Have you ever said this? “I’m just not inspired to be creative.” I’ve caught myself saying that a time or two during my creative journey.
It’s wonderful to have inspiration, but inspiration is not necessary to be creative. (tweet this)
If you’re waiting for inspiration to hit you over the head then keep waiting my friend.
I’m not going to say that it’s not going to happen, because it might. However, there’s a chance you’ll be waiting a long time. Do you have weeks, months, or even years to wait until a creative idea hits you? Most of us don’t.
When you wait for inspiration to happen to you you’re essentially putting yourself in a powerless position. Instead of being a partner with your creativity you are waiting for some outside force to bestow inspiration upon you. Although the specifics of inspiration are very magical and intangible, the surest way to be inspired and find a little inspiration is to nurture your creativity.
Allowing your creativity to bloom comes from a myriad of things and it doesn’t involve being holed up in your house for days on end.
Here are 60 ideas that will allow your creativity bloom.
1. Write down all your ideas, all the time, no matter how silly they sound.
2. Find time to meditate and quiet your mind.
3. Exercise, exercise, exercise.
4. Start accepting invitations you receive to creative events.
5. Practice and make a commitment to nurture your craft.
6. Be a student and take a class. When was the last time you actually took a class in your field? It doesn’t matter if you have a PhD commit to always learning in your field.
7. Be a teacher and mentor someone else. No matter where you are in your career we all have something to give.
8. Reward yourself for the work you’ve done whether you think it’s good or bad.
9. Start seeing the beauty in all the work you create.
10. GO SOLO. This is actually #1! Many people have a problem with being alone, but making time just for you is important in allowing your creativity to bloom.
11. Connect with nature.
12. Don’t talk as much and cultivate the art of listening.
13. Be observant of your surroundings and don’t miss the little things.
14. Beautify your creative space by adding plants, artwork or whatever else makes you feel happy and inspired.
15. Create a creative schedule and stick to it.
16. Do yoga.
17. Commit to finding happiness and joy in life. You don’t have to be a tortured artist it’s all about how you look at the world. It’s okay, to put on rose-colored glasses.
18. Be gentle with yourself, because berating yourself and what you create is a surefire way to keep your creativity locked in.
19. Allow your creativity to flow at its own pace.
20. Find a cause that’s bigger than yourself.
21. Put creativity first! Make it your priority to be creative and the first thing you do in the morning even if it means waking up earlier.
22. Be uniquely you. Write down three things that make you different. Now, ask yourself – how can I share this part of me with my family/friends/clients/community/colleagues?
23. Be spontaneous! I love routine but doing the same thing day in and day out gets boring. Switch it up a bit.
24. Say positive affirmations, especially when you’re feeling negative.
25. Interact with other creative people. Find or start a group, you’ll thank yourself later.
26. Believe in yourself. If you knew anything was possible what would you say to yourself.
27. Ignore the critics.
28. Pay attention to constructive criticism.
29. Let your work see the light of day!
30. Let go. Especially let go of the idea of anything being perfect.
31. Stop being so serious and let yourself be silly. I’m seriously one of the goofiest people ever. I dare you to do something absolutely silly preferably in public.
32. Read books especially ones that challenge you.
33. Believe in the impossible.
34. Daydream.
35. Take consistent action every day.
36. Don’t worry about the how. Even if your idea will cost a lot of money focus on the possibilities and focus on creating it.
37. Celebrate the success of other artists no matter your point of view of them.
38. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration kills creativity.
39. Start from where you are. It doesn’t matter where that is, just start.
40. Get a good night’s sleep.
41. Take a break. Living in Los Angeles I know many people who don’t ever leave because they’re afraid they’ll miss something, but taking a break is important to prevent burn out and rejuvenate.
42. Travel. It can be a longer trip or a day trip.
43. Learn about different cultures not only thru reading books but by speaking to people. If you live in a large metropolitan area that’s fairly easy but if not you can meet all sorts of people on the internet or by traveling.
44. Explore. That could mean going to different neighborhoods in your area or going on a scavenger hunt.
45. Be interested. This means on a small and big scale. Be interested in what’s going on in your home, your neighborhood, your community, your country, your world.
46. Connect with your artistic soulmates. These are people you feel get you and you get too. It doesn’t mean you agree all the time but it does mean that you respect one another and give honest constructive criticism.
47. Deal with your ‘stuff’ by committing to self-growth. In order to go deeper artistically you must face the issues that have been holding you back.
48. Break the rules. I totally believe in mastering your craft, but it’s boring to always follow the rule book. Notice if you’re following the rules you learned in school or picked up along the way that are now stifling your creativity and try throwing them out the window. Remember, you can always incorporate then when needed.
49. Admit your deepest desires to yourself. If you’re not honest with yourself it will be virtually impossible to be honest in your work.
50. Spend time with children because they can be creative with a cardboard box or without one. A good friend of mine who went to Africa to build homes and told me that since the kids had no toys they made up the most creative games with rocks.
51. Visualize success.
52. Turn off the wifi for a few hours.
53. Put your money where your creativity is. Check out where you’re spending your money. If it’s on expensive dinners, clothes, and lattes ask yourself if it’s keeping you from funding a project or taking a class.
54. Finish what you started. I once read a powerful story about Tyler Perry who said that he went from homeless to being worth close to one billion dollars in 10 years by making a commitment to finish EVERY SINGLE project he started. Imagine how applying this concept can change your life.
55. Focus on one project at a time. I’m definitely the queen of multi-tasking but when you focus your energy on one project you accomplish more more quickly.
56. Be a pioneer. I recently saw Halle Berry speak at the premiere of her film “Frankie and Alice”. She talked about her journey as an actress was about accepting her role as a pioneer and finding a way even there seemed to be no way.
57. Know there’s enough for everyone. In many artistic communities the idea that there isn’t enough to go around is huge. It creates lots of unnecessary competition, but the truth is there’s enough for every one. Even if others don’t believe that know it is true.
58. Go back in time. Read great works of literature and listen to music to keep you inspired. Right now I’m going through the 20’s-60’s.
59. Show up. The power of showing up is huge and it boils down to keeping your commitments. This year I got an assignment simply on the basis that I was the one who showed up. Not showing up is one of the ways we sabotage ourselves and our dreams so do it.
60. Eat foods in their natural form. When I changed the way I ate years ago I literally was on a creative cloud nine and could go on forever. Personally I love making my power green juice in the morning that’s loaded with fruits and veggies.
Which of these ideas resonate with you? You know the ones you feel your entire being say YES to. Pick two from this category.
Which ideas are you resistant to? Pick one to implement. This one will challenge you but also give you a tremendous opportunity to grow.
// So what are your three ideas? Share them below in the comments. //
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5 Comments
Hi Lovely, Adorable, & Creative Thérèse,
This is AMAZING!!!! 🙂 I wanted to transfer all of the into my journal. Maybe I’ll just print it out and glue it into my journal.
I have done #1 with my journal. Over the years it has evolved obviously now it includes my husband and my son. #12 is truly wonderful cultivate the art of listening. #53 is an eye-opening experience. I used to write down for 15 days what I spent time everyday. It was a great exercise. I became mindful of what I spend. #49 takes a lot of courage =)
I want to continue to teach Jeroen #60 hehehe so glad I have friends like you that keeps me on my path. I want to add that running has also helped me with my creativity. Something about running that keeps me motivated and hyper… I would love to add to Give up (Temporarily.) Step away, purposefully. Take a meaningful break. Think about what really needs to be done, then step back and do it. I am doing this now with my pregnancy and seeing my goals clearly like water. It has enhanced my vision and also made me understand in the deepest core what brings me true Joy.
Love you honey and Thank You for this. If you see it on journal one day, you know where the wisdom came from 😉
I THANK YOU
Hi Therese!!! lol! Thank you so much for your comments. I absolutely loved what you added. YES stepping away is SO important!!! Einstein used to do that all the time and take power naps which help immensely with creativity. That’s another one I’d add “Take a nap”. It’s so awesome that you’re teaching Jeroen that at an early age because once he starts that habit it will be his for life. That’s awesome that you tracked what you spent. I did that same exercise for a long time and it was eye opening. I guess 2011 is about going back to the things I did naturally before and trying new things and see what works. Happy new year to you!!!
Thanks T 🙂 It’s been hard to teach him but it is a group effort with Jeff’s help. I love napping and I treasure it even more with the pregnancy. I JUTS LOVE IT! 🙂 Sometimes when you text me I’m usually asleep LOL 🙂
Thank You and yes I am looking forward to OUR 2011 together. Thanks for making it even more enjoyable and meaningful with your friendship Thérèse
Something very effective for me to nurture my creative ideas is to do some form of mind mapping with existing ideas. When I start to make linkages on a mind map, my creative literally explodes. Before long, I have become overstretch with ideas to action on.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts! I’m excited to read more on your site. I’m bookmarking the page to keep your tips close at hand.
I was surprised by reading so many ideas that I’ve recently turned my focus to and have made a priority. It was nice to affirm that I am on the right track! A major one for me is how class reminds you of the reason you do what you do, and who you are. Then there are others that I read that sound fun and exciting, things I naturally like to do, but for some reason haven’t allowed myself to do regularly – like exploring and journaling… and exercising. 🙂
The one idea that really jumped at me was “Be a Pioneer.” The thought of being a pioneer is totally new to me and I’ve never heard it expressed so succinctly. It reminds me that in my career, as in the theater and the truest expressions of art, there are no rules. And just remembering that, the boundaries recede, and there is so much space to continue on, and everything feels possible.
Thank you.
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