#Creativity and Routine

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Practice

The philosophy of practice explores the nature, purpose, and implications of repeated actions, skill acquisition, and discipline in shaping human life, ethics, and understanding. It addresses questions about how consistent effort contributes to personal growth, mastery, and the formation of habits, as well as its broader societal and existential significance.

Key Themes:

Practice and Mastery

Skill Development: Practice is essential for honing skills, whether in art, science, sports, or daily life. Philosophically, this raises questions about the relationship between effort and talent, and whether mastery is achievable by anyone given sufficient practice.

Perfection vs. Process: Some philosophies view practice as a means to an end (mastery), while others emphasize the value of practice as an ongoing, intrinsic process.

Ethical Practice

In ethics, practice involves cultivating virtues (e.g., patience, humility, courage) through repeated actions.

Aristotle’s concept of habituation suggests that moral character is built through repeated virtuous actions, making practice central to ethical living.

Habit Formation

Practice often leads to the formation of habits, both beneficial and harmful. Philosophical discussions focus on:

The distinction between conscious practice and unconscious habit.

How habits shape identity and free will.

Embodiment and Knowledge

Through practice, knowledge becomes embodied or tacit (e.g., riding a bike or playing an instrument). This leads to questions about the nature of knowledge:

Is knowledge primarily intellectual, or does it require physical engagement?

How does practice bridge the gap between theory and experience?

Time and Repetition

Practice inherently involves repetition over time, leading to reflections on the nature of time itself:

How does the repetitive nature of practice influence our perception of progress?

Does practice emphasize a linear or cyclical view of time?

Practice as Ritual

Many practices take on a ritualistic or meditative quality, fostering mindfulness and presence. Philosophical traditions such as Zen Buddhism emphasize practice (e.g., zazen or seated meditation) as an expression of living in the moment.

This invites reflection on whether practice is primarily a means to an end or an end in itself.

The Role of Failure

Failure is an inherent part of practice, often seen as a stepping stone to improvement. Philosophical discussions explore:

How does failure shape the meaning of practice?

Can failure itself be considered a form of success or growth?

The Social Dimension of Practice

Many practices are communal, such as group sports, collective rituals, or collaborative work. These raise questions about the interplay between individual and collective effort.

How do social contexts shape what is considered valuable practice?

Practice and Creativity

While practice involves repetition, creativity often requires breaking from routine. Philosophers explore the tension between disciplined practice and the spontaneity of innovation.

Existential and Spiritual Perspectives

In existentialism, practice can be tied to the idea of authentic living: the repetitive engagement with one’s choices and actions creates meaning in an otherwise indifferent universe.

In spiritual traditions, practice is often viewed as a path to enlightenment or transcendence, requiring faith and persistence.

Practice in Professional and Scientific Contexts

The philosophy of practice also examines the iterative processes of experimentation, refinement, and learning in fields like science, medicine, and education.

How does the structure of professional practice influence the pursuit of truth or excellence?

Challenges and Limitations of Practice

Not all forms of practice guarantee improvement or success, leading to questions about when persistence becomes futile.

How do external factors, such as societal constraints or innate abilities, limit the effectiveness of practice?

The philosophy of practice highlights the transformative power of consistent effort in shaping individual and collective life. It bridges the gap between intention and action, theory and reality, and connects the mundane with the profound. By reflecting on practice, we gain insight into the ways we cultivate skills, virtues, and meaning, and how these processes shape our understanding of what it means to be human.

[indulgentcosmos]

I had the fortune of stumbling across @stupidlittlespirit ‘s (I hope you don’t mind the tag) “When it rains, it spores” fic which was an INCREDIBLE read. It is in-fact so good, it violently jerked me out of my creative block and had me picking up a pen once again. Although somewhat of a messy sketchy product, it was still a delight to visualise the hiding scene as I saw it in my mind.

[courtofcrescent]

i saw your post about what MCs duties are and I'm so excited to play as a workaholic and a perfectionist (bc it's the only way to cope after the passing of their beloved lady) that the maids and everyone else will be the one to have to personally pull them away from work 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩

(Here's the post in question!)

I'm glad you're excited for that, dear Workaholic Anon! Truly, what is grief if not passion with nowhere left to go? 😌

Your subordinates would both love and loathe your tireless perfectionism. One moment, they're in awe of your efficiency. The next, they would conspire against you to drag you away from duty merciless grip.

Like this one:

.

—Letter from ELLIS to High Servant of the Royal Consort

Greetings to the Most Esteemed Guardian of Our Serene Highness, my dearest fiery High Servant.

I trust this letter finds you well between the exquisite demands of the Inner Court.

It seems Our Serene Highness is, once again, deeply ensnared in duties. Our dear Consort shine so brightly, so ceaselessly, so much so that I fear the stars would envy such radiant tenacity. Every parties reviewed thrice, every noble appeased before they have spoken, every attire meticulously designed for symbolic statement.

Such brilliant passion, truly. But I am afraid it is the wrong kind, my esteemed one. This is passion that devours poorly.

And Luxen forbid that. We cannot allow it to happen to our dearest Consort, can we?

Thus, I propose a delicate, yet entirely unavoidable intrusion: a surprise event! Or two. Or three. Four, no, perhaps five. All involving music, laughter, and a generous touch of indulgence. A not-so-subtle orchestration of distraction, if you will. A celebration not of duty, but of pure delight.

With your blessing, my esteemed one, the Ministry of Entertainment shall orchestrate it. With your cooperation, I believe we may even coax a smile from Our Serene Highness that is not rehearsed.

Ever awaiting your command and your fearsome energy,

- Ellis Edselly

Your humble Minister of Entertainment

—Reply from High Servant of the Royal Consort to Ellis

Minister Ellis,

Your letter sing as always, but I have no time for your verses today. As you see, Our Serene Highness is jumping headlong toward ruin. A thousand duties. A thousand eyes. And not a moment of rest between them.

I have reminded. I have begged. I have shouted. Still the Consort press on, as if exhaustion and self neglect are some sacred rite.

No. This madness ends now.

Your plan to seduce the Consort away has merit. But do understand that this is not a mere party. This is a rescue mission. So your delicate intrusion had better be more than another song and another hollow smile, Minister. Because if the Consort still refuses to yield, your entire ministry will be forcibly repurposed into recovery corps. And I will see to it personally.

Prepare your music. Prepare your actors. And prepare every shred of your charm. Send your invitation when you are ready, two days after tomorrow. We are going to make sure Our Serene Highness remembers how to live, Minister of Entertainment.

- High Servant of the Royal Consort

—There's a sealed letter on your desk with Minister of Entertainment's seal

My dearest Royal Consort, Radiance of Luxendis, Jewel of the Court, Keeper of the Joy,

May Luxen forever shine upon your crown.

An urgent matter most dire and delightfully inconvenient require your presence at the Ministry of Entertainment. I fear I must implore you to attend with utmost haste, my Serene Highness, for the matter cannot possibly be resolved without your exquisite judgment and your radiant company.

Awaiting your brilliant presence,

- Ellis Edselly

Your ever loyal servant, the charming Minister of Entertainment.

.

Uh oh. Seems like you're in for a delightful kidnapping treat, my dear Consort 👀

Thank you for the ask! 🩶

[faerie-somnium]

Chuuya: We gotta leave soon, they're expecting us out there.

Dazai: Just a few more minutes.

[traversingtuesdays]

It's Sister Cat with a very important announcement: The Traversing Tuesdays podcast is for creatives, spoonies, and anyone looking to build creative systems that respect their energy levels.

[stellorao3]

my writing ability drastically increased when i started zooming out my google documents to 90%

[retroautomaton]

So, I went ahead and ‘soft-closed’ my patreon, (made everything free to view, but I won’t keep posting on it) mostly bc i wasn’t great at being consistent, and it just got a little too jumbled for me.

In hopes of unjumbling, I instead made a little… ✨ Ko-Fi Membership! ✨

Just one tier, only $3 a month, and you’ll get monthly goodies like palettes, color guides & special commissions! May’s theme is Creature Feature & the rewards are…

An exclusive Commission Type, that only members can buy a slot for!

The Alien Plastica Color Palette & Guide!

I figured since I use Ko-Fi pretty often, this would be a much better option, and something I’ll be able to give more attention to and be more comfortable with! I want to be able to give you guys something consistent, and be financially stable enough to give it all my effort! Your support will be, and has always been incredibly appreciated! ✨

Come by the Ko-Fi Shop! ✨☕️

[authorsharonforester]

Sticking To A Writing Routine

​Welcome. Today, I will show you how hard it is to stay on track with writing and the ways to overcome it. Here at home, I will currently express that I haven't written in a long time. 

The trouble with that is that I really want to, and despite that, I am not writing. I have a hard time sticking to writing a little bit every day because I am worried about how I will finish my work and the work it takes to do my writing and then edit it.

People have different reasons why they procrastinate writing. For all of us, it doesn't mean we enjoy writing. We are just afraid of failure in some way. For example, for me it is the process of editing and how much work it is going to take. My brain tells me that I will never finish the editing process because it takes so much time. I want to do things that will take very little time.

The story I am working on is about an alien that joins his people's plans on wanting to invade planet Earth, but the alien doesn't want to partake in this mission, and meanwhile on Earth, a girl and her friend are desperate to meet a live alien. This is a novel that took me three years to write when I was a little girl. I have written the entire thing on paper and now I need to type it on the computer.

It is important to keep yourself accountable for getting the work done. I am on camera because I want to show you that it is possible to come and stay on track in the writing process if you really let yourself do this. There are different ways to hold you accountable. You just gotta pick the types that work for you because everyone is different.

-Make a schedule and stick to it -Make a goal and stick to it -Make a checklist and work on it for a duration of time -Make a sign in, sign out sheet -Set a goal for the day -Get someone else to keep you accountable -Dedicate a day for your tasks

What works for every single person is different, so it is important you find what works for you, whether it is something from this list or something you come up with on your own. What works for me is this (when I am disciplined): Setting a goal and using a day to accomplish it. ​ Let me tell you how I found this. I was roaming through YouTube one day when I found an interview with Stephen King on there. I clicked on it because the title said he was talking about how he was making books so fast. He went into the conversation to mention that he sets the goal of writing SIX PAGES a day and then having the entire day to accomplish this. He also mentions that when he is being overcome with obstacles in writing, then he will use that time to take breaks, and what he does in those breaks is either eat a meal, shop at the door for things he needs or do a chore. He uses his breaks to do something he needs to get some practice in his personal life instead of being distracted by the phone and TV, which is really important to getting anything done. It is like being at school at home. Sometimes it makes it easier to think of it as an assignment he needs to get done. All these little things work as a motivator for him while he is working. Then he will start over the next day until he reaches his day(s) off.

This was inspiring to me because everyone else always came up with ideas that didn't work for me, such as the list above. For me, working under a time limit didn't work because I didn't know what to expect to come in randomly in my life. Others are able to work under pressure… It all depends on who you are and that you pick what works for you. As long as you pick something that is realistic to you, then you are on your way.

The last thing that you need to remember is that you need to start with small goals and just write! before you set yourself up with bigger goals and worry about editing, or else you will never get anything done because you are overwhelming yourself. We will overthink everything and then end up messing up our own stories.

[80hd-selkie]

I've developed a routine completely by accident that feels very silly. I get in the shower. I'm washing my hair. The writing ideas start flowing. I basically daydream a whole lot of shit. I get out of the shower. I sit on the bed in my towel and write everything down in a Google doc.

Why is the shower where I have all my good thinking time????? Why has this become so consistent???

Anyway I just wrote the first super rough draft/outline for chapter 1 of my Jeweller AU. This shit is really happening!

[skunkes]

question for any artists who are employed full time: is the work/life (art) balance rly possible... (for You since i know it depends on the job/position/career etc)

[1eos]

'routine and discipline takes the stress away from the day to day things and grants you the freedom to play and experiment with your creative work' okayyyyyyyyy i get it let me get back to strictly enforcing a bedtime

[theoniprince]

Mal sehen... wo Adam und ich damit hinwollen. Muss mir klar darüber werden, was ich für ne AU will 8D

Late wild sketchy stuff

[sarastuss]

got the urge to remake my icon again bc of the dash update, hm

[mysterious-merchant-of-ink]

✏️ The Daily 100 – My Warm-Up Ritual

One thing I’ve been doing every single day without fail:

Drawing 100 circles, ovals, squares, rectangles, triangles, and other basic shapes before and after every practice session.

It’s not flashy. It’s not exciting. But it works.

Doing this at the start helps me loosen up, get focused, and reset my brain for learning. Doing it again after drills helps me reinforce control and end the session with clarity.

There’s something calming about it too just me, the sketchbook, and simple shapes over and over.

Repetition builds rhythm. Rhythm builds control.

I’ll take small, steady progress over burnout any day.

🎯 Anyone else have a go-to warm-up or cooldown that helps you stay consistent?

[crmsnmth]

The Mornings: Spring 2013

Wake up to drink bitter coffee add salt to balance it out add whiskey as a hair of the dog heartburn rushes me already spend the morning staring at the wall revel in the silence

Smoke a cigarette aggressively brush my teeth It doesn't matter how often I always seem to spit blood Let it stain the sink Drink beer in the shower

Throw on dirty jeans wore them everyday this week grab a t-shirt off the floor smell it it's fine throw it on with a cigarette still in my mouth

Walk outside, walk to work another day I want to jump the bridge but I put my headphones Milo yells in my ears Move through the blocks pass by her old apartment stabbing knife pain every single fucking time

Take a different route miss seeing your place miss your room miss you Get to work early still learning the timing Pop a Valium and go inside

Elevator up to 12 Cute girl gets on I should say hi I should say nothing and so I don't Smile politely Echo and The Bunny men

Sigh sit at desk and take calls pretend I give a shit pretend I'm doing my job Cubicle cemetery computer chair coffins

think about getting high pop another Valium

I am alone and I hate everything

[empressessence]

The Art of Sacred Self-Care: Nurturing Your Inner Empress

Welcome back to Empress Essence, where we continue our journey of self-discovery and empowerment. In our last blog post, we explored the essence of feminine energy and the importance of embracing our inner Empress. Today, let us delve deeper into the practice of sacred self-care—a cornerstone of our journey towards embodying our fullest potential.

Honoring Your Temple: Your body is a sacred vessel—a temple that houses your divine essence. Treat it with the reverence it deserves by nourishing it with wholesome foods, movement, and rest. Practice self-care rituals that honor your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Whether it's a gentle yoga session, a nourishing meal, or a soothing bath, prioritize activities that replenish and rejuvenate your body.

Cultivating Mindfulness: In the hustle and bustle of daily life, it's easy to become disconnected from the present moment. Cultivate mindfulness as a means of anchoring yourself in the here and now. Take time each day to pause, breathe, and tune into your senses. Whether it's through meditation, mindful movement, or simply savoring a cup of tea, allow yourself to fully immerse in the richness of each moment.

Embracing Ritual and Ceremony: Rituals and ceremonies hold profound significance in honoring the sacred within and around us. Create rituals that speak to your soul—a morning gratitude practice, a full moon ceremony, or a sacred space for reflection and intention-setting. Infuse these rituals with meaning and intention, allowing them to serve as potent reminders of your connection to the divine.

Setting Boundaries: Boundaries are essential for preserving your energy and maintaining your inner harmony. Learn to discern what nurtures your soul and what depletes it. Set clear boundaries around your time, energy, and relationships, honoring your needs and priorities. Remember, saying no to what no longer serves you is an act of self-love and empowerment.

Cultivating Creativity: Creativity is a powerful expression of feminine energy—a force that flows through you, inspiring innovation, beauty, and growth. Engage in activities that ignite your creative spark—whether it's painting, writing, dancing, or gardening. Allow yourself the freedom to play, explore, and express your unique essence without inhibition.

As we conclude our exploration of sacred self-care, I invite you to incorporate these practices into your daily life with intention and reverence. Remember, nurturing your inner Empress is not selfish; it is an act of profound love and devotion to yourself and those around you. Embrace the art of sacred self-care and watch as it illuminates your path towards wholeness and fulfillment.

We invite you to share your own self-care rituals below, and stay tuned for upcoming  community events focused on sacred self-care practices.