8 Easy Ways to Boost Your Creativity

You don’t have to be an artist, writer, or consider yourself crafty to boost your creativity. Being creative isn’t only for paintings, design, or writing a book. True creativity is more about having a surplus of ideas and the motivation and energy to create, streamline, or improve a project, design, or lifestyle choice. Creativity is about looking at things in a new way. Creative insight can help all industries, processes, and is part of what leads to personal or professional fulfillment and a better life.

When life feels overwhelming, time is limited, resources strained, or sometimes for no reason at all, many people find themselves in a rut or sense that they aren’t living up to their creative potential. Maybe you are comparing yourself to others in your social circle or networks and feel as if your own ideas or output is coming up short. Follow our easy to use guide and enhance your goals, dreams, and creativity all at once!

Step 1: Have A Plan:

You may not be sure what increased creative will lead to. You may not even know firmly what to create or how you will go about it, and that’s okay. However, in a broad sense, at least determine what area in your life you want the newly flowing creative juices to sink into.

If you want to be more creative in your work life, remind yourself that you’re open to more. If writing a novel is your thing, affirm that as your goal. If your entire world could use a boost, admit that to yourself. If you already know your sought after area of creative interest with crystal clarity, be glad, as you’re already one step ahead!

Step 2: Routine:

While creativity is thought of as a ‘left field’ activity, most highly creative individuals follow some sort of routine. The idea of a routine might scare the most artistic, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t work or happen naturally. It might be so subtle they aren’t even aware of it, while others cling to the rhythm that works for them.

For instance, maybe you find creative ideas happen faster after a trip to the coffee shop for some cold brew. Or, does sparring with kindred spirits in a discussion group give you a fresh take on life. Think back to the routine that has worked for you in the past. When have you felt a limitless sense of creative potential? If nothing specific comes to mind, let yourself discover how naturally, through trial and error.

Step 3: Encourage Yourself:

Think of the words and phrasing or encouragement you’d like to hear from a boss, coworker, inspirational figure in your life, mentor, friend, or family member. What about what you want to hear from yourself? Far too often we know how to “build up” the self-esteem of those around us or listen to encouragement or praise, but don’t give ourselves the same positivity.

While you might remind a friend, “You can do this! Don’t give up.” or, “I admire you!”, you may be more lax about giving yourself the same thought and care. At least once a day remind yourself that you are reaching for your goals.

Begin to notice the small steps you’re making. If you are having trouble transforming a big project, appreciate the new thoughts, ideas, or changes you’re making. The most important thing is that you keep striving toward your goals and don’t give up. Perseverance always pays off.

Step 4: Experimenting Is Okay And So Is Failure:

If fear of judgment (whether from others yourself), rejection, or failure is keeping you stymied, begin to think of failure and experimentation in a new way. Every seeming defeat or redirection or possibility is an attempt to be and do more. Each idea that doesn’t work out clears the way for something that will. Many times those with the most success, think Steve Jobs redesigning Apple products and boosting their marketability, had

If fear of judgment (whether from others yourself), rejection, or failure is keeping you stymied, begin to think of failure and experimentation in a new way. Every seeming defeat, redirection or possibility is an attempt to be and do more. Each idea that doesn’t work out, clears the way for something that will.

The difference between those who let their creativity flow in a way that brings them personal and professional fulfillment is that they don’t give up. Learn from each endeavor you take. If one book or art piece fails to catch attention, try another one. Fear is the enemy of creativity. Let go of the fear and creativity will follow.

Step 5: Try New Things:

If you are making a new idea, it doesn’t mean you have to spend all your time on it. The fact is, the more you take risks and try new things in any and all areas of your life, the more inspired you will become overall.

Try a new restaurant for Taco Tuesday. Finally take someone up on that bike ride or spinning class they keep inviting you to. Always order the same drink at a cafe? Mix it up. Drive the same way to work daily? Take a new route (traffic allowing). Change up your routine and those creative connections and synapses in your mind will begin reverberating from the motion and action. Before long you will be brimming with new ideas!

Step 6: Your Peers:

Whatever area of your life you want to be more creative in, look to those who inspire you. Don’t feel “less than” just because they seem to have the creativity and direction you seek. Remember that they started out just like you.

Try and think of yourself like a movie or restaurant reviewer and analyze their success critically. What do you like about their project or idea? What would you do differently? If you were them, what would you change? What are they doing to facilitate their ideas that you could adopt or learn from? Is there a particular step you need to take right now to promote or increase your creativity?

Step 7: Take Time:

Just as people who only armchair travel through watching travel shows on the television may never visit Paris, France… if you don’t give yourself the gift of time to create or listen to your inner voice, you might be stuck in ‘armchair creativity’ mode.

While that dormant process is sometimes a necessary phase for artist and thinkers, you don’t want to stay stuck there for long. Creativity can ebb and flow, but give yourself an hour a day, or day a week (et cetera) to let the creative juices flow. Don’t anticipate what the end result will be and just get started where you are.

Step 8: Never Forget:

You are a creative force with unlimited potential!