Strike a Pose & Express Yourself: Five amazing things Madonna taught us about Creative Living

When Madonna stepped onto the scene in the early ’80s, she didn’t just release pop songs. Madonna unleashed an entire cultural movement. With fishnet gloves, crucifixes, cone bras, and unapologetic confidence, she wasn’t asking for permission. No, she was making a statement!

And that, my friend, is the secret sauce of truly inspired creativity: you have to express yourself exactly like she sings in her video below from her amazing Blond Ambition Tour.

So, if your creativity has been feeling flat, or if you’re ready to take your writing, blogging, or artistic life to the next level, maybe it’s time to channel some Madonna.

Here's what she taught us (and continues to teach us) about creative living, reinvention, and the power of self-expression.

1. You Don’t Need to Be the Best—You Need to Be Brave

Let’s be real: Madonna isn’t known for having the most technically perfect voice. But what she does have is conviction, charisma, and creativity by the truckload. She understood early on that people connect with authenticity and boldness more than perfection.

Creative living isn’t about being flawless—it’s about showing up fully as yourself, even (and especially) when that feels edgy or scary. Whether you're blogging, painting, dancing, or launching a business, the magic happens when you stop waiting for permission and start sharing your truth.

Creative Cue: Don’t edit out your personality. Let your quirks, your stories, your voice shine.

2. Reinvention Is the Heartbeat of Creativity

Madonna didn’t just stick to one look, one sound, or one story. From Like a Virgin to Ray of Light, she evolved fearlessly. And that’s a powerful lesson for all of us in creative ruts or feeling boxed in by past work.

In a world that rewards niches and 'consistency,' Madonna reminds us: you ARE allowed to change! In fact, your evolution might be the exact thing your creativity needs. Would you like more inspiration like this in your mailbox? Sign up for my Letters from the Studio right here.

So go ahead! Try a new blog topic, a new art form, a new format. You’re not losing your identity. You are expanding it.

Creative Cue: What’s one part of your creative life that feels outdated or stale? Reinvent it. Give yourself a “new era.”

3. Expressing Yourself Is a Revolution

When Madonna sang “Express Yourself” in 1989, it wasn’t just a pop song. It was a battle cry. Especially for women and creatives, expressing ourselves has historically been treated as dangerous or “too much.”

And yet, our expression is everything. It’s what connects us to others, what heals us, what shakes the system and says: I’m here. I matter. This is my voice.

Whether you're sharing a vulnerable blog post, creating funky collage art, or speaking your truth in a workshop—you’re taking up space in the best way.

Creative Cue: Start a project that feels slightly too honest or wildly fun. Your soul will thank you.

4. Turn Your Blog (or any platform) into a Stage

Madonna is a performer at heart. But you don’t need a spotlight and backup dancers to perform. You have got your blog, your website, your social channels. These are your digital stages.

Are you showing up fully? Or are you shrinking to fit a mold?

A blog can be more than just information. It can be your creative playground, so don’t just 'post.' Perform! Use storytelling, visuals, quotes, mood, rhythm, surprise. Anything, that lets your readers feel and learn something.

Creative Cue: Next time you write a blog, ask: Would I want to read this out loud on stage? Would it move me?

5. Being “Too Much” Is Actually Just Enough

Madonna was often accused of being too much. Too sexual, too ambitious, too loud, too strong, too confident, too good at playing 'the industry.' And yet, that’s exactly why she made history. Her “too much-ness” broke barriers, inspired generations, and created a cultural legacy so powerful that will shine a long time after she is gone!

In creative living, being too much is your power source.

We’ve all been conditioned to tone things down, play it safe, and not make waves. But creative brilliance doesn’t come from playing small, it comes from owning your boldest, brightest, most alive and authentic self. Madonna has always been aware of her worth and talents. Embrace yourself! Just like she has done.

Creative Cue: Write or create something this week that feels “too much.” Then double it. Don’t hold back.

Strike a Pose, Creative Soul

Madonna didn’t wait to be chosen. Madonna chose herself! Over and over again. And that’s the invitation for all of us:

Choose your creativity. Choose your voice. Choose your wild, evolving, expressive self. Strike a pose and let the world see what you’ve got.

Whether you’re writing blogs, creating art, building a soulful brand, or simply navigating life with curiosity, let Madonna be your guide; reinvent, express, play, and most of all—have fun doing it.

What’s Your Madonna Era?

Leave a comment below and tell me:

• What’s one way you’re reinventing yourself creatively right now?

• Which Madonna song or era inspires your current creative mood?

Let’s make 2025 the year of unapologetic expression, brave reinvention, and joyful creation!

And remember: Don’t go for second best, baby.

Was this article inspiring and helpful?

• Share it on social media

• Leave a comment with your favourite tip (or one of your own!)

• Pin it!

• Send it to a creative friend who needs to read this

---

Louise Sommer is a collage artist, bestselling author, and cultural storyteller with an MA in Educational Psychology. She specialises in creativity, communication, and the cultural narratives woven through history, myth, and memory. Her book The Hidden Camino takes readers on a soulful journey through forgotten histories and sacred places. Since the 1990s, Louise has travelled widely across Europe, exploring how stories shape identity, belonging, and creative expression. Through her writing, design, and workshops, she invites readers into a world of curiosity, beauty, and deep connection.

✨ Explore her art at Collage Art Studio by Louise Sommer

✨ Discover more at louisesommer.co/creative-living

✨ Join her creative business workshops