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I love this observation. In our house, before dawn, my husband, a conceptual artist, makes Morning Irish Porridge - takes about an hour - while I go for my Morning Swim (thus my posts of that name). These rituals are good for the body, bracing for the soul, and support a resident space for creative insights. Simple acts, done with awareness. So glad you talked about all the ways we can do this!

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I'm so glad this resonated with you Bonnie. There is something so special about simple acts and how this kind of task allows our analytic mind to rest. I always appreciate the integrations that come. While they feel like magic to me, I know I took the time to set the stage for the ideas to come forth. Sounds like you and your husband have some lovely integration rituals. I love a good swim and a slow cooked porridge :)

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I’ve always found “quieting the noise” in the lead up to doing anything creative, at least personally, to change drastically depending on the task, which is fascinating to think back on .

How our personal rituals can be inherently similar but wholly unique.

When I was involved in theatre, for example, if I was on-stage, I needed absolute quiet before I went on (well, as much as possible) but if I was behind the scenes, I always needed to talk through everything twice over. A byproduct, I suspect now, in dealing with an entirely different set of nerves.

Writing is different too (in that I can do so virtually anywhere) but if it is work that is more personal then the ritual, as it were, simply becomes trusting my instincts that it is good enough to publish, to put out there, even if it something that may not land with everyone that sees it. And finding that balance is forever an on-going process - although that’s part of the fun, isn't it?

Great work as always, Lisa!

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Love this, Ryan! I truly appreciate the insight, my experience has been so similar.

This part of the creative process is incredibly important, yet it often goes unnoticed. It takes time, experience, and plenty of experimentation to discover which rituals or practices support the different phases of our work, or even the completion of a project.

What’s fascinating is that these practices often evolve as we grow and our skills develop—sometimes in wonderfully surprising ways, and other times in ways that feel more challenging.

I completely agree, it's an ongoing journey. For those of us who love to dwell in the evergreen space of creativity, I can't imagine a more exciting pursuit.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts :)

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