ever feel like your creative well has just completely run dry?
Like you've just, you've hit a wall?
Totally.
Well today, we are diving into the surprising connection
between nature and creativity.
Yeah.
To help you tap into this hidden reservoir of inspiration.
I love that.
We've got some fascinating research for you today.
Yeah.
And trust me, it's not just about pretty scenery.
No, it's definitely not just about pretty scenery.
Yeah.
You know, a lot of people think that, you know,
they go out in nature and it's like, oh, look, a tree.
Right, right.
But it's so much more than that.
There's actually, there's real science.
Okay.
Backing this up, that being in nature
actually changes how our brains function.
Wow, okay.
Which in turn, obviously then impacts how we think
and how we process all the information around us.
So it's not just anecdotal.
This is like.
No.
Hard science.
I read about this one study where they sent people on,
get this, a four day hike.
Not bad, right?
Not a bad gig, right?
Sign me up.
But here's the thing.
Those hikers, they came back and they had like
significantly sharper creative thinking skills.
Right?
They were talking, like researchers were talking
about like a 47% increase in their ability
to like come up with these really unique solutions.
Interesting.
In problem solving tasks.
Wow.
Compared to the control group who, you know,
sadly were stuck in the city.
Yeah, poor things.
Yeah.
Stuck in the office, yeah.
Pretty impressive.
That is really impressive.
And it all comes down to this concept
called soft fascination.
Oh.
Have you ever, you know when you're walking through
like even just a park?
Yeah.
And your mind just kind of starts to relax,
it starts to wander.
Yeah.
But you're not bored.
Right.
You're just kind of like.
Present.
Present, yeah.
But you're also not overwhelmed by everything.
Yeah, yeah.
That's soft fascination.
And that's what allows essentially your brain
to finally be free to make new connections.
Interesting.
So nature is kind of like a reset button.
Exactly.
For our overworked brains.
Which let's face it, in today's world.
Oh my gosh, yes.
Our brains are going a mile a minute.
Constantly.
All the time.
Yeah.
So we need that reset.
We need it so badly.
And you know, just like different keys
unlock different doors.
Okay.
Different types of natural environments I think
seem to unlock different aspects of our creativity as well.
Okay.
How so?
Well think about like the romantic painters.
Okay.
They were incredible.
They were obsessed with these really vast,
powerful landscapes.
Like huge mountains.
Oh yeah.
Big storms, seascapes, that kind of thing.
Like those dramatic Casper David Friedrich paintings.
Yes.
Where you've got like these tiny figures
and they're just dwarfed by this like,
immensity of nature.
Exactly, exactly.
And you can almost feel the emotion.
That sense of awe.
Yes, and they were tapping into something real.
Studies show that mountains open landscapes,
so they trigger the sense of awe and wonder.
Which actually allows our problems
to feel smaller in comparison.
Which is, I mean we could all use a little bit of that,
right? Sure.
Yeah.
Yeah, so it's not just about like finding a pretty view.
Right.
It's about finding the right landscape,
the right natural environment.
Yes.
That really resonates.
Yes.
With the kind of creative energy that you're looking for.
Precisely.
Interesting.
Now let's compare that though to,
let's say the impressionists.
Right, yeah.
Who, you know, they found their muse in gardens,
in parks, in sort of these everyday scenes.
Right.
And their work feels very different.
Yes.
It feels much more intimate I think.
Yeah, yeah.
More about capturing like the subtle nuances
of light and color.
I can see that.
Like it makes you wanna step right into a Monet garden.
Yes, exactly.
Right, so you can just imagine yourself there.
Totally.
And we can't forget about water.
Yeah.
I mean there's a reason why so many artists
and writers, they're just drawn to oceans
and lakes and rivers.
Totally.
There's just this slight, there's a very unique quality.
Yes.
To being near water, isn't there?
Yeah, yeah.
The sound of waves, the way the light plays on the surface.
It's very calming.
It's very calming, it's like almost hypnotic.
Yeah, yeah.
And it really allows us, I think,
to tap into that flow state.
Interesting.
Which again is what we're all after
when we're trying to be creative.
And it's that flow state, like that's what
we're really chasing, right?
Yeah.
That feeling of being totally immersed and absorbed.
Totally.
In that creative process.
Engrossed.
Yes.
But what if, okay, what if you live in a city?
Right.
And you're miles from the nearest mountain or ocean.
Yeah.
Does that mean you're just out of luck?
No, not at all.
Actually one of the sources that we were looking at
highlighted this really, I thought,
surprising amount of inspiration
that you can find in urban green spaces.
Oh, okay.
So even just a small park.
Yeah.
Or like a community garden.
Even those small pockets of nature
can still provide that dose.
It's interesting.
Oof, kind of nature that's needed
to help reset your mind.
So it's like hitting the reset button.
Yes.
Without having to like leave town necessarily.
Exactly, exactly.
And think about what you see in those urban spaces too.
I mean, you have natural elements
that are existing alongside these human-made structures,
right?
And that juxtaposition, that contrast,
can actually be incredibly stimulating.
Interesting.
To the creative mind.
You know, imagine like, I don't know,
a vine that's winding its way up a brick wall.
Yeah, yeah.
Or a flower pushing through a crack in the pavement.
It makes you see these like familiar things,
but in a totally new light, you know?
It's like that saying constraints
breed creativity, right?
Sometimes those limitations can actually
push us to think differently, to be more creative.
Totally.
And speaking of pushing boundaries, I mean,
our sources highlighted some contemporary artists
that are doing such amazing things with nature.
Have you ever heard of Olafer Eliason?
His work is incredible.
Incredible.
He creates these large-scale installations
that incorporate things like light and water,
even weather patterns.
Yeah, it's amazing.
I was reading about this one installation
where he created a giant indoor sun.
Wow.
Using just mist and colored lights.
Whoa, wow.
Can you imagine experiencing that?
That would be incredible.
It literally like felt like you were bathed in sunshine.
Wow.
Even though you were inside a museum.
Oh, wow.
That's amazing.
Right. Yeah.
And then you've got like Andy Goldsworthy,
who creates those incredible sculptures.
Yeah.
Using only natural materials that he finds on site,
like leaves, stones, ice, things like that.
It's amazing, and they're temporary too, right?
Yes.
Which I think adds another layer to the art itself.
Right, right.
Because it's ephemeral.
Exactly, yeah.
Like it's there and then it's not.
Yeah.
His work speaks to that cyclical nature of things.
Yes.
You know, that constant process of creation and decay,
which I think is actually kind of a good reminder
for all of us.
Totally.
About the impermanence of, well, everything.
Everything, right.
And in a way, I think that's kind of a good lesson
to be reminded of, right?
Especially in our world today,
where everything is so fast-paced.
Oh my gosh.
Yes, it's constant.
Constantly connected.
Yeah, right.
We need those reminders to just like slow down.
Yes.
Yeah.
Exactly.
So we've talked a lot about how nature can be
this like amazing source of inspiration.
Right.
But what about, like flipping it, right?
Okay, yeah.
What about our responsibility to protect it?
Yes.
You know what I mean?
Oh, 100%.
Like to protect this thing that is giving us so much.
Absolutely.
And I think that's something that,
I mean, even our sources were mentioning this,
like there's this growing movement
of environmental art and activism.
Oh, interesting.
Where artists are using their creativity
to raise awareness about things like climate change,
pollution, you know, all of those big issues.
So it's not just about like painting a pretty landscape.
It's about making a statement.
Exactly.
Yeah, and it goes even deeper than that.
Like, you know, some artists are even incorporating
sustainable practices.
Right.
Into how they create their work,
their creative processes themselves.
So like thinking about the materials they use
and, you know, minimizing waste.
Yes, exactly.
And maybe even like choosing to create digital art
instead of physical art.
Yeah, to lessen the footprint.
Right.
Exactly.
To lessen their environmental impact.
And several of the sources highlighted artists
who are using like recycled materials, natural dyes,
and other eco-friendly practices.
I love that.
Yeah, and I think it's just a really good reminder
that creativity and sustainability
don't have to be at odds with each other.
Yeah.
You know what I mean?
You can be inspired by nature.
Yeah.
And be mindful of its preservation.
Totally.
At the same time.
It doesn't have to be one or the other.
Exactly.
And that kind of brings us back
to that idea of mindfulness.
Yeah.
That we touched on earlier.
Yes.
Being present.
Yes, mindfulness like when we're out in nature,
but mindfulness in our creative process.
Yes, absolutely.
Mindfulness in our everyday lives.
Yes.
It's about being present.
Being present.
Paying attention.
Yeah.
Making conscious decisions.
Yes.
That really align with our values.
And that sense of mindfulness connects directly back
to that soft fascination.
Yes.
That we were talking about.
Exactly, exactly.
Right, where we're open to inspiration.
Yeah.
We're not overwhelmed by all the noise.
It's like nature is a master class in mindfulness.
Yeah.
If we would all just slow down enough to notice.
100%, yeah.
We've been really diving deep into this idea
of nature as this source of personal inspiration.
Yeah.
But you know one thing that I thought was really interesting
in a lot of the research we looked at,
was how it also highlighted the social aspect
of connecting with nature.
Yeah.
So it's not just about, it's a good point.
Yeah.
Us as individuals.
Totally.
Going out into the wilderness, right?
Right, right, exactly.
It's about us as like a community.
Think back to even just those urban green spaces
we were just talking about.
Right, yeah.
They're not just like these little pockets of nature.
You know, they become like these vibrant community hubs.
Right.
Where people just naturally gather and interact
and even inspire each other.
It's so true.
Like just think about like the conversations
that spark up on a hiking trail.
Yes.
Or like during a community garden work day.
Oh, totally.
You know, that shared experience can be like so powerful.
Absolutely, yeah.
Our sources even mention things like group art installations
and nature-based workshops.
Oh, wow.
Even artists who gather for like open air sketching sessions
you know, where they all go out together.
Yeah.
And I think there's just a very unique synergy
that occurs when we create alongside others.
Right, together.
And it's also drawn to that energy of nature.
Yeah, it's like that feeling of shared inspiration.
Yeah.
You know, that like I see what you see kind of thing.
Right.
And it deepens the whole creative experience, I think.
It does.
And even if you're not like directly collaborating
on a project together.
Yeah.
Just being around other creatives.
Right.
Who also like find solace and inspiration in nature
can be so motivating.
Totally.
It's encouraging, right?
It is, yeah.
It reminds us that we're like part of something
larger than ourselves.
Right.
This whole community of people.
Yes.
Who are finding that creative fuel in the natural world.
Yeah, and the best part is like you don't have
to be a professional artist.
No.
Or writer to tap into this.
No, not at all.
Like anyone can connect with nature
and experience these benefits.
Totally.
Whether you're jotting down thoughts in a nature journal
or arranging like found objects into a temporary sculpture.
Yes.
Or even just take a mindful walk
and letting your mind wander.
I mean, these are really simple acts,
but they can spark creativity in any area of your life.
Totally.
I love, it's like, it's really just
about bringing that sense of wonder and curiosity.
Yes.
To everything we do.
Everything.
And you know what?
Sometimes it's like, you know, we
think about going out into nature.
Yeah.
But sometimes it's like literally just bringing
a little bit of nature in doors.
Yes.
It can make a world of difference.
Totally.
Yeah.
And several sources talked about the benefits of houseplants
and natural decor.
Yes.
Even just using like color palettes
that are inspired by nature in your workspace.
Right.
You know, these might seem like really small,
insignificant things.
Yeah.
But they can really impact.
Your environment.
Yes.
Your mood, your creativity.
Absolutely.
Totally.
It's about making that space feel connected, I think.
Yes.
To the natural world.
Even if you are spending most of your time inside.
Right.
Giving you those subtle cues, those little reminders.
Yes.
Exactly.
Of the beauty and the tranquility
that exists outside of our walls.
Right.
Exactly.
And you know, I find that even for me,
I know when my desk is near a window
and I can see trees out the window,
I feel so much more creative than when I'm in a basement
office or something.
Right.
Totally.
So as we kind of wrap up this deep dive today,
I think the takeaway is pretty clear.
Yeah.
Right?
Whether you're an artist or a writer or just a human.
Hang with.
Living in the world today, like if you
are trying to overcome a creative block
or you are seeking fresh inspiration.
Yes.
Or you're simply looking to live a more
mindful and connected life, nature is calling.
It is.
And it's not just calling out to us to receive its gifts.
Right.
It's also calling on us to protect and preserve.
Yes.
It's the very thing that gives us so much in return.
Beautifully said.
I think that is the perfect thought
to leave our listeners with today.
You know, we've explored a lot about how nature
can inspire us.
But how will you use your own unique creative energy
to give back?
I love that.
To the natural world.
Something to think about maybe on your next nature walk.
Absolutely.
Until next time, keep exploring, keep creating,
and keep those deep dives going.
Yes.
Love it.