There are some common misconceptions about creativity, as if we lack creativity. Some people even say “I don’t have a creative bone in my body” but that’s not true because you are creating in every single moment. Every thought, every word, every action, from cooking dinner, to writing an essay, to having a conversation with someone, you are creating something new. We are all creative beings. We can all cultivate and strengthen our creativity. Below are some ways YOU can tap into your unique creative frequency!
Lessen your harsh judgement and self critiquing of whatever you’re creating, in any capacity. A lot of us tend to judge ourselves so harshly, much more so than we would someone else if they came to us with something they’ve worked on. Extend the same love and compassion for what you are working on. Instead of pure, harsh criticism, observe what you have created with an open mind & heart and, if you must, utilize constructive criticism. What do you like about what you’re creating? How can you make it better? NOT perfect….better.
Learn to take a compliment, and compliment yourself. This was a tough one for me for a long time and I have worked through this, but now I see this self deprecation everywhere! It makes me so sad. One of the worst things you can do is defend why you doubt yourself or why you think you or your creation are not good enough. Almost all compliments are genuine, and when they give you one, they truly believe what you are working on is amazing and want you to know it! They aren’t saying it so you can sit there and tell them all of the things you think are wrong with it or how it’s not good enough. Learn to appreciate their kind words and actually listen to what they are saying. Secondly, compliment yourself. Even if it’s one specific thing instead of the whole, start there. How does it feel to speak kindly to yourself and believe in the beauty of your own work?
Find stillness and inner peace, learn to create from that space. If your mind is clouded or busy you generally won’t be able to allow the creative flow to guide you. Using other people or things as inspiration is perfectly fine, but letting outside energies influence your unique creative frequency can make it hard to create something that is your own. You have different perspectives and experiences than anyone else in this world. Feel into and explore those through meditation, or whatever form of awareness allows you to be still and cultivate inner peace. When you are at peace, you can more easily tap into your ability to express yourself and let life flow. Some of your best work will come from that space because it came from your true inner self.
Never assume you’ll be amazing at something your first go at it, but don’t let that discourage you. Know that whatever you are working on will take practice. If there is something you truly want to create, you will commit to learning, practicing and being messy. Please, don’t be afraid to be messy! It’s going to take going through the messy phase to get to where you are able to hone in on your craft and continue creating at your highest potential.
Release any expectations you have. If you focus on the final product of what you’re creating, it cuts you off from the flow of the creating process. Allow yourself to let your creativity guide you without expecting a specific result. Let it become whatever your soul wants it to become.
Let yourself be silly and have fun! Do things that free your imagination. Dancing, singing, coloring, playing with clays or craft putty, making a personal playlist are all good options. If you feel stuck, think back to what you loved to do as a child. Those activities are great ways to invoke joy and allow your imagination to run free! Give yourself permission to let go and embrace that childlike spirit. Utilize that spirit to create outside the box. You are not contained. The beauty of creativity is that you are the creator, and whatever you are working on has no rules, no boundaries and no definitions outside of the ones you place around it.
Not everything you create has to be shared. Sometimes it’s nice to keep a little something to yourself. A special gift you made, just for you. This may also make it easier to allow yourself to create without fear. We all have fears of rejection, ridicule and judgement but we don’t have to feed into those fears. You don’t have to create for anyone else, and you don’t need anyone else’s approval of what you’ve created to know that it is beautifully, uniquely yours.
Thoughtful Pours 