In the weeks following the roll-out of shelter-in-place mandates toward flattening the curve against COVID-19, the practice of self-care has become an increasingly important tool for creatives in combating stress and strengthening immunity against the virus—as they continue to retool their platforms to virtually engage with audiences. The state-mandated social-distancing and self-isolation protective measures have also presented an unexpected opportunity for introspection and

The life of an artist and creative can easily become overwrought and inhibited by worry and anxiety that if left unattended, can eventually block the flow of creative insight and inspiration. An unconditioned creativity—an automatic, natural state of creativity that thrives and perseveres through difficulty—can shield against the destructive effects of anxiety towards continued productivity. A life of unconditioned creativity can be cultivated through the following practices:

Inevitably, as the first week of January passes, it becomes evident that vision boards and inspirational mantras will only go so far in maintaining momentum towards the realization of New Year resolutions made. In the walking out of short-term and long-term strategies towards the achievement of creative, career and life goals, hope, endurance and optimism are instrumental in maintaining progress throughout the upcoming year—but of all the virtues that prove essential towards

Saxophonist Wayne Shorter once stated: “Your humanity is your instrument.” For artists, that metaphor can be extended to the care of the body, with regard to the practice of self-care, as the body is in essence the instrument case to our humanity and talents. With the arrival of the holidays there is generally an encouragement and expectation to throw caution to the wind and indulge the senses, followed by a January run of detox and dieting to regain balance. There are those

Prayer and meditation are both an effective means of navigating worry and negativity in the face of personal challenges and trials on a spiritual level, however we may afterwards still find our minds immersed in problem-solving, in a constant fight against our fears, and an imagined, inevitable doom. As a result, as artists, we can become creatively lost and stagnant, and new ideas and inspiration are blocked. When combined with the act of creativity, prayer and meditation ca

In a Cyber-Monday world where almost anything can be ordered and delivered according to expectation via express shipping, it is a wonder that so many people remain unfulfilled—and yet, the question answers itself, given that the finer things of life such as faith, hope, love, and wellness are not accessible via app or download. When we make it a priority to reconnect our lives with the author of our life’s purpose through prayer, we also establish our access to the spiritual

The last months of the year are typically accompanied by a time of self-reflection, where the facts of our lives serve as headline copy towards a final assessment and punctuation of the year. Some years end with a simple, tidy period. Some end with a semicolon, colon or other connector in the continuation of a new chapter or circumstances. Others end with a loud exclamation point of change. With holiday celebrations and networking events on the horizon, our final judgments ar

Hip-hop artist and recent Pulitzer Prize honoree, Kendrick Lamar posted a series of vintage, on-the-road video vignettes on Instagram this week—one of which featured his point-of-view perspective from a mountaintop. He quipped: “…Made it all the way to the top. I backflipped all the way up here.” It was a loaded statement, on reflection, given what the ability to backflip represents. It is an enviable, and necessary skill in sports such as gymnastics, as well as hand-to-hand

Courage is a trait that is mostly associated with the confrontation of fear, injustice and immediate physical danger. But there is a different kind of courage required in closing the door and walking away from your expectations and the comfort of what you know to be true. There are consequences to that type of courage, in the act of moving forward, that force an acceptance of change—ushering your development into a person you’ve never seen or no longer recognize. While studyi

A couple of weeks ago, while visiting family in New Orleans, I had an opportunity to visit The Presbytère, a former monastery residence, which is now a museum, located adjacent to the Louis XIV Cathedral facing Jackson Square in the French Quarter. The museum houses two large exhibits dedicated to the events and aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and an extensive exploration of every cultural facet surrounding Mardi Gras. Within the Katrina exhibit there is a display midway befor

Environment is generally defined as the elements and surrounding space in which one lives. Your principle power as an artist lies in the ability to create and alter environments for the betterment of others through your talent and gifts. At the same time, regardless of the level of your career, you will likely be battling the toxicity of the very environment you’re serving. There are everyday challenges that can range from the misalignment of work-life balance and the inconve

About seven years ago, I found myself falling further into a depression that originated from a growing anger and frustration with a number of personal challenges and disappointments I had been grappling with throughout my twenties and thirties--all of which would unknowingly set my course towards a greater pain that I thought I would never experience in domestic violence. Previous to that experience, at the genesis of that downward slope, I got desperate one day and opened th

I was thinking this morning about what to blog about and the topic of depression came to mind. It is something I've struggled with and looking back it reminded me of some of the decisions I've made that in hindsight I can see were heavily influenced by my perspective on life at the time. When you first trip into that mudhole, it can easily turn to quicksand when compounded by the effects of a bad decision made under an altered state of mind. Dealing with depression is similar

Some days you just need someone to listen without judgment. In some instances, a good sermon can be just as helpful, when you're overwhelmed. I was on my walk today, listening to one of my old-school Joyce Meyer cassettes... A few years ago, I found myself YouTube'ing her "Life In The Word" sermons from back in the day, listening to four or five of her broadcasts daily--they kept me from going under, when I was neck deep, wading out of personal trauma, and was afraid to talk