Embrace Creativity to Open Your Mind To Different Perspectives
Creativity is the doorway to a beautiful life. Often because of the need to survive, we pursue what we can make money from. We put aside our passion and focus on building a career in a field where we think we will make money and have security. Fortunately, your creativity and your passion can be a means for you to make money. Embracing your creativity and viewing life through a different lens could lead to you becoming wealthy in more ways than one.
What is creativity?
According to the Oxford dictionary, creativity is the ability to use your imagination and create something new. That is the definition of creativity that we hold on to from a very young age. However, how we view creativity stops many of us from seeing the genius we all have within. You do not have to write a song or come up with a design that you need to patent to be creative.
Creativity can be the way you view what already exists and your ability to change it for the better. An example of creativity that led to people being aware of the struggles of differently-abled people were the Nike Fly ease sneakers. The sneakers were created in a way that allows people to put on their shoes easier.
The 16-year-old that approached Nike with the idea for a shoe that would be easier to wear opened up the conversation of how brands forget about differently-abled people. Nike embraced the idea and released a shoe that has helped people across the globe. The boy who suggested that the shoe be made knew it was a possibility, but he did not have the know-how or the funds to create the shoe. However, this does not take away his creativity, and his ability to not only visualize the sneaker but speak up for people in need of the shoe has changed many peoples’ lives.
How does creativity open your mind?
In our everyday lives, we face scenarios that demand that we think outside the box. Your ability to try and carry everything from the car to the house in one trip is your creativity at play. Structuring how you will carry everything and maneuver your way to the kitchen is being creative. Your imagination allows you to make your life easier, and it opens your mind to a different way of doing things. The power of creativity will open does that you didn’t think possible while changing your life.
Thinking outside the box will help you deal with difficulties that you may face in life. Whenever you face challenges being creative with how you perceive the challenges will inform the decision you make. How you look at a busy day at work or an upcoming appraisal will be determined by creativity. If you look at these as opportunities to grow and learn, you may develop coping mechanisms that will carry you through.
How to embrace creativity.
We need to come to terms with the fact that we are all creative. We all have creative juices flowing in our bodies, even though creativity manifests in different ways. The first step to embracing creativity is to acknowledge that you are not an exception to the rule. You are creative in your own right, and you should not compare your creativity to the people around you. Becoming an entrepreneur at age 50 taught me that anything is possible in my life. Below are steps to embrace your creativity and reap the benefits of being the creative genius you are.
1) Do not be afraid: Fear will keep you caged, and you will not be able to express your creativity. If you have an inkling that you are creative, do not let fear hold you back. Fear holds so many people back, and if you allow it, you will be one of the people that ‘could have been.’ It may be hard to express your creativity and be vulnerable by sharing it, but you need to be courageous to grow. Fear will have you seeking approval from people when the only person who you need permission from is you. People did not appreciate Van Gogh in his lifetime, but he did not let that stop him from creating his masterpieces.
2) Allow yourself to experiment: You do not always have to color within the lines. Your creativity will not be like the next person, and that should not limit you. You are within your right to express your creativity however you wish. Many alternative genres of art, music and even cooking started as weird, but they grew and found followers because everything created will appeal to someone. Do not get in your head about how you should be like all the other people that came before you. You are allowed to carve your own path.
3) Be open to inspiration: Inspiration could come from the beauty of a sunflower or a child who has scraped their knee. You may be surprised by what sparks your creativity. Be open to being inspired by everything and everyone that you come across, and you may surprise yourself.
To conclude
We are creative in our own rights, and you should not feel under pressure to be like the next person. Instead, you need to nurture your creativity and take the time to appreciate yourself. Do not put up mental roadblocks that will stop you from being creative by making you doubt yourself.
Be Inspired To Be More Creative
No matter how much you enjoy innovative projects, sometimes you are just not in the right mind space to come up with anything unique. Because of the fast pace of things in the real world, there is always a lot of clamoring for your attention. It naturally follows that you feel inclined to quit the more fanciful pursuits such as being creative to focus on the more pragmatic side of life. That is the story of most adults. We back-bench our creativity to give attention to other things we feel are more important.
Children enjoy tapping into their imagination because they are still so curious about the world they live in. They slip easily into a creative space, which is why they enjoying dressing up and acting like their favorite story characters. They enjoy making macaroni necklaces and hand-painted cards for their loved ones.
As they grow older, they lose that sense of wonder in favor of fitting into the adult world. Of course, they still find activities that engage their interests because it is part of their school curriculum to take part in different clubs. Once they graduate to join the workforce, there is often little to inspire them to keep locked in on their creative nature. So many leave creativity behind and focus on alternatives that seem more logical. Unfortunately, when you kill off your creativity and stop being curious and engaging your imagination, it makes for a bland existence.
To fully experience the beauty of life, you must have the freedom to explore your talents and abilities. A creative life helps you do exactly that. You get out of a one-dimensional existence and into a fascinating reality, where you get to discover more about yourself and your environment.
“Cultivating your creativity is good. It helps with problem-solving, motivation, and career growth. Research also suggests that when you express your creativity, you will experience greater wellbeing and happiness.” ~ Tracey Brower.
Finding creative inspiration.
It is a satisfying experience to come up with a brilliant, original idea. When you see it come together after all the hard work, there is this sense of accomplishment. It is fulfilling. It is difficult, however, to be continuously creative. You need to constantly find inspiration to produce amazing work. Finding the right influence is the key to unlocking whatever is hidden within you. It is what will help you get in touch with your creative self.
Find your safe space.
Creativity flows when you are at your most comfortable, with enough freedom to be your authentic self. Coming up with fresh ideas or tackling challenges works well in a no-judgment zone where you do not have to listen to critics or explain yourself to anyone. If you want to find inspiration, you need to consider getting a workspace where you can sit down and think without interruption. You get to choose what goes into that space. It could be a photo that reminds you of a time of great happiness, or of someone who inspires you or supports you. Looking at it may give you enough positive vibes to spark creativity in you. You could even put plants to give it a certain ambiance or posters with your favorite motivational quotes.
Connect with other creatives.
Inspiration rubs off on you when you interact with people who share similar interests with you. Engaging with them motivates you to create in moments when you just cannot seem to wrap your head around the actual process. These days, you do not need to even have physical meetings. You can call them if they are accessible or even read their books or listen to their podcasts online to find inspiration.
Declutter your mind.
You cannot find new inspiration when you are not in the right frame of mind. There are a thousand and one thoughts that go through your mind every day and most of them are negative. You need to free your mind so that it can process what it needs to. If you are creative, your mind will be awash with a lot of ideas, some of which may not be good enough to pursue. It is important to keep your mind uncluttered so that ideas flow freely.
Change your routine.
Monotony is the antithesis of creativity. Rarely do you get inspired by being rigid with your routine. Introducing changes to your schedule might just be what you need to pique your creative instincts. You could consider introducing physical exercise. This stimulates brain activity, making your mind more active. You could also start taking nature walks. Taking in the beautiful environment around you will surely tickle your imagination and bring innovation to your doorstep.
Keep an idea journal.
There is no telling when an idea will come to you. You surely do not want to forget anything that comes to mind as you seek inspiration. Writing ideas down will give you something to look back on when you hit a brick wall and run out of ideas.
Listen to your favorite music.
There are certain songs that resonate with where you are at any stage of your life. If they have a positive message, they may spark something in you that helps you find the inspiration to produce your art or crack wide open an idea for that work project you are working on. I depend on music in all genres to inspire and motivate me to the greatness I believe is inside of all of us.
To be more creative, take little steps each day. Acknowledge where and when you feel most inspired, motivated, and original, and spend more energy in those areas. Find your muse and you will come up with amazing ideas.
Surrounding yourself with creative things, people, and ideas will set your life up for inspiration. Do this, and you will be out of that creative rut in no time. And in terms of reaching financial goals you may have, you just may find that this is a more simple process than you ever could have imagined.
Seth Godin shares…
Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions? Will you follow dogma, or will you be original?
Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure? Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions?
Will you bluff it out when you’re wrong, or will you apologize? Will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love?
Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling? When it’s tough, will you give up or will you be relentless?
Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder? Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind? These are the choices the linchpin makes every day.
I’m Connie Ragen Green, allowing my creativity to flow naturally and staying open to all possibilities. Come along with me and let’s create something magical together, shall we?
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