The ‘40 Day Challenge’ Gremlin

Creativity

9 Apr

INSPIRATION OVER ASPIRATION

Two weeks ago, I gave myself a mini-challenge. I asked myself, can I make, record and share one freestyle a day?

“Keep it simple stupid” was the theme. So I ensured the goal was simple enough to maintain and uncomfortable enough to be a challenge. The ‘making a poem’ part is easy for me, but the sharing part is tricky.

The barriers to sharing look like - fear of honest expression, using a new social media platform, and letting people see me in all my forms - (no make-up, ugly natural camera angles, sincere expression, just going about doing my day-to-day things etc).

I had to do it like this because if I started sharing words whilst I was ‘curated,’ I knew I couldn’t keep it up because this new habit wouldn’t slot into my day-to-day life sustainably.

So, 14 days down, 26 to go. Here is what I’ve learnt so far:

Emphasise the process, not just the result
The part of me that only wants to share a final ‘perfected’ end product is the controlling side that fears judgement or getting it wrong.

And that’s the part that needs to die.

Hence, although initially, I found it uncomfortable sharing more raw clips of me just coming up with rhymes, I realised this is way more helpful to others. This part of the process is more relatable than seeing a polished book, album or exhibition—inspiration over aspiration.
Encourage experimentation and exploration
Sharing videos when I go about my day-to-day business keeps things interesting - perhaps someone else pops into the video, or I share a freestyle while on my run. The change of scenery allows me to pull in different vibes and references, which stops the content from becoming stale and prevents me from getting bored.
Create a supportive atmosphere - a safe space to share ideas without negativity
Luckily, my social media are friendly spaces- I have friends who are encouraging, and I can reach new people who align with the mission of the creative Gremlin. However, if this isn’t the case and social media are not friendly spaces for you, I would advise sharing over a WhatsApp group, a Tumblr page or a food-centred get-together. Make sharing enjoyable
Highlight and track the benefits - improved mood, exponential progress, creative leak into other areas of life
Yesterday, I spent about an hour tracking the progress of this challenge - I wrote down all of the tangible and soft skills I’ve gained so far.
From recording sessions to free bike rides (yes, someone saw me recording a freestyle, they gave me a ride, and we will record together next week) and new connections to people you once admired. It’s easy to only think about the goal, but tracking the mini-wins along the way keeps me motivated because suddenly, it has become way more exciting than what I initially had in mind.
Celebrate creativity in all its forms
Look, this one is super simple. “Keep it simple stupid”, remember.

It isn’t that hard.

Just go and make something, you big baby.

At least, that is what I tell myself.