10 Ways to Be More Creative

1. Make a commitment to cultivating this relationship. This is a clear and conscious decision we each must make.

2. Give curiosity room to roam about, otherwise apathy takes up that space

3. Realize that fear of failure will most likely always be part of the path, be creative anyway. It’s the only way to quiet the fear.

4. Keep a creative visual journal or sketchbook

5. Remember to invite your Creative Self to all projects, decisions, and areas of your life. It will quicken the creative muscle building process.

6. Increase your awareness of Nature, watch the ways she is constantly creating beauty. Just noticing helps activate your own creative juices.

7. Ask questions like, “What if…”, “How can I…”, “Show me a helpful way to see this….”. You’re directing these inquires to the Intelligent Wisdom of Your Heart. I’ve always gotten guidance when I ask a question of my heart. Always.

8. Creativity doesn’t just ‘happen’. It’s a reciprocal exchange with Life. Look for new sources of inspiration that feel motivating to you. A book, a visit to a museum, new music, a hike with a friend where you share ideas. How about starting a list in your sketchbook?

9. Take risks on your sketchbook pages, nobody will see it. If you don’t like it, you can cover it over with paint or collage. Sometimes the best backgrounds on my pages have come from taking a risk, not loving it, redirecting, and choosing again. All the while, teaching me I can do this in life too! Then REWARD yourself. It’s a risk-reward dance. A reward can be anything from acknowledging yourself, to a new pair of shoes, to a class in creative expression. You’ll know, honoring yourself for taking a risk is important.

10. “art imitates life” or “life imitates art”…this speaks to the inborn drive of expression in every human being. That creativity offers certain beautiful expressions of Self is something to ponder for a long time. If you’re alive, you’re a creative being. Always remember that.

I find it utterly true that when I need to figure or work something out, the best place to do that is on a visual journal page. It is literally creativity teaching me about Life, offering solutions and inspiring me to be a better person, even when I feel like I can’t possibly. The outcome doesn’t matter, it’s what happens in the process that is the gold.

To the Gold in Your Heart,

be more creative