Using Creativity to Solve a Problem

So my blog's starting to boom, which has given me some motivation. My previous "high score" for monthly visitors to Eddie B!og was 461 back in September 2011 when I went through a quantity-over-quality phase and wrote 12 lackluster posts in one month. Then during the month of June, somehow the views just about doubled with 896 reads despite writing less. Now, we're not even through a third of July and that June record is going to be surpassed today.

Hip hip hooray

Even though I have no intentions of being a professional writer, I've developed a lot of ways to express myself and keep my mind fed. I've always chose to convert positive as well as negative energy into the creation of writings, poetry, videos, and music to better myself. I found this technique to be an excellent form of natural self-medication without diving into the unhealthy habits that surround us and affect our mental health daily.

I don't smoke, fill myself with caffeine, have any prescriptions, or get drunk when I'm low or stressed. I just get creative. Even if what's produced isn't "good stuff", it's turning negative energy into positive.

Only recently have I started using these creative works to market myself for work and life. I spent many wasted years filling a laptop with personal content that I could have used to gain relative followers. Instead I hid it out of shame and the constant thought of "what would people think of me?"

Then I grew up. I gained goals, expectations, and a new kind of self-drive that kind of pushed away these unnecessary worry's that were blocking the big picture. An easy way to put it: I replaced my social drive with a drive for success by shifting focus from self-image to self-happiness. And just like that, some other pieces in my life started to fall into place.

So you're interested in learning how to do the same for yourself? Well you have to start the same way an addict gets hooked on heroin (there's my expected terrible example of the day). You have to develop the habit out of curiosity. When you're having a bad day, just open up a word document, close your eyes, and start typing. Don't hold back, just let it flow from your mind. Don't even think about grammar mistakes and everything school has taught you, just let your thoughts become words and let it go all over the place. Worrying about the little things is what got you here in the first place, remember?

Step 2: Repeat. Slowly you'll find your likes and dislikes with the process and you'll find other outlets to express yourself and your point of view. I guarantee you'll learn a whole lot about yourself that you wouldn't have come across otherwise.

And voila. You didn't even have to piss off a friend by filling their head with an unnecessary rant about how some boy didn't give you attention today while you were at the gym.

Wonka break.

But that doesn't mean you should cap your emotions and become an individual who can express themselves as an introvert but not as an extrovert. This whole exercise should push you away from that mindset in the long run. It's all about getting comfort.

One redundant tip I can give you is to stay open. Be happy with who you are and watch others jump on the bandwagon. I know you've heard the phrase "Be Yourself!" a million times ever since that first fateful day you packed your backpack for preschool, but I really want you to think about it. Sit for a second and ask yourself one question: How many people actually know the true me?

Kinda scary right? How many "you's" have you developed in order to please all the different people within your world? I guarantee most of these persona's you've created have actually turned off a lot of people you've run into. Come on, how many times have you yourself showcased your natural ability to detect fake? We all have. And I, like most people, am completely detracted by fake.

I hope I've been able to get you interested in what's worked for me over the years. And if I haven't, well at least I got you thinking positive... Or negative if you completely disagree with everything I've said ... The important thing is you're thinking. Well I've never been good at ending these write-ups... Anyways... How 'bout them Olympics? ...


TODAY'S TASTY TRACK
 
Muse
"Survival"
And I’ll light the fuse
And I’ll never lose
And I choose to survive
Whatever it takes