I believe that each one of us has the potential to live a wildly inspired and creative life. No matter your career or calling, it will benefit you to nurture your creative ideas. But far too often, we fall into old routines and thought patterns that interrupt creative flow. We have a sense that we could be living more innovative lives, but our thinking becomes self sabotaging.
Have you ever had the thought:
“I wish I was as creative as (that person).”
“I would make (that great idea I have), but I really don’t have any talent.”
“I’ll just fail (in that new project) anyway, so why should I bother?”
It is often this thinking that gets in the way of being more creative. The good news is you can notice when you have a gloomy and unproductive thought, and work to shift your focus to these 4 essential beliefs for living in creative flow.
1. Creativity is a basic human trait.
Creativity was essential to the survival of our ancestors. For millions of years, our ancestors solved problems, wove the first baskets, made the first water containers out of gourds, and painted in caves as they invented stories to explain the natural world. These creative abilities have been passed down through time. It is easy to think that other people are creative, that artist and musicians are the lucky ones just born that way. But the truth is we all have creative thoughts and ideas bubbling inside. Unsupportive environments (either familial or societal) can crush our creative potential so that we doubt our own abilities. Trust that your creativity is fundamental to you being human.
2. Creativity takes all kinds of shapes and forms.
Creativity is not the exclusive domain of the artist, poet, writer dancer, musician, or scientist. Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas. This can apply to anything! You can creatively cook your dinner, or creatively present your dinner on the table. You might have a creative way of greeting people on the phone. Chances are you have creative thoughts all the time, but you don’t recognize them as possible acts of creativity. Broaden your definition of creativity and then seek to express it in all areas of your life.
3. Mistakes and imperfection allow room for more creativity.
Your relationship with perfectionism will directly impact your creativity. Sometimes the journey to make something better will inspire you to be more creative. But far too often, the idea of perfectionism, and the fear of being judged, will be a huge block to making anything at all. Instead of focusing on whether or not something is going to be perfect, it is better to accept that we are all perfectly imperfect, and very likely to make many mistakes. Seek out your imperfections and view those very mistakes as opportunities to dive deeper into your creativity.
4. You can strengthen your creativity muscles.
While creativity is innate to each of us, we can grow our ability to think and act creatively. Chances are, the person that you admire for their creative abilities dedicates time and energy to creative practices on a regular basis. Making time each day to engage in practice and play will improve your skills over time. The simplest way to do this is to start a creativity journal. Spend five minutes every day to jot down ideas, doodle, collage, write a poem, or take notes. It doesn’t matter what you do, but that you do it persistently over time. You never know when that idea you scribbled out into a notebook will become a whole new inspired way of living in the world.
If you want to live a life with more purpose and meaning, it is time to adopt some new beliefs about yourself and your relationship to creativity. Release the thinking that blocks your inspiration and you will swim in the river of creative flow.
Also by Angie: Why I Embraced Going Gray & My “Silver Fox” Status
Related: The Best Writing Tip I Ever Received
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