KIM KLASSEN dot COM

still life inspiration.....

  • Meet Kim
  • Blog
  • Textures
  • Presets
  • Work With Me
  • Take a Class
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Vimeo
candle light still life

Best Cure for A Creative Headache

November 19, 2016 by Kim

candle light still life

Recently I was talking with a friend….
A creative… (like you and I)….
She’s knee deep in some exciting new work……

Beginnings are the best. Aren’t they?
New…. endless possibilities….ideas… buzzing about in your head.…..

it’s exciting….but it’s also exhausting…..
Kim… my head actually hurts.

Can you relate?

Head spinning…. can’t sleep……everything you see… sparks a new possibility……

Although, I’ve been doing this work for several years……the creative buzzi-ness…. still finds me.
a new class….. technique… prop or drop…..a new season

Creativity can be ALL consuming……. even exhausting…..

It’s one thing to have amazing ideas….. another to actually make things happen.
too many ideas can be paralyzing…..

My not so secret weapon….to stop the ‘head-hurting’ creative spinning…..a Brain-Dump.

I love the practice of writing things down….
Paper…a journal…… a nice pen and I’m set.
(this is my fav fountain pen (it’s retractible)…. this is a close second)…..

David Allen (author of Getting Things Done) talks a lot about the ‘brain dump’……
Getting things out of your head…onto paper…..
His is more systematized than mine……
(I’m re-listening to the audiobook…… perhaps I can share some take -ways when I’m done…… )

For me…it’s a random ‘dump’……. anything and everything in my head…… onto the page…. Not categories…or system….
Simply a way to ‘make space’…. for the good stuff…..

All the random thoughts….take up valuable space …… (blog post/ IG ideas, appointments, house to-dos, phone calls….. on and on…..)

My theory….
It’s not the new and exciting creative ideas….making our head hurt…..
It’s simply …. a lack of space for the ideas to ‘settle in.’……

There’s only so much room in there ….
Good ideas need space…..to breathe…..

The brain-dump….. can clear the way.

candle-writing-kim-klassen_20161119_3412-edit

I swear it works……

I simply let it all out….a random list of anything and everything……
Non-ordered……this and thats…. out and onto the page…..

I do this at least once a week….always Monday morning…and often in the evening……

Before I start… I try to set the mood….
a cuppa tea… sometimes soft music… but most often silence…….
a favourite candle……
and I’m off…. for as long as it takes……anything and everything onto the page.

Once I’m done… my random list sits at my desk…..
when a thought pops in….. I jot it down too….. (especially during a pomodoro session)……then move on with my ‘task’ at hand.

That’s it…that’s all…..
My ‘not so secret’ cure for the creative headache.

Over to you.

Can you relate to the creative head-hurting buzzi-ness?
Do you already ‘brain-dump’?

I’d love to hear your thoughts… Please share in the comments below.

xx, Kim

Props To:

Harp music in my little film: Aeleen Sclater

Tea cup and saucer: Anthropologie
Candle (Santal 26 / the most delicious scent ever): Le Labo

 

Share1
Pin
Tweet
Email
1 Shares

Related

<- previous post
next post ->

Comments

  1. kat says

    November 19, 2016 at 10:09 pm

    Hi Kim dear, I started journaling about a year ago and find it very therapeutic and super rewarding! I write down anything causing me stress but also gratitude offerings for each day. Projects – ideas – you bet ! I write them all down and try out ideas on paper and it is sooooo helpful! From my sometimes overcrowded mind to paper and I feel better.

    That said, there is still nothing better for thinking and organizing your mind’s contents than walking the dog!

    Hugs, K.

    Reply
  2. SherryD says

    November 19, 2016 at 10:14 pm

    Yes, I brain dump and do all sorts of writing. Almost any writing has benefits. The one problem I have with the brain dump and systems I’ve tried is that when I want to go back to an idea, a phrase, bit of dialogue, whatever – it can be hard to locate. Setting up sections for various topics doesn’t work well either. That’s a perfect opportunity for the inner censor to kick in and can cause good stuff to get lost. at present I’m trying a multipurpose journal where I’ve created sections for various things: story ideas, dialogue,etc; scrapping themes and colors; reading lists; wish lists – you name it. Tried to stick to topics of major importance. Then there is what I call the free write section for uncensored stream of conscious writing. When re-reading a brain dump or free write, I’m using various colors of highlighters and pens to note things I want to come back to. Later in the week I’ll skim through that section and see if the highlighted items are still of interest. If they still strike a chord, I’ll copy that bit to the appropriate section so I can find it again. Still not ideal. [Sigh] Creative minds are rarely tidy!

    Reply
  3. Julie Cannon says

    November 19, 2016 at 11:11 pm

    I really like the idea of writing in a journal so that I can ‘brain dump’ all of the ideas flying around in my head. I recently moved house and lost my beloved dog Kody so I feel really flat. I have so many thoughts bouncing around in my head all the time, but I feel stuck and I am unable to produce photographs that I like. I have had my camera and props out a few times but end up putting it all away without any success. Its like I have lost every shred of creativity. I have tried to be kind to myself and just allow time to relax and not force the issue. Its been 3 months now. I am hoping it will come back!!

    Reply
    • Kim says

      November 19, 2016 at 11:24 pm

      hi Julie
      I’m so sorry to hear this……
      I had a patch like that some time ago….. back when i was painting…. I thought I may never create again…… Then out of nowhere….creativity returned.
      what if you tried something completely different…..
      like doodling or hand lettering…… with no pressure….

      I’m not sure if that would help….. but perhaps it’s a though.

      sending love… xx

      Reply
      • Julie says

        November 20, 2016 at 2:00 am

        Thanks Kim. I am trying to just step away from my camera. I am doing a bit of reading.

        Reply
  4. Betty Manousos says

    November 20, 2016 at 3:36 am

    This is an excellent post, Kim! i have this urge to categorize and write down every single thing in my life. If you take a look at my notes you’ll find pages for my interests, my wishes, what I should be proud of in my life, my plans, ideas for my short stories, how I would like my lifestyle to be and many many more…
    My notes are a crucial part of my life. Without them, I will feel like something is missing and I’ll be very confused!

    have a great day! enjoy your weekend.

    Reply
  5. anitapelayorivera says

    November 20, 2016 at 4:25 am

    I soooooo understand. I am a photography enthusiast and poet, and both require action and the right light. The light of early morning or dusk gives me the best results in photos, the right light of courage, for poetry. But like you, I need music to set my mood and total silence. March on, Kim! Anita

    Reply
  6. joanmarie02 says

    November 20, 2016 at 4:42 am

    Hello Kim – this is truly a wonderfully effective suggestion and am currently doing just that…”a brain dump” with my latest post. The swirl of ideas can become paralyzing but taking a small bit of time to jot them down is so helpful. Thank you for the continuous and glorious beauty you share through your creativity and thoughtfulness Kim – written and visual treasures I hold dear. Happiest of holidays to you and yours Kim – xoxo JoanMarie

    Reply
  7. Juliette says

    November 20, 2016 at 4:44 am

    very inspiring, thanks for sharing, I will try this for sure!

    Reply
  8. Karen Olson says

    November 20, 2016 at 5:56 am

    OK, I know you wrote this one for me!! I have been using the brain dump method for journaling but sometimes I forget to do that with all the ideas and plans floating around in my head. Thanks for the reminder Kim.

    Reply
  9. Diana Foster says

    November 20, 2016 at 12:32 pm

    Your ideas are always most inspiring and practical. And, by the way…..love the harp music by the fab Aeleen. Having witnessed it in person is glorious.

    Reply
  10. Barbara Marincel says

    November 20, 2016 at 1:14 pm

    This helps when I’m in a creative rut…but lately I’ve been having a string of migraines and just the thought of writing and/or thinking hurts! GAAAHHH…This too shall pass, it always does. I’ve started on some new meds I hope will kick in. In the meantime, some good wishes and/or prayers would be so welcome! xoxoxo

    Reply
  11. marydahl2013 says

    November 20, 2016 at 6:05 pm

    I have several notebooks and scraps of paper with notes, ideas, etc. all over with no real organization. I am often distracted and I am always in need of a brain dump. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
  12. SUSAN KENDALL says

    November 21, 2016 at 7:12 am

    Still experimenting with journaling my creative thoughts. Have not found a system that works well with me. I would call myself an organized creative who wants it both right AND left brained. I want to get all the ideas out, but I want to be able to find them, and organize them, and…See why a brain does not fully work for me? I seem to see the the dump page as a to-do list instead of a relief valve. I keep giving the to-do list time and energy. And it stays there, in the recesses of my brain, until I actually catch up with the items on the list.

    Said another way, a friend had a baby in late March. I promised I would scrapbook pages for her as a baby gift. I had a vague idea of what to do. I spent time learning the process of digital scrapbooking. I gathered materials. And finally produced a page 2 days ago. Because it was way back in my mind, I did not bug her to send pictures to inspire me. I had exactly 3 pictures to work with.

    In the end, I am grateful I got one page produced. And many others over the last month. If brain dumping for creative space in my brain is the solution, then I shall try to let the written results have their own life. Trust the process, Susan. Trust that what is worth creating will come to past. Trust yourself.

    Whew, I feel better now. lol

    Reply
  13. Michelle GD says

    November 23, 2016 at 5:48 am

    oh, you know I love this, Kim!
    yes to lists and brain dump and the space that follows…

    Reply
  14. kellyakardos says

    November 26, 2016 at 9:12 pm

    I like that term “brain dump” I’m getting better at it…it takes practice and purpose for sure.

    Reply
  15. Suzanne says

    May 27, 2017 at 11:13 am

    Hi, I also brain dump. I have a shelf full of notebooks on different topics, spanning creative ideas through to medical hacks, “things that sell” and a craft journal. I also have a giant diary on my desk and that gets all the daily/weekly/routine stuff written in. I write everything in that up to months in advanced so my life is so organised it’s not funny. This means there is so much room in my head for all the new ideas that I get massive headaches and have to have a lie down.

    My biggest problem though, is that all the stuff written in the notebooks comes back to haunt you…..because you haven’t done it yet. I’ve been going back to cross out things once a year that were done, and I’ve done maybe about 2% of it. Now that’s scary!

    Reply

Share Your Thoughts Cancel reply

Seeking…Sharing…Learning…Growing…

Won’t you join me?

  • Blog
  • Free Presets
  • Classes
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Vimeo
for the love of linen…light…layers…
and al for the love of linen…light…layers…
and all the lovely things in between.
.
.
.
.
#kimklassen_innercircle
.
.
edited with taffeta from the Signature set.
#kk_lrpresets
.
.
.
.
#slowmo
#slowliving
#linenlove

.
.
#createvideoswithxanthe @xantheb
.
.
.
#slowmotion #hygge #slowlivingforlife #hyggehome #meditation #tea#linen
writing is one of my most loved pastimes…
. th writing is one of my most loved pastimes…
.
the perfect pen, a favourite notebook…. so many thoughts and ideas to explore…
.
How ‘bout you?
do you journal?
paper and pen
or
digital?
.
.
.
.

n for notebook or noted….
working our way through the ABC’s has been so much fun….
and wow… on the content it helps one crank out.
:)
#kimklassen_innercircle
.
.
.
#journal#writing#slowmo#stationaryaddict #hygge #hyggelifestyle #momentslikethese #createvideoswithxanthe
E for eucalyptus . continuing on with the Inner Ci E for eucalyptus
.
continuing on with the Inner Circle ABC challenge.
I’m amazed at how inspiring something so simple can be.
.
how lovely is this seeded eucalyptus?
.
thanks to my dear friend and amazing florist friend Pat for once again making my eucalyptus dreams come true. @vreemanp you are amazing.
.
.
.
edited in Lightroom with the signature set - cashmere.
#kk_lrpresets
.
.
.
come join us in the Inner Circle…. we have so much creative fun.
.
#kimklassen_innercircle
.
.
.
#floralarrangement #underthefloralspell #petalsandprops #darkandmoody #slowmotion #fromabove #tablesetting #moodygrams #darkandmoody
ABC’s continued in the inner circle.
today… ABC’s continued in the inner circle.
today… B…
.
for my favourite bucket.
that isn’t actually mine. It’s Aeleens…. but she let’s me ’store’ it.
isn’t she a beauty?
.
.
.
#kimklassen_innercircle
.
processed in Lightroom with Linen from the soon to launch signature set… 
#kk_lrpresets
.
.
.
#slowandsimpledays #slowlivingmovement #winterstories #hyggelife #coffeemoments 
#alliseeispretty#project_faceless #curated_nature#thisdetailedlife #thewonderinglight#lightinspired #mystillsundaycompetition#seasonspoetry #justalittlewhimseys#thatvelvetfeeling#nestandflourish #simplenaturefinds#simplethings #momentsofmine# #aquietstyle#savouringtheseason#winterthings#hyggehome
this month in the Inner Circle we’re working our this month in the Inner Circle we’re working our way through the alphabet…
easy-peasy
:)
.
.
today… A…
.
I started with one of my lovely @anthropologie mugs…(swipe over if you’d like to check it out)
.
then it hit me…
a for apron…and had to do a few more.
.
.
sometimes we dismiss the simple challenges...
they may seem a bit small, insignificant or ‘what’s the point?’….
but if we’re open, show-up and lean in… little bits of magic will often find us.
.
.
#afewofmyfavoritethings 
Lovely apron/pinafore from @roughlinen
and the @hansblomquist in detail book is an absolute fav
.
.
#kimklassen_innercircle
.
processed in Lightroom with the soon to launch signature set… 
#kk_lrpresets
.
.
.
#slowandsimpledays #slowlivingmovement #winterstories #coffeemoments 
#alliseeispretty#galleryoflightfeature#project_faceless #curated_nature#thisdetailedlife #thewonderinglight#lightinspired #tfispring#seasonspoetry #justalittlewhimseys#thatvelvetfeeling#nestandflourish #simplenaturefinds#theartofgathering #momentsofmine#domesticforaging #aquietstyle#savouringtheseason#livethelittlethings#thesimpleeveryday
not to be all about Ben but I’ve had so many pe not to be all about Ben but

I’ve had so many people asking for an update on Benny. I thought I better do a post. ♡
first thank you all.
.
so we went for his limp but it ended up a little more complicated than that.
.
He has a heart murmur that the vet is quite concerned about.
the first 15 minutes of the phone call (because you can’t go into the vet) was about his little heart.
then she continued to say he has a torn ACL and because of the heart they can not do surgery.
so 6 weeks of bedrest with the hopes he will form some scar tissue and be ok to walk again but with a limp. 
they are doing an echocardiogram on Tuesday to decide what to do next for the heart. He’s not symptomatic so we would not have known if we didn’t go for his leg.
.
.
which leads me to this…
the food we’ve had Ben on up until last year - is grain free - and it has been linked to the cause of the murmur.
last summer the vet suggested we take him off it because of the study linking it, so we switched then.
I can’t believe the food we choose because of the ‘quality’ is the cause.
and I can’t believe it’s still on the shelves.
.
if you’re curious about the study you can find the details with a quick google search.I also linked it in my stories. 
.
And please share this with your pet owning friends as well. 🙏🏻
.
.
thank you for all the love & support about our Benny.  so many beautiful comments and DMS. Grateful.
.
He’s taking it all like a trooper…other than when we go out for the loo he wags his tail and wiggles about thinking finally she’s taking me for our walk. 
straight to the heart.
.
the LOVE is deep my friends.
as I know many of you get.
.
.
.
.
#everydayben#dogsofinstagram#ilovemydog#goldendoodle
.
friends. this beautiful boy needs your prayers an friends.

this beautiful boy needs your prayers and lotsa good thoughts.
he’s been slowing down this past week and yesterday he started limping.
today it’s much worse.
unfortunately due to covid getting into a vet is slow.
praying they can help my boy…. he’s 11 but I need him for many more years to come.
♡
♡
♡
thank you.
xxx
.
.
.
.
.
#everydayben

Privacy Policy · Terms of Service · © Copyright 2009 - 2021 · All Rights Reserved · Site Design by Bello Via

This site uses cookies: Find out more.