Creativity is bringing something into existence that has yet to arrive; it has never existed before.  This is powerful work. Being creative makes you focussed, motivated and simply happy.  Many of us create something everyday, whether we realize it or not.  

We create lists, essays, and tips through writing.  We create space, movement, and accessibility through de-cluttering.  We create savory smells, layered textures and mouth-watering tastes through new recipes.  Human beings love to create.  It is part of our human make-up.  We were born with a need to fulfill our creative drive.

While some of us are creative daily, many of us really struggle with it.  We especially create a block for creativity to emerge in things we call our “bigger projects” like starting a blog, writing a novel, making a software program or creating a small business.  We limit our potential for happiness when we deprive and neglect our creative drive.  So, how can we jump start our creativity?

It is important first to acknowledge that being creative is a human need that you have.  Once this acknowledgement is made, you have brought awareness to your challenge and it brings you one step closer to overcoming it.  

Thereafter, following these eight simple steps will lead you to fulfilling your creative drive and bring you more in balance.  These eight steps can also help you in any life challenge you might be facing.

1. Make an Intention:  Be sure to have a clear vision of what it is that you want and make the intention in positive, affirming words. “I want to start a small business that will feed my creative drive.”  Try not to use negative or pessimistic words in your intention.  Don’t say, “I want to start a small business that doesn’t fail and that doesn’t go into bankruptcy.” Write the intention down somewhere that you can see it daily in a positive, affirming way.

2. Read with Presence:  Learn everything and anything that you can about your subject.  There are countless books, articles and posts you can find on your subject.  Visit the library, google and wiki it, sift through archives and newspapers.  While you are reading, pay close attention to what your mind seems to focus on or what your eye seems to catch.  There are things in our subject that we like to work on the most – consult your heart while you are reading.  

3.  Seek a Teacher:  After your initial research, seek out an expert in your field that you can talk to whether in person or virtually.  They can be people you know or complete strangers.  There is nothing like expert advice that can shift your motivation.  Experts in their field can talk so passionately about their subject that it leaves you hungrier for more.  They uplift you.

4. Seek Silence: Often the creative drive comes in the quiet moments when you are not even thinking about being creative.  Find more time to be in stillness and in solitude and expect the unexpected to happen.  Many people find ideas and motivation through an activity that clears distractions from the mind.  Be it running, meditating or painting, find time to silence the chattering mind to let the creative soul have a chance at the mic.

5. Pay Attention:  From the previous four steps, by paying close attention to your thought process and so-called “coincidences” new meanings will come into play.  Use the new things you have learned and find meaning from it.  You may need to reorganize your thoughts, discard some ideas or start over.  This is all okay.  Trust what your new meaning is telling you.  It might be entirely different from what you first thought to do, this happens often, but take the new direction because it might lead you to something great.

6. Take Action: Now that you have your mind and heart and soul engaged and energized,  it’s time for your body to take part.  It’s better for your body to take action after the mind, heart and soul are engaged.  This way your body won’t act out of heedlessness or ego, but rather from a renewed sense of positive meaning for your project or idea.  With all of your being working together, take action in your intention (#1).

7. Set Mini-Milestones: This lets you achieve the feeling of success sooner than later.  This feeling then leads to increased feelings of happiness that you want to experience again and again.  Make them simple and doable and then set more.

8.  Let go of Desired Outcomes:  This is the hardest one for it’s easy to dream and while dreaming is good and important, it can often hinder your creativity.  We can get so hung up on what “should” happen that we don’t see what “does” happen in its own right.  It’s better not to expect anything and you will be pleasantly happy with anything that does happen.  And you can avoid a lot of disappointment.  Just keep creating.

9.  Work hard:  A peeled orange does not taste as good as the orange you have to peel yourself.  By peeling it yourself, your effort is in it, letting you enjoy the orange much more than if it is given to you.  You thrive when you overcome something.  It makes you take more risks and seek more ways to be creative.

image credit: moriza

An Invitation

What do you do to fulfill your creative drive?  Did I miss something out?  What creative project are you putting off that you know you would like to do?  Share with us what helps you get creative and keep the motivation going.