#take care of the body that will then happily output creativity for you

[saltnpepperbunny]

Hi SPB, I was wondering where your motivation/creativity comes from and how you harness it? Thank you!

Hi! owo Uhhh a few different places. My motivation and my creativity come from different places but they work together to help me do what I do.

My motivation to make comics comes from:

Comments and feedback, I want my art to be a conversation with another person and thus feedback is kinda what I make comics for. I love how as my stories speak, people will speak back.

The fun of drawing, I just enjoy drawing comics like as an activity, it makes me happy, it's a very rhythmic and relaxing process, and thus its a regular part of my days. I just love having the finished page to stare at at the end.

The fervor of storytelling, that shit's my serotonin bro, I just need to write stories, it's an important part of how I navigate my life on like a structural level. It's how I process the world around me, so as my life goes on and stuff happens, I feel motivated to write about it. And comics are the main way I do my writing now.

To keep up w my community, I surround myself w other comic artists and a lot of us work, draw, and create together. It's a sacred bond between artists. u'w'u If I stopped comicking, I'd have like nothing to show them? There'd be no goal to work towards? Most of my friends make comics lol.

And my creativity comes from:

The need to process, as life treks on I tend to have Big Feelings about Almost Everything and writing is how I process those feelings and just, the world around me in general. You input experiences into this machine and I will output a fiction story. It's how I make sense of things and make meaning of my experiences.

The drive to keep improving, I always want my storytelling to get better and thus I have to continuously get creative to invent new ways to write and draw better. It's a never ending process, there is ALWAYS something to sharpen, so I just keep searching for new means to improve, things to tweak, ways something could be better. It's a never ending challenge and I need challenge in my life. It's like something to work on.

Internal experiences, feelings, opinions, fears, hopes, wishes, thoughts, ideas, questions, answers, et cetera.

Love, is definitely involved. Love has a huge involvement in my creative process. It's soaked into so many different, little parts of the process. Like uhhh taking a character through a journey? That's love. Writing new kinds of rep? That takes love. It's kinda just everywhere and it's something I can draw from very consistently cause those Big Feelings I mentioned includes love.

I also tend to write from anger and a strong sense of in/justice. Could you tell lol.

I like to take a lot of inspiration from nature, also. All my backgrounds are just me blowing a kiss to mother nature.

This is getting long sorry but how to harness it all, uhhhhh. Practice. Build habits. Make an effort to get creative on the regular, not necessarily every day, but try to avoid massive dry spells unless you're really not doing well or there's an understandable reason for it. Dry spells are ultimately unavoidable but don't have to define your creative cycle, it IS possible to create on the reg unless you're not taking care of yourself well. Don't only create when you're hyperfixated cause that just builds a habit to do that, if you're not feeling up to it, just do the thing for like 30 minutes and then either stop and chill or keep going cause the momentum will now carry you. I create p much every day cause it's an important part of how I navigate my life i.e. the processing motive and insatiable need for challenge, I can never stop writing now as long as I live cause writing is how I meet those needs. So yeah, just be like me and sell your soul to the gods art! Make the thing you wanna do fun, don't beat your head against a brick wall if that creative hobby you're trying to get into just really isn't sticking, it's not ALWAYS meant to be and it's okay to admit that and just move on and try something new. I tried many different kinds of art before I ever found comicking and it stuck, and now I basically just do comicking and some of my other older creative hobbies fell away. That's fine, that's life, you'll find your thing if you keep searching out new things. Oh, and also get in community, surround yourself w other creatives and consume they're work, trust me you'll get inspired p quick.

wow this got longER. sorry!

[howellrichard]

How Much Water to Drink a Day + My Top 10 Hydration Tips

Hiya Gorgeous!

I hope you’ve been enjoying my 5 pillars of wellness blog series as much as I have! If that doesn’t sound familiar to you, here’s a quick recap: My pillars of wellness are about optimizing what you’re eating, drinking and thinking, and how you’re resting and renewing.

Why those pillars? Over my years of personal experience and research, learning from doctors and dietitians, and working with folks like you, I’ve found these self-care practices to have the biggest impact on overall well-being.

And because the pillars of wellness are fundamental not only to your health, but also to everything we talk about here on KrisCarr.com, I’ve been exploring each one on a deeper level. And today we’re diving into one of the most essential, yet often overlooked and underestimated pillars: What you’re drinking.

When it comes to the pillars of wellness, that pretty much boils down to one thing (something that actually DOES boil)… water!

I’m passionate about hydration… but you probably already knew that if you’ve followed me for a while because I talk about it a lot! So you can imagine my surprise when I realized that this would be my first blog post 100 percent dedicated to it. That just goes to show how much of an unsung hero H2O truly is. So let’s give it the attention it deserves, shall we?

Why is proper hydration important?

Water is considered an essential nutrient for a reason. It makes up 60 percent of our bodies and is crucial for so many internal systems. Water aids in your body’s digestion and detoxification processes, keeps your skin healthy, helps maintain energy and boosts physical performance. It protects your joints, tissues and spinal cord by lubricating and cushioning them. Without enough water our cells actually shrink… and I can’t blame them!

Bottom line: Getting enough water is a matter of survival. How many of your daily “essentials” can you say that about?

How much water to drink a day

Ok, so we can all agree that getting enough water is super important. But what does enough really mean? Here’s a simple formula to help you figure out how much water to drink a day:

Your weight in pounds: ______ divided by 2 = ______ oz of water per day

Or, if you use the metric system:

Your weight in kilograms: ______ divided by 30 = ______ liters of water per day

So for example, a person who weighs 150 lb should consume about 75 oz of water per day (150 divided by 2 = 75). A 77-kg person should consume just over 2 ½ liters of water per day (77 divided by 30 = ~2.5).

Got it, tootsie? Write down the formula and your personal daily amount if it’ll help you remember. I know it might sound like a lot if you’re not a big water drinker, but don’t worry because I’ve got some easy tips for staying hydrated coming up in just a bit. Once you feel the many benefits of bathing your cells in plenty of H2O, I have a feeling you’ll never look back!

Special hydration considerations

Keep in mind that certain folks may have increased hydration needs. For example, if you do vigorous exercise, spend a lot of time in the sun or sweat a lot, make sure to keep extra close tabs on your H2O intake. Cancer patients, especially those in treatment, may need extra water to prevent dehydration from cancer therapy side effects like diarrhea and vomiting.

It’s also possible for people with certain health conditions (such as thyroid disease or kidney, liver or heart problems) and those taking certain medications to get too much water. Please work with your healthcare practitioner if you have any health challenges or are uncertain about your specific hydration needs.

How to tell if you’re dehydrated

Now that you know how much water to drink a day, let’s talk about how to tell if you’re not getting enough. Dehydration is serious business. Even a low-level H2O deficiency can affect how you feel. Here are some tell-tale signs of dehydration:

Digestive troubles such as constipation

Lack of energy

Peeing less frequently or decreased urine output when you go

Deep yellow or amber-colored urine (check out this handy guide to urine colors!)

Headaches

Low blood pressure

Dizziness

Dry skin and/or eyes

Mental fog, anxiety and other mood changes (source)

Dehydration can be mistaken for hunger—if you feel hungry soon after a meal or when you’ve had enough to eat, try drinking some water

And surprise… thirst!

If you have any signs of dehydration, especially the more serious symptoms, please consult with your doctor! I’m just here to empower you with info—this post is not a replacement for working with a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner. These symptoms could be indicative of other health issues, so they need to be evaluated within the context of your holistic well-being and background.

The skin elasticity test

I shared this in my Wellness Wednesday episode on hydration because it’s one of my favorite tricks! A simple way to measure your hydration level is by testing your skin elasticity. Lightly pinch the skin on your arm for a few seconds and then let it go. If your skin forms a tent and doesn’t return to normal immediately, it could be a sign of dehydration. Just keep in mind that skin loses elasticity as we age, so if you’re over 65, this test may be less accurate.

How to stay hydrated

Wondering how you’ll possibly meet your daily hydration needs? I have no doubt you’re up to the task, but here are some tips and tricks to help you get there:

Get a pitcher big enough to hold your entire recommended daily intake. Fill it up at the beginning of the day and pour a fresh glass whenever you find yourself on empty. You’re done when you hit the bottom of the pitcher! Pro tip: I keep my pitcher at my desk so I don’t forget.

Set hydration reminders. Use calendar notifications, an app (like WaterMinder) or old school sticky notes. Whatever works for you!

Track your progress. Stay motivated by gamifying your hydration. Make note of how many ounces or liters you drink throughout the day so you can pace yourself. My free Wellness Tracker is perfect for this!

Enjoy green drinks. Your daily ounces or liters don’t have to be 100 percent plain water. Fruits and veggies are made of water just like we are, so blend or juice ‘em up into a tasty, hydrating treat. I named my Hello Hydration juice after two of its ultra-hydrating ingredients: watermelon (about 92 percent water) and cucumber (about 96 percent water).

Bring water with you wherever you go. On walks and car rides, to work and the movies… wherever you are, your water should be, too! Avoid those disposable plastic bottles—they’re bad for the environment. Get yourself a reusable stainless steel, glass or silicone water bottle instead.

Add some flavor! Who ever said water had to be boring? If you have trouble getting excited about water, infuse it with fruits, veggies and herbs. Experiment with different flavor combos and don’t forget to enjoy how pretty it looks! Here’s a delightfully quenching recipe for Orange, Grapefruit, Rosemary Infused Water.

Filter your water to make sure it’s free of icky pollutants. Check out this article to learn more about the importance of water filtration and the best types of filters.

Mix things up with seltzer or sparkling water. Isn’t everything more fun with bubbles? You may have heard rumors that carbonation robs calcium from bones, erodes tooth enamel and irritates the stomach. But some of the research that prompted these concerns involved carbonated colas rather than plain carbonated water. Just steer clear of store-bought varieties with added sugar, artificial sugars and other additives. And if you want to reduce waste, try making your own sparkling water with a machine like this one from Kitchenaid or this one from SodaStream.

Don’t just pound water all day. Guzzling too much in a short time frame could make you feel sick, which could demotivate you from your long-term hydration goals. And while overhydration is rare, it could dilute your body’s healthy sodium and electrolyte levels (source). Check in with your doc if your pee is totally clear—it may be a sign that you’re drinking too much water.

Sip on green or herbal tea, nut milks and fluids from soups and broths. Water is everywhere, so get creative to meet your daily needs!

Next stop: hydration station!

I hope the info and tips in this article help you stay happily hydrated. Paying attention to what you’re drinking is just one piece of the wellness puzzle—but just like your favorite jigsaw, the picture isn’t complete without it. Think of every sip as a thank you to your amazing bod for all the walking, loving, playing, running, thinking, sitting, standing, stretching, laughing, etc. it allows you to do. Cheers!

One more thing before you go… As you may already know, billions of people all over the world do not have access to clean, safe drinking water. I believe that hydration is a human right—no one should have to worry about getting poisoned by their water or not being able to find enough. If you’re interested in learning more about this global crisis and/or getting involved, I encourage you to check out charity: water, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation or another organization that aligns with your values.

Your turn: What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to getting enough water everyday? Or, if you’re an H2O pro, what’s your secret to hydration success?

Peace & heavenly H2O,

The post How Much Water to Drink a Day + My Top 10 Hydration Tips appeared first on KrisCarr.com.