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CREATIVITY CHAT
by Terri L. Bailey, MA
That image is a picture of the cover of a new anthology in which I have two poems. I'm excited about it for sure. It is the title I want us to focus on: "Something Inside So Strong."
Last month, I posted a prompt and then wrote on it using the same instructions I gave everyone else: write for ten minutes without stopping. No editing. No filtering. No going back. Just write. I posted my piece and moved on. Or so I thought.
A few weeks later, I went back and looked at it. What I read with fresh eyes surprised me. Not because it was new, but because it was OLD. Let me explain. I know the instructions were not to edit, but sometimes I revisit these pieces to see where my head was at or if I need to revisit a topic. Also, to make sure I wasn't repeating myself. I'm an elder now, and that happens - A LOT!
So when I read this piece again, in the midst of all my personal struggles, and my feelings around loss, and inadequacy, I found little Terri hiding there.
You see, I heard my same voice from decades ago. Sadly, some of the same stuff I wrote about in 6th grade showed up in my 60-year-old handwriting. My auntie. My mama. Who I am when nobody's watching. What I really want versus what I've been performing for everybody else.
Sixty years old and still carrying some of the same questions I had at 11. At first, that felt like failure.
Then I sat with it a little longer and realized, lil Terri, baby girl, that's not failure. That's unfinished business. That is an unresolved issue of respectability that your soul keeps circling back to because it's ready to be handled now. The too poor, too Black, too fat, and most of the time, too much is screaming for your attention!
No ma'am, you weren't equipped then, Terri Lynne, but you are equipped now. You have the experience. You have proof of your greatness. You have the tools to deal with the voices that challenge your worth and measure your value by someone else's life story. You know now that your journey is uniquely your own.
That's what writing does. It finds the thing you buried and brings it back up - gently, sometimes, and sometimes like a freight train, and says, "Here, Sis, let's deal with this now. You're ready."
As my voice gets stronger, I'll share my words, my stories, and revelations with you.
As you know, I believe sharing your story is therapeutic. I know that a sister may hear your story and it changes the entire projectory of her life.
Open your mouth and say the thing! So many of us have spent years not saying the thing. We swallowed words to keep the peace. We softened our truth so nobody would feel uncomfortable. We performed "fine" so long that we forgot what our actual voice sounds like. We forgot that our voice - unpolished, unfiltered, sometimes profane, sometimes grieving, sometimes hilarious - is sacred.
Reclaim your voice, Sis!
Reclaiming your voice doesn't require you to have it all figured out first. You don't need a perfect story with a tidy resolution. You need a pen, some paper, and the willingness to let what's true come through.
Let me be honest. The ten-minute free writes sometimes don't come out pretty. Mine certainly didn't. I cussed. I grieved. I laughed at myself. I held contradictions in the same paragraph, with gratitude and frustration living right next to each other like old roommates who've learned to coexist. Baby, in my world, they have become besties LOL.
And at the end of it, when I read back what I wrote, I felt lighter. I felt seen by myself. And honestly, that's the most important witness you'll ever have.
Your voice has been waiting for you. It never left. It just went quiet while you were busy being everything for everybody else. While you were putting on the mask and being respectable and responsible to the point of exhaustion.
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Here is your invitation to come back to yourself. Write the ugly draft. Write the thing you haven't said out loud. Write the question you've been carrying since middle school. That's all you need to get started. And that - that right there, is enough.
Journal Prompt: Set a timer for ten minutes. Write without stopping. Write the thing you haven't said out loud yet. When the timer goes off, read it back.
Remember to keep breathing.
Remember, writing to heal isn't about fixing everything in a single free-write session. This practice helps you get started. Make note of what surprised you. That's where your healing lives.
One last recommendation. Book a session with your therapist or coach if the shit is heavy. I did! You don't have to carry this alone.
Sisters, it’s time for us to stop treating rest as something we have to earn. It is a divine gift of restoration.
You Don't Have to Earn Rest:
How Creativity Helps Women Reclaim Rest, Joy, and Themselves
There is a lie many women, especially women over 40, have been taught to believe:
Rest is something you earn.
You earn it after the work is done.
After the house is clean.
After everyone else's needs are met.
After you've pushed through exhaustion one more time.
But what if rest is not a reward?
What if rest is part of how we heal?
This month's theme at Terri Bailey CHATs is simple but powerful:
Rest Is Not Something You Earn
As women, many of us have spent years carrying responsibilities. We are the caregivers for our children, spouses, and aging parents. We do emotional labor by being available for family and friends who need a space to vent. We run ourselves ragged trying to fulfill obligations and expectations of others that are often unsolicited. We have become experts at surviving. I can speak about this because I have firsthand knowledge of this behavior. I am the queen of “I gotta do…”
Despite my declaration that this year would be my year of rest and centering, life had another plan. After 13 years of working for myself, I had to get a full-time job. That means I work eight hours for someone else, then come home and do some work for myself, like the laundry, cleaning, and cooking. I’ve always been a night owl, but late nights hit totally different when you are up toiling. Instead of the first part of my sixties being about rest, it is about survival.
Beloved, I had to remind myself, and now you, that survival and thriving are not the same thing. Sisters, we deserve to thrive. We deserve to rest. We deserve some me time.
One of the most overlooked pathways back to us is creativity. Creativity makes us more productive. Creativity promotes joy. One of the most beneficial things creativity does is help us rest.
Creativity as a Form of Rest
When most people think about rest, they think about sleep. But true rest includes emotional, mental, spiritual, and creative restoration.
Research continues to show that engaging in creative activities can reduce stress, improve emotional well-being, and support mental health. Studies have found that creative expression—including art, writing, music, crafting, and other forms of making—can lower stress levels, improve mood, and increase overall well-being. (PMC)
According to the National Library of Medicine website, one study shows that just 45 minutes of art-making significantly lowered cortisol, one of the body's primary stress hormones. (PMC)
Other research has found that creative hobbies and arts engagement are associated with reduced anxiety, lower depressive symptoms, improved emotional regulation, greater life satisfaction, and stronger feelings of connection and well-being. (PMC)
For women over 40, creativity can become something even deeper:
A way to reconnect with parts of ourselves that got buried beneath responsibility
A way to slow down without guilt
A way to process emotions safely
A way to experience joy without needing a reason
A way to remember that we are more than what we produce
Creativity invites us out of performance and into presence.
And presence is restorative.
Rest Is a Birthright
One of the most powerful voices in the modern rest movement is Tricia Hersey, founder of The Nap Ministry.
She asserts:
"We must believe we are worthy of rest. We don't have to earn it. It is our birthright."
That message is especially important for women who have spent decades proving, producing, caregiving, and carrying.
You do not have to collapse before you are allowed to rest.
You do not have to justify your need for restoration.
And you do not have to earn your humanity through exhaustion.
A Creative Invitation
This month, instead of asking:
"What do I need to accomplish?"
Try asking:
"What would help me feel restored?"
Maybe it's writing in your journal.
Maybe it's painting.
Maybe it's gardening.
Maybe it's coloring.
Maybe it's dancing in your living room.
Maybe it's simply sitting quietly with a notebook and letting your thoughts arrive.
Creativity doesn't always require output.
Sometimes creativity is simply giving yourself permission to play.
Join Me This Month
If this message resonates with you, I invite you to continue the journey with me.
Follow me:
🖤 Substack: terrilbailey.substack.com
🖤 Patreon: patreon.com/u18627275
Inside these communities, you'll find guided prompts, reflections, creativity practices, and healing-centered conversations designed specifically for women who are ready to stop shrinking, protect their rest, and reclaim their creative power.
Upcoming Events
🌿 BLAAC Queens Room Sister Circle Creative Playdate https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1991206675769?aff=oddtdtcreator
A monthly gathering celebrating creativity, connection, play, and sisterhood.
🎨 Writing to Heal Workshop: Rest Is Not Something You Earn https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1990921332299?aff=oddtdtcreator
Join me for an afternoon of guided writing, reflection, and restoration as we explore the relationship between rest, creativity, and healing.
Reflection Prompts
Take a few moments and sit with these questions:
When did I first learn that rest had to be earned?
What creative activity helps me feel most restored?
What part of myself has been asking for rest?
Where am I still measuring my worth by productivity?
What would change if I believed rest was part of my healing?
How can I create one small moment of creative restoration this week?
Remember:
Rest is not a reward.
Rest is a practice.
Rest is part of your healing.
And you are allowed to begin now.
Terri L. Bailey
Terri Bailey CHATs
Write. Heal. Transform.
CREATIVITY CHAT
by Terri L. Bailey, MA
As I approach 60, I realized I was treating my beloved creativity like a side chick. I had to do a reset and prioritize my creativity, placing her back into my narrative of who I am at my core.
I let my creative spirit lead.
As I approach 60, I stand rooted in who I am and what I carry. I haven’t always been here. It was most definitely a journey. I had to come into my season of BEING. Being 100% Terri. You see, before I was shrinking to fit and not take up too much space. Shrinking for others’ comfort. Shrinking to conform. I woke up one morning and decided, "That’s ENOUGH!”
First of all, I’m an Aries, so being small ain’t even in the stars for me, LOL! I can’t remember when it started. The first time, I stayed quiet, lowered my hand, or stood in the back because at some point, I convinced myself I was too much, and that’s about some BS!
I had to shift my narrative.
I had to take my own advice and choose myself first. A shift like this requires a master plan. I accessed all the tools, my 30 years of empowerment training. My tapping skills. I have collected countless workbooks, journals, and endless self-help videos, and I began to experiment. Some things worked, and some didn’t. Some made me feel worse. I decided I needed some help and called on my spirit guides, asking for exactly what I desired. I asked the universe to remove all that didn’t serve me and bring to me all those about the business of TERRI. As usual, I prayed for good health, wellness, and abundance. One of my biggest asks was more creative time. I kept a log of my work and created a template from the wins, including a method of operation, because if the plan worked for me, I wanted to share it with my sisters.
During the initial revelation, I thought about how appropriate it is that I’m feeling this during the Spring Equinox. A shift like that requires a new season. It is a time of new beginnings and rebirths. The Spring Equinox is perfect for this reinvention of myself.
It is a season of blooming.
It is the season of my birth.
It is a season of being authentically me.
To enter that season with intention, I realized, I needed a self-rebrand, per se. A Sacred Self Reset.
A reset where I choose me first.
I am choosing, with intention, how I live, create, and show up.
I choose the way I view my creativity. I decided to stop treating creativity like a mistress of a side hustle. Creativity is not separate from my life. It lives in my voice, my work, my relationships, and the spaces I hold for others. It is how I reimagine myself. It is how I respond when life asks me to grow.
Through my Sacred Self Reset, I released what no longer fits and began to create a vision of my ideal life, from a place of truth. I trust my ability to shift direction, to choose differently, and to build something more aligned with who I am now.
The dreams I carried as a young girl are still with me. At 60, I have the clarity and lived experience to bring them forward with purpose. I am no longer waiting. I am creating on purpose.
My work is not only personal. When I honor my creative path, I open doors for others to do the same. This is how I serve. This is how I lead.
If you are feeling the pull to begin again, to redefine yourself, or to reconnect with your creative voice, you are in the right place.
This is your invitation.
Work with me through my Creative Services and step into your own new creative season. Together, we will uncover what is ready to emerge and support you in bringing it forward with intention.
Let these words serve as a starter mantra.
I trust my gifts.
I trust my timing.
I trust what is ready to be created now.
And I let it shine.
Self-Reflection
What am I ready to release in this season of my life?
What part of myself is asking for expression right now?
What would it look like to choose my life on purpose?
creativity chat
archives
As I embrace my creativity, I expand my imagination.
The more I center my attention on my creative practice, the more my imagination opens, widening, deepening, becoming a space I trust. I allow myself to move beyond limits I didn’t create or consent to. I release beliefs I inherited or absorbed through osmosis. Those pesky whispered nuances dropped into my spirit, making me question my brilliance and my capacity to be creative.
Beloveds, I stay curious and question everything! To my family and friends, I can be annoying as hell. My 91 year old aunt just told me yesterday she can’t believe I still be asking all them durn questions! So I’m not new to the deep dive, I’m true to it! You can’t just tell me something and walk away. I’m going to inquire and analyze, because I’m not just seeking answers, but looking to sharpen how I see, feel, and move through this world.
Critical thinking, for me, is not just mental; it’s spiritual. It stretches my creative self, taking me outside the boundaries of the ordinary. Creativity and critical thinking go hand in hand. This pair helps me unearth meaning, beauty, contradiction, and possibility, all on my terms, from the depths of my being. Creativity and critical thinking give tone to my voice, ensuring that I am being authentically me.
Trust, my mind is not rigid. It’s shape-shifting, multilingual, and expansive. I see patterns between things that seem unrelated. I know how to remix and reimagine. My conscious and subconscious often work in rhythm and rhyme. Even in my sleep, I dream and create, giving birth to new ideas, projects, and sometimes movements. As exhausting as that sounds, I have also dreamed of getaways and playdates and have been blessed with the blueprint to make those things manifest. Three of those vacation dreams have come to fruition this year in the form of mini vacations. Two daylong mommy playdates at the beach while my friends’ children were at school, day drinking, talking sex, and eating sweets and seafood. And an overnight stay at an Embassy Suites resort overlooking the pool, which also overlooked the ocean. All were free for me and came at a time when I dreamed of sun, fun, and total rest.
Make a note: Don’t sleep on your dreams.
Ideas come to me naturally and frequently. I don’t force them, I listen for them. I make space for inspiration to visit. And when it does, I take it seriously, making notes and jotting down ways to expand and manifest.
I communicate my ideas to the Universe clearly and with care. I know how to break complexity down to its essence without losing its power. That clarity and simplicity invite others to connect, reflect, and build with me.
I don’t wait around for perfect timing. When something new calls, I move. I respond. I experiment. My creativity is not just dreamy. It is disciplined and sometimes whimsical. Sometimes it seems blocked and far away. At those times when my creativity seems dormant, I seek inspiration from others. I attend workshops and art sessions that may not be my usual artistic method of operation. When my creative self needs a break, I give her one, but I don’t let her rest too long. I miss her when she isn’t close. She is my fraternal twin, my sister bestie, and I love having her around. Life with her is never boring, and I cherish our relationship.
Because my mind is fertile ground, I see how one idea can root another. I know how to compost what’s no longer working and let it feed the next thing. My approach to challenges is not frantic; it is intentional. I study the structure. I map it. I reimagine it. I am always connecting the dots. Not just to solve problems, but to design new ways forward. My creativity is a practice of freedom.
Today, as I show up to my creative self, I encourage you to do the same. When you feel yourself slipping into patterns that feel too familiar or too tight, I challenge you to pause and evaluate. I ask that you pivot from your routine and try something different. Trust that creativity is always available to you if you make room for it. Make your creativity your best friend, and she will always keep life filled with magic and adventure.
Now, go forward and create. Ase!
Challenge: Do a 5-minute free write describing your creativity. What surprised you? What beliefs about your creativity do you feel you need to let go of?
Journal Prompts:
What shifts when I treat creativity as a practice, not a performance?
Where in my life does imagination feel most alive, and how can I nurture that?
What place in my home, yard, office, or other area can I designate as my sacred, creative space? What can I add to make it inviting and inspiring? (Hint: it doesn’t have to be an entire room. A small corner to start can do nicely!)
8 Ways to Awaken and Boost Your Creativity
What is Creativity? According to the Encyclopedia Britannica “creativity is the ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form.
Do you consider yourself a creative person? Can you easily come up with crafty ideas to enhance the appeal of your environment, presentations, or work? I know people who can walk in a space or see a project and immediately come up with a way to improve it. I also know folks who hear the word creativity and shut down or say things like:
I love reading poetry, but I could never write a poem.
I don’t know how to draw.
I don’t ever make anything because I’m not a creative person.
Guess what? All of us have a creative spark! It is linked to our ability to be critical thinkers and to think outside the box. Being an artist or considering yourself a creative person is tied to so much more than painting, writing, music, or dance. Do you consider hair stylists or chef artists? I do. Hairdressers, braiders, and barbers create beautiful hair styles or alter traditional styles to match the current trends. Chefs create new recipes or improve on old ones all the time. These jobs (like most jobs) require creativity and innovation which in my view is equal to artistic skill.
If you have a career that requires creativity or you’ve ever needed a creative solution to a problem, you’re aware of how challenging it can be to be creative on demand. Creativity seems to come and go with little rhyme or reason. Have you ever wished you could proactively boost your creativity? Keep reading for eight tips that do just that!
Like any other skill, the ability to increase your creativity gets better with practice and experience. Get started today, and try these strategies to help your creativity blossom:
Work in a new environment. It’s amazing how much a change of scenery can help! Try working in the library or a coffee shop. Rearrange your office and change the view. When you do the same things in the same place, you’ll tend to think the same thoughts. Turn off your autopilot and expose your senses to new stimuli.
Pretend you’re helping someone else find solutions. Many people find that they have more creative ideas when helping others solve their challenges. Pretend you’re helping a friend and let the ideas flow. Depersonalizing the issue seems to free up a part of the mind that’s otherwise stifle
Brainstorm with a friend. Sometimes, a little help from a friend is just what we need. Call a friend or associate and ask what they think about the situation. Perhaps their recommendation is just the thing you need to help you move forward on your project. Side note: Have you ever noticed that you and a friend or coworker find more creative ideas between the two of you rather than when brainstorming in a group? Sometimes when a large group brainstorms, most of the group members lack a sense of accountability. It’s too easy to be passive. For brainstorming sessions, it may be more beneficial to stay away from large group sessions and pair up with just one other person. If you find yourself in a large group looking for solutions to a problem, take a chance and suggest pairing off and reporting back.
Try being creative at a different time of the day. If you normally create at a specific time of the day but find yourself stuck on a project, shift your creative time. For example, I usually write late at night. When I run into the dreaded writer’s block, I shift my writing time to in the evening or early morning. If you are running into creative stagnation, try staying up late or getting up extra early for a change. If you’ve been feeling stuck at 9 AM for a while, it’s time to try a different hour of the day. Set your alarm clock for 3 AM and force yourself to work for 20 minutes. The time change may be just what you need to move through your block.
Try some music.Few things can change your mood and get those creative juices flowing faster than a great song. It’s important to note if your favorites are affecting your focus, branch out and listen to something new. Don’t be afraid to move out of your musical comfort zone. I am a neo soul aficionado. Sometimes when I access my neo playlist, I find myself singing and reminiscing more than writing. When that happens, I listen to a little old-school R and B or Jazz, and it puts me in a different zone. I like the new genre but don’t know the music intimately, so I can still work without distraction and still bop a little.
Meditate. Meditation is a useful tool for giving your mind a well-needed break. You’ll find your thoughts start to become re-energized. Simple and elegant solutions often reveal themselves after a brief period of meditation. Meditation requires a little practice, but it’s easier to learn than you may think. Meditate on your challenges and be open to the thoughts that arise. Meditation is not just for new-age thinkers! It is considered a useful tool in the corporate world. Mindfulness works to enhance creativity and innovation. According to a 2017 article in the Harvard Business Review, “Many executives have taken up meditation because they find it helps them switch gears when stress piles up.” A quick Google or YouTube search can help you access some guided meditations. You can also reach out to meditation experts in your area
Stay hydrated. Get a drink of water! Your body is mostly water. Even a small degree of dehydration causes all sorts of biological processes to go haywire. If you’re feeling stuck, take a minute to drink a large glass of water. Remember to drink throughout the day and the evening. Another way I use a glass of water in my creative process is by speaking my goals for my creative session into my glass of water and then drinking it. Although it is an unconventional use for water, it is a great intention setter and helps you get into a creative mindset.
Go outside. Try going outside for a little exercise. Going for a quick 10–15-minute walk is a fantastic way to get those creative juices flowing. You may lack a plan, but you can still get outside and do something stimulating!
Here is a bonus! Try Emotional Freedom Technique or Tapping. Tapping on certain meridian or energy points on your body can help release the blocks or stagnation that is causing your creative process to stall. You can contact us to purchase a creative tapping guide or set up a session. Email us at info@terribaileychats.com for more information.
Remember, creativity doesn’t always automatically happen. There are times when creativity is needed, but it’s nowhere to be found. Add these tips to your creativity toolbox to help the next time you’re feeling uninspired or stuck. If one strategy does not yield the results you desire, try another. With practice, you can learn to unleash your creativity on demand.
