Movement and Creativity

Slice of Life at TwoWritingTeachers.org

It is really difficult to get enough movement and exercise during both the Covid-19 outbreak and this hottest time of year (On 23 July days it was over 40C [104F] and got up to 118F a couple times. It is also steamy). We sometimes go to the mall early in the morning and walk before the shoppers come, but we don’t do that too often because of my husband’s work schedule.

However, I do keep moving and creating even in my small flat. As I sit at my computer so often these days, I have learned that I need to get up just as often. I pop up and walk every hour, at least for 250 steps. It does clear my head. I am on a serious band exercise routine every other day.

Today when I needed a creativity break after working, I went into the kitchen, watched the news, and painted part of an egg carton that has been sitting here for a couple weeks and my husband was getting close to throwing in the garbage. Making my very hungry caterpillar took the sting off watching the news with chyrons like, “All the promises trump has made, but not kept on health care.”

Another thing I’m doing these days is practicing my singing. I still can’t believe that I signed up for virtual singing lessons, and I even do my homework! I practice creativity in the kitchen too. We are eating better than ever.

Are creativity and movement related? Absolutely. I am a changed person after these months of living more intentionally and with a greater range of priorities. In the past, I could get stuck in the overwork cycle of doing school work for days at a time. It is so unhealthy! Even after the coronavirus chapter, I am committed to exercise and creativity and not just work.

Today is Tuesday, time for a Slice of Life post, Day 161 in Bahrain’s Covid-19 chapter, and Prompt #103 in The Isolation Journals with Suleika Jaouad. (This prompt was about how  movement helps with fresh ideas and contemplative thinking.)

7 thoughts on “Movement and Creativity

  1. I wrote about the benefits of moving today, too. I love your caterpillar! When you note how your life has changed, being more intentional and prioritizing, I think about self-awareness as a true silver lining of this time.

  2. Sweet little caterpillar! I know the story so well! I think I’ve been eating much like that little guy on its binge day 😉 Movement is so essential to creativity I think…and sometimes just creating itself leads me to deeper creativity….
    Thank you for this!

    1. Thank you, Maureen. Yes, eating has been a great diversion these days! Yes, I agree “sometimes just creating itself leads me to deeper creativity” Me too!

  3. Indeed, our brains move when we move our bodies. I have a gym membership but have only used it once during the lockdown. Now after having COVID-19 I’m freezing it. I workout at home: yoga, barre, hand weights, kettle belle, kickboxing, and hit. Every day. I think I’d be in a deep depression if I didn’t get myself to exercise. Even while sick I only missed one day. Your caterpillar is cute. Today my stylist told me about something called diamond crafts. I’m going to check it out.

    1. Wow, look at you with all those creative workout plans! That is awesome, and it’s great to hear you are on the mend and were able to keep moving even when you were sick. I’ll go check out what diamond crafts are now. 🙂

  4. Getting to move is a big problem for me. Last month I signed up at the gym and I actuallt went, now they are closed for a summer break and it is actually too hot to exercise. But I have to do something, since I have put on weight and I don’t feel comfortable with myself. As for creativity, at the moment I am learning 4 languages and I am also taking up courses on Future Learn, so I guess I try to create through language!! Good luck with everything!

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