I used to think I was broken or that there was something wrong with me, because when winter showed up I became a totally different human.

The stark difference between Summer Darius and Winter Darius was really hard to accept.

If I wasn’t careful, Winter Darius would be very toxic and harmful to myself. I could easily disappear, sometimes for up to six weeks. My life would start to crumble, and the more time I was alone the harder it became to reconnect with the world.

At some points it felt impossible to get out of bed. I wouldn’t talk to anyone, unless I absolutely had to. And literally no one knew I was going through this, which only exacerbated the isolation and loneliness.

It felt as if in the summer months I was a fresh and fast-moving river, full of life and beauty.

And when November rolled up, that river started to freeze. And by December all life felt trapped in the cold ice.

The truth is, the surface does freeze over in the winter. But there are ways to keep the flow of creativity and life force energy moving underneath the surface all winter long.

Here 3 practical tips I now use every November to help myself more gently adjust to the changing seasons. —> watch on IG / watch on TikTok

If you have any good tips to fight off the winter blues please share them with me.

Big love,

D

Almost everyone I know wants to be more creative. And it takes a lot of courage to do so.

Diving into the depths of your heart and finding your truth requires great bravery, and it’s easy to get stuck by becoming self-critical and super fucking judgey.

So here’s a simple way out of this trap:

Find photos of you as a child and scatter them throughout your home or workspace. You don’t need a ton; one to five photos works great.

When you see the photos, take a moment to connect with the little human in these pictures. And most importantly take a moment to remember that there is a beautiful and precious part of you that is starting something creative. This younger version of yourself needs your love, your patience and your compassion way more than they need your criticism.

This is true all of the time, but it is especially true if you are starting a new project.

Yes, you may be an adult with decades of wisdom. But if you just started a podcast, TikTok, newsletter, group coaching, etc… then there is another part of you that still feels 8 years old.

You can ask yourself (and that younger part of you) simple questions like:

1. Are you having fun?

2. What’s your favourite part so far?

3. What would you like to try next?

And most of all, make sure to leave plenty of room for PLAY and CELEBRATION.

PS: Here are some photos of younger D. If you are interested send me a few photos of your younger self too. We’ll have a party for all the kids. :)

1. Go for a walk. There is something about fresh air and forward momentum that sparks creative thinking.

2. Lay on the floor, fully sprawled out. This can ground frantic energy fast and also slows down an overactive mind. It also feels great.

3. Take a shower. There is something creatively activating about doing physical tasks that require very little thinking. A lot of people get their best ideas in the shower.

4. Have a great orgasm. Okay, so this might not always be simple, but if you can find a way to make it work, it’s known to help. There’s a lot of literature and many ancient beliefs that connect sexuality and creativity. Do a quick google search on “Tantra and creativity” and you might learn something new.

5. Burn some sage or palo santo. Indigenous people have been burning sacred plants such as sage and palo santo for centuries. This is often a spiritual practice for Indigenous people and is used to cleanse unwanted energies in order to make space for new beginnings. I use this practice daily to clear my space and my mind. I also use it when I feel creatively stuck. One note: if you purchase sage or palo santo, do your best to ensure it is being sourced ethically and in a manner that respects the Indigenous people whose culture it originates from.

6. Find yourself a crystal or a gem. If you know me, you know I always have gems on me and around my house. Each gem is different. I particularly like rose quartz, labradorite and clear quartz for creativity.

Let me know which of these practices work for you, or if you have other tips that I should add to this list…

7. clean
8. journal
9. dance
10. music

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Human by: Lilian Motta
Photo by: Darius Bashar

It’s been just over a year and almost 100 YouTube videos. What an epic journey. 

Here’s what I know so far…

1. I am having a BLAST. I truly love making YouTube videos.

2. It’s way harder than I originally thought.

3. I have a LONG way to go… and that’s a great thing.

For anyone who is considering joining YouTube and is on the fence about starting a channel, I made this video that summarizes my 8 best lessons from the past year. 

These are 8 things I wish someone would’ve told me before I started my own YouTube channel.

Hope you enjoy the video. 😁

PS: HUGE shoutout to my “YouTube Cuddle Buddy” Misha Ras. He’s the dude who edits all the videos and often makes the music for the videos. And more than that, he's a true partner in shine and I am so grateful to work with him on all these videos and so much more.

PPS: If you dig this video and this message and want to support me and the Artist Morning YouTube channel, you can subscribe here → https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtistMorning⁣ // link in bio @dariusbashar

#YouTubeTips #createmore #creativityeveryday #artisttips #createdtocreate #createyourself #ArtistMorning #Artistsway

It’s too late for me. I missed my chance. I should have started years ago. 

There are too many artists / creators / musicians / businesses already in the space. They are way ahead of me. 

What could I possibly bring to the table that would be unique? 

I don’t want to look like a copycat. 

It’s just too late!

 — 

I have that voice in my head too. It kept me on the sidelines for a long time, just watching other people create cool shit. 

The good news is that I found a way around this unproductive thinking… 

Six steps to help me copy other artists in a way that is ethical, profitable and fun as f*ck.

It might not work for all artists and creators out there, but it worked for me. It gave me permission to play, express and create more than I ever imagined. 

It also gave me a brave space to build momentum as a new artist, a foundation to build on, and then eventually my own signature style. 

If you’re on the fence about getting into the self-expression game, I hope that this video gives you a nudge in the right direction. 

Big LOVE, 

D

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PS: If you dig this video and this message and want to support me and the Artist Morning YouTube channel, you can subscribe here → https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtistMorning⁣ // link in bio @dariusbashar

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PPS: Come meditate and journal with me. It’s totally free and everyone is welcome. You might just love it → https://www.artistmorning.com // link in bio @dariusbashar

I believe self-expression and creativity are the reasons we are here on this planet. It’s fundamental to living a fulfilled human life. 

I also believe that if you aren’t careful, the process of bringing a creative idea to life can swallow you up whole. 

It’s easy to lose yourself. You can become obsessed and lose grip with what’s really important to you and your life. 

Health, family, friends and financial stability can be pushed aside when you’re in the midst of birthing a new creative baby. 

This has happened to me many times in the past. 

All I can think about is the work. I forget to eat. I can’t sleep. I stop answering emails and text messages. 

Sometimes it leads to breakthrough work and self-expression…

…and sometimes it leads to me totally burning out and getting dangerously close to needing to shut out the entire world.

If you’re not careful, it can also lead to you resenting your own self-expression and decided to quit making art. 

In this video I share 3 practical things I do to work through the dark side of creativity: the inevitable CHAOS that seems to always come as a packaged deal when bringing a creative idea to life. 

Chaos is not a bad thing… as long as you are prepared for it and have a plan to make sure it doesn’t gobble you up. 

BIG Love,

D

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PS: If you dig this video and this message and want to support me and the Artist Morning's YouTube channel, you can subscribe here → https://www.youtube.com/c/ArtistMorning⁣ // link in bio @dariusbashar

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PPS: Come meditate and journal with me. It’s totally free and everyone is welcome. You might just love it → https://www.artistmorning.com // link in bio @dariusbashar

What's the highest emotional state an artist or creator can achieve? Is it the moment in which the project is finally complete? Or is it that point—somewhere in the middle—where the project is being birthed through them… that magical moment where the artist transcends themselves and is in total flow with the Universe?

This powerful question which was posed by Abraham Hicks rocked my world by reframing emotional intensity and creative doubt. More on this in the video below.

Big love!

D

PS: If you enjoyed this video and want to see more like it, subscribe to my YouTube channel. I share all sorts of FREE videos like this that will help you continue up-levelling your skills as a Creator. ⁣⁣ ⁣

PPS: Come meditate with me!!! → https://www.artistmorning.com