Creative Genius YOU: Challenge Tip 4

Let's Get Random and Weird!

I bet (betting is haraam!) this one made you go; 'Huh?!'

See, what happens is that, years of conditioning - family/school/society - can sometimes leave us very vulnerable and somewhat 'scared' to show our true personalities. 

Think about it for a moment - you are on this challenge for a reason - and maybe one of those reasons is that you always wanted to unleash your creative juices but were 'afraid' of what others would say and think that you are weird or random (two words sometimes associated with creative souls).

I know how that feels - because that is how i felt too!

And I'm one of those uber-weird-random-spontaneous souls who comes out with alsorts.

Being random and weird is actually quite cool.

I mean, even this challenge was born out of random spontaneousness - and look we are now in week 4 already- AND something random inspired this weeks challenge.

Basically i finished eating a box of chocolate nibbles and started playing with the outer packaging which was made from soft card.

It was all bendy as it was used to seal the transparent box - so my choc-nibbles wouldn't fall out - and as i sat there on the floor, by the fire (it's rainy and cold) i just started playing with it and lo behold i came up with so many different shapes (and it was kinda therapeutic too!).

And so this inspired me for today's challenge.

Ready to get weird and random?

OK, let's go!

Challenge Tip 4:

Let's Get Random and Weird!

Go through your recycle box and pick out an empty box or it's outer packaging.

Now for the next 15 minutes just play with it and see how many shapes or designs or usages you can come up with.

The trick is to just go for it and play with it at random.

Try not to force yourself into creating something or coming up with something, for if you are new to this, (and we did do this as kids and even in adult days we do this randomly and don't realise it) then you'll just end up annoying yourself for not being able to come up with anything.

Try this exercise and then find some other bits and pieces in your recycle box and have a play with them also.

This is opening up your confidence and you are now allowing yourself to explore and experiment with your creativity without being scared or thinking that you'll be judged.

It's actually quite fun - I had to drag myself away from the packaging! lol.

Right, so this is your challenge for this week and as the week progresses do this exercise once every day and you'll see how your personality also develops and how you start to live your personality openly a little more.

Have fun! :)

Creative Genius YOU: Challenge Tip 3

Let's Get Pinteresting!

Well alrighty then!

How are you doing this week? Have you been enjoying Challenge Tip 1 and 2 so far? Have you shared it with your loved ones? Are your creative juices flowing?

I hope so!

There's still plenty time to get your loved ones onto the challenge and hey maybe you could do the challenge together? :)

OK, so just a quick re-cap before we dive in with this weeks challenge. Challenge Tip 1 was all about getting your creative genius tools together - which you did, well done - and then last week Challenge Tip 2 was broken down to part a, b and c - some thinking exercises, some nature gazing, some doodling, googling and getting your files and folders in place.

I know that everything seems to be available at an instant online and we all love the instant online world however do try to keep a physical offline folder/file too.

Just like your journal and/or notebook it is a cool handy tool.

Right - let's get into this weeks challenge - you ready? I sure am! :D

Challenge Tip 3:

Let's Get Pinteresting!

So this challenge is all about getting your files and folders in place and creating some creative boards for yourself.

You may have heard of 'Visual Boards' - a board where you put picture and images of all the dreams you want to achieve in your life and maybe you already do this - that's awesome. 

But i wanted to share a tool with you which i use - you may already be using - or looking into using - and what it does is that it helps you create online visual boards of what you like.

I use something called Pinterest (here's my profile http://www.pinterest.com/turboflow/ i was updating it today and had lots of fun).

This awesome and cool tool helps you create your own boards and 'Pin' pictures/images that you like.

Go to Pinterest dot com - set up a profile and start creating a board.

You could even create your very own 'Creative Genius YOU Challenge' board and if you do then please share it with me on Pinterest.

Do add your friends on their (especially your social media friends as they may already be using it) start following boards and re-pinning - you'll love the follow back!

Another awesome point about Challenge Tip 3 is that now you are starting to sift things to what you like and prefer.

In Challenge Tip 2 we were letting our mind wonder and google whatever and doodle what came to our mind and you may have had things pop into your head or even on google that you were not too happy with or did not resonate with.

So here we are getting selective with what we like.

It is always good to keep an open creative eye and do continue to do that however i want you to stay focused and happy with this challenge.

Sometimes we can get bored with a task we don't really enjoy or don't see any benefit from - so instead of getting you to focus on whatever i now want you to get specific with what YOU like.

It makes me happy!

So there you have it - this is our Challenge Tip 3 - time to get pinteresting!

As always do like, share and comment on this post or email me - i love to hear your feedback on this creative journey! :)

Creative Genius YOU: Challenge Tip 2

Let's Get Thinking!

OK my creative souls - how was 'Challenge Tip 1?'

Did you get your journal, notebook, pen, pencil (with the rubber) and colours together?

Did you start doodling and googling already?

I'm sure you have - you're already ahead of me on this ;)

So, today - or shall I say this week - our challenge is to...but wait...there are three parts to this weeks challenge tip. Ready? :D

Challenge Tip 2:

Let's Get Thinking!

Yes I know you already do that and you're pretty awesome at it too - however the idea now is to start daydreaming, doodling and googling.

But where to get inspiration or what to think?

Part a - Here I would say set a timer for 15 minutes to do nothing but drift off in to day-dream land.

We are not forcing ourselves to think anything in particular and I know you want to give it your best shot and you may be worried that you may get those unsolicited thoughts that you don't want during this 15 minute session - but it's OK, remember it is all a process and we are in early days taking baby steps and just learning.

Once your timer pulls you out your dream land start jotting down your thoughts - draw them - doodle them - whatever suits you.

Again, right now we are just getting the hang of this so allow whatever comes to you.

Part b - Also in this weeks challenge I want you to start doodling.

How?

Grab your notebook or journal, pop on your music of choice, get out into nature - observe, listen, drift off with the sounds and pretty scenes and just let your hand guide your pencil!

That sounds deep!

And - Part c - get on google and google!

Really, just google keywords from your doodlings and your note-takings (from parts a and b) and see what images come up (I'm so praying it's nothing haraam and explicit!).

Create a folder on your PC, laptop, ipads, smartphones and call it 'TFA - Challenge 2014) and save the images in that folder - we'll need them later.

Right, so that is this weeks challenge and if you're serious about this challenge which I know you are then each day for the next 7 days spend a maximum of 45 minutes on all parts (that's parts a, b and c).

Yes, you can spend longer - however - if you are a newbie you don't want to get overwhelmed with it all - but if you enjoy it then go for it.

That's it for this week. I'll be back with Challenge Tip #3 next week - in the meantime like, share and get interacting with this post and challenge - I look forward to hearing from you! :)

Have an awesome and creative week ahead!

Creative Genius YOU : Challenge Tip 1

Let's Get Creative!!!

To kick start our 2014 on a Creative-High i'm launching our 'Challenge' called  'Creative Genius YOU!'.

I will post weekly tips which are also your weekly challenges to help you step up your creative gear and have more creative fun this year!

The thing is that not everyone reading this blog may be uber-creative - I mean, you may even be shy in unleashing your creative juices, especially if it has been a while that you got creative because life got in the way or if when you tried being creative and your loved ones put you down so you vowed never to get creative again - yet - your creative soul is pushing you to get creative now!

So, for the newbies and for the oldbies - hey, c'mon, we all need inspiration and reminders now and then, I'm going to do a series of weekly creative challenge tips to help you unleash your creative juices.

That's what this Academy is about really.

And i'll tell you that i'm someone who is childhood creative, but life got in the way as I got older, and I have realised that whenever I am around active, creative souls I automatically flow into my creativity.

I start rapping more, drawing more, visualising even more and incorporating my cartoony skills into my personal development workshops.

(If you're new to my world you may actually not be aware of the fact that i'm an entrepreneur with 8 active brands and a studious geek and a legal eagle. You can read my full bio here ---> http://www.webeinspired.com/about.html <--- and follow all my other work too!)

Also, just before I get into today's tip, *Disclaimer Moment*, all challenge tips are tips which you actually already know (and an uber-creative soul may roll their eyes to this post - if you let your ego in the way!) however, we as humans are liable to forget, so we need constant reminders. These tips are basic and already known to mankind but read above why i'm writing these tips (and challenging you) and since i have revealed i'm also a personal development mentor/coach, everything I do involves taking action NOW!

Ready for Challenge Tip 1?

Ge yourself a JOURNAL or NOTEBOOK and Pencil (with rubber) and pen.

Ok, see how easy this is going to be?

If you've got loads of notebooks and pens/pencils lying around your room our house (like I do) then grab them now and resolve to recycle them.

If you honestly have no spare notebooks or journals or pens/pencils lying around then go get them right now - or tomorrow the latest!

Yes, you could use your online pc/laptop/ipad software - but that is for later - advanced stage - we are starting from life's creative basics - therefore a journal/notebook and pen/pencil (with the rubber) are a MUST!

That's it for this week - for the newbies this challenge is enough (but I know that you're creative juices are going to start flowing now and you may be tempted to start doodling or even googling - it's all up to you - but just get your items first!) :)

This is going to be fun - I can feel it already.

Right, get your challenge items ready and then like this post, comment on it and share it on facebook and twitter and wherever else and get people on board.

This is the start of this challenge - and maybe we could even do a course on it - who knows? *Wink, wink!*

See ya next week!

(Ps - you can always email your creativity on 'turboflowacademy@mail.com' and we'll showcase it here!)

Happy New Year - 2014!

Here's from me wishing YOU and your loved ones a very happy, blessed and creative 2014!

May your year be full of success, happiness and creativity and all that your soul desires - ameen!

This 2014 let your creative juices flow! :)