This 1-Minute Morning Habit Will Skyrocket Your Creativity (and Invite More Joy)

[00:24] Damianne President (2): Many of us carry the weight of being told we’re not creative, or that creativity belongs to artists and musicians. I used to buy into that idea too, but here’s the truth. Creativity isn’t about talent or masterpieces. 


[00:39] Damianne President (2): It’s about expressing yourself and experiencing the pure joy of creation. When we create, we come alive in ways that scrolling through social media or watching Netflix simply cannot match. 


[00:53] Understanding Creative Joy 


[00:53] Damianne President: Today’s guest is Katrina Mason. As a cancer survivor and bereaved parent, Katrina understands the ups and downs of this crazy life she’s been through. Reconnecting with her creative self saved her life. Now, she loves to share her life experience and wisdom as a pathway to inspiring joy and optimism in others. 


[01:14] Damianne President: After working in the helping industry for 20 years, she founded Sustainability in Service in 2017. What she does has a unique focus on supporting frontline workers and other care professionals to manage burnout and overwhelm. She still loves it and continues to offer support for this unique group through speaking, training and individual mentoring. Welcome to Change is Big and Small, Katrina. 


[01:39] Katrina Mason: Thank you for having me. It’s lovely to have any opportunity to speak with like minded people. 


[01:44] Damianne President: So I’ve just shared your bio. Tell me in your own words, what makes you, you? 


[01:50] Katrina Mason: Well, I am what I describe as a radical optimist, so I feel like it hasn’t always been that way. I’ve been I dedicated helping, and I do that in inverted commas, like helping professional for many, many years. And I was really submerged in the not so great aspects of humanity, the suffering of humanity, a lot. 


[02:16] Katrina Mason: And yeah, for a long time, joy was absent from my life. And then some really heavy stuff happened to me in my personal life where I had to go through a cancer journey. I had to go through a really deep and profound grief journey, losing our son. And I don’t know, despite the absolute ass kicking, I’ve managed to find some joy and optimism despite the absolute craziness that is this human life. And I don’t want to ever stop talking about it. 


[02:47] Damianne President: You just shared two pretty big things with us about going through grief and having to go through a cancer diagnosis. And still finding joy. So tell us a little bit about that. How do all of those things relate in your life? 


[03:02] Katrina Mason: They all sort of came together in the same period of time. But the search for joy has always been on the agenda for me. Like, I’ve been searching for it for a long time. And what I found was that joy is its own, thing. It’s a physical thing that bubbles up from somewhere. And when you’re sort of looking for it and seeking it and trying to get it, it eludes us. And then it can only be found in being radically present in the moment and radically optimistic despite the absolute shit sandwich that you’re getting. So one of the first things that helped me was a creative practice. 


[03:43] Katrina Mason: So, drawing, painting really sparks a sense of interest for me. It did while I was sick, it still does now. And then learning to follow those crumbs. So something sparks interest, curiosity, and then doing it like with priority even though there’s all this other stuff that you should be doing or that you could be doing, or that seemed like they’re more important. Following those little points of joy and curiosity just became something so profoundly important in my life and still is now. 


[04:19] Katrina Mason: And the end result has been this sense of optimism despite everything having gone pear-shaped.. 
 


[04:25] Damianne President: So what was that like for you? Because you talk about all of those things being at the same time. And one of the things that has been very interesting to me and conversation I’ve had with some people is the human capacity to carry multiple things at the same time. And so I’m very curious when you talk about grief and joy, for example, how do those live together? 


[04:48] Katrina Mason: Yes. What a surprise. And what a great, topic to talk about. Yeah, for sure. It’s funny that human are dualistic. It’s weird, right? You never sort of expected to be able to feel joy at the same time as grief. But, it actually is a possibility if you allow it. 


[05:11] Katrina Mason: I can’t be joyful about this fact that my son is not here, but I can be joyful about the fact that I’m still here. So it’s like allowing the disappointment and sadness to have its place and have its space, at the same time, not being closed off to the complex ability for the human being to be both. 


[05:34] Damianne President: And then you mentioned creativity as a pathway to joy for you. How do you express your creativity? You’ve got a beautiful painting behind you. It’s just like, yay, great for the topic. 


[05:47] Katrina Mason: Yeah. This is one of the ones that I’ve done along the path. When I sort of found myself really sick, I was forced to reflect on my life, obviously, as you do when things go pear shaped. And it doesn’t have to be cancer. It can be anything that makes you really take a good look at your life. 


[06:03] Katrina Mason: I noticed that something I really loved, which is painting, had not been given any priority in my life for, you know, probably 10, 15 years or so. So I started there with the reason for not painting being stuck on fear or being preoccupied with the product, like, is it gonna be any good and are people gonna like it, or, well, I’m no good at it anymore, I can’t draw or whatever. And just go with that completely and just putting the paint on the paper for the sake of the sensation of joy that it gave me, and practicing that. 


[06:40] Damianne President: Yeah, I really like that idea because I think that’s exactly it. There are so many things where we’re conditioned or somehow we develop this belief that we need to have this beautiful outcome in order for us to do it, where really, we can get so much from the process. 
 


[06:56] The relationship between creativity and joy isn’t just poetic, it’s scientific. When we create, our brains release dopamine, the feel good neurotransmitter, not just when we complete something, but during the creative process itself.. This is why time seems to fly when we’re absorbed in creative activities. 


[07:18] Scientists call this state of complete absorption flow. This is when we’re engaged in what we’re doing to such an extent that we’ll lose track of time and self consciousness melts away. Flow is one of the most reliable paths to authentic joy. And creativity is one of the best ways to access flow. 


[07:40] Myths about Creativity 


[07:40] So let’s break down some common myths about creativity. The first one is I’m not creative. Creativity is a natural human capacity. It’s like walking or talking. We’re all born creative. You may just need to reclaim it. Myth two, creativity takes talent. Creativity is not just about the product; it’s about the process. It’s about the joy that comes from doing, not just from achieving perfection. 


[08:08] And myth three, I don’t have time for creativity. The truth is that creative expression can fit into existing moments and activities in your life. It’s about the quality of your engagement, not the quantity of time. So don’t chase flow, but welcome it when it arrives. 


[08:26] The key difference between creating and consuming is your level of engagement. When we consume, whether it’s social media, television, or even books, we’re relatively passive. Sure, maybe our brain’s going, maybe we’re thinking about some things, but it’s a very different type of activity than when we’re actually creating, when we’re actively engaging with our world, and we’re expressing our unique perspectives. And that engagement is where the joy lives. 


[08:55] Let’s get back to the conversation with Katrina, where we’re going to get into the different types of creative expression that are part of everyday life. 


[09:06] Forms of Creative Expression 


[09:06] Damianne President: There are definitely the traditional ideas of creativity, which are painting, drawing, sculpting, writing. These are maybe the first things that come to mind, but I think there are so many other ways people can be creative as well, in their own lives, in their day to day. 


[09:20] Katrina Mason: I really got thinking about it in terms of the feminine and the masculine energy, like the masculine energy is goal orientated and the hustle and think it through step by step achievement kind of energy. And the feminine energy is more of the being and creativity and go with the flow and intuitive. 


[09:46] Katrina Mason: And I think it’s just by sheer default, you know, that most of us are living in environments where the masculine energy has been prioritized, in our schooling structures and in the media. We’re in this kind of patriarchal type structure. So I think it’s just subconsciously been programmed into us over a long time to not necessarily value the feminine energies. 


[10:13] Katrina Mason: Females have the ability to, the potential, not all of us choose to do it or can do it, but to create life. Just, it’s just part of the feminine energy. So thinking about it in terms of like, one’s not better than the other, like if we’re going to take on the feminine energy that we’re going to just somehow bash the male energy. We just need a nice balance of the both. So practicing doing things just for the sheer magic of creating something. And it doesn’t have to be like you said, like the arts. 


[10:44] Katrina Mason: Some people I know, their creative energy is just absolutely spectacular home decorative ideas or renovations. And other women I know creating their family, I’ve found motherhood kind of hard, but some of them just find it really easy. 


[11:00] Katrina Mason: You know, it’s just living your own life and creating your own life based on whatever sparks joy in you and ignoring all this like pressure to be following the masculine energy and following the product. Even those who’ve, absolutely chased the hustle and get right to the top of whatever it is that the masculine energy is saying is what we should be doing, they get to the top and they find them miserable anyway. 


[11:21] Damianne President: And as we’ve talked about earlier, one of the things that creativity lets you access is joy. And I just want to point out you said that joy is radical optimism despite the challenges of human life. And I really like the idea of radical optimism. How did you come to that definition? And how does creativity help you embody it? 


[11:45] Katrina Mason: Yeah. Well, I came to that conclusion because I have taught mindfulness in the past and part of that model of thinking is this idea of radical acceptance. But radical acceptance is really hard when things are going in a way that you find completely unacceptable. Accepting feels sort of too submissive. So I got to thinking what is that? It is surrender, right? Surrendering, but surrendering also feels too passive, because I don’t surrender. I want to hold space. And the space that I want to hold is radical optimism. It’s almost insanity in some of the situations that you’re in to be radically optimistic and the only way to spark that in yourself is to prioritize the sparks of joy that show up. And the only way to find the sparks of joy is to just follow the most interesting path on that day. 


[12:46] Katrina Mason: If you’re in a shit place and everything’s going in a way that you didn’t plan and you’re wondering what’s the point of it all, follow the crumbs of joy like your life depends on it, because it does, it really does. If you don’t follow these crumbs of joy, you will find an empty husk at the end, or your body will get sick. We’re all going to get sick at some point, but you get to the end of life, if you’re lucky to have this really long life where nobody that you’re absolutely dedicated to passes away first and and everything goes according to plan, if you haven’t followed those problems of joy, what is the point? 


[13:21] Damianne President: I was thinking about people that I’ve had this conversation with, in terms of they found out somebody’s sick. They had a plan for their life and at some point they realized, Oh, my life is not going to go according to this plan, and I’ve put off so many decisions, I’ve put off so many choices, because I thought this was exactly what it was going to be. And now it’s not. And so it’s interesting when you say follow the crumbs of joy, because this is exactly what they did not do. They were like outsourcing joy to some future timeframe, and have really missed those opportunities that have been so enriching for them. And usually it’s because they’re focused on work, which none of us take with us. 
 


[14:00] Katrina Mason: Yeah. But we do, don’t we, we think of joy and a time to be joyful as this kind of like utopian garden of Eden in the future when we retire or when we finally make a million dollars or whatever. But it’s not. It’s finding that million dollar moment in the shit heap that you’re in. And if you do that, you’ve won the million bucks, like you’ve won the lotto. If you can find it, then it’s there whenever you open your eyes. 


[14:28] Advice if you think you’re not creative 


[14:28] Damianne President: It’s definitely one of the components of what it could mean to be rich. And not just monetary richness, but in experiences and in joy. 


[14:38] Damianne President: I’m sure there are people who are listening who are thinking I’m not creative. Even after all of the examples that we’ve gone through. What advice would you give to someone who feels this way, and how can they start exploring their creative side? 


[14:52] Katrina Mason: Yeah. Have you heard of, the book, Eat, Pray, Love. Yeah. That’s a famous book. So I met the author not so long ago. 


[15:02] Damianne President: Elizabeth Gilbert. 


[15:03] Katrina Mason: Yeah. So she came to Australia and she’s doing a tour and talking about all sorts of things and she just gave me the most brilliant idea. So she plays this game called Most Interesting Path. And she says you might be a writer, you might be a painter, you might be someone who bakes, or maybe someone says do something creative and you know exactly what that’s going to be. Or maybe you’re not. And if you’re not, she said it’s really just a simple process of following whatever sparks interest or curiosity in you from moment to moment. So she plays this game when she goes on a walk. 


[15:39] Damianne President: So you’re going to do your exercise, right? Or you’re going on a walk and sometimes we’re just like stuck in our masculine energy. You’re like, I’ve got to walk fast or I’ve got to run or I’ve got to get my heartbeat up and I’ve got to do this and I’m doing that and I’m whatever. She’s like, just let that go. Every intersection you come to, just stop at the intersection, look in every direction, and walk down whatever direction seems most interesting. And then when you start to do that, you start to notice that sensation, that spark of curiosity and interest in you, because, you know, there was a tree down there that looks nicer than the fence down there. There doesn’t have to be any logic to it. And just gradually over time, that muscle memory of what it is that actually sparks interest and joy in you starts to get, louder. And then over time, you’ll start to notice what it is that interests you and you just follow those crumbs of interest and joy. 


[16:34] Valerie Kaur, I don’t know if you know her, but she talks is about creating invitations for joy, opportunities for joy. And then she talks about her children, just singing in the car, and it’s just like, they’re just making up silly songs. 


[16:49] Damianne President: This just reminded me of that. It’s one small thing, because all you have to do is go for a walk. You can do this anywhere you are. It’s free. It only takes a little bit of time, and if you don’t map it out and give yourself enough time, like, don’t do this if you’re late for a meeting or something, but do it in a time when you’ve got kind of this space for you to be curious and for you to kind of see what happens. 
 


[17:15] Damianne President: I love the idea. Okay. 


[17:16] Katrina Mason: And if you can’t go for a walk, like when I was sick, walking wasn’t always, available to me, or you’ve got small children, whatever, there’s lots of restrictions why just going for a walk is a bit harder in your life; it’s not always that easy. Music, like you said, what’s wrong with putting on a cheesy 80s song that makes you think of the best night out you ever had in your twenties. I’m showing my age there, but um, you know what I mean? I used to put my headphones on and just lay in the bed. But in my head, in my body, I’m having like mad time. What’s wrong with that? 


[17:50] Damianne President: I love that. And yes, thanks for recognizing that because regardless of the circumstance, and like you said, some people can’t go a walk, but there are still opportunities. 


[17:58] Damianne President: How would we change this game for somebody, who can’t go for a walk, for example? What might they do instead? I know I’m putting you on the spot here, but maybe we can come up with something together. 


[18:08] Katrina Mason: Yeah, yeah. You mean, how would they, follow the sparks of interest? 


[18:12] Damianne President: Yeah. 


[18:14] Katrina Mason: Yeah. Well, you know, there’s so many ways you can do it. There’s so many ways like what, because I do a lot of one on one mentoring as well, because my focus of my business for years has been helping professionals that are burnt out, overwhelmed, that kind of thing. 


[18:31] Katrina Mason: Because it’s just like a crazy phenomenon that goes on in the helping industry. So, yeah. So for example, one session I was doing this amazing woman, absolutely amazing things that she does for people like she’s a psychologist. She is back to back with people helping them all day every day. But because she’s so focused on the care of other people in her personal life and her professional life, it’s like that muscle for looking for what other people need is so strong that it’s almost she’s almost forgotten how to look for the things that she needs and what she wants. And that is an experience across the board for women in general. And what an absolute gift she is to the world. We don’t want her to stop doing what she’s doing, but thinking about in the morning. 


[19:16] Katrina Mason: So she wakes up, she wants to do a thing, go for a walk, whatever. But I said, why not just think for one minute before you open your eyes, before you put your feet on the ground, before you start doing all the things that everybody else needs you to do? 


[19:31] Katrina Mason: I’m not saying that you abandon everyone because we’ve got responsibilities, we’ve got jobs, we’ve got people who rely on us. But before you start, just check in with yourself for one minute. What do you want to do this morning? Do you want to go for a walk? Do you want pancakes? Do you want to just lay there with your eyes shut? And maybe you can’t do what you want anyway, but it’s that process again of just taking the moment to think, what is it that I actually feel like doing? I know I should be doing this, but what do I feel like doing? 


[20:06] Katrina Mason: Just that one moment to recognize what it is that you feel like doing and what sparks interest in you. And if you can’t do it straight away, set the intention to try and do it sometime that week. It starts growing that muscle of personal reflection. 


[20:22] Damianne President (2): Katrina and I just talked about what could help you access sparks of creativity. And I’m going to go into the different forms of creative expression. 


[20:31] Damianne President (2): Creativity can manifest in your life in many different ways. Remember that there is no hierarchy to creative expression. What matters is finding what lights you up. So while drawing, painting, and crafting might be what first comes to mind when we talk about creativity, these aren’t just for artists. 


[20:51] Damianne President (2): Think about children. They draw all the time. Even when you might have no idea what they’re drawing. Often, they have a whole story to go with the drawing too, a story that’s only evident to them. Somewhere along the way, we start judging our creations, and so we stop creating. 


[21:10] Damianne President (2): I remember when I was five, my teacher praised my drawing of a girl, because I was the only child that put a ribbon in her hair. And a few years later, I had entirely given up drawing, because I’m not good at it. Isn’t that a shame? I stopped experiencing the joy of drawing and I stopped getting better at it. By contrast, my 13 year old niece spends hours drawing. She practices her drawing, and sometimes I see her doing the same one over and over again to get better. 


[21:43] Damianne President (2): If drawing or painting are things that you used to love, might you enjoy trying them again? There are books you can try to help you get better at them if you want, or you could just play around and see what happens. Or find YouTube tutorials. Even better, take a class with other people and get the added benefit of socializing, maybe even making some new friends. 


[22:07] Damianne President (2): Another way to access creativity is through movement and dance. I used to join a somatic class and it felt so freeing to move my body in whatever way I wanted, whichever way I felt, not having to follow a particular pattern or instruction, just tuning into my body and what it wanted to do. I remember having a smile on my face for much of that class. And I also just enjoy putting on a song and dancing to it however I feel like moving. I remember sometimes when I was a teenager, I would be dancing and my dad would come in and he would catch me doing some sort of silly moves. And he would just look at me and I would be a little bit embarrassed, but that didn’t stop me. For some reason, that one I kept. 


[22:52] Damianne President (2): There are many ways that you can incorporate movements and music into your life. Maybe dancing while you’re cooking dinner or singing in the shower. You don’t even have to worry about who might hear you if you’re in the shower. You could drum on your desk for a mental break while you’re having a block. And maybe you can even create a new workout routine that’s kind of playful and more fun. These forms of creative expression are really powerful because they engage our whole body in the creative process. 


[23:21] Damianne President (2): Writing and storytelling are also ways that might be accessible to you. And remember that we’re not looking or aiming for perfection. So some ideas are for you to journal your thoughts without censoring yourself, writing poetry that only you are going to read, crafting stories that capture your unique perspective. And maybe even sending heartfelt letters to friends who need a connection. I got a letter in the mail last week and it was so nice. It’s a New Year’s letter from a friend, so it’s a little bit late, but still, it gave me joy reading it and I’m sure that she experienced joy writing it as well. And she also sent some artwork that she had made. Writing, creating allows us to process our experiences and discover new perspectives. It doesn’t need to be shared in order for it to be valuable.

[24:13] How Creativity Invites Joy


[24:13] Damianne President (2): Now let’s hear from professional artist and creative collaborator, coach and educator Karen Light, about how she expresses creativity in her life and how it brings her joy. 


[24:24] Karen Light: I would say that I’m creative in obvious ways in that I’m an illustrator and an artist and always have created art, mainly visual, but also written, and I enjoy many arts, all the time. I love to doodle. I love to paint. I do digital art. So yeah, those ways are more obvious. However, I think you can be an artist and not be thinking very creatively about something, right? 


[24:50] Karen Light: I strive to be creative in all that I do and, especially when stuck. So if I feel like there’s a big challenge or a disappointment or I’m just like not able to move something, I feel stuck for some reason, that’s when I really try to pull out my toolbox and activate my creativity so that I can move through it, get unstuck, see the challenge as a creative challenge. And in that way, It does create a lot of joy because it changes my mindset from oh, this thing is against me to like, oh my gosh, now that I’m looking at this creatively, I can see so much here, so much meaning and know that it’s for me in some way. And that just feels like a much more joyful way to live. So, that’s one way in which I think creativity can really lead to a lot of joy. 


[25:43] This quote beautifully illustrates how creativity can become a mindset for approaching life’s challenges. It reinforces the idea that creativity is not just about producing art, but also about problem solving and finding joy in everyday situations. 
 


[25:59] As Karen pointed out, creativity isn’t limited to traditional artistic pursuits. Let’s explore some other ways we can incorporate creativity into our daily lives. 


[26:10] There’s everyday creativity. This is my favorite. This is where many of us already express creativity without even realizing it. So it could be cooking and plating food with intention; this is something one of my sisters is very good at. Or maybe arranging flowers or plants to bring beauty to a space, making your space organized in a way that sparks joy for you. It could even be solving problems at work with innovative thinking, planning events that create meaningful experiences for you or for your loved ones, decorating your home in a way that reflects your personality or designing your garden in a way where it works with nature, not against it. 


[26:52] For example, I enjoy selecting and arranging cut flowers. When I lived in Japan, I was always looking for things to do, and I really wanted to experience local Japanese culture. So I took an ikebana class. And I guess most ikebana, except for freestyle, requires you to follow a pattern. 


[27:11] In my last class, I have to say it kind of ruined the experience for me. I still enjoy decorating flowers, but I didn’t really like my ikebana class after that. What happened is that I had I designed my bouquet in a way that I really liked on the kenzan. The kenzan is the thing you stick the flowers into for ikebana. Then the teacher came and really she just took apart my whole creation. And she said that I hadn’t done it right. And she put it back together to show me the proper way. But I have to say that I thought my way was more beautiful, even though it wasn’t right. And this type of experience is really what often inhibits us from expressing our creativity. 


[27:52] Someone says one careless thing, one thing they think might be helpful, or they try to subject us to their own criteria. And that takes away from our experience. They don’t understand the importance of process. And that’s what I want to remind you of. I’m here to tell you to not let when people don’t understand that process is important, don’t let that stop you. 


[28:19] We’re going to go back now and join the interview with Katrina, where we talk a bit more about making space for creativity. 


[28:30] Damianne President: I think we don’t even think about what we want, like you said. Like, it’s who has time for that kind of a thing, as opposed to, this is an important part of living my life. 


[28:39] Katrina Mason: Yeah. Who’s got time for that? And I was like that for so many years. Caring for other people and making other people happy and putting other people’s needs first and doing all those things is such a noble, wonderful thing to do and it brought me so much purpose and satisfaction for a long time, until it didn’t anymore. But by the time I got to that point, when I had time for myself, I didn’t know what to do with it. 


[29:04] Damianne President: That’s what I’ve noticed. I was talking to a woman and she was like, I have all this time, what am I supposed to do with it? And I’m like, oh my goodness, this is the thing that I want so much more of. But it’s interesting when you’re used to doing stuff for other people and then maybe they don’t need you then, what do you do? Like you become an empty nest or you were a parent for somebody and they’re no longer with us, then what do you do with that time? It’s really a confronting experience to have to then figure out who am I again? What do I like again? And all of that. 


[29:35] Katrina Mason: Who am I when I’m not everything to everybody else? 


[29:38] Damianne President: exactly, exactly.

[29:40] Making Space for Creativity 


[29:40] Damianne President: You were just talking about your kids running around and so you have a family. You’re helping people who are frontline workers, care professionals. How do you incorporate creativity into your own life? And how do you make space for joy? 


[29:54] Damianne President: Mean, I feel like you already told me some of this because you talked about how joy is so integrated into your life. 


[29:59] Katrina Mason: Let’s bring it home. Let’s bring it home. Well, you know, all the shoulds and the shoulds and the shoulds, but it’s definitely come down to me spending that time doing what some would call a meditation or others would call an affirmation or intention setting, but I do it in the morning before I get up. 


[30:16] Katrina Mason: For ages, I tried to get up and, you know, do my exercise, do my yoga or meditate or paint or write or whatever it was, but the minute I opened my eyes, if I get out of bed, all these little people and other people want stuff from me when they know I’m awake. 


[30:32] Katrina Mason: So I just do it with my eyes closed before I get out of bed. So I know, okay, this is where my head’s at. This is what I’m grateful for. This is what sparks interest in me today. This is what I want to do. Maybe I want to paint. Maybe I want to walk. Maybe I want to run. Maybe I want to draw, whatever it is. But also working together with my partner, the father of my kids, we’re recreating our life as its own artwork. 


[31:00] Katrina Mason: We had so many things that we had planned to do, that are not ever gonna come to fruit, so we took a major risk and we’ve been traveling Australia in our caravan for the last 12 months. So we’ve actually put it into action on a daily basis. We’ve been on the road now for, 10 months and I think it took 6 months every day of us actually putting that into action, like, where do we want to go today? What do we want to do today? Let’s follow instead of planning and trudging and going, doing things at a pace where we thought we should, we started to practice this kind of idea of most interesting path, but like on a huge scale. And it was scary. And it’s still scary and homeschooling is scary. Not that you have to like pack up and go in a caravan, but what is your life like, what are the little steps on your way to are you living the life that you want, or are you living the life you think you should? 


[31:59] Katrina Mason: Yeah. 


[32:01] Damianne President: I think that’s wonderful that you’re doing that. I have a friend who is taking a 12 month sabbatical, she and her daughter, she has a 13 year old daughter, and so they’ve traveled a few different countries and it’s just like, well, where are we going to go next? So they just said they’re going to Malaysia next. 


[32:18] Katrina Mason: Be brave. Yeah. Yeah. 


[32:20] Damianne President: Because I’ve had an international school career, although I’m no longer a teacher, and so I lived in five countries, and I would pack up and I would move to a place I’ve never been. 


[32:30] Damianne President: People always say, oh, you’re so brave to do that. And it’s so funny because I never think of it as bravery. I guess I kind of think what’s the worst thing that could happen? I mean, I do a little bit of research. I think that there is some safety in the places that I choose, and then I’m like, let’s see what happens, like, what’s the worst that can happen? And the first country that I lived in was India. And after I lived in India, I thought, Oh, I can live pretty much anywhere. I mean, I am sure there are lots of places that are challenging in the world. But I felt like some of my experiences have really built this different mindset in me where it’s like, so many places are the same with, yes, there are challenges, but then there are challenges when I go home or when I go back to the places that I think I know. Because it’s funny how things don’t remain the same. They don’t remain static. And when you’re not there, you need to catch up again. 


[33:23] Damianne President: And I have to remind myself of that all the time, that when you explore a new place, you learn what is so common between all of the places. And then you see that there are opportunities and challenges everywhere. And one of the opportunities is to explore places that are new, that have so much to give you. Like I spent a month in Italy and everything was closed in Florence for the first three weeks. But I was just walking in a new place, like you said, just taking a different path. And it was kind of extraordinary to be like, Oh, look up, look at that. Like, look at this amazing dome and all of those types of things. And I think you don’t have to travel. You can find it in your own home. But it’s really that mindset of exploration and discovery. 


[34:10] Katrina Mason: Yeah. And challenging yourself and being brave, you know, like it doesn’t have to be travel like you said. That’s not everybody’s jam and that’s fine. What is your jam? I guess that’s the challenge to everybody is, you know, when it comes down to it, What is your jam? What is it? Yeah, 


[34:33] Damianne President: to each person. So take small steps, we’re a little bit of the topic of creativity, but I think it’s all related because when you are able to think differently, you’re able to invite creativity in and invite joy in in a different way as well. 


[34:49] Damianne President: So for some people. Brave is like getting a completely different dish in a new restaurant, which is something I do all the time. But it was kind of funny talking to some people and they were like, Oh, I always get the same thing because I know for sure that it’s going to bring me pleasure. And I’m like, but what about all the other pleasures? 


[35:06] Katrina Mason: everybody’s different. Like I’m doing the podcast here from my brother’s house. And a life in a caravan, it’s not appealing to him at all, and that’s totally fine. 


[35:16] Damianne President: Is there anything else that you want to invite people to? 


[35:19] Katrina Mason: No, I just want them to take away this idea of following the crumbs of joy, like their life depends on it. Because it really does. That’s it. Take it with you. Think about it. And in the morning, have a think about what sparks joy in you. 


[35:35] Damianne President: Look out for the crumbs.


[35:37] I really hope that you take Katrina’s challenge and that you implement it in your life, because if you want to experience creativity, you need to make space for it. 


[35:48] When I talk about creating space for creativity, it’s not just talking about physical space. It’s about making room in your life for creative expression to flourish. 


[35:58] So we’ll talk about three aspects of making space, physical space, time, and energy. The invitation that Katrina gave is great because it’s one that you can do anytime, every time, regardless of your circumstances. All you need is a few minutes in the morning, but I want to add additional examples and invitations for you of things that you could do to access and to experience creativity in your life. So when we talk about physical space, what I mean is for you to create an environment that allows you to be creative. 


[36:34] Think about what is it that you need in terms of supplies. Maybe you need a space, a creation station, even if it’s just the corner of your kitchen table, keep your basic supplies easily accessible. So you can create on a whim. Don’t hide them in the deepest cupboard where you need to pull everything out and find them. You’re not going to make space for that. It’s going to be too easy for you to say sometimes later or at another time. Really create an environment where if you just have a few minutes, you’ve got everything ready in a way that you can quickly use them without having to spend time setting up. You can even create an environment that inspires you with colors. I know some people really like a vision board because that’s inspiring for them. Or maybe you want textures or images that inspire you. The idea is for you to remove barriers to getting started. The fewer steps between you and creating, the better, because the more opportunity you’re going to have, the more successful you’re going to be. 


[37:36] The second part of this is time management. Many of us feel like we have time poverty. I experience this regularly, but it’s important for us to think about when we’re going to be creative and how much time we’re going to give it. So I often talk about a friend of mine who plays the keyboard every time when she gets home from work. She only does it for a few minutes but she loves it and she does it every day. And I find that really inspiring because even when traveling from home for a few months, she bought a portable keyboard to take with her. That’s how much it was part of the way that she moves through the world. So I would say start with small blocks of time, even 10 minutes. 


[38:17] Schedule creative time like you would anything else, any other important appointment, because it is important. And protect your creative window from the encroachment of productivity. Creativity is so beneficial for you. Think about it as productive time if it’s going to help you. But, put aside your to do list for a few minutes, so that you can just experience that joy of creativity. And you can use creativity triggers to help you signal that it’s time to create, maybe you light a candle or whenever you put on a type of music, you know, that you’re in the mood for creation. Isn’t that sexy. 


[38:55] And then the last is energy management. And when I talk about energy management, I’m talking about the fact that how we feel affects the experiences that we have throughout the day. How much energy we have, what our mood is. So notice when you feel most creative. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Maybe in that morning when you think about what is it that you want to do that day for creativity, think about when would be a good time for you to do it as well. 


[39:23] Maybe it’s during the course of the week, not even during the course of the day. Honor your natural rhythms. Don’t just fight against them and build habits around your energy peaks. Give yourself permission to experiment with that expectation. And then there’s one bonus section about space and that is overcoming blocks. 


[39:43] Because whenever we try to do something new, these blocks are going to rise up, so it’s important to plan for that. Start before you feel ready. That’s one of the key ones because readiness is a myth and that is just something that keeps us stuck. This is a famous procrastination technique of readiness. I’m not ready. You’re ready right now. 


[40:04] All you need is to be in order for you to be able to be creative. Focus on the process, not the outcome. Joy lives in the doing remember that and if you’re really stuck use prompts or use constraints to spark ideas. Sometimes by giving yourself fewer options, you’re actually in a space where you can experience that creativity than if you’ve got a wide open space especially if you’re new to the concept of creativity, and remember that perfect is the enemy of done and it is also the enemy of joy. 


[40:35] So, we’re not looking for perfection here again, we are looking for process, we’re looking for enjoyment, we’re looking for creativity, we’re looking for fun and playfulness. All of these are kind of the words that can inspire you as opposed to holding you back. 


[40:51] In today’s world, it’s just so easy to be a consumer. We have an abundance of things that we can consume at any moment, but I want to invite you to be a creator and experience the joy that comes with that. 


[41:04] Damianne President: We have this is perfect timing. This rarely happens to me, so I’m just going to savor it. I can’t believe its’ the end of the podcast. But let’s close with a lightning round, a brief answer for each of these three questions. 


[41:19] Damianne President: How does joy feel to you? 


[41:21] Katrina Mason: It’s like a gut feeling that comes like the lightness, like a bubble in my gut. And then followed by goosebumps. 


[41:28] Damianne President: What is something bringing you joy right now? 


[41:31] Katrina Mason: Painting. Always painting. 


[41:33] Damianne President: And do you have a book or other multimedia that you would like to recommend for listeners? 


[41:40] Katrina Mason: Yeah, I’ve got a book called Sustainability in Service, so if anybody’s listening that’s actually a helping professional, if they’re everything from frontline workers and law enforcement, child protection, psychology, counsellors, anybody, nurses, teachers, mums, that are just spending most of their life looking after other people, if they found themselves in a place where they burnt out, which they probably have, or overwhelmed and they don’t know, what to do about that, I’ve got a free, book called sustainability and service, which might have some stuff in there that would be super helpful. 


[42:11] Damianne President: So where can people find you and how else can they get involved with your work or support? 


[42:18] Katrina Mason: Yeah. So my I’m called sustainability and service. So you can find me at sustainabilityinservice. com. And, yeah, you can find the book there. I’ve got online courses, a burnout to balance toolkit, mindfulness introduction course and lots of other things on there that you might find interesting, podcasts I’ve done. So if you like what I’m saying, and you want a bit more of it, you want to follow that rabbit down the hole, then you can find it at sustainability and service. com. 


[42:47] Damianne President: Katrina, I really appreciate you making time to talk with me today. Is there anything I haven’t asked you that you want to share with the listeners? 


[42:55] Katrina Mason: No, no, I think it’s been a great conversation. I really appreciate you talking about joy and, you know, giving people opportunities to connect to joy and creativity and the feminine energy in the world. We need to put more of the feminine energy into the world and into cyberspace as much as possible. 


[43:17] Katrina Mason: So thank you for hosting it. 


[43:20] Damianne President: Wonderful. Thanks for chatting with me today. 


[43:23] Damianne President (2): Remember that creativity isn’t about being the best. It’s about expressing yourself and finding joy in the process. Next week, we’re going to explore how to maintain creative joy in our digital world, finding the balance between technology’s benefits and mindful living. Until then, I encourage you to let your creativity flow without judgment and you might be surprised by the joy you find in the simple act of creating. 


[43:53] Damianne President (2): In the next episode, we’ll explore how to maintain this creative joy in our digital world, finding the balance between technology’s benefits and mindful living. 


[44:03] Damianne President (2): If you’ve enjoyed listening to this episode and want more inspiration for living with purpose and joy, I invite you to sign up for my newsletter at changeisbigandsmall. com. I share additional resources and personal stories that don’t make it into the podcast episode. These are all designed to help you live your life on purpose and with intention. 


[44:24] Damianne President (2): Remember, change begins with one small step. Make it a joyful week.