I vlogged every day for 7 days as part of a personal challenge for the Cycle Up project. Although it was not a long committment by any means, I was truly surprised at how intense the experience was. Through it, I uncovered a lot of things about myself, and in this article I will share what those lovely nuggets of wisdom were!

Here's what I learned:

1. Let your art unveil itself

There were a few times where half way through creating a video I would be like “I’m not vibing with this video.” There was one day in particular that this really affected me and I had to stop working to take a step back. I spent time thinking about what was good about what I was creating and how I could improve it. I realized that there were actually a lot of good things I was doing and also, since I hadn’t edited yet, there was another layer of creative potential that was bound to change the look and feel of the video. I ended up jumping back into my creative mode with a lot of enthusiasm and by the time the video was completed, I was actually quite happy with the result.

2. Really just be yourself, it’s easier that way (and actually sustainable)

Something I noticed this week as well as something I’ve noticed in the past with creating content is that I’ll lose touch with myself. What I mean by that is, I’ll get progressively more theatrical, and less authentic. This has been an issue for me and is typically why I’ve struggled to create consistent content. There’s a part of me that feels vulnerable and I’ll try to cover that up by trying to be some sort of interesting persona or cling onto a part of me that I had filmed in the past, but is no longer present. For instance, my first few videos are usually my best because I’m most inspired and fresh with ideas. When I’m not as inspired or not as fresh with ideas, I’ll try and act like I am still inspired. I’m realizing that instead of trying to be something I’m not, I should just embrace the ME that I’m feeling in the moment, and then see where that leads me. After a few experiences (some of which I shared earlier), it’s already beginning to show me how valuable it can be to be as you are - even if it’s a lot different than what you were!

3. Act like you’re speaking to a friend

Interestingly enough, this wisdom nugget was inspired by a friend, which led into a fascinating experience. When you’re speaking in front of the camera there is this tendency to want to dictate words and ideas to the camera, rather than actually try to have a conversation with it. It’s an easy thing to do, but when you really start to visualize the camera as a portal to someone you’re having a conversation with, then it really changes your demeanor and vibe. When I started doing this (video 7) I noticed that it was much easier to convey ideas and I felt much more natural with how I presented myself. I also realized that because I was being a bit more laid back, it didn’t feel so abrupt. I also noticed that people were much more likely to watch the entire video and engage in the comments.

4. When you create a lot...it becomes easier to create a lot!

This one doesn’t surprise me but I will say that there were a few times where I felt completely overwhelmed and burdened by my work load. Sometimes I would say to myself “why the efff am I doing this!? It’s just added stress that I’m adding to my life right now.” While it’s true that I was consciously choosing to add more to my plate, the practice of breaking through these seemingly real creative capacity barriers was huge for me. It was most definitely uncomfortable for awhile but now I feel as though I can create a lot more (or at least a similar amount) without it feeling like such a burden. I’m excited now because it seems as though my tolerance has significantly risen!

5. Stay in motion and you’ll finish sooner than you think

There were times when I would finish filming and my mind would be like “ehh now I have to edit all this...maybe I should just take a break first.” Since I had a lot going on that day, I knew that taking a break wasn’t going to help anything. This isn’t always the case, but in this instance, I could tell that my mind was trying to make excuses as to why I should stop creating. So, instead of taking a break (like I normally would have), I just kept going, and going, and going...and wa la! I completed the video much faster than I ever thought I would and I felt really good about it. In the end, I think I realized that there’s times when you really just need to commit and realize that you can focus a lot longer than you may think. If you’re already in motion...why not stay in motion?

6. A good creative routine is essential, but an atypical routine can bring new results

I noticed this on day 7 when I was writing and filming at night (as opposed to the morning). I had never created a vlog during this time and was a bit concerned that I wouldn’t finish, as I’m usually much more upbeat and energetic during the early hours of the day. Since I wasn’t in a super upbeat mood, I was a lot different on camera. The difference ended up being quite positive as I was able to be more relaxed and laid back, which ultimately came off feeling more natural. I also felt like the video was easier to watch. This style likely wouldn’t have come about if I had not tried filming at night!

7. Don’t forget to look for the fun in what you are doing

About 3 or 4 videos in I noticed that I shifted from a state of being silly and creative, to a state of seriousness. I think a lot of the serious energy was there to keep me focused and moving forward, but I was noticing that I was subtly beginning to miss the reason why I wanted to vlog in the first place...because it’s fun! Once I recognized this I started looking for opportunities to have fun, which greatly enhanced the experience. I also noticed that sometimes I would have an idea that was fully formed, but also one that I wasn’t too excited about. I ended up not being able to follow through with most of those not-too-exciting ideas so in the future I’ll only commit to ideas that truly excite me.

8. Knowing how to share your ideas is important

It has been awhile since I have really clearly and succinctly shared my perspectives and ideas and after doing it for seven days, I feel like its a truly valuable thing to know. Understanding how to clearly articulate thought isn’t always easy, some are better than others. I specifically tend to have issues expressing my ideas on the spot as my thought process is intuitive and very abstract. In order to present clear ideas, I usually will need to take time to structure things visually and then reorder them in a logical manner. Learning how to do this as well as learning how to present those ideas in an interesting way really made me think that this is a skill set that every individual should have….and if we all did have this skill I bet the world would probably look a lot different.

9. If you’re going to create, choose to love yourself

It’s easy to become a martyr when you’re creating things, especially if they mean something special to you. Ultimately this subtle sense of self punishment is based in expectations that you will never be able to live up to. Interestingly enough, when you let go of those expectations you end up finding yourself in a world that operates off of a completely different rule set, devoid of any needs and desires that you had previously clung to. I noticed this happening a lot for myself. There were subconscious expectations that I was failing to live up to. These aspects were very familiar to me as I’ve experienced them in the past and they were the source of some of my greatest creative frustrations. In this seven day cycle I let those parts of me go. I said fuck it numerous times. I stopped caring as much about what others would think of me or what I thought of myself. I just accepted myself and loved the very essence of that which I am. And when I did, I felt a lot better...and my art got better… and I am a better person because of it.

Enjoy this post? Give it an upvote to let me know!