How to Stimulate your Creativity

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I believe we are all creative, our talents are all varied and different and that is what makes this world so diverse and interesting. No matter what your talent of creativity is or how you work with it, it is there, and needs stimulation to continue to flourish. Even if you think that you do not have a creative talent you will be surprised to find that if you work on stimulating ideas and intuition you will find that you too have a talent to share. Nurture and encourage this side of you to come forth, you will feel better for it, those around you will be inspired and the world as a whole will be effected by your input as we are all connected as one. Go forth and let your light shine.

Awaken your creative imagination, learn to recognize and honour your particular brand of imagination and creativity. Find ways to visually and physically play with it. Imagination empowers your creative imagery and feelings, practice being in that place where you can perceive, visualize, and formulate without being limited by words and sentences and definitions. It is like giving birth, it is a gift that you accept, then develop and share.

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Ways to keep this creative inspiration flowing is to do new things, visit new places, surround yourself with people whether in a park, shopping centre etc and just sit and watch you will find all sorts of ideas start popping into your head. Along with reading where all sorts of ideas are given to you through situations and characters that are experiencing things outside of your normal day to day life. With all these ideas in your mind allow yourself to daydream and inspiration will come to you no matter how strange or off beat the idea seem stick with it, you will be surprised where ideas come from. Write the ideas down so they are not forgotten, have a notebook handy everywhere you go in your bag, in the car, beside the bed you get the idea so nothing is missed. You will be filled with gratitude at just how wonderful your mind can be and how many new ideas it can bring forth for your consideration. Write down any idea that pop into your mind at any time and jot down the time they do occur. Don’t hold back anything goes, you will never have to show anyone else this journal, so there should be no holding back — it is safe from judgement. Over time you may note that you are more creative at a certain time of day, if so then you can work with this and plan your day around this. I recommend a paper journal so you can doodle, write freely and they go anywhere you are.

Over time look back through your notes and see the themes that emerge, compare the ideas with each other. Then take these ideas and ask questions of others if the area is unfamiliar to you, talk with friends and family and ask for there input.

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Relax and think on all the information you have gathered and follow your intuition, listen to your inner knowing, it always knows what is best for you. Then follow the inner voice and be spontaneous and take the steps necessary to create your idea, don't worry what other people may think, or sometimes more importantly what we may think ourselves, just do it. You will not be letting anyone down if it doesn't work out at first, you will be having fun as when we are creating from this space and heart centre we are fulfilling our souls purpose, and things happen with ease and grace and we lose ourselves in our project.

Put yourself in a beautiful surrounding depending on what you are birthing in your creation you may be able to go outside in nature or if you are inside put on some favourite music, soft candles if appropriate, just make your place of work as relaxing and nurturing as possible. If you are inside remember to take breaks and go outside to breath in the fresh air and loosen the body with some movement all of which will help your creativity flow.

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If you feel that you have come to a stop and have hit the wall so to speak, just put down your project and go about your day. There is nothing to be gained by sitting and trying to force a solution to come this causes frustration and takes you away from your heart centre. When we walk away and go about our day doing the ordinary another approach to the problem will come to us usually when we least expect it, our subconscious mind still has the problem at hand and will be working on solving it, we just have to relax and trust in the process. By doing this our creations just flow and the experience is one of joy and fulfilment when the project is complete. If you are stuck for some time or over several days go back to your creative idea journal and flick back over the pages an idea you had for something else may even help solve this current challenge you have. Alternatively bring in toys or puzzles that require manual manipulation, these unlock reasoning and assist in activating parts of the brain required for creativity.

Everyone has a dominant way of expressing ideas- sketching, writing, talking. If you swap the way you are working on a thought a different idea is easier to find, and your understanding of a particular problem will change. This is both a way to find new ideas and to explore an idea you’re focused on. Or, try explaining your problem to someone else who has no understanding of this type of work and in your need to simplify the idea to get this person to understand it will force you to describe and think about the problem differently.

Some people are most creative when they work with others. Whether you gather with like minded creators, a group of artists for example or whether you gather with other creative people who are working on solo projects, this keeps energy levels high and you are able to be inspired through their achievements and creations. They will bring a new perspective to each others ideas.

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We all know that when we do something we truly love we are happy as a person and our labours of love are ones of true beauty and bring so much pleasure to others. This is the secrete to creativity doing what makes our souls come alive, it brings us fun and joy, nurturing our bodies in doing what we were meant to do. The more you allow this process to take place the more natural it will feel and our creativity is no longer a project but simply part of our life. We are doing what we love most and everyone benefits, not only the recipients of our labours but also our family and friends for we are truly living our life's purpose and therefore we are the best we can be and have more to offer to our loved ones.

So no matter what your passion of creativity is writing, artwork, sewing, gardening, caring for animals, childcare minding, facilitating workshops, singing, craft work, hang gliding, cooking the list goes on and on when it is your life purpose it becomes like breathing so a part of you that you just have to do it. It is taking those first steps to find what you are passionate about that is the most important. So if you try a type of creativity and find you did not enjoy it as much as you first thought you would just keep trying think of something new and have another go. You will be surprised if you do not put up any type of boundaries around where your mind can wander just what you may end up finding you enjoy doing. Go out and explore as a child with every new idea full of wonder and possibility.

Your ideas, feelings, intuition, vision and ideas are unlimited. They express your pure creative truth and the sacredness of creative thought is one to honour and will make you humble when you allow it to guide you.

“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” Mary Lou Cook

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