“Creativity isn't just art. It's not just fun crafts or photography. Creativity is learning to step outside the box and create in different ways.”
–Beryl Young
How do creativity, productivity, and ADHD come together? What about a job in an accounting focused business and creativity or a job and entrepreneurship? We talk about what creativity really is, getting diagnosed later in life, and flowing between a job and running your own business with creativity coach Beryl Young.
Beryl really wants people to see creativity as more than just art, fun crafts, or photography. She manages to infuse creativity into a job in the accounting world. She says creativity is just a way that we solve our problems and we find fulfillment during the day. It’s essential self-care. But we often see creativity as extra, and some people find creativity intimidating.
Beryl was diagnosed with ADHD when she was 40, after her daughter's diagnosis. I’m seeing more and more women who flew under the radar and are now getting diagnosed. Beryl has found a lot in the creative entrepreneur space, and it's an important piece of the conversation.
In addition to creativity and ADHD, we talk about:
- reinventing yourself, again and again, as a creative act
- being creative with structure — and burnout happening when we are constantly overflowing structure
- letting go of workaholic tendencies and remembering to be creative
- how creativity feels extra, what it really is, and how to weave it into your days
- letting go of perfectionism and asking what you need creatively on a given day
- how many different ways you can be creative
ABOUT BERYL
Beryl Young is a creativity coach who supports women in finding greater productivity through sparks of creative self-care. Formally diagnosed at age 40 with ADHD, she realized just how much she’s relied on creativity throughout her life to harness her neurodivergent traits and thrive. Using tools like mindful photography, intentional journaling, and conscious doodling helps women cultivate more space in the chaos of daily life and show up with greater courage and confidence. Beryl previously was the creator and founder of the Momtography photography method and her work has been featured on TODAY parents, Huffington Post, PicMonkey, Digital Photography School, & The Shameless Mom Academy.
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DOABLE CHANGES
At the end of every episode, we share three doable changes, so you can take what you've heard and put it into action. Change comes from action.
Doable changes are things that you can add into your life, one at a time to make micro shifts and really create a ripple effect that will create a big change over time. Choose one that really piques your interest and roll with it.
Here are three Doable Changes from this conversation:
- 10-MINUTE RULE. If you are feeling overwhelmed or stressed, stop what you're doing and take 10 minutes to do something. It could be tidying up a corner of your home that's just for you, setting up your creative space, making a playlist that you love.
- OWN YOUR CREATIVITY. Do you get intimidated by the idea of creativity because you don’t like results or can’t find the time? What if you started noticing how you are creative throughout your days? Are you creative in your gardening or in planning your workouts? Did you figure out a new way to do something? Did you get out of your comfort zone? When we broaden the lens and see creativity differently, it’s easier to see ourselves as creative and make room for more creativity in our lives.
- PUT STRUCTURE AROUND YOUR CREATIVITY. Sometimes it feels like structure or planning and creativity don’t mix. Try putting some open structure around your creativity. Build some white time into your calendar. Use a journal prompt or challenge to make you do something, like Beryl’s 100 Step Project. Focus on the doing, not the result.
