1. Don’t over think anything.
Write down the first thing that comes to your mind. Defer judgment as long as you can; as soon as you let that critical side of your mind open up, you’ll be second guessing everything you do, whether you’re drawing, painting, writing, sculpting—anything! Just get something done before you look it over. The quicker you can get something done, the more creative you’re likely to be because you’re not letting the logical side of your brain take over. It’s so easy to let yourself over think every little thing, from what you’ll wear today to how your coworkers will react to your presentation. You second guess yourself once you consider your audience and what kind of reactions and critiques you’ll get. In reality, you don’t need to worry about this at all. Sometimes the craziest, strangest ideas are the ones that turn out the best, so don’t over think things on the front end. Creativity is all about you, so let yourself do whatever strikes your fancy. Have fun with it!
2. Look at things as if you were a child.
Remember when you were a kid and had to make up your own toys? I made dollhouse furniture out of bottle caps, boxes, and pipe cleaners. There are days now when I look at these supplies and wonder what I could make with them, whereas in childhood, I’d craft a table and chairs in no time. I used to color pictures of imaginary animals without worrying that they couldn’t really exist in our world. Do you have similar memories? Anything seemed possible when we were kids, but years of traditional schooling and falling into line in the workplace has trained us to think in a certain way. We have to think logically—everything has to make sense. We have to think in a linear manner—this leads to that which leads to this. Everyone says to think outside the box, but it’s harder to do than you might think. Instead of pushing yourself to think creatively, which will probably pressure and stifle you even more, look at things as if you were a child again. Nothing has to make sense, you just have to be able to imagine it. If you can think it up, it can be true. Use this whimsical, silly approach in your writing, art, and other creative endeavors. Letting go of traditional rules will help you feel more free with your creativity.
3. Find inspiration in everything.
Finding inspiration in anything around you will spark creativity. Let your imagination roam when you’re out and about, or even if you’re stuck inside your home or office! Look at what’s around you. The front yard looks a little overgrown, but instead of pushing away from your creativity and getting out the lawn mower, let your imagination loose. That tall grass would be a great place for elves to hide—maybe this inspires a story or drawing. Instead of sighing as you turn on your computer in the mornings, think of how things work behind the screen, and let your imagination wonder about how it was invented, what it takes to make it run, and see where your mind takes you from there. Instead of letting the mundane daily tasks get you down, turn them into something more fun and interesting.
4. Strive for quantity.
The more you come up with, the more likely one will be worth exploring. If you’re a writer, don’t be afraid to jot down a dozen ideas, or start three stories at once. You never know which one will turn out to be your favorite. Don’t censor yourself and insist you just focus on one thing at a time—who knows what you’ll be missing out on! Same for visual artists: why limit yourself to one canvas or sculpture? Why not work on one until you can’t think of what to do next, and then start working on another? It’s only natural that being creative in one instance will keep your brain active enough to come up with more ideas, so don’t stifle that. Encourage yourself to come up with as many ideas as possible, and follow through on all of these to see where they take you. Try any or all of these approaches to turning on creativity and see where it takes you and your art. You might be surprised with what you’re able to come up with! Featured photo credit: Johann Dreo via flickr.com
