August 4, 2025 • 15 mins
Creativity isn't reserved for the naturally gifted—it's a muscle we can all strengthen through strategic practice. After spending decades believing I lacked creative ability, I recently had a revelation while buzzing around my apartment on an early Saturday morning. My studio was filled with creative stations: painting supplies, podcast equipment, a vision board, and even a puzzle corner. How did someone who once believed she had "no creative bones" in her body develop so many creative pursuits?
The answer lies in applying the same three-part framework I've used throughout my fitness career: information, implementation, and integration. We often get trapped collecting knowledge without ever putting it into practice. The real transformation happens when we implement what we've learned and then integrate the practices that work for us personally.
Even without innate creative gifts, you can cultivate creativity through intentional practice.
I challenge you to explore those curiosities you've been ignoring—the ones that keep you up at night or spark excitement when you imagine pursuing them.
Connect with Me
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tianasmindandmoves
Website: unbreakablemindandbody.com
Email: info@unbreakablemb.com
Download your Free 5-Min Pre-Workout Guide:
https://tiana-gonzalez.mykajabi.com/likeyoumeanit
Disclaimer: This show is for education and entertainment purposes only. This is not intended as a replacement for therapy. Please seek out the help of a professional to assist you with your specific situation.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to the Unbreakable Mind and Body
podcast.
I am your host, tiana Gonzalez,a multi-passionate, creative
storyteller and entrepreneurwith a fierce love for movement.
This is our space for powerfulstories and actionable
strategies to help you buildmental resilience and elevate
(00:28):
your self-care practice.
Together, we will unlock thetools that you need to create an
unbreakable mind and body.
What's going on?
Welcome back to the show.
I am your host, tiana, and onthis episode, we're going to tap
into a conversation aroundcreativity and how, with some
(00:51):
strategy, you could actuallyfoster more creativity and
become more creative in yourlife.
Now, as a kid, I did not think Iwas creative.
I was definitely more of a mathand science loving student.
I enjoyed English, I enjoyedlearning Spanish in school, was
(01:17):
not a fan of history and it justdidn't click for me.
And looking back, I remembermany times where, in art class,
the things that I put togetheror created I wasn't pleased with
, I had very high expectationsand I think a lot of it came
(01:38):
down to just being really hardon myself that I had
expectations of perfection or ofsomething very much advanced
when I was more of a beginner.
Now, as an adult, of course,now I understand and know that
you can refine your craft in anyendeavor to become moderately
(02:03):
good, very good master, maybeeven excellent.
It truly depends on how muchtime you're willing to invest
and pour into said activity.
So yesterday I was cleaning myapartment up a little bit in the
morning, getting ready for theday, getting ready to go to the
(02:23):
gym, and some of you may knowthat I get up pretty early.
Most days I'm up around 5, 5.30AM.
Even on the weekends, when Idon't need to be up that early,
that's when my body wants towake up.
So I'm up early.
I typically, on a Saturday, willmake my coffee.
I drink it nice and slow willmake my coffee.
(02:44):
I drink it nice and slow.
I write down.
I wouldn't say it's a journalentry, but I write down the
thoughts that flow in and outwhile I'm having my coffee.
Sometimes I put on some soundwaves or some spa music.
Other times I'll listen to oneof the Spanish podcasts.
(03:04):
Remember I mentioned it in aprevious episode that I am
recommitting to immersing myselfin the Spanish language.
I have done good so far.
I have listened every singleday.
In fact, today was the most Idid about 90 minutes of
immersion, super proud of myselffor that.
So, as I'm preparing for the day, getting ready to go to the gym
(03:25):
to work out for myself and Itypically do that early Saturday
mornings side note much earlierthan I used to only because the
gym gets really crowded andit's very frustrating when you
can't get on the equipment thatyou want when you want it.
So what do I do?
I said, well, I'm already upsuper early, what's the big deal
(03:48):
?
I'll just have a bigger mealfirst and I will go to the gym
and I will fill my cup.
And it has been game changing.
So I'm buzzing around theapartment.
I probably have some coffee inme, but not all of it.
I had done my writing for themorning.
I'm immersed in Spanish and Irealized that I had several
(04:10):
areas within my studio apartmentdedicated to creative pursuits.
In one area I have my paintings, all of my painting supplies
and a large easel my paintings,all of my painting supplies and
a large easel.
In another area, I have mypodcast equipment, blankets and
pillows that I use.
I put them around me while I'mrecording to muffle any
(04:34):
excessive sounds from outside orpeople in the hallway.
It's not perfect, I know.
Sometimes there is a little bitof background noise that you
can hear in these recordings,but I try my best.
And then I also have a visionboard behind my desk that has
multiple images, in a collagetype of fashion, of things I
(04:54):
want to manifest into my life.
And yes, wait, there's more.
I bought a puzzle and so Idecided to get cracking and
create this puzzle.
I bought it on Friday, startedon Friday, did a little bit on
Saturday and I had to pause andsay to myself wait a minute.
(05:15):
For somebody who, as a kid,thought that I had no creative
bones in my body.
I have quite a number ofcreative things going on right
now.
In addition to all of thesethings that I mentioned, I also
create content.
I create this show for you tolisten to.
(05:41):
I've created several offers overthe last 13 years that I've
been an entrepreneur, or atleast in the fitness industry,
as a trainer, coach, mentor, andI've created tons and tons of
things, and I will tell you that, especially with the digital
offers and with puttingsomething out into the universe,
(06:04):
it's so fucking scary and it'sreally the only way to see what
you got going on is to just putit together and put it out there
, see if you get any bites, thengo back to the drawing board.
And I think that now, at thispoint in life, it's not so much
(06:27):
that I see myself as a verycreative, like a naturally
creative person.
Maybe perhaps there's some ofthat there but I've applied the
same principles that I used formore than half of my life in
fitness more than half of mylife in fitness, in health, in
(06:51):
nutrition, in being my ownadvocate when it came to health
conditions, having blood workdone, getting tests performed,
seeing doctors putting the bestquality things that I could find
into my body meaning like myfood, where my food comes from,
sourcing it, the supplements Iuse I'm pretty particular about
what I put into my body and allof that has helped me with my
(07:18):
creative endeavors, because it'sthe same type of thing.
The same type of thing, you'reapplying the same energy, you
are taking a step forward, youare implementing things, you're
trying them, you see what worksfor you and you keep readjusting
.
And, quite frankly, it's verychallenging for me and sometimes
(07:42):
frustrating, because I see ahuge disconnect with many people
that I talk to, particularlywhen we're doing a discovery
session or a consultation,because they're potentially
interested in working with me tohelp them reach a health and
wellness goal.
They're looking for information, but what frustrates me is we
(08:04):
don't need more information.
But what frustrates me is wedon't need more information.
We don't need more information,we have enough information.
What we need is to take theinformation we have, implement
it into our current lifestyle,see what works, see what doesn't
(08:29):
, and then you can take a stepforward.
So that's the integration part.
So you have information,implementation and integration,
and these are all very differentand they are interconnected.
I'm starting to notice a themeamong all of my episodes how I
can take different words andconcepts and make them fit
(08:49):
together like puzzle pieces.
How funny, because I was justtalking about a puzzle.
Side note, the puzzle that Igot is so adorable.
It's actually a picture, it's apainting of different plants in
pots and then it has the nameof the plant and then, in
(09:10):
smaller font, under the name ofthe plant, it tells you how to
take care of it.
I am a bad plant mommy.
I have always killed my plants.
Even I had a small succulentand I killed it.
I really don't know what it is.
Maybe it's the apartment.
Yeah, we're just going to blameit on the apartment.
But anyway, the puzzle is soadorable and I thought to myself
(09:34):
this would be a really funchallenge.
So that's my side note on thepuzzle.
But going back to information,implementation and integration,
to information, implementationand integration, it's the same
as a creative pursuit, becauseinformation you get the
information that you're going tolearn in order to create.
(09:55):
Let's say it's a painting, orlet's say it's a clay sculpture
right.
Then you're going to implementit.
You're going to take whatyou've learned and you're going
to take a stab at it.
You're going to try.
Then you're going to see whatworks well.
And when it comes to a piece ofart and it's the integration
(10:18):
part I believe that there's moreflexibility there, unless
you're creating something andyou have specific guidelines.
For example, if you're acontent creator or a marketing
specialist and you're workingfor someone, they're going to
give you the blueprint, thenon-negotiables, the confines or
the things that they want tosee happen within the content or
(10:42):
the artwork that you'recreating.
And so you take those pieces ofinformation and you create your
thing, whatever it is piece ofcontent, a story, a sales page,
a blog post, a draft of awebsite or a landing page
whatever it is, it's the samething.
(11:04):
It's the same thing in fitnessyou work with the trainer, you
get the information and you geta workout.
So now we're starting toimplement things.
Then you are going to go andwork out on your own and see
what works for you, what trulycan stick, and that's the
integration part.
(11:26):
This also falls in line withsome of the things I've talked
about in previous episodes onthis show, about healing
yourself and, instead ofabandoning the old versions of
you, you learn how to integrate.
You learn how to make peacewith your old self.
You find yourself a morecohesive and robust individual
(11:52):
because, yeah, maybe you mademistakes in the past, but you
did the best you could with thethings you had at your disposal
at that time, and that's all youcan ask of yourself.
You know you did that and sonow you know better.
And now that you know better,you won't make that mistake
again.
You'll make a new mistake, andit's literally the same thing,
(12:16):
whether it's a piece of artyou're creating, whether it's
something you want to accomplishin the gym or with your
nutrition, where you would learnhabits and then start
implementing them into yourexisting lifestyle so that it
could be sustainable.
That's the integration part.
I don't know if this makes senseto you and I'm hoping that it
(12:38):
does, because I'm trying to makethis simple but what I'm
getting at here is that, whetheryou consider yourself creative
or not, you can cultivate thatcreativity.
You can learn how to becomemore creative.
Are some people more naturallyinclined to be better at certain
things than others?
Yes, of course you have folkswho are genetically gifted in
(13:03):
athletics, in sports.
You have others who have arefined ear for music or for
dancing or for singing.
Yes, that's raw talent.
And then when you apply thediscipline aspect, the hard work
with the talent, that's how youget the beautiful masterpiece.
(13:24):
So what I want you to do iswalk away from this episode and
think of yourself as a potentialmasterpiece.
You are going to put in thework with the talents and the
gifts and the skills that youalready have, and you're going
to implement the new informationthat you are learning as you
(13:47):
are traversing through life, dayin, day out, and you're going
to start integrating the thingsthat work.
I hope that this makes sense.
Today's a short episode because,quite frankly, I think I've
made my point.
I don't need to ramble for 30minutes to make my point.
(14:07):
The point here is I want toencourage you to explore the
things that you are craving toexplore, to tap into those
curiosities that you are justignoring and the thing that
pokes at you or that keeps youup at night or that you cannot
stop thinking about because it'ssomething on your heart.
(14:28):
You need to honor the innerchild, the person who initially
saw that thing or had thatcuriosity or felt that itch, and
go for it.
Before I sign off, I want toremind you that I do have a free
little five-minute pre-workoutritual that you can download.
(14:49):
There's a link in the show notes.
It's called Lift.
Like you Mean it.
It's a quick five-minutepre-workout ritual for you to
get your mind right before youget into the gym so that you can
accomplish your goals.
The ritual includes taking abreath, setting an intention for
the day, coming up with the topthree exercises that you want
(15:09):
to hit and walking into the gymcompletely confident, knowing
what you're there to do, gettingit done and getting out of
there, so that you're not in thegym spinning your wheels for
days, weeks, months at a time,feeling like you're still not
really sure if what you're doingis effective.
So you can go to the notes anddownload that link.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
(15:32):
I appreciate your time andattention more than you will
ever know.
As always, I'll catch you onthe next one.
Welcome to the Unbreakable Mind and Body
podcast.
I am your host, tiana Gonzalez,a multi-passionate, creative
storyteller and entrepreneurwith a fierce love for movement.
This is our space for powerfulstories and actionable
strategies to help you buildmental resilience and elevate
(00:28):
your self-care practice.
Together, we will unlock thetools that you need to create an
unbreakable mind and body.
What's going on?
Welcome back to the show.
I am your host, tiana, and onthis episode, we're going to tap
into a conversation aroundcreativity and how, with some
(00:51):
strategy, you could actuallyfoster more creativity and
become more creative in yourlife.
Now, as a kid, I did not think Iwas creative.
I was definitely more of a mathand science loving student.
I enjoyed English, I enjoyedlearning Spanish in school, was
(01:17):
not a fan of history and it justdidn't click for me.
And looking back, I remembermany times where, in art class,
the things that I put togetheror created I wasn't pleased with
, I had very high expectationsand I think a lot of it came
(01:38):
down to just being really hardon myself that I had
expectations of perfection or ofsomething very much advanced
when I was more of a beginner.
Now, as an adult, of course,now I understand and know that
you can refine your craft in anyendeavor to become moderately
(02:03):
good, very good master, maybeeven excellent.
It truly depends on how muchtime you're willing to invest
and pour into said activity.
So yesterday I was cleaning myapartment up a little bit in the
morning, getting ready for theday, getting ready to go to the
(02:23):
gym, and some of you may knowthat I get up pretty early.
Most days I'm up around 5, 5.30AM.
Even on the weekends, when Idon't need to be up that early,
that's when my body wants towake up.
So I'm up early.
I typically, on a Saturday, willmake my coffee.
I drink it nice and slow willmake my coffee.
(02:44):
I drink it nice and slow.
I write down.
I wouldn't say it's a journalentry, but I write down the
thoughts that flow in and outwhile I'm having my coffee.
Sometimes I put on some soundwaves or some spa music.
Other times I'll listen to oneof the Spanish podcasts.
(03:04):
Remember I mentioned it in aprevious episode that I am
recommitting to immersing myselfin the Spanish language.
I have done good so far.
I have listened every singleday.
In fact, today was the most Idid about 90 minutes of
immersion, super proud of myselffor that.
So, as I'm preparing for the day, getting ready to go to the gym
(03:25):
to work out for myself and Itypically do that early Saturday
mornings side note much earlierthan I used to only because the
gym gets really crowded andit's very frustrating when you
can't get on the equipment thatyou want when you want it.
So what do I do?
I said, well, I'm already upsuper early, what's the big deal
(03:48):
?
I'll just have a bigger mealfirst and I will go to the gym
and I will fill my cup.
And it has been game changing.
So I'm buzzing around theapartment.
I probably have some coffee inme, but not all of it.
I had done my writing for themorning.
I'm immersed in Spanish and Irealized that I had several
(04:10):
areas within my studio apartmentdedicated to creative pursuits.
In one area I have my paintings, all of my painting supplies
and a large easel my paintings,all of my painting supplies and
a large easel.
In another area, I have mypodcast equipment, blankets and
pillows that I use.
I put them around me while I'mrecording to muffle any
(04:34):
excessive sounds from outside orpeople in the hallway.
It's not perfect, I know.
Sometimes there is a little bitof background noise that you
can hear in these recordings,but I try my best.
And then I also have a visionboard behind my desk that has
multiple images, in a collagetype of fashion, of things I
(04:54):
want to manifest into my life.
And yes, wait, there's more.
I bought a puzzle and so Idecided to get cracking and
create this puzzle.
I bought it on Friday, startedon Friday, did a little bit on
Saturday and I had to pause andsay to myself wait a minute.
(05:15):
For somebody who, as a kid,thought that I had no creative
bones in my body.
I have quite a number ofcreative things going on right
now.
In addition to all of thesethings that I mentioned, I also
create content.
I create this show for you tolisten to.
(05:41):
I've created several offers overthe last 13 years that I've
been an entrepreneur, or atleast in the fitness industry,
as a trainer, coach, mentor, andI've created tons and tons of
things, and I will tell you that, especially with the digital
offers and with puttingsomething out into the universe,
(06:04):
it's so fucking scary and it'sreally the only way to see what
you got going on is to just putit together and put it out there
, see if you get any bites, thengo back to the drawing board.
And I think that now, at thispoint in life, it's not so much
(06:27):
that I see myself as a verycreative, like a naturally
creative person.
Maybe perhaps there's some ofthat there but I've applied the
same principles that I used formore than half of my life in
fitness more than half of mylife in fitness, in health, in
(06:51):
nutrition, in being my ownadvocate when it came to health
conditions, having blood workdone, getting tests performed,
seeing doctors putting the bestquality things that I could find
into my body meaning like myfood, where my food comes from,
sourcing it, the supplements Iuse I'm pretty particular about
what I put into my body and allof that has helped me with my
(07:18):
creative endeavors, because it'sthe same type of thing.
The same type of thing, you'reapplying the same energy, you
are taking a step forward, youare implementing things, you're
trying them, you see what worksfor you and you keep readjusting
.
And, quite frankly, it's verychallenging for me and sometimes
(07:42):
frustrating, because I see ahuge disconnect with many people
that I talk to, particularlywhen we're doing a discovery
session or a consultation,because they're potentially
interested in working with me tohelp them reach a health and
wellness goal.
They're looking for information, but what frustrates me is we
(08:04):
don't need more information.
But what frustrates me is wedon't need more information.
We don't need more information,we have enough information.
What we need is to take theinformation we have, implement
it into our current lifestyle,see what works, see what doesn't
(08:29):
, and then you can take a stepforward.
So that's the integration part.
So you have information,implementation and integration,
and these are all very differentand they are interconnected.
I'm starting to notice a themeamong all of my episodes how I
can take different words andconcepts and make them fit
(08:49):
together like puzzle pieces.
How funny, because I was justtalking about a puzzle.
Side note, the puzzle that Igot is so adorable.
It's actually a picture, it's apainting of different plants in
pots and then it has the nameof the plant and then, in
(09:10):
smaller font, under the name ofthe plant, it tells you how to
take care of it.
I am a bad plant mommy.
I have always killed my plants.
Even I had a small succulentand I killed it.
I really don't know what it is.
Maybe it's the apartment.
Yeah, we're just going to blameit on the apartment.
But anyway, the puzzle is soadorable and I thought to myself
(09:34):
this would be a really funchallenge.
So that's my side note on thepuzzle.
But going back to information,implementation and integration,
to information, implementationand integration, it's the same
as a creative pursuit, becauseinformation you get the
information that you're going tolearn in order to create.
(09:55):
Let's say it's a painting, orlet's say it's a clay sculpture
right.
Then you're going to implementit.
You're going to take whatyou've learned and you're going
to take a stab at it.
You're going to try.
Then you're going to see whatworks well.
And when it comes to a piece ofart and it's the integration
(10:18):
part I believe that there's moreflexibility there, unless
you're creating something andyou have specific guidelines.
For example, if you're acontent creator or a marketing
specialist and you're workingfor someone, they're going to
give you the blueprint, thenon-negotiables, the confines or
the things that they want tosee happen within the content or
(10:42):
the artwork that you'recreating.
And so you take those pieces ofinformation and you create your
thing, whatever it is piece ofcontent, a story, a sales page,
a blog post, a draft of awebsite or a landing page
whatever it is, it's the samething.
(11:04):
It's the same thing in fitnessyou work with the trainer, you
get the information and you geta workout.
So now we're starting toimplement things.
Then you are going to go andwork out on your own and see
what works for you, what trulycan stick, and that's the
integration part.
(11:26):
This also falls in line withsome of the things I've talked
about in previous episodes onthis show, about healing
yourself and, instead ofabandoning the old versions of
you, you learn how to integrate.
You learn how to make peacewith your old self.
You find yourself a morecohesive and robust individual
(11:52):
because, yeah, maybe you mademistakes in the past, but you
did the best you could with thethings you had at your disposal
at that time, and that's all youcan ask of yourself.
You know you did that and sonow you know better.
And now that you know better,you won't make that mistake
again.
You'll make a new mistake, andit's literally the same thing,
(12:16):
whether it's a piece of artyou're creating, whether it's
something you want to accomplishin the gym or with your
nutrition, where you would learnhabits and then start
implementing them into yourexisting lifestyle so that it
could be sustainable.
That's the integration part.
I don't know if this makes senseto you and I'm hoping that it
(12:38):
does, because I'm trying to makethis simple but what I'm
getting at here is that, whetheryou consider yourself creative
or not, you can cultivate thatcreativity.
You can learn how to becomemore creative.
Are some people more naturallyinclined to be better at certain
things than others?
Yes, of course you have folkswho are genetically gifted in
(13:03):
athletics, in sports.
You have others who have arefined ear for music or for
dancing or for singing.
Yes, that's raw talent.
And then when you apply thediscipline aspect, the hard work
with the talent, that's how youget the beautiful masterpiece.
(13:24):
So what I want you to do iswalk away from this episode and
think of yourself as a potentialmasterpiece.
You are going to put in thework with the talents and the
gifts and the skills that youalready have, and you're going
to implement the new informationthat you are learning as you
(13:47):
are traversing through life, dayin, day out, and you're going
to start integrating the thingsthat work.
I hope that this makes sense.
Today's a short episode because,quite frankly, I think I've
made my point.
I don't need to ramble for 30minutes to make my point.
(14:07):
The point here is I want toencourage you to explore the
things that you are craving toexplore, to tap into those
curiosities that you are justignoring and the thing that
pokes at you or that keeps youup at night or that you cannot
stop thinking about because it'ssomething on your heart.
(14:28):
You need to honor the innerchild, the person who initially
saw that thing or had thatcuriosity or felt that itch, and
go for it.
Before I sign off, I want toremind you that I do have a free
little five-minute pre-workoutritual that you can download.
(14:49):
There's a link in the show notes.
It's called Lift.
Like you Mean it.
It's a quick five-minutepre-workout ritual for you to
get your mind right before youget into the gym so that you can
accomplish your goals.
The ritual includes taking abreath, setting an intention for
the day, coming up with the topthree exercises that you want
(15:09):
to hit and walking into the gymcompletely confident, knowing
what you're there to do, gettingit done and getting out of
there, so that you're not in thegym spinning your wheels for
days, weeks, months at a time,feeling like you're still not
really sure if what you're doingis effective.
So you can go to the notes anddownload that link.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
(15:32):
I appreciate your time andattention more than you will
ever know.
As always, I'll catch you onthe next one.
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