Anyone can be creative.
I know this for a fact, because each and everyone of us has a natural gift that is built into our brain when we were born human.
It is called imagination.
Each of us has been a child once, and every child is imaginative.
This power of the mind may have been dull and unused for a period of time, and so you may not call yourself a creative person.
Even myself have gone through many periods of 2-3 years at a time not creating any artworks.
And for the first 10 years of my adult life, I wasn't considering myself an artist.
But the ability to be imaginative and creative is born with you, and it is there for you to use if you wish to use it.
So let me tell you some of the tricks that I've used to apply creativity into my daily life, even when I don't create art.
Be bored
Do you find life sometimes, boring?
The routine of daily life, the mass production of things, the constant struggles the body and mind, can make us do the same thing repeatedly for a period of time.
The lack of diversity of the things we do and see is what makes our life sometimes feel boring.
But we mustn't avoid being bored.
If you are afraid of being bored, you tend to get sucked into consuming mind numbing things and content, which distract you from being bored but doesn't nurture your creativity.
Being bored is actually a state of mind that we have nothing to do or to think about, and that is the only time we think about ourselves, our future and our world.
And emerging into this state of mind can sometimes lead you into deep thoughts that are full of inspirations.
Researches have shown that we tend to be more creative and productive if we have been bored.
So be comfortable spending time with yourself and your thoughts. Give your mind the freedom to wander. It may not be as boring as you may fear.
2. Be spontaneous
But what if your mind is so bored that it attracts dark and uninvited thoughts that doesn't lead to being more creative but more self destructive?
This is when your conscious brain take control and take action.
You must be aware when spending time alone with your thoughts are not healthy, productive or helpful for you.
And spend that time to be spontaneous instead.
Learn a random skills that you never thought of before or do things that you don't usually do. This is a lot of fun and create a lot of physical tasks that you can do to follow up with your ideas.
Try out pottery, crocheting, cooking new recipe, watch a new movie genre, try new food, borrow your friend's clothe or make up, hell, book a random holiday or invite your friends to go on a trip. Change the combination of your clothing. Wear that colourful dress that you always tell yourself that it's not for your body type. Tell someone things you've never told them before but always want to. Confess your feelings, take a mid day nap.
Whatever routine you have going on day after day, change it up a bit. You may have new ideas to keep your life exciting and creative more often.
3. Note down all your ideas whenever you have one
Anytime you have an idea, write them down on your phone or a notebook so that you can have access to them later. You may never do anything with those ideas, but the inspirations stay for your to review later when you feel like you don't have any. Sometimes, those ideas only make sense many years down the line when you're at a different skill level or have a different mindset. No idea of yours should be forgotten because they are original and authentic to you.
You can keep these ideas to yourself to work on later, or you can share with other people to have their opinions and feedback. Some people may even be excited by your ideas and willing to work with you together or help you in some ways. With the help of others your basic ideas can transform and grow into something truly amazing that you can feel inspired again. So write them all down no matter how silly they are.
4. Invest in yourself
This is the most important tip. If you don't give yourself time and space to be creative, you are not giving yourself a chance to grow creatively.
Carve out a time in your busy schedule to be free creatively. This can mean spending that time to just draw or doodle or paint or write or sing or dance, even when you don't think you are any good. You don't have to show anyone your work, but you have to keep creating. And to spend this time for yourself meaningfully and productively, you have to be in the right state of mind and health. If you feel tired, take some rest first. If you are learning, have lower expectation of yourself. If you feel uninspired, try listening to music or watch movies to feel inspired again. Whatever your body and mind tell you they need to be creative, listen mindfully and dedicate the time to do it. The time you spend taking care of yourself is just as important as the time you spend for anyone else.
Provide yourself with the tangible things you need to be creative. Invest in your skills just as you invest in your future savings. It yield more than monetary returns. Having the right equipments and tools expands the possibility what you can do and further grow your ability to create. Start with what you already have and expand from there. Art materials last a very long time, so you can get a lot of art supplies now cheaply and sustainably on many secondhand marketplace. You can also put it into your Wishlist and don't afraid to let people know what you want to receive as a gift. Or borrow the things you need from someone else if you don't want to commit to owning something. If you want something that you can't purchase right now, start saving for it. There are many ways you can have access to art materials but you need to put in the time and effort in acquiring them. Trust yourself enough to get the things that you enjoy and it will bring your skill and creativity to the next level.
I hope these tips will help you feel excited to go out and experiment new things. I also have a series of Podcast called "Soul Healing with Art", where I have conversations with artists in different fields about how we use creativity as a key element in healing our inner and outer worlds. There are singer, painter, writers and creative entrepreneurs sharing their tips on how to be creative. Have a listen and you may find more inspirations await you there!
From my hearts to yours,
Milie
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