If you’ve been wanting to begin a creative pursuit, do you need to re-evaluate your commitments? Maybe think twice about taking on any new ones? Maybe. Or maybe not. Here are three ways to bring intentional creativity into your life:
1) Do one small thing a day to feed your creative side. If you write one line of poetry a day, at the end of a month, you’ll have a 30-line poem. If you write 200 words a day, you could finish the first draft of a novel or memoir by the end of the year. Point is, it doesn’t take hours in a day to make something. And you don’t have to sit at your desk and wait for the muse to get into a creative flow. If that’s you, then great - we can’t wait to read what you’ve written! But if you never seem to have time to be creative, then break it up into small, manageable chunks. You’re still creating.
2) Try bringing creativity into the realm of what you already do all day. If you don't think you can be creative in your day job, think again. Regardless of what field or industry you are in, creativity is all about looking at an issue with a unique perspective and then inventing new ways to work with that issue. Any job lends itself to this approach, even accounting!
3) Make a habit of noticing creativity in the natural world. This is a surprisingly effective way to nurture your own intentions toward creativity. Scientists theorize that something called "soft fascination" is evoked when we encounter nature and engages the brain's default mode network. In this state, we're more receptive to unexpected connections and insights, and more inclined to follow our thoughts wherever they lead. This creative state allows our active thoughts to mingle with memories, emotions, and ideas already present in the brain. Creativity happens through these inspired collisions. Find a green space, and let your mind wander. The intention may bring about an unintentional burst of creativity!
