The Creative Millennial - Glitched Garden

How to Get Out of a Creative Slump

November 8, 2020November 8, 2020
by Zel

Sundays With You | Digital Art | Nov 2020

Definitely experiencing a creative slump. Need a new perspective on life. Or maybe just need a new hobby.

How to Get Out of a Creative Slump:

Every creative goes through a creative slump or blockage from time to time. This is mainly affected my numerous factors in one life, including:

plateauing
stress
current environment
motivation
inspiration
life events

1. Create Space

Allow yourself to create space, not only physically but mentally. Be able to breathe and realize your current situation. What is working? What is blocking you? Create a space where you are able to organize your thoughts, organize your surroundings and organize your work.

2. Try New Things

Sometimes you find yourself doing the same routine every single day. There’s a saying,

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.”

Find a new hobby, take a different route to work than your normally take, or something as small as waking up a little earlier than usual. Go spontaneously buy a plant or go for a walk. Do something you normally wouldn’t do on a Sunday afternoon to break your cycle of insanity.

3. Take a Break

Maybe it’s stress from work, family or whatever it may be in your life. Sometimes it’s okay to walk away from everything, meditate and just be present with your breathe. Allow yourself to take a break from whatever you’re working on and go have fun. Little things like going for a walk, being in nature, talking to some friends or reading a book.

More Life

The only way to really get out of a creative slump is to pull yourself out of it. Be able to recognize the slumpy situation you’re in and commit to getting yourself out. As humans we are programmed to follow the same routines every single day. Sometimes it’s good to acknowledge that we are only human, and we need breaks, we need self care. Be able to detach from things, come back with a fresh set of eyes. Dig into inspiration, talk to your friends and find a new spark in life. There is definitely more life after this creative slump.

My Feminine Energy

How to Live Your Liquid Life

August 16, 2020August 16, 2020
by Zel

Liquid Life | My Feminine Energy | Aug 2020

Your perception of life is constantly changing

Fluid and organic

-Liquid Life

What is life really about? Most people have a certain way they view their past, present and future lives. Most people create plans, and they never seem to work out, or go the way we want them to. This concept of “Liquid Life” refers to the fluidity of life and how it is constantly changing. Our plans, our goals, our decisions are always shifting.

To feel stagnant is just a feeling, because time really does wait for no one. Changes are always happening.

Here are some mental tips to help you live your liquid life:

Mental Tip #1: Allow changes to happen. Don’t get so upset that things don’t go your way. Instead take a breather and pause to reevaluate your situation.

Mental Tip #2: Don’t be so stuck in the past so much. The past created you, but your past does not define you. It’s important to understand your past trauma, past experiences and past life, but also to look forward to your present and future self and the changes you’ve made from your past.

Mental Tip #3: Appreciate the spectacular now. Your present life is really the one that is the most liquid. When we work everyday, do the same things everyday, we fall into reoccurring cycles that start to feel like a simulation manufactured to do the same things every day, until you break out of the cycle. Appreciating the spectacular now is being able to appreciate the one second you’re breathing, because that second disappears so fast. Live today, leave your worries for tomorrow.

Mental Tip #4: Plan your future, but don’t marry your future. It’s always good to build a picture of your perfect life, but understand that our perceptions of life cannot be perfectly built. So when things don’t go the way you planned, just know things will be okay. Changes really do happen for a reason, even though we’ll never know why. Life is so mysterious in that way.

Mental Tip #5: Do not compare your life to anyone else. We may have similar lives to others, but you really are 1 of 1. It’s your decisions, your goals and your own life to live. More life.

Logo & Branding

AGTASeeds Logo & Brand Developement

July 7, 2020July 7, 2020
by Zel

AGTASeeds Brand Development| July 2020 | Logo & Branding

Listen in with the power of 5 as they encourage connectivity; hold space — express insight on experiences through mental and emotional health as descendants from immigrant/non-immigrant families. To heal ancestral stigmas and shame regarding societal expectations.
AGTASeeds – Sampaguita555

AGTASeeds is a space that holds discussions based on the mental and emotional health of descendants from immigrant/non-immigrant families.

They have recently released their podcast July 2020 on platforms including Spotify, Anchor and Apple Podcasts.

Tune in:

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/show/25ttm5RxUjyST6y9EVs2CJ?si=mi5UL2ADT6CJHp0L9w0o8g

Anchor – https://anchor.fm/agtaseeds

Apple Podcast – https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/agtaseeds/id1522411899

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/agtaseeds/

Uncategorized

Generations of Ancestral Trauma

June 4, 2020June 4, 2020
by Zel

As most of you already know, these have been unprecedented times all around the world, especially with the struggle for communities to control the spread of the corona pandemic. But that’s not the only problem that has surfaced. Let’s get to the point. Racism still exists. As it may have seemed like we have progressed as a human race, the karmic patterns have caught up with us. We are seeing too many people, particularly innocent black lives, murdered and unjustified through a corrupt system we call the United States.

Of course, we cannot change the past. We cannot change the foundational systems of yesterday. But we CAN change the future. We can create NEW SYSTEMS in place for tomorrow. The Millennials and Gen Z are fed up with what our ancestors have dealt with for generations and we are definitely BREAKING the karmic cycle of all our ancestral trauma.

This is not a competition with each other, this is a fight for basic human rights and quality of life, including black lives.

The synchronicities of a lot of karmic cycles are all surfacing at the same time. We’re not talking years. We’re talking GENERATIONS, HUNDREDS OF YEARS of hurt, turmoil, injustice, murder, rape and slavery.

What is so hard for a lot of people like you and I to understand is that there are a lot of people that have not progressed at all and still believe in old systems, still abuse their powers, still judge by skin color. You must understand the weight of this problem that so many people are carrying.

The purpose of this post is to reach out to anyone trying to get a grasp what’s going on. I personally cannot speak for our black brothers and sisters, but I can do everything else. Advocate, donate, protest. Black lives matter, always mattered, always will matter.

Look at the broader picture. Things are changing. You are here for the change. Be present, or remain in the background. Either way, the changes are happening, the karmic cycles are breaking, the new systems are being created.

Here are some organizations to look into and support our black communities:

The Loveland Foundation – https://thelovelandfoundation.org/

Loveland Foundation is committed to showing up for communities of color in unique and powerful ways, with a particular focus on Black women and girls. Our resources and initiatives are collaborative and they prioritize opportunity, access, validation, and healing. We are becoming the ones we’ve been waiting for.”
The Loveland Foundation

Black Visions Collective – https://www.blackvisionsmn.org/

We aim to center our work in healing and transformative justice principles, intentionally develop our organizations core “DNA” to ensure sustainability, and develop Minnesota’s emerging Black leadership to lead powerful campaigns. By building movements from the ground up with an integrated model, we are creating the conditions for long term success and transformation.”
Black Visions Collective

NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund – https://www.naacpldf.org/

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is America’s premier legal organization fighting for racial justice. Through litigation, advocacy, and public education, LDF seeks structural changes to expand democracy, eliminate disparities, and achieve racial justice in a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans.”
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund

The Creative Millennial

Putting a spotlight on mental health awareness month this May. You and I are on a roller coaster called life. Some days feel like you’re flying a cloud, other days feel like you’re at the bottom of a bottomless ocean. With everything you’ve ever gone through, just know that you are here. You are present, you are valued and you are appreciated.

The Creative Millennial

The Art of Sustainability

April 22, 2020April 22, 2020
by Zel

Heal the World, April 2020 | Typography | Photoshop

Earth Day, April 2020 | Illustration | Illustrator, Photoshop

Today’s topic focuses on the art of practicing sustainable practices and why it is beneficial. Today is April 22, 2020, in the middle of a global pandemic, there is still triumph in celebrating Earth Day.

Why should we even practice sustainability or even care about the earth? Over the decades, the earth has been exposed to issues including climate change, deforestation, pollution, global warming, industrial and household waste build up, and many more endangering wildlife and humanity. According to the Conservation International Foundation (CIF),

The world is on course for a 3.7-4.8°C temperature increase by 2100, which would cause catastrophic and irreparable damage – wiping away coastlines and turning our forests into savannahs.
Conservation International Foundation, https://www.conservation.org/

CIF explains , “Eleven percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans are caused by deforestation — comparable to the emissions from all of the cars and trucks on the planet.” Practicing sustainability is important in protecting and maintaining a healthy earth to live in.

Growing up, you’re taught the fundamentals of life. You hear over and over again, practice good hygiene, obey the law, reduce, reuse, recycle and all the other basic principles. But how many of those principles have we truly researched, explored or continuously practice throughout our lifetime? How many of us even know how important it is to practice sustainability. There are so many organizations that advocate healthy, sustainable practices that everyone can do to help our planet.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) explains,

Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. To pursue sustainability is to create and maintain the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations.
United States Environmental Protection Agency, https://www.epa.gov/sustainability/

Earth Day Network initiated its first Earth Day in 1970, the world’s largest recruiter to the environmental movement. Since then, they’ve mobilized 1 billion people “with more than 75,000 partners in over 190 countries to drive positive action for our planet (earthday.org).” There are so many organizations like Earth Day Network fighting for our planet. Find out what your local community is doing (or not doing). Google is just a question away from answering all your environmental questions.

So you’ve decided you want to save the earth, but don’t know how. Here are some simple steps to practice sustainability and protect the earth in your life:

Minimize waste. Having a good waste management ethic reduces the amount of build up harboring the planet. Buy what you need. Recycle used packaging or use reusable bags while shopping.

Use less plastic. Plastic can release harmful chemicals into the environment. “Some plastics we know are toxic, which is also known as PVC or vinyl. PVC contains phthalates and heavy metals, and creates dioxins when it burns (Ecology Center).” Humans don’t eat plastic, so why should we let animals and plants eat them?

Reduce your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the amount of gas and emission you are emitting into the atmosphere. Do this by carpooling with friends and changing modes of transportation like biking, switching to hybrid/electric vehicles.

Be energy efficient. This ties in with reducing your carbon footprint by using less electricity, or switching to energy efficient appliances and products like investing in solar energy. Many power plants contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the air.

Buy eco-friendly. Purchase products and support organizations that practice sustainability.

Advocate. This one is easy. Just spread the word about sustainability and your intentions in helping the earth. Get a couple of friends to join an environmental movement, or create your own. The first step to saving the earth is changing our world’s mindset.

Make everyday Earth Day! We may not live to see the full impact of our sustainable efforts, but we are definitely going to see an impact in the next decade. It’s your choice whether or not you want to contribute to saving the earth. You don’t have to go out and move mountains right now, but go ahead and appreciate the earth today. What a lucky place to be.

Illustration

Hanging In There

April 12, 2020April 22, 2020
by Zel

We’re all feeling the effects of the global quarantine amidst a pandemic. A lot of life has changed in the past 2 months. Almost 10% of the US workforce has filed for unemployment, that’s 1 out of every 10 people. The other 90% has adjusted to new working conditions, whether it’s working remotely or higher risk environments. Life has definitely changed.

These times make you think about how to survive financially, mentally, physically or creatively. It’s almost like life has taken a pause. For those that have so much time on their hands, it leaves the mind to wander for hours. So much time to think, worry or plan.

On a positive note, working from home has given a lot of people a breath of fresh air. Some of us were raised with workaholic immigrant parents who started their lives from the ground up and taught to work hard to live the “America dream”. Following those footsteps, we are caught into the same routine every single day. Wake up, work hard all day, tire yourself out Monday thru Friday, be unmotivated Saturday, dread Sunday and repeat into a constant cycle. With the pandemic, it’s caused millions of people to pause their daily routines to stay home. So much time on everyone’s hands. Despite what’s going on, being home for the past month gave a lot of us room to breathe, create projects for fun, reach out to friends to make sure they are okay.

No one ever expected this to happen to any of us. We definitely stretched our world to its limits. Earth has been given time to heal. Humanity has been given time to heal as well. Drawing these plants helped me find therapy in all this mess. Do whatever it is to keep you sane during these times and just hang in there.

The Creative Millennial

April 1, 2020April 22, 2020
by Zel

Definition of creative: Relating to or involving the imagination or original ideas, especially in the production of an artistic work.”
Oxford University Press (OUP), 2019

My name is Zel, and I am the founder, creator and creative director of my creative studio, Glitched Garden. As my first official blog post, I’d like to introduce the birth of The Creative Millennial. The true purpose of this blog is to document my process as a creative millennial living day-to-day struggles, triumphs and tribulations. What does it mean to be a creative? What does it mean to be a millennial? Topics will include balancing a regular 9-5 corporate job with a multiple side passions, breaking through those non-motivational barriers to create, as well as spotlighting other creatives.

As a creative, there are so many things to do, but not enough time or lack of motivation. If there are any creatives out there listening, I am here to tell you, you are not alone. This also goes for millennials. I am here with you every step of the way. I’ll discuss everyday millennial living, figuring out adulthood, all while still trying to remain creative and create content. This blog is not just a creative blog, it is the lifestyle of The Creative Millennial.