Everyone is creative. That means you too.
When it comes to how to be more creative.. creativity comes in so many different embodiments.
Creativity isn’t just drawing or playing an instrument.
It’s not just being “right-brained”, having a gift or having a muse. It doesn’t even have to be tangible.
So what is creativity?
It may surprise you to learn that creativity is actually a rather modern concept.
The ancient Greeks with all of their great works of art had no word for “creator”, other than poiētēs which we now call poets.
It wasn’t until the Enlightenment (1715 – 1789) that our modern viewpoints on creativity were born.
Now we understand that art and creativity can take so many different forms.
There are a lot of different opinions on that.
Ok so to the point, how can you be more creative? I’m so glad you asked because I have a lot of suggestions!
Quick Access
Take a walk in nature
Recharge yourself with nature.
Getting outside is actually a quite powerful tool in enhancing your creativity and it’s even backed by science if you’re skeptical.
Not only does nature calm you, but it can actually inspire your curiosity and stimulate creative ways of thinking.
Try Forest Bathing or Shinrin-Yoku.
The term shinrin-yoku was coined in Japan in 1982.
It was suggested to promote getting out into nature as our world rapidly grows more technological.
I think we all know that the world has gotten a lot more technological since the 1980s.
You can have pretty much anything delivered to your house and even work from home.
That’s why it’s even more important to make an effort to spend some time outdoors.
“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking” – Friedrich Nietzsche
As a sort of second half to this tip, walking itself has actually been shown in studies to help creative thinking.
Walking helps to open up the free flow of ideas.
You could do this walking inside or even on a treadmill but walking outside just gives you an even bigger boost to creativity.
Embrace Boredom
It’s so easy to solve boredom these days.
Streaming services allow us to consume media on demand at any time.
Being bored can be slightly uncomfortable, so we reach for our phone and open an app, check our e-mail, scroll Reddit.. The more we avoid boredom the more we want to avoid boredom.
Consuming content can become almost compulsive.
But boredom actually encourages creative thinking.
So the next time that you’re feeling bored – instead of trying to solve it with some sort of distraction, try sitting with it instead.
Let yourself be bored.
You may find that is just what your mind needs to spark something new.
Journal by Hand
Yes, that means typing doesn’t count. Sorry not sorry.
There have been numerous studies showing the benefits over writing something out versus typing it.
A quick search will turn up numerous results or you can just read this one here about how writing can improve your memory.
You absorb things better when you’re writing them out.
When you’re writing you activate more areas of your brain than when you’re typing.
You are more stimulated and able to tap into your creativity.
Does it take longer? Usually.
I can certainly type much faster than I can write.
But it is worth the effort if your goal is to think more creatively.
Do a Mental Inventory
Also known as a brain dump.
Sometimes the best thing that you can do for yourself is empty out your brain onto a sheet of paper.
Get all of your worries, your fears, your thoughts and your to dos out of your brain storage and on the page.
Just write everything down.
I like to think of it as emptying out the recycling bin on your desktop.
All of that stuff you didn’t really stop worrying about – just pushed to the back of your mind.
Clear space out of your brain to make room for new creative ideas.
Doodle, Draw or Paint
It doesn’t matter if you don’t think you have any skills.
Whatever you create doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even have to be good.
You don’t have to post whatever you create on social media for the whole world to see.
Too many times we avoid doing things because we don’t consider ourselves “good” at them.
But drawing and painting can be therapeutic in their own rights.
Art Therapy is a thing for a reason. Studies show that creating art can even literally reduce your cortisol (the stress hormone!) levels.
Draw what you see, paint what you dream, doodle your grocery list. Exercise your creativity muscle.
Declutter your workspace
A cluttered environment can often lead to a cluttered mind.
A cluttered mind can lead to you feeling overwhelmed and that’s not good for creativity.
Take a few minutes to tidy up your space and you might be surprised how much clearer your mind feels as well.
Combine your physical decluttering with your mental inventory for an even more powerful effect.
Meditate
If you are not someone who already meditates, you may hate this advice.
I’m not saying you need to sit and be mindful for hours but a few moments can’t hurt.
Sit down for 5 minutes, try to focus on your breathing and not be judgmental of yourself if your mind wanders.
Don’t judge the things that pop into your head, just notice them.
You may come out of the other side feeling refreshed.
Studies show that the best meditation for boosting your creativity is Open Monitoring Meditation.
That’s when you focus your attention on the present moment instead of repeating a mantra, visualizing a goal or focusing on a sound.
Remember that your mind wandering during a meditation is completely normal.
It will be difficult to stay rooted in the present moment.
To be fully present requires repeated practice.
Take your time with this and don’t be too hard on yourself.
If starting a meditation practice just doesn’t sound realistic to you, I did write a whole post about Mindfulness for Anxiety which might be a good place to start.
Move your body
Go take a walk, stretch, do some exercises or just dance around!
I hope you aren’t rolling your eyes at this one.
If you do not like working out, I feel you.
If you do not like breaking a sweat, I super feel you.
But there is no denying the multitude of benefits that moving your body gives you.
You don’t have to do any high intensity training workouts, but sitting down all day is just plain not good for you.
Not good for your physical muscles OR your creativity muscles.
Listen to Inspiration
What kind of music really speaks to you?
It can be music that gets you pumped up and motivated, or music that just makes you feel like you’re transported somewhere else.
If you don’t know what kind to listen to – try happy, upbeat classical music.
Past studies say just classical music, but recent studies show that if the classical music is happier it “facilitates divergent thinking”.
It doesn’t just have to be music either.
You could also listen to an inspiring podcast.
Maybe it’s a pep-talk, affirmations or hearing about someone else’s creative process.
Maybe all you need is just a calming voice in the background to do your best work.
Try some different things out.
Daydream
Let your mind wander.
If you are feeling stuck or uninspired just stop thinking about your issue.
This might seem like ridiculous advice – but while your conscious is focusing on other things, your subconscious will still be working on it in the background.
Your subconscious is actually better at it.
After a while of focusing on other things, your next best idea may come out of “nowhere”!
Take a Nap
If your mind is tired, you can’t expect it to be creative.
Sometimes our brains just get overwhelmed and they need to take a break.
Maybe it’s just me, but if I go to take a nap feeling grumpy – I’m usually feeling better when I wake up.
You might just need a little rest to rejuvenate you.
I’m not saying that you’re going to have a dream with a significant epiphany in this nap, but I am saying that you will look at the situation with fresher eyes when you wake from it.
Laugh
Quick question – when is the last time that you laughed? Really belly laughed.
Can you remember?
I love a good comedy show as well as many stand up comedians – but not everyone is into that.
Maybe you just need to call up a friend that can always make you laugh.
You’ve heard it before I’m sure – laughter can be the very best medicine for many things.
Read Fiction
Personally, I am a more into Non-fiction-self-help-self-growth-memoirs.
I tend to read a lot more non-fiction than I do fiction.
Not to say that I don’t enjoy fiction – because I absolutely do. Good fiction can frequently open your mind to new possibilities, ideas and concepts.
If you don’t think you like fiction – you’re wrong. You just haven’t found the right genre or niche.
I promise you that there is something out there for everyone.
Check out your local library – your taxes are already paying for it.
If you pick up a book and you aren’t into it – don’t feel obligated to finish it.
Turn it back in and try something different. Find a book that you can really get lost in.
If you still can’t find a book to read – try audio books!
Your local library should have those too. Sometimes its just nicer to be read to than to read something yourself.
Change your Environment
This can be visiting somewhere new, it doesn’t have to be far away just some place you’ve never been.
Maybe it means taking the scenic route instead of the quickest route. Taking a left instead of a right.
It can also be as simple as rearranging the furniture in your home, painting the walls a different color, or just adding a piece of art to the wall.
Just do something different.
If changing things in your home isn’t an option, try going to a park or café.
You may consider yourself an extrovert, or you may consider yourself an introvert.
Being with other people may energize you, or it may drain you.
But the truth is that we all need a little bit of time to ourselves.
Alternatively, maybe spending time by yourself is the norm.
It can be refreshing to get an outside perspective and that may be just what inspires you to think a little differently. Change it up.
Write Lists
Maybe this is a type A personality thing but.. I love lists.
You’re actually reading one of my lists right now!
There are so many different kinds of lists that you can make. Wish lists, happy lists, bucket lists, favorites lists, gratitude lists..
Maybe what you need is just to write out a to do list and give yourself a plan.
Or a to DONE list to remind yourself all of the awesome things that you’ve already accomplished!
Create an inspiration box
An inspiration box is basically a treasure chest that you fill with things that inspire you.
A few ideas are photographs, magazine clippings, postcards, paint samples, quotes, lyrics, verses, affirmations, ticket stubs, notes, scented candles, perfume, sea shells, feathers, nice fabric… anything really!
You know what things will work best to inspire you. Hopefully creating or curating this box will inspire you and then the next time that you feel uninspired, you can reach for your box again.
Set up a Vision
Do you have a vision for what you want your life to be like?
Making a vision board can be a powerful thing because it requires you to really define and focus on the things that you want for your future.
But your vision can also take a lot of different forms.
It can be a large poster board with images that you cut out from magazines or it can be a grid wall – but it doesn’t have to be.
My favorite way to keep my vision “board” is actually as my desktop wallpaper.
Another option is to create a Pinterest board – if you can remember to look at it frequently. Pinterest is basically a visual search engine, you can find some inspiration in just the pictures without even clicking through.
My last suggestion is for a vision journal.
You can write down things that you’re excited about.
Or you can make it a more Law of Attraction journal and write about these things as if you already have them.
Whatever feels right to you.
Make Mistakes
”A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” ― Albert Einstein
My final tip to boost your creativity. Don’t be afraid of making mistakes, they’re all a part of the process.
Sometimes we can get so afraid of messing up that we don’t even try. But that is a grave mistake.
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.” ― Suzy Kassem
Stop doubting yourself.
If your first try doesn’t work, you try again.
If your second try doesn’t work, you try again.
Making mistakes, or failing, is not the end.
Conclusion
Creativity is something that we truly all have.
Sometimes we just forget how to use it.
I hope that at least one of these tips helps explain how to be more creative.
Remember that like a muscle, the more you exercise your creativity the stronger it will grow.
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