Recently, I was watching an NFL pre-game show and they were talking about Aaron Rodgers, Quarterback for the Green Bay Packers. Part of the segment on Aaron Rodgers was his on-field confidence and the collectiveness in which he plays. If you’ve seen Rodgers play before (perhaps as he won last years Super Bowl?!) you know he’s amazingly calm under pressure and still plays with a fierceness that leads and a level of competitiveness that wins games.

Later that same afternoon, I was watching another pre-game show where they were talking about Mark Sanchez, Quarterback for the New York Jets.  In a similar story, they were talking about Sanchez performance on the field as such a young player. The qualities he already embodies as an on-field leader, the poise in which he plays, and how he will prove to be a winner throughout his career.

Oddly enough, both stories shared a similarity. Separately, the stories talked about how the two Quarterbacks started the game off by building momentum. In the easiest form possible. The on field tactics the two Quarterbacks share could quite possibly make all the difference in the outcome of their games.

Their first play of the game, when taking over at Quarterback, is a safe one. It’s a short, routine pass to a Receiver or Tight End. Their first move on the field. Their first throw. Is their first win. That first move bolsters the confidence to make the big plays three minutes later.

Sometimes we need to start our days, tasks, or projects off with a small accomplishment. Something small and tedious that we can complete without a lot of effort. A small victory. Sure the 50 yard hail mary to Donald Driver is a lot more exciting, but Aaron Rodgers knows he has to make a small passes to get the confidence he needs to hit his receiver in stride. He gets the feel of the game. He gages the athleticism of his players on that particular game day. He sets a pace that he can accelerate.

Start your projects off with a small victory. Small enough to give you the confidence and momentum to complete a bigger project. To give you a feel for the day. To set a pace for the day that can only be accelerated by more accomplishments.

So, what’s your first move that sets the pace for the rest of your day?

In a previous blog I wrote here, I talked about the brain-gut connection; how both can influence each other. In order for the brain to function optimally, you must learn how to manage stress and take care of the gut by eating properly. Beyond this, for the beautiful creative humans, there are some supplements you can take that may help boost and maintain creativity. The brain needs oxygen and nutrients to help it work optimally. Oxygen and nutrients are delivered to the brain via blood circulation. If blood flow to the brain is sluggish, then adequate amounts of oxygen and nutrients may not reach the brain. The result experienced may be sluggish creativity.

Herbs are my go to supplements for improving blood flow to the brain, such as Ginkgo. Ginkgo is an herb that is known to help improve blood flow in the body, especially to the brain. But it’s not for long term use. Traditionally Ginkgo has been used for brief periods, like three months at a time, to enhance mental alertness and focus. The reason behind this is that the body can become used to the action of an herb, thus suffocating the benefits. They just stop working.

An herb that works like Ginkgo, and has been shown to produce consistent benefits with long term use, is Bacopa. This herb too helps improve blood flow to the brain. Bacopa has also been shown to help people retain information better and help with short term memory. Another product beneficial for improving blood flow to the brain is Vinpocetine.

There are three products that I think are optimal choices to help with maintaining and enhancing creativity.

• The first is called, Mind Care by Himalaya USA. The primary ingredient in the formula is Bacopa. In addition to Bacopa is a blend of other herbs that make the formula complete and compliment Bacopa nicely.

• Better Brain by Garden of Life is another winner. Not only does the product contain Bacopa, it also contains Vinpocetine, omega-3 fatty acids, and B vitamins.

• Another exceptional brain booster for short term use is the one I stared out with; Ginkgo-Gotu Kola by Eclectic Institute. There are many other choices out there besides the ones mentioned. You may want to experiment with different formulas until you find one that is perfect for you.

In conclusion, proper nutrition from fresh whole foods is optimal for maintaining creativity. This is why herbs are my go to supplements for brain function. Herbs are food.

Note: if you are using medication that thins the blood, you should consult a pharmacist before using supplements of any kind that improve blood flow.

What do you do to increase creativity? Will you be trying any of the supplements listed above?

Recently I have become very interested in the connection of our health and our creativity. One can only assume that the foods we eat and the lifestyle we live can have an effect on our bodies, for better or worse. I asked my friend, Mark Gaw, who has over 10 years experience in the natural products industry and is very well educated on the topic of food as your medicine. Mark is someone I trust in this field and will hopefully have him back for more post on this topic. Give him a follow over on the Twitters and check out his blog Sound Body Now.

Anything we have done in life or plan to do depends on the brain. This includes the ability to be creative. Among many other functions stimulated by the brain, it is the source of activity for being creative. At one time it was believed that the right side of the brain was the center of creativity. Scientists now say it is both sides of the brain communicating with each other that stimulates creativity. If your brain is not firing properly, your ability to be creative may be inhibited. Now, here is a connection that most people do not make. If your gut health is poor, then your ability to be creative may be inhibited as well. I hope that grabbed your attention. There was a time when scientists believed that the brain and gut operated independently of each other, yet in recent years that has changed. The brain and the gut are in constant communication with each other. It’s a tight relationship going on here. Scientists are now looking at both as one operating system of the body, because, what affects one will likely affect the other. The connection between the two is called the Brain-gut axis.

As I mentioned before, the brain and gut operate as one system. The brain communicates with the gut through a part of the central nervous system called the Vagus, also known as the ‘neuro-gastric nerve’. The Vagus connects the brain and gut. Poor firing of the brain can lead to poor activity of the Vagus, which in turn can affect gut health. This can create a cycle of inflammation that creates problems for both the gut and the brain. If the brain begins to fire improperly, the vagus does not function well, and then inflammation of the gut may arise, which then has a trickle down effect on the brain causing more issues. It becomes a vicious cycle. Some of the symptoms from the Brain-gut axis not functioning well are chronic digestive issues (the main symptom of brain issues), fatigue & brain fog are a big indicator, anxiety & depression, cold hands & feet, and lack of creativity. If you are experiencing any of those symptoms, I’m going to suggest how to address the issue.

The gut, referred to by scientists as the body’s second brain, contains just as many nerve cells as the brain does. Eighty percent of Serotonin in the body is found in the gut. The hormone serotonin regulates the immune system in relation to the gut and regulates the motility or movement of the gut. The other twenty percent of Serotonin is found in the brain where it regulates mood, appetite, and muscle contraction. If the brain is malfunctioning then the gut is closely involved. How does the gut affect the brain? The gut contains a colony of good and bad bacteria, also known as flora, that support digestion, elimination, and the immune system. A side note here; the gut makes up 70% of the immune system. The lack of good flora, or the absence of, can affect brain function. Good bacteria in the gut also supports a person’s behavior. There are over 100 trillion bacteria in the gut. That amount of bacteria out numbers the amount of cells in the human body ten to one. Inflammation of the gut can cause the same in the brain. Fire in the gut, fire in the brain.

People who do all they know to do to maintain a healthy digestive system, yet still show no results, may have issues occurring in the brain. If one is addressing the gut to maintain good health or to address a gut related issue, the brain must be addressed as well. If you ignore the brain, success will be limited. You can do everything right when taking care of the digestive system and still have gut issues due to the brain not firing properly. Remember, what affects one will affect the other.

There are three things the brain needs: glucose (blood sugar regulation very important), oxygen, and stimulation. Saying the brain needs glucose does not mean go out and chow down on a bunch of high fructose corn syrup or sugar. Too much glucose can affect brain function. Proper blood flow to the brain is important because blood transports oxygen and glucose to the brain, as well as other nutrients. The lack thereof can cause issues. I find exercise or being active is a good way to insure proper blood flow to the brain. Also an herb called Bacopa may be beneficial for dilating capillaries in the brain increasing blood flow. I’ve known people who use acupuncture to help improve blood flow throughout the whole body.

Stress management is truly the key here in helping to address brain health. Now, I said management, not reduction or elimination. A big contributor to sickness and disease is stress. There is no getting away from stress in the time we live in. The best you can do is get a handle on it. Methods of managing stress can include exercise, yoga, meditation, herbs (Spanish moss, chamomile), prebiotics and probiotics. Don’t go and spend a lot of money on supplements to address stress unless absolutely necessary. Good food sources for prebiotics (food for good bacteria) are sweet potatoes and Jerusalem Artichokes, and good food sources for probiotics are fermented vegetables and fermented dairy products.

To maintain cognition function, digestive health, and the ability to be creative, take care of your brain and gut together by managing stress, enjoying pleasures, eating healthy. If you think your Brain-gut axis is not functioning well, I encourage you to find a professional who can work with you on a protocol to address the issue.

How do you enhance your creativity? Food? Supplements? Beverages?

Colors communicate. They can do so much more than just make something visually appealing, if used correctly. If used incorrectly it can become an unfortunate situation. Colors can bring life to a design piece, they can bring comfort to a buyer, they can make you happy or creative, or even sad. So it’s important to chose the right color when you’re designing you site, your logo, or even painting the walls of your office. I’m sure everyone would agree that we want colors around us that are going to bring energy, life, peace, and even a feeling of royalty.

My friend Jennifer posted this clever breakdown of colors on her blog the other day, so I thought I would share with you all here as well. Enjoy and learn something new….and go paint your office walls a new color!

Cleese is talking about the unconscious continuing to develop an idea, after we have walked away from the idea. So often the creative process hits a wall and can’t push through to the point of a creative breakthrough. Cleese goes on to say that if we step away from that idea and sleep on it, the unconscious with continue the thought process on that idea and upon waking up to re-approaching the idea you will often have the solution you were looking for.

The Unconscious can make your mode of thinking more creative.

To enable the creative process, he says you must first: Create a mood that enables you to be more creative. Create a tortoise enclosure. Create an oasis in the midst of all the stress. Let your mind come out to play – to do this you must create boundaries of space and time. Eliminate the interruptions that destroy the creative process. To know how good you are at something requires the same skills it requires to be good at them.

Here’s the video if you have 10:36 seconds:

Front

Back

The new business cards have finally arrived. After a long awaited decision and design process, this is what I have decided to go with for this batch of cards.

I decided to put “Yarby” bold and forefront of the card for continued branding of the name. As I have found Yarby to be easily recognized and always available as a username, it has proven to be a good “brand” for myself. In a time where people know you more by your use of social media and as I progress my career in social media I expect Yarby to be the way people recognize me as well as my work.

My friend Evan, has been using the term Community Catalyst and I absolutely love it. So give him the credit for that. I asked him if he said I could borrow it for my cards, he delightfully said yes. Although, I didn’t ask him what it meant to him, because I wanted him to have his definition and for me to have my own. To me a community catalyst is one who creates and engages in the interaction of others. Whether it be a community that physically gathers in a group or an online community. A community catalyst propels this community forward through conversation, events, and connecting. A community catalyst engages with a broad range of communities, not for their own good but for the improvement of others; through connecting those communities, sharing one community’s work with another. I hope to improve in my community interaction, engagement and connecting. It’s on the cards now…I have to!

Oh…and the ZapBoomPow thing? For now check out ZapBoomPow….let your brain wander. It’s a little something I’m working on creating with some friends that will hopefully fulfill everyone’s creative needs.

Like the cards?? They were designed by my good friend Bryan Scott, follow him, maybe he’ll design you some too!

Cards were printed by Moo Cards. I went with the Mini Card’s. I love them.

This is one of the best videos i’ve seen in a long time. Who the heck has the patience and the creativity to create such amazing images on a lite-brite!? And where can you even get those anymore?

What’s even more amazing is that apparently they created this video in its entirety.

And the song is beautiful. The whole album is really. It’s called Church Music if you’re interested.

Here are a couple of examples of Church Banners:

Instead of just throwing all those banners away, Elevation Church found a way to do some good with them through recycling. Yes, recycling old vinyl banners; but not the recycling you typically think of.

What I love about Elevation Church is they constantly search for innovative causes to support and I believe they have found that with Plywood People.

Plywood People is an innovative community addressing social needs. One project in particular is their Buy Bags, Help Widows Campaign.

A campaign doing good both environmentally and in the lives of single women.

Plywood People creates limited edition Messenger Bags, Satchels and Wallets that are made with 100% reclaimed vinyl billboard shell and reclaimed fabric lining (much like the Banners you don’t see anymore). Some of the goods also come from recycled billboard materials by Guatemalan urban artists. A percentage of the profits will enable the creation of new homes for Mayan widows.

These are Church Banners Doing Good.

Are you a church or organization looking to recycle old banners or signs?

How can you do good with the common materials that are lying around your organization?

Look for the ways to make the ordinary….extraordinary.