No matter what your age, stage of life, or interests, getting in touch with your creativity brings powerful benefits. Not only does it lead to a sense of connection and accomplishment, but it can also spill over into other areas of your life — positively. Basic well-being is conducive to creativity; good nutrition, getting enough movement and sleep, and keeping optimal hours all provide a strong foundation. Once you address the basics, there are several practices that can jumpstart creativity in all areas of your life. Here are a few.
1. Be Curious
Is there a topic that you find yourself coming back to again and again? Pay attention — that might be a great jumping-off point. Go ahead and let yourself explore; check out a podcast, watch a YouTube video, or read that article or book. Interested in expanding your musical self? Check out lessons, jams, or boutique guitars. Creative types tend to congregate around musical happenings.
2. Know Yourself
Creative styles tend to vary. As far as approach goes, there’s not a one-size-fits-all way of doing or processing things. Everyone has a unique mixture of talents, motivations, perspectives, and relational styles. For example, some people tend to be planners, and some thrive under deadline pressure. Having self-awareness will help you design the conditions that create the best environment for inspiration.
3. Write and Draw
Your unfettered stream of consciousness is a catalyst for your creativity. Free writing and drawing that’s unedited and unstructured, flowing from one thought, sensation, and observation to the next can help unlock the doors to your subconscious mind, helping you tap into a wellspring of insight. Drawing is especially effective if you need to express emotion or give form to more abstract ideas that can’t be expressed in words.
4. Narrow Gradually
You want to stay completely open to illumination when you start to brainstorm. At first, let your mind dream and wander; it’s an open-ended period. Being loose and unfocused allows new connections to appear as thoughts and emotions associate with ideas. Putting too much pressure on yourself to limit thoughts in the early stages usually leads to a creative block. The power of the mind to associate will be limited. When you’re ready to ground your ideas in reality, you can tighten up the ideas without sacrificing creativity.
Jumpstarting your creativity is not as complicated as it sounds. Try these ideas to get started!