Passion Struck with John R. Miles - 5 Boring Ways to Become More Self-Expressive w/ John R. Miles EP 262

Episode Date: March 3, 2023

Many people perceive creativity as an elusive spark of inspiration that cannot be duplicated. However, what if I informed you that there are five boring ways to unleash your inner self-expression? Indeed, the key to creativity does not necessarily require thinking in a novel or unconventional manner. I have compiled a list of five ordinary activities that can aid you in accessing your distinctive expression and allowing it to flourish. On Momentum Friday, let’s dive into five boring ways to become more self-expressive! And in case you didn't already know it, John R. Miles (@John_R_Miles) takes your comments and questions for Momentum Friday right here every week! If you want him to answer your question, register your feedback, or tell your story on one of our upcoming weekly Momentum Friday episodes, drop us a line at [e-mail]. Now let's dive in! Full show notes and resources can be found here: https://passionstruck.com/5-boring-ways-to-become-more-self-expressive/  What I Discuss About the Ways to Become More Self-Expressive In this episode, I delve into five simple yet potent approaches to enhance self-expression, including investing in your creativity, focusing on doing "normal" things to spark your inner creative, and engaging in expression, not inspiration. Brace yourself as I unveil these boring yet effective methods to break free from convention and unleash your inner self-expression. Have any questions, comments, or stories you'd like to share with us? Drop us a line at [e-mail]! Connect with John on Twitter at @John_RMiles and on Instagram at @john_R_Miles. Prefer to watch this episode: https://youtu.be/H6cZ_sMgK24  Subscribe to our main YouTube Channel Here: https://www.youtube.com/c/JohnRMiles Subscribe to our YouTube Clips Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@passionstruckclips Brought to you by Policygenius. --► For information about advertisers and promo codes, go to: https://passionstruck.com/deals/  Like this show? Please leave us a review here -- even one sentence helps! Consider including your Twitter or Instagram handle so we can thank you personally! Want to find your purpose in life? I provide my six simple steps to achieving it - passionstruck.com/5-simple-steps-to-find-your-passion-in-life/ Want to hear my best interviews from 2022? Check out episode 233 on intentional greatness and episode 234 on intentional behavior change. Learn more about John: https://johnrmiles.com/ 

Coming up next on the Passion Struck Podcast, uncovering one's innermost self and honing in on a singular voice can be accomplished by utilizing the strength of self-expression. It's an act of courage, allowing us to explore the deaths of who we are and express ourselves authentically. Welcome to Passion Struck. Hi, I'm your host, John Armiles, and on the show, we decipher the secrets, tips, and guidance of the world's most inspiring people and turn their wisdom into practical advice for you and those around you. Our mission is to help you unlock the power of intentionality so that you can become the best version of yourself. If you're new to the show, I offer advice and answer listener questions on Fridays. We have long-form interviews the rest of the week with guest-ranging from astronauts

to authors, CEOs, creators, innovators, scientists, military leaders, visionaries and athletes. Now let's go out there and become PassionStruck. Hello everyone and welcome back to Momentum Friday in an episode 262 of Passion Struck and thank you to each and every one of you who comes back weekly. But listen and learn how to live better, be better and impact the world. And if you're new to the show, thank you so much for being here where you simply want to introduce this to a friend or family member. We now have episode starter packs which are collections of our fans favorite episodes that

we organize in a convenient topic to give any new listener a great way to get a custom to everything that we do here on the show. Either go to Spotify or passionstruck.com slash starter packs to get started. And in case you missed my interviews from earlier in the week, I had two great ones. The first was with Stephen Kotler, who is a multiple time New York Times best selling author and an expert on

human performance. We discuss his brand new book, Nar Country, which explores the science and application of peak performance agent. I also interviewed Dr. Amy Shaw, the author of the brand new book, I'm so effing hungry. Why we crave, what we crave, and what to do about it. I also wanted to acknowledge our fan of the week from Canada, Alex Helez, who writes, the best way to change your mindset. John Armiles is down to Earth and he's also brilliant. He's easy to listen to, but also eye-opening. Each of his podcasts holds little gems of life tips that really resonate with me. I am super grateful for his podcast.

It's my favorite one to listen to while I work out at the gym. Thank you, Alex, so much for that review. And thank you to each and every one of you who comes back and gives us ratings and reviews, which are so important to grow in the passion-struck community where we can provide inspiration, hope, meaning and connection to more and more people throughout the world. Now, let's talk about today's episode. Do you ever feel like you're in a rut? Are your feelings, thoughts, and ideas being repressed or disregarded?

The secret to releasing your inner creativity and potential may lie in self-expression. Throughout human history, it has been a vital endeavor who explore oneself. Our identities and memories, which are pieces of our lives, that determine who we are, what we have, and what we will become, are held in our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects. The value of self-expression has received a lot of attention in modern times. As psychology develops, it is becoming increasingly clear that authentic self-expression as a wide range of sound effects on us both individually and socially. Increased creativity is just one of these advantages.

The development of self-expression stimulates the inspiration seeking process in our brains, which leads to the creation of superior ideas and plans. However, creativity is often seen as a flash of inspiration that can't be replicated. But what if I told you that there were actually five boring ways to unlock your inner self expression? That's right! The key to creativity doesn't have to involve exciting out of the box thinking. I've got five mundane activities that will help you tap into your own unique expression and make it shine. Thank you for choosing PassionStruck and choosing me to be your host and guide on your journey to creating an intentional life. Now, let that journey begin.

So let's start by answering the question, what does it mean to be self-expressive anyway? Expressing oneself is the demonstration of imaginatively communicating one's musings, sentiments, and thoughts. Expressing oneself can take shape in many different forms, ranging from art to writing, music to dance, or simply talking. Expressing oneself without concern of condemnation or disapproval is a genuine way to demonstrate one's character. Expressing oneself can be incredibly advantageous. It allows us to investigate our sentiments and ourselves in a secure domain. It also encourages creativity as well as problem-solving skills

which can help improve mental health overall. Moreover, self-expression can relieve stress and help bolster self-confidence over time. You can explore your own unique style while having a blast through different forms of self-expression, such as painting, drawing, sculpting, artwork, writing poetry, stories, lyrics, dancing, or performing any type of movement from yoga or martial arts, singing karaoke, creating fashion pieces with fabrics or other materials. Photography, videography, etc. etc. All these activities provide an avenue for you to express yourself and power and creativity in problem-solving skills, aiding mental health, boosting confidence and fostering stress relief. For those who feel stuck creatively, there are many tips online that can help jumpstart the process. Try brainstorming

ideas with friends before committing anything down to paper. This can often lead to unexpected result. Additionally, ensure that you take regular breaks throughout your day so that you don't get overwhelmed. This will give your brain time to reset itself for more productive sessions later on. Finally, remember that everyone expresses themselves

differently, so don't compare yourself harshly against others. Focus instead on finding what works best for you. Embracing our individualism and allowing ourselves to be authentically visible are the hallmarks of self-expression. By dedicating time to fostering expression, you can tap into your creativity and forge a stronger bond with yourself and others. Now let's explore five boring ways to unleash your self-expression. The first is to focus on being expressive, not on flashes of inspiration. Though inspiration and self-expression may be mistaken for one another, they are actually

very distinct concepts. Inspiration is a sudden idea or thought that pops into your head and may be fleeting in nature. Expression, on the other hand, is about taking those ideas and bringing them to life in tangible ways. To discover your own expression, carve out time for introspection, and determine what is it that you want to communicate, this can involve writing down thoughts or feelings in a journal. Drong out ideas through art or music, and exploring creative hobbies like photography or cooking. The important thing is to do whatever works best for you. Distinguishing between expression and inspiration can prove challenging, but there are several

distinctions to bear in mind, taking actions versus simply having an idea, expending more effort than just conceiving a concept, requiring time while inspiration may occur rapidly, and finally expressing oneself in tails, conveying one's ideas or sentiments through some form, whether that's writing, talking, drawing, playing music, or something else. While inspiring oneself doesn't always necessitate communication, cultivating expression takes practice. It doesn't just happen overnight. Start by carving out some time in your day. For just yourself, no phones allowed.

Take time to explore activities that make you feel inspired and connected to yourself, such as reading something new, learning an instrument, trying a recipe, or going outside in nature, all of which can help you express your individual identity. It might sound simple, but these small steps can have huge benefits when it comes to finding personal expression.

Being expressive doesn't have to mean big grand gestures. It's about finding ways in every day life that can be used creatively and seeking out opportunities for growth, the meaningful connections with others and personal exploration. With these tips in mind, anyone can become more self-expressive. By focusing on expression rather than flashes of inspiration, you can create meaningful and lasting moments to inspire your creative process. On the other hand, mundane tasks can also lead to self-expression. When approached with a creative mindset, let's explore by focusing on how you can do it by undertaking everyday things.

Doing mundane things is an integral part of self-expression. Engaging in normal activities can open up a realm of possibilities for self-expression, enabling you to express yourself more creatively, engaging in activities such as cooking, gardening, painting, writing, poetry or stories, playing music or just socializing with loved ones can provide an outlet for self-expression. All these different activities allow you to explore different aspects of yourself in creative ways,

embrace the risk factor and push your boundaries when it comes to self-expression. Don't be afraid to take a leap of faith when creating that new recipe. Dabble different hues while you're painting. Test yourself through delving into different topics through writing. Master a new instrument or technique as you play music. Or break the ice with someone who may become an important person in your life. By taking chances you can uncover more about yourself as your expertise grows and your gifts are honed further.

So don't let the opportunities slip away. It's also important not to rush through tasks, just because they're considered normal. Take your time and enjoy each moment as if it were a unique experience, rather than just checking off items from a list of mundane chores. Be mindful throughout the process so that every step feels meaningful instead of robotic, when engaging in any activity related to self-expression, whether it's making dinner for two or creating art pieces, appreciate what goes in to each and every action and savor how fulfilling those moments can be.

By doing mundane things as a part of expressing yourself creatively, you can gain insight into who you really are at your core. You might find hidden passions that open up possibilities for personal and professional growth, all thanks to simply exploring different forms of expression through everyday tasks. Also, discovering methods to communicate more profoundly can be achieved through everyday activities. Wordm can be used to discover new methods of self-expression and imagination. Make the most out of it by learning how to capitalize on this feeling. Next, avoid distractions and be bored.

Ordom can be a powerful tool for self-expression. It allows us to explore our innermost thoughts or feelings, often leading to creative breakthroughs. Ordom provides an avenue for delving into our innermost musings, and may uncover inspiring ideas that may otherwise go unnoticed. The benefits of boredom for creativity and expression are manifold. When we grant ourselves the liberty to be unoccupied, it allows us to delve into our subconscious, that part of us that's constantly taking in data without our cognizant comprehension. This can help us uncover new ideas or solutions that would have remained inaccessible if we

had remained too busy with other activities. Additionally, boredom helps cultivate patience by waiting out those moments when nothing seems interesting enough to do. We learn how to tolerate uncomfortable situations better, to gain access to greater rewards later on, to really benefit from using boredom as a tool for self-expression. You must be proactive in carving out moments of nothingness, to explore and express yourself without being sidetracked by outside influences. Make the most of unoccupied times by using them creatively, rather than letting them go

to waste. You should also not get distracted by external stimuli, such as social media or TV shows. These will only take away from your ability to focus on what matters most yourself. Rather than just waiting for ideas, seize any potential creative moments by utilizing the available resources around you. Use whatever tools are available, for instance pen and paper to capture fleeting thoughts before they disappear forever, experiment with different forms, such as writing poetry or painting, abstract art,

last but certainly not least, practice mindfulness techniques, such as meditation to help bring clarity amidst all the chaos that's circling in your headspace. Ordom can be such a powerful tool for self-expression, allowing you to explore your creativity and finding new ways of expressing yourself. Let's now investigate how you can draw inspiration from the most imaginative people, finding the most expressive people in your life can make a world of difference. Expressives are those who are able to express their thoughts, feelings, and opinions without fear or judgment. They're the ones who motivate us to think unconventionally and encourage us to reach our highest potential. So how do you find these inspiring individuals? The most expressive people in your life could be anybody from family members,

friends, colleagues, teachers, even strangers. Look for those who have an open mind, and aren't afraid to speak up when they find something is wrong, or needs changing. Individuals driven by an enthusiasm for expanding their knowledge are usually more communicative than others, as they constantly seek to enhance themselves. So you may be wondering how do you connect with these types of people? Start by having conversations about topics that might interest them, such as books that they've read recently, or movies that they've watched. Ask questions like, what did you think of X-movie?

This will help you to build a rapport between you two, and allow themselves to express themselves without feeling judged or criticized. You can also attend events related to their interests, such as lectures on philosophies or art galleries, which will give both of you plenty of opportunities for meaningful conversations and openly exchanging ideas on various topics. Connecting with other expressive has many benefits. It encourages creativity by pushing boundaries and expanding horizons through open dialogue as well as debate on different topics.

It helps to develop critical thinking skills by questioning assumptions about certain subjects, bleeding one down, paths less traveled, but filled with potential discoveries that are waiting around every corner. Additionally, connecting with other expressive helps to foster personal growth since it provides insights into different perspectives, which may not have been considered before. Thus, enabling better decision-making capabilities overall. Interacting with those around you who possess a special kind of expressiveness can provide fresh perspectives and open up opportunities for personal growth, take a breather from tech, and experiment with other forms of articulation to stir your creativity. Finally, don't forget about being resourceful.

Look beyond obvious sources of inspiration, such as books or magazines, by seeking out more unconventional ones, like podcasts or art galleries, where creativity abounds. Also, consider reaching out directly via email if there's someone whose work resonates with you. Many creatives would be happy to answer questions

or offer advice if they're asked politely enough. Exploring others' perspectives can offer invaluable expertise and aid in forming one's ideas. Now that we've established this idea of utilizing expressive to foster your creativity, let's explore another way to be more expressive. I call it by low, cell high, an investment approach

to expressing ideas. Creating ideas like investments can be a highly effective approach to maximizing the potential of your creativity in expression. It's all about recognizing good ideas, investing in them, and turning them into something valuable. This mindset fosters an attitude of valuing your ideas as assets, which can help you to develop more of them. This increased focus can lead to a higher volume of ideas, providing more opportunities to explore your creativity. Moreover, treating ideas like investments can also help you to refine and polish your ideas, making them more impactful and valuable than the long term. Investing an idea makes you more likely to engage in critical thinking, research and experimentation to take that idea further. This process can help you to refine and improve your vision, making it more compelling and effective.

When you view your thoughts as valuable, you're more likely to invest the necessary time and effort into generating and developing them to make the most out of your creativity and output, buying low and selling high is essential. By buying low, you invest your time and resources in developing an idea when it's still in its early stages and hasn't gained widespread attention or recognition. When considering potential concepts, there are specific criteria to consider. First of all, does the idea have potential? Can the concept draw attention?

Being something that has yet to be created? Does it solve a problem or provide an opportunity that has yet to be considered? Once you've identified a few promising concepts, start researching them further. This could involve conducting research, building prototypes, and refining your idea until it's well developed, and ready to be launched. You can explore what kinds of competition exist in the marketplace. How much effort will be required to develop the idea into something tangible? These are all essential questions that can help you decide whether pursuing an idea

is worth it or not. Finally, selling high in this context could mean leveraging your well-developed idea to generate revenue or other forms of value. This could involve marketing your product or service to potential customers, pitching your idea to investors or licensing your intellectual property to other companies. The key takeaway here is that by adopting an investment mindset when it comes to your ideas, and be an effective way to unlock your creative potential. By valuing your ideas as assets,

you are more likely to generate a greater volume of ideas and invest the necessary time and effort to refine and polish them, ultimately leading to a more impactful and rewarding creative experience. So I've discussed a lot today. Let me bring this all home for you. Self-expression gives you access

to your most profound ideas and emotions, enabling you to delve into the core of your personality. Focus on developing your creative side and disregard any distractions that may come up. Be bored instead of busy. Find inspiration from those who have already succeeded in your field and treat ideas like investments by buying low and selling high. With these five born ways to become more self-expressive, you can unlock a new level of creativity that will lead to greater personal growth. Remember, self-expression is the key to unlocking your potential for success and progress. So be courageous and bold and let your true self shine. I hope you all enjoyed the show and I wanted to thank everyone who wrote in this week,

and especially those of you who listened. A link to the transcript will be in the show notes at passionstruck.com. Videos are on YouTube at John Armiles or Passionstruck Clips. Avertise or deals and discount codes are all in one convenient place at passionstruck.com slash deals. Please consider supporting those who support the show. I'm at John Armiles on both Twitter and Instagram, and you can also find me on LinkedIn. And on each platform, I provide daily bits of inspiration to augment the podcast episodes throughout the week. You're about to hear a preview of the

PassionStrike podcast interview that I did with Kim Campbell, a retired Air Force Colonel who has flown over 1800 hours in the A10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions. We discuss her new book, Flying in the Face of Fear, Lessons Unleading with Courage. I think this idea of this fighter pilot debriefing, having time to debrief and learn from your mistakes, really forced me to learn to fail forward. A failure where I kind of stayed and that mindset of mistake and failing and not learning from it did not go well for me. And so having this idea of failing forward and learning from mistakes was something that I learned early and then took with me for the rest of my career. The fee for this show is that you share it with family or friends when you find something useful or interesting. If you know someone who's

dealing with a lack of creativity then definitely share today's episode with them. The greatest compliment that you can give the show is to share it with those that you care about. In the meantime, do your best to apply what you hear on the show so that you can live what you listen. And until next time, live life as you. you