10 Awesome Tips to Help You Become More Creative
Whether you consider yourself creative or you want to be, we are exploring tips on how to become more creative. It’s just like a muscle that you have to exercise so check out our tips!
It has taken me a long time to consider myself creative. I never felt like I was artsy or talented at creating, until I decided I was.
Rather than being creative, it was more that I just wasn’t afraid to try something new. A project, art, paint or whatever it was. Not being afraid to attempt a new idea is what gave me the confidence to say I’m a creator.
And guess what? You are a creative too!
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What Exactly is Creativity?
Creativity can be defined as using your imagination to create something.
Studies of adults that are considered highly creative show that they tend to be curious, flexible, persistent, expressive and have a sense of humor.
We all use creativity in some form, but many of us don’t believe that we are creative. We have a notion of what creativity means and many times I think we picture an artist. But that’s not the only kind of creativity there is.
Now if you’ve wandered over here on our site then you’re probably a bit artsy, but remember that creativity doesn’t just have to apply to art. It can be as simple as figuring out a new way to get something done, like a math problem.
Is It Possible to Become More Creative?
Creativity is something that we can practice and develop.
Just like a muscle when you go to the gym, sometimes we need some exercises to help us become more creative.
You’ll have to learn to flex you creative muscle but it comes with surprising benefits, like stress reduction.
Well you might find yourself more stressed at first. You may get frustrated when you have an idea in your head but you can’t get it to turn out exactly like you want in physical form.
I’ve got a painting that I’m working on.
In my head I know exactly what I want it to look like, but the reality is turning out much differently than I expected. Now I have to figure out how to reconcile the two into something I’m really happy with.
Anyway, here are 10 steps to help you develop and improve your creativity!
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Steps to Help You Become More Creative
These are all great ways to improve your creativity!
Observe
Always pay attention to what others are doing around you. Focus on your surroundings and notice the small things. If you can spend some time focusing on little details it will help you build up your stores of inspiration.
Inspiration leads to creativity!
Keep a Journal
Have you ever tried keeping a journal of any kind?
It can be a writing journal, an art journal or just a notepad full of ideas.
You can collect ideas or things that you find in nature, or even paint chips. Whatever the things are that inspire you are good things to keep in your journal.
When you spend time flipping back through your inspiration in the journal you’ll find ideas that you hadn’t expected.
Change Your Environment to Become More Creative
Changing your environment can be a great way to spark your creativity.
This is also an easy trick.
Take a walk on your lunch break, try a different route to a place you’re not familiar with. Visit a park that you haven’t been to before. Clean off your desk, move your furniture or paint a wall.
Take your laptop to a different coffee shop or restaurant to work or listen to a podcast.
Challenge yourself to do one of these things everyday!
See, easy!
Get Our of Your Comfort Zone
Changing your environment is the easy first step to getting out of your comfort zone.
What you want to do is experience new things, and that means that you have to try new things.
It doesn’t have to be a huge step at first, why not sign up for that cooking class you’ve been wanting to try?
If you’re feeling really adventurous maybe you need to try sky diving?
There are lot’s of stages in between those things and some of them can be as simple as calling someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile. The main point is to open yourself to trying new things, which will open yourself to being creative.
Try a Mind Map
Have you ever used a mind map or a flow chart?
This can be a great way to help connect ideas or answer a question you’ve been working on.
Write down your central topic or word and then link related ideas around the center word. This will give you a visual for your ideas and how they are linked together.
This can help you visualize a product or an event and all the steps that you need to get from point A to point B. Or it can just help you visualize your ideas and gather them into one place.
Here’s some more great information if you want to try building a MIND MAP.
Look for Multiple Solutions
Remember that there are always multiple solutions to any problem or dilemma.
When you are approaching a new idea try looking for multiple solutions or ideas instead of just running with the first thought.
Thinking things through from multiple angles can help build your creative thinking skills, and also your problem solving skills.
I think this might also help me with my patience skills!
Well it’s really my lack of patience.
Take Risks
One of the biggest hallmarks of being creative is taking risks. I know that taking risks is scary and it’s okay to be scared. It’s just not okay to use fear as your excuse for not trying something.
Be afraid and do it anyway.
You don’t have to share your failures publicly, you can mess up over and over and no one else ever has to know. But you’ll know. And you’ll appreciate your outcome much more knowing how many times you had to try before you got it right.
Learn from your Mistakes
After you’ve tried something new and you weren’t successful, what did you learn?
I’ll bet that you learned more from your mistakes than from your successes.
So don’t give up. Mistakes will happen, take the lesson and keep moving forward.
Daydream to Become More Creative
It’s important in everyone’s lives to take some time to daydream.
Letting your mind wander gives it a chance to work out problems in the background and sometimes this will provide you with an idea you weren’t expecting.
How many times have you left a project in frustration and when you weren’t even thinking about it later had an “aha!” moment?
Your subconscious has stored up all your random ideas and memories and when you let it do it’s work it can surprise you with some amazing ideas.
Practice
If you’re wanting to focus on developing creativity then you’re going to want to practice. Try the things from this list and see which ones work the best for you.
There’s no right or wrong answer here but if something isn’t working then it’s time to explore some new ideas on how to get those creative juices flowing again.
Reward Your Creativity
Anytime you create, or feel creative, celebrate that.
You don’t have to be “in the zone” to be creative, it can be something simple and it’s still worth celebrating. The more you practice being creative, the easier it will be for you to access your creative side. And that’s worth celebrating.
To become more creative it’s also important to embrace those creative moments!
Follow us on Pinterest and on Instagram for lot’s more ideas and inspiration!