Meet Varada Sharma

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Varada Sharma a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Varada, so happy to have you with us today. You are such a creative person, but have you ever head any sort of creativity block along the way? If so, can you talk to us about how you overcame or beat it?
As an artist and an amateur writer, I do face my fair share of creativity blocks. Here are some ideas that help me get out of a slump

1. Trying something completely new or different – sometimes the slump hits when I have done a lot of one thing – creating card projects all the time or using only one technique all the time and so on. When I feel like I am not feeling inspired to do more of that thing, I switch things up a bit. For instance, instead of cards I will make gift boxes or home decor or even jewelry pieces. If getting into one single story too deep is making me feel like I have nowhere to go, I will start another piece – sometimes even a journal page will help break the monotony and help me bounce back. At times I also do something entirely different – like gardening and being with my vegetable garden brings back my creative juices.

2. Try something you haven’t tried in a while or an old favorite – this is my go-to when my work demands that I cannot stray too far from my deliverables. For example, I am supposed to submit paper crafting projects using a particular company’s products, so I cannot simply go create jewelry. In cases like this, I will go back to an older technique or something I haven’t tried in a while. Sometime that little nudge is all it takes.

3. Use old pieces (leftovers) or old ideas again – As artists, we are creators and more often than not, we end up having things that are partially completed. I do keep these on hand and use them to create something instead of starting from scratch. This lowers the intimidating feeling I get if I have to do all the steps from start to finish for a project. Card backgrounds or foiled sentiments that are ready to be used on cards are classic examples. I also save some of my random thoughts and ideas in my Notes for stories that I write. Sometimes I will simply recreate an older project, say a home decor item, in new colors or using new designs to get back into creating mode.

4. Challenge yourself or add constraints – At times I find that the slump is an overwhelm – having too many new supplies to be showcased, too many ideas swimming in my head and so on. In this case, I will add artificial constraints on myself – a time limit to finish say 500 words or a restricted color palette or using only certain elements for crafting. This frees up the mind from clutter and brings focus. This sort of challenge is another slump-breaker for sure.

5. Be okay with a not satisfactory result for the first attempt after bouncing back – I will remiss if I don’t add this one. Despite best intentions to motivate myself to come out of a block, at times the first work I create will not be something I am proud of. I do give myself grace and leave that piece alone. And to be honest quite often these pieces-I-am-not-proud-of will emerge into something entire different after some days. #win-win

Bonus tips:
– Make leftovers – When you are feeling your best, create more than necessary and keep those assets somewhere. When you are doing some work that you don’t like, leave it alone for some time before discarding completely. This is kinda like planning ahead for a block day.
– Make plans – when I don’t feel like actually creating, I often make plans with my supplies. I will doodle card sketches and make notes for ideas I would like to pursue for each product I have to create with. I will make chapter summaries and plot advances for several upcoming chapters and also put delivery dates for each. This pushes me to get moving and each day I know exactly what I need to accomplish.

Hope these help 🙂

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am the creative entrepreneur behind varadasharma.com. At my digital storefront, I specialize in crafting beautiful, one-of-a-kind designs tailored for card makers and paper crafters alike. These designs are available as digital assets, conveniently accessible through both my website and Etsy.

Expanding my reach beyond the digital realm, I’ve recently embarked on a collaboration with RubberStamps.com, where I’m excited to offer physical stamps featuring my signature designs since 2023. It’s an endeavor aimed at bridging the gap between the digital and tangible worlds of crafting, opening doors for even more techniques and ideas.

In addition to my product offerings, I’m dedicated to fostering creativity and inspiration within the crafting community. Through my blog, Instagram, and YouTube channel, I regularly share my experiments and learning with tools and products, not just my own products.

Together with a growing community of like-minded crafters, we’re committed to spreading the values of beauty, creativity, and kindness through our shared passion.

Looking ahead to 2023, I have ambitious plans to expand both my design catalog, product offerings, and the educational + inspirational aspects of crafting, further enriching the experience for enthusiasts at every skill level.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Perseverance – no one is going to be born great at anything. Consistent practice and perseverance is what we need to succeed in any career be it creative or otherwise. Sometimes it might feel hard to keep going especially in the beginning when you don’t see much success, but doing one thing every day that gets you closer to the goal is still better than nothing. Remember, aim for progress over perfection.

2. Positivity – when you are in any career and trying to make a mark in that field, there will be setbacks, naysayers and many self-doubts that plague you along the way. We need to hold on to positivity and hope in these situations. It’s like the famous gold digger’s story who gave up only for the next team to find gold only after digging in a meter down.

3. Curiosity – Stay curious, stay hungry for knowledge, read, experiment, experience, learn. Being complacent will not help you move forward. Curiosity will be a great quality to have that will help you build and improve on the skills you need to grow in your career or your business.

Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I have always loved reading and as I grow up my taste in books has also grown. I read anything from mythological fictions and classics to IT related books and self help books. In the last few years I have enjoyed reading several good books which have helped me in my business. Some of them were – ‘Eat That Frog!’ by Brian Tracy
– ‘The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People’ by Stephen Covey
– ‘Who will cry when you die?’ by Robin Sharma
– ‘The Secret’ by Rhonda Byrne
– ‘Who moved my cheese?’ by Spencer Johnson
– ‘Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life’ by Francesc Miralles and Hector Garcia

Late last year, I read “The Atomic Habits” by James Clear. This is a game-changing book that delves into the science and psychology behind habit formation. Clear presents a refreshing perspective on how tiny, incremental changes can lead to remarkable results over time. His concept of “atomic habits,” small habits that compound to create significant improvements, is both empowering and practical.

What sets this book apart is Clear’s ability to distill complex behavioral science into actionable strategies that anyone can implement. From the importance of habit stacking to the concept of habit tracking, each chapter is filled with practical insights and real-life examples that resonate with readers.

Clear’s writing style is engaging and relatable, making it easy to digest the wealth of information presented. Whether you’re looking to break bad habits, build positive ones, or simply optimize your daily routines, “The Atomic Habits” offers invaluable guidance and inspiration.

The book also references several further links and checklists available on jamesclear.com. Overall, I highly recommend “The Atomic Habits” to anyone seeking to make lasting changes in their business or career or lives. It’s a transformative read that has the potential to unlock your full potential and lead you towards a life of success and fulfillment.

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