Simple Ideas to Spark Creativity
Sometimes we need a reminder: this is your life. Yes, this one life was created and given for a significant purpose. Exploring that purpose is enriched by encouraging your creativity.
We all ‘do’ all day long. Agendas, deadlines, timelines, performance markers, must-dos…our lives are full. And I bet not a lot of us get to ‘do what we want’ all the time. However, even the daily grind is made more livable when you allow your imagination some room to play.
Even while you’re running errands, planning your workload, troubleshooting tech issues, or any of your critical round-the-clock tasks, your creativity is available to renew you. And every one of us is creative.
Every one of us generates ideas, feelings, solutions, answers…or maybe poetry, art, photography, songs…all of which require starting, not stagnating.
Take a Cue from Maya Angelou
You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have. – Maya Angelou
Just the name Maya Angelou rolls in the air like sweet steam from a cappuccino. It calls to mind the depth of her voice, and poetry that ruptures your soul.
Of her many talents, she sculpted ideas using words so powerful, they continue giving life even beyond her earthly presence.
You, too, have words inside you. Words that can teach someone a skill, put someone at ease, or redeem disasters. And sometimes, the most creative thing you can do is to listen without words.
The Point Is: Make Room for Creativity
Don’t tamp your schedule down so hard that you silence your gifts. Because like anything you choose, or practice, tapping into your creativity is likely to improve something. Maybe that will be your awareness, someone’s day, or the effect you have on those in your part of the world.
Stimulating your creativity doesn’t require achieving any masterpieces. It simply invites potential.
Here Are 15 Simple Ideas to Ignite Your Spark
- Get up at a different time this week
- Take a different route to work, or sit somewhere different for some of your tasks
- If you podcast or playlist on the road, drive in silent observation instead, or vice versa
- Make a playlist titled “Yes, (Your Name)”
- Write positive thoughts on index cards and read/memorize them
- Just watch (no notes) a tutorial of something you find interesting
- Walk anywhere without your phone
- Go to an art or thrift store and see what intrigues you
- Deny yourself a bad habit and journal your thoughts
- Light a candle and meditate
- Choose to only stretch for your whole exercise session one day
- Try a colorful food you don’t typically eat
- Draw a doodle with your non-dominant hand
- Lay on the floor with your legs against the wall to change your blood flow
- Ask three people what they like doing
It’s quite possible that not one of these super-simple ideas are right for you. What I hope is that you’ll allow yourself to come up with something.
Maybe you’ll prefer to decorate, run, dance, garden, origami…I don’t know. I think I’ll keep creating poetry and finding new outdoor places to explore. Because I want to keep inviting creation.
You’ll likely find that Maya’s declaration holds true: get creative, and you’ll get more creative.
There’s no end to the possibilities.
Have you discovered a new way to inspire? Share it at liamartinwriting@gmail.com. Happy creating!
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Martin Adams