[ing] neuroplasticity” because it requires multiple mental processes.
How might this apply in retirement?
Whether approaching or having arrived at retirement, these kinds of un-judged creative efforts may be invaluable for trying out potential new pursuits/hobbies that could ultimately turn into more serious and purposeful practices.
If not that, then perhaps the development of a habit around small creative breaks could help to mitigate feelings of disequilibrium in early retirement as you adjust to a different way of being.
Or, if you’re committed to fully reinventing yourself post career, the path of that reinvention might reveal itself through ongoing un-judged creativity.
If you’re intrigued by this, try it!
Grab a sheet of paper and anything that makes a mark and doodle, scribble or sketch.
Have a musical instrument even a toy one? Go and make up a tune. Singing or whistling work too!
PlayDoh or plasticine in the house? Sculpt something.
Phone camera? See your surroundings in a new way by taking pictures of it.
Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening. Not even you.
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Combine doodling and meditation while avoiding judging your progress.
Set yourself up in a comfortable spot and have something to draw with and on. Get ready by taking a couple of deep breaths and relaxing. Next, place your drawing tool in the middle of your paper, close your eyes, and start moving it across the paper. Continue doing this for as long as you want but at least a minute, moving faster or slower, to the rhythm of your breath or in tune with any thoughts that pop into your mind, or changes in your energy. Work over the whole page. When you’re ready, stop doodling and take a deep breath before opening your eyes. Look at what you’ve created. You can also do this exercise listening to music and use that as your doodling guide.
Want to know more?
Check out a short podcast referenced in the Globe article: The Arts in Conversation, July 15/22 episode, Reigniting Creativity in Our Lives. It refers to a book that now on my list: “How to Make Mistakes on Purpose: Bring Chaos to Your Order” by designer Laurie Rosenwald, who believes mistakes are the key to creativity.