Many people who are not in the creative industry would say that creatives as a whole aren’t disciplined. In truth, creatives know how to combine both discipline and play in their work. People in the creative industry show up even when their inspiration tank is low. Writers continuously write when they’re faced with writer’s block. Designers push forward with sketching and illustrating even when their creativity levels are sinking.
It doesn’t matter which creative line you are in. It also doesn’t matter if you aren’t in the creative industry. There are obstacles and walls that people will encounter in every career. These are the habits you can adopt to keep your life brimming with creativity.
Channel your creative power into everyday life moments.
Whee!
How does one live and sustain a creative life? Doing something as simple as snapping one interesting photo a day would definitely take your observation skills up a notch. If you’re more of the adventurous sort, take advantage of classes or events you’ve never visited to thrust yourself into new experiences. Routines like this won’t inhibit your creativity but enhance it instead.
Don’t rush.
Shower time!
Slip into the habit of taking things slow and steady. You’re not in a race. Heard of people saying that the origins of that genius idea came from spending time in the shower? The truth is that creativity spawns when you are in a relaxed state and your mind is free to wander. When you take time to create something, you’re cultivating your own creativity.
Embrace your curious nature.
Explore galore.
Let your curiosity (and your feet) take you to new places so you can make new discoveries. An easy way to start is by visiting a different side of your neighborhood or taking a stroll to a park you’ve never been to before. There’s something about allowing yourself to gravitate toward a new area that’s magical. A change of environment can definitely enable you to sustain a creative life.
Skip out on your digital drill.
Out of juice? Dang, I still need to check that update…
At some point, your phone will beep or show you that it needs a battery juice break. Identically, your mind needs a breath of fresh air to recharge, too! In this modern era where we live in a state of hyper-connectivity, we develop a fear of missing out. Constantly checking for updates or to escape an uncomfortable situation, we turn to our phones. Our minds are often wrapped up in posts from our circles or the contents of our inboxes. Give yourself a break. Try this to sustain a creative life: Detox your brain of this habit and start allowing your creativity some space to flow.
Keep a notebook, sketchbook and pen or pencil with you.
Skritch skritch skritch…
Better than waiting for that app to launch, go traditional. Sit in a park and create a small sketch of a scenario that interests you. Draw out an expression of someone you remember. Even if you don’t feel your art is good, keep drawing. This practice helps you lead a creative life by sparking an idea within that big brain of yours.
Take photos of things or scenes that catch your eye.
Bit by the shutterbug!
Similarly, to keeping a small notepad, you can use your phone or camera for a much more creative function. Scenes that catch your eye can be captured into your photo gallery or album where you can refer to them later on. Who knows when you’ll be hit with a healthy dose of inspiration? The creative possibilities are endless.
Use what you already have.
Letting that creative juice flow!
When starting on a blank canvas, for example, say you only have a charcoal pencil at hand. Creativity can be channeled into art in so many ways with only one medium. In all honesty, creativity is a skill that is honed through dedicated practice. When you find that you have limited resources, your creativity blooms a lot better than with a plethora of art or design mediums at hand.
Stay open to sharing your creative knowledge.
Sculpt away!
Don’t hoard your knowledge. Teach people what you know. Share it with the world. We’re hardwired to believe that when we’re open to sharing the things we know, we don’t gain anything in return. The honest truth is that the most creative people are in fact the most open people. They don’t stay trapped in their own negative thoughts and keep their knowledge to themselves. By staying open, you get to have new experiences, concepts, and perspectives. When you become someone who embraces knowledge sharing, you’ll be able to see the world differently.
Lose that fear of getting rejected or being wrong.
🙁
Continuously try new things out even with the possibility of failure. And be prepared to fail a thousand and one times. Here’s where honing your mental ability comes into play. Your resolve can be measured through the number of times you pick yourself up and move on after falling. Success only comes with failure, and adopting the fear of failing can be debilitating to your creative life. Failure saps your energy and with it your creativity. When you shove the fear of failing out of your system, you gain thicker skin and newer, often better perspectives.
Get used to creating work without receiving rewards.
Many creatives do not get proper fulfillment from producing their creative work. As unfortunate as it sounds, often times the underlying reason is that they need money to eat and have a roof over their heads. As such, they take jobs to fill that gap in while they work on their own creative projects that do offer a sense of accomplishment. It’s a normal procedure. It takes some getting used to.
Keep on igniting that creative spark.
Feeling that creative thought coming alive.
When you’re mentally stuck, your creative gauge gets low. Your spark of inspiration fizzles out to glowing embers. You grit your teeth and sigh. Sometimes it happens in the middle of an important project. Other times it comes in small doses in a series of different events. While there are a thousand factors that contribute to this, the best way to get past it is to continue creating. Eventually, your spark will be ignited again.
Put your heart and soul into it.
Proud of her handiwork!
Nothing good ever comes out of doing something half-as$ed. At the end of the day, what you really want to achieve is the satisfaction of being able to say: “I poured my heart and soul into this, and I made it with love.” No matter the outcome, you know that you were engaged in the moment of creating something to perfection. That’s a creative life worth living.
Adopt awareness in your life.
Asking that question is better than never knowing the answer.
Creativity can never be born in a vacuum. Trapped in a bubble of the same thought stream over and over again, the human mind cannot and will not progress. Develop your creativity and innovative potential by asking questions. Share concepts and brainstorm ideas. Embrace that questioning nature, because that’s your mind trying to think creatively. Live a better creative life by staying aware of the possibilities to make change or progress.
“Get a real job!”
That’s right, I’m talking to you!
In all honesty, comments and critiques like these will always be flung at you no matter the line of work you are in. People will always find a reason to compare your life with their own, and others whom they deem successful. Deflect, retort, or take it in stride. Whichever method you choose, do not allow these remarks to hinder your progress. Most importantly, what you perceive as a life worth living is something that is entirely up to your standards and no one else’s. That’s the only thing that matters most when it comes to following your passion and living your creative life.
Practice, practice, practice.
Work it!
While routine can crush creativity, the simple act of making one drawing a day exercises your creative confidence. For example, writing a couple lines a day won’t seem like much, but in a month, you will have a collection of stories. Don’t delete your words, erase your sketches or discard that music track you just made. Keep them so that when you look back in your old folders or books, you can see how far your creativity has progressed.
Creativity can also be fueled by good food and a satisfied stomach. With that in mind, check out why your creative inspiration is just a bite away. And if your stomach is already stuffed, here’s how you can exercise creativity by stepping out of your comfort zone.