S1 - E15 | Ryan finds his Innate Creativity After 15 Years of Shutting it Out

The Crucible:Conversations for the Curious

Highlight

And so I had this really great gift of being able to tap into creativity and this powerful energy of self-discovery and sharing yourself and flow and all these words. And then I just decided I wasn't going to trust it. And I cut it off for probably about 15 years.

summary

Ryan Watts shares his personal journey of self-discovery and reconnecting with his creativity. He discusses the importance of self-awareness and being present in the moment. He also explores the concept of ADHD as a form of hyper-creativity and the need to regulate emotions.
Ryan emphasises the drive to alter consciousness and how it can be channelled into meaningful and impactful pursuits. He reflects on the transformative experience of becoming a parent and the natural instinct to care for others. Ryan concludes by discussing the importance of creating space and nurturing growth in order to project peace and love into the world. The conversation explores the importance of self-regulation and the role of consciousness in elevating human experience.
Ryan shares The Physiological Sigh breathing technique as a way to shift from fight or flight to rest and digest.
He emphasises the need for intentional practices like meditation and mindfulness to switch tracks and access the rest and digest part of our nervous system.
The conversation also delves into the dangers of quick fixes and the importance of agency and choice in personal growth. The concept of detachment and creating space between stimulus and response is highlighted as a way to cultivate awareness and make intentional decisions.

Ryan Watts

Website - https://www.ryanwattslifecoaching.com/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ryan.watts3
Instagram - https://instagram.com/ryanwattslifecoaching
YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMS4V_JkZBDXr7G_7d1RTfw
Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanwattsmba/
Podcast on Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/0poXmaxpjA6ViNDy1KOh9c
Ryan has kindly offered a free download for everyone who listens to or watches this podcast, “The 5 Reasons You Feel Stuck in Your Career” Click https://ryanwattslifecoaching.com/5reasons

Takeaways

• Self-awareness and being present at the moment are key to personal growth and fulfilment.
• ADHD can be seen as a form of hyper-creativity and a need to regulate emotions.
• The drive to alter consciousness is a primal instinct that can be channelled into meaningful and impactful pursuits.
• Becoming a parent can transform one's perspective and deepen the understanding of humanity's natural instinct to care for others.
• Creating space and nurturing growth can help project peace and love into the world. The physiological sigh breathing technique can help shift from fight or flight to rest and digest.
• Practices like meditation and mindfulness can help switch tracks and access the rest and digest part of our nervous system.
• Quick fixes can provide temporary relief but may hinder personal growth and agency.
• Creating space between stimulus and response allows for intentional decision-making and cultivates awareness.
• Detachment from familiar patterns and beliefs can lead to personal growth and the exploration of new possibilities.

Sound Bites

• "Children calming themselves down, moving from fight or flight to rest and digest."
• "Addiction as a way to switch back to rest and digest, but with great cost over time."
• "I think that if we all could quiet our minds, we find that our nature is actually to want to help other people."
• "I had this really great gift of being able to tap into creativity and this powerful energy of self-discovery and sharing yourself and flow... And then I just decided I wasn't going to trust it."
• "Even now, you know, I work with a coach, and I have a therapist just because I believe in this idea of self-discovery, and I don't know that you ever get to a place where you're like, okay, I'm discovered."
• "Just be there. Just show up there. Yeah, you remember the past, but the only thing that's really there is now."

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction and Background

04:59 - The Disconnect from Creativity

08:30 - Reconnecting with Creativity and Self-Trust

18:09 - Understanding ADHD as Hyper-Creativity and a Drive to Alter Consciousness

21:31 - Exploring Humanity's Primal Drives

24:24 - The Transformative Experience of Parenthood

36:49 - The Role of the Brain in Reactivity

39:12 - Breathing Techniques for Shifting from Fight or Flight to Rest and Digest

43:41 - The Role of Addiction in Self-Regulation

47:05 - Exploring Consciousness and Elevating It

52:44 - Eastern Philosophy and the Balance of Yin and Yang

01:00:44 - Choosing the Response: Stepping Out of Familiar Patterns

01:06:13 - Creating Space Between Stimulus and Response

01:11:02 - Finding the Singularity and Allowing for Personal Growth