Introduction to Body Blissmas
A nourished, exercised body makes using the mind for creative thinking easier.
By Jill Badonsky, MEd | Posted 1/1/07 | Updated 1/2/21
So, when I was writing my second book I noticed something very interesting. I started taking better care of myself. I had to in order for my brain to work creatively. I needed the appropriate nutrition, I needed to cut-back on the fuzz brain effect sugar has on me, I needed to exercise so that my body supported the creative output of my brain. I needed to tame all the hormones which as my stage of life were holding me captive in a way that was so not pretty. And even though I sat most of the rest of the time, riding the bliss of that timeless flow that one embarks upon when they discipline themselves to writing a book or doing any creative endeavor — I lost weight.
Food, nutrition, recipes have always been a passion of mine. I love to read recipe books. I love cookies. My dad was a health fanatic so I got the latest in all the wellness information as it hit the presses from him … I became certified as a yoga teacher so I got the indoctrination of taking care of your body with good. So I wondered if I could marry all these passions together because if I'm going to be working for myself, I might as well do what I love and multiply it in as many ways as possible. I did and what emerged is very customary for this time of the year because it is called … Body Blissmas and a Happy New Rear. It is all about the wellness and creativity connection … and it includes escaping or turning around the obesity trend that our country is in.
So, peeking through the creative portal for an unprecedented way to look at making creativity and wellness easier at the same time, I see possibilities unfolding, obsessions shifting from calories to creativity, a new set of tools that can propel you forward toward ANY positive change you would like to make. The next year will be devoted to unraveling to you, The Creativity Portal reader, how Blissmas can change your life — easily, comfortably, amusingly and many other ly's.
Here are some of the ways that creativity and wellness work together:
Energy
"The mind's first step to self-awareness must be through the body." —George Sheehan
There is no question that a nourished, exercised body makes using the mind for creative thinking easier. Not only is the mind more energized, awake, and apt to endure for longer periods of time but there is a direct correlation between movement and creativity. Engaged in even simple activities such as showering, walking, or tidying up not only burns calories but also triggers creative ideas or moves us forward with existing ones.
"An active mind cannot exist in an inactive body." —General George Patton
Conversely, a sedentary lifestyle and a diet of sugar, fatty foods or any imbalance can diminish our motivation, our energy, and our ability to think clearly and stay with a thought until it can become tangible. Though melancholy has been the impetus for many works of art and writing, fatigue and other forms of depression, both affected by our diet, severely limit our ability to be creative.
Flexible thinking and new perspectives
If you can change your thinking around your food, and your stories about your food, your mind will also be flexible, resourceful, adaptable in other areas of your life.
A truly successful shift in the way you take care of yourself and the way you view food, often requires employing a new perspective — new perspectives are a hallmark of creative thinking.
Our attitudes are responsible for our happiness. Adopting new perspectives affects our attitude and offers a flexible way of how we see things. This ability to choose a perspective empowers us and rewards us with an attitude that can take negative, critical judgmental thought and make it more open, amusing, light, and adaptable.
Mastery of the mind
In the creative process demons, doubt, judgment, perfectionism, comparison, and other demons of our souls emerge to challenge our commitment. In our relationship to food we can be captive to habits and patterns of thought, rationalizations and denial that don't serve us. Learning to train the mind is a highly evolved part of being human and enlists our creative brilliance. Both take patience, acceptance, compassion and commitment — these are qualities that will improve our existence and serve our fulfillment on the planet for all of our lives.
Self-respect and confidence
Adhering to a program that results in better health and weight loss naturally results in more self respect. Because of society's value of leaner, the upshot of a creating and maintaining a more fit body is more self confidence. Self respect and self confidence are vital to the creative process. If we are not confident about our work we will not get it out there and the more confident, possibly less talented ones with more audacity will pass us by on their motor scooters of creative productivity.
©2007 Jill Badonsky. All rights reserved.