For many people, the idea of being creative can feel like a new concept. Though creativity is largely encouraged in children, adults tend to see less opportunities for creativity in their lives.
With a sudden interest in creative fields booming thanks to social media, people are becoming more interested in creativity. While some people are raised being told creative hobbies are a waste, there are actually many benefits to it.
If you are interested in learning how to be creative, you have come to the right place. You do not need to be a professional artist to be a successful creative!
Social media allows everyone to be creative in more ways than ever before. People are actively taking photos, making digital art, and working on their writing skills. When you think about it, posting a picture to Instagram is a creative process by itself.
You have to take a picture, choose a design match, and then write a short bio with it. These are all creative skills that people are using every single day. Whether it is writing funny Tweets or doing DIY projects, you can absolutely be creative.
If you interested in more content about creativity, please check out the below content:
- 30 Creative and Unique Watercolor Ideas For Beginners
- Top 10 Inspirational TED Talks to Empower Your Creative Growth
Practice Creativity
The biggest part of learning how to be creative is to practice being creative. Many people think that being creative is something that can be done on a whim. While this is technically true, if you want to be creative, you need to get used to it.
There are plenty of great ways to practice being creative. Your best bet is to keep your mind open and experiment with them. You will probably be amazed by how your creativity begins to blossom.
Let Your Mind Wander
A big part of being creative is allowing yourself to think creatively. While most of us spend our days governed by a schedule and focusing, it can be a little limiting. In order to truly embrace creativity, you will need to let your mind off the leash.
This means taking a break from constant input and letting your mind think about anything and everything. Over time, this will help you to build new creative pathways that will make it easier.
There is no right way to let your mind wander. You can think about your day, something you saw, or a conversation you had. It can even be about something completely random that came out of nowhere. You can daydream or write a mental story. All that matters is that you disconnect from your usual pattern of thinking.
Do Brainstorming Exercises
One great way to be creative is to learn how to brainstorm. Brainstorming is kind of like letting your mind wander, but with more direction.
You will want to think of something that you want to accomplish and come up with ideas for it. A brainstorming session can be held for picking a new creative project or about a creative project. If you know that you want to try writing a short story, you can brainstorm to come up with ideas.
There are plenty of different ways to practice brainstorming. This makes it easy for you to find a method of brainstorming that works well with your creative style. You can try mind mapping, list making, drawing, or free writing.
All of these methods allow you to take the time to focus on your goal and let your mind run free. Brainstorming is a great way to build up your creative thought process by letting your mind be active with direction. You can even find plenty of great brainstorming exercises online!
Expose Yourself to Creativity
One great way to be creative is to expose yourself to creativity. For most people, looking at other creative things is an excellent way to get inspired. Most people are programmed to see something cool and think: I want to try that.
This is why riding on the creative successes of others is such a great way to be creative. When you see what other people make, it can help you to learn and grow. It’s easy to stick with what you know, but look into new sources to broaden your mind.
This can be done in plenty of different ways depending on your preferences. You can try going somewhere creative like an art museum. You can expose yourself to creative shows like theater productions or stage shows.
If you’re looking to stay at home, you can watch movies or shows. Another great thing to try is to watch tutorials or short films on YouTube. The point is that you will want to get inside someone else’s creative world.
Write Down Artistic Things That Resonate with You and Why
A great way to be creative is to track your inspirations. Most people want to be creative because they saw something that inspired them. While being creative is an excellent way to help you feel better mentally and emotionally, inspiration matters.
Under no circumstances should you rely on inspiration to drive your creativity, but it doesn’t hurt. Sometimes the well runs dry and you need something to draw on. This is why keeping a list of inspirations can be beneficial.
You can manage your list however you want to, so don’t worry about doing this step a specific way. If you watch a scene in a movie that resonates with you, write it down. If you see a picture that you can’t stop staring at, add it to your notebook.
Whenever you see something creative that elicits a feeling or energizes you, document it. It can be a really pretty DIY bookshelf design that you saw. The source does not matter, but make sure you make a note about what it made you feel.
Think About the Narrative
An excellent way to compel you to be creative is to start considering narratives. For most kinds of art, there is some kind of narrative in place. This deeper meaning is often what speaks to the audience and makes it stick with them.
Looking for narrative will help you to understand the creator’s creative intent. This is not only inspirational, but it can also help to drive your own. When you understand how these greater stories work, it’s easier to make them yourself.
Narrative comes in many forms depending on the type of art. For a painting, it might be something that the images or colors convey. For a novel, it might mean the overarching theme hidden within the story.
Art tries to say something, no matter how simple that message might be. Try to think more critically about the stories hidden within your own life or those around you. This will help you to begin creating with intent, and your audience will see that.
Play Creative Games
A great way to be more creative is to play creative games. This creative game niche is growing in many ways, and many are probably already in your own home. There are games that are meant to help you with creativity.
These are games designed to get your mind running and help you boost your creative levels. If that is too forward, there are games that are less focused on creativity but still leverage it.
Improv games are an amazing way to help you to be more creative. These games can be played with friends with hilarious results. Other common creative games include things like Mad Libs and other silly creative games.
If you want something that feels a little less intensive, games like Cards Against Humanity are another excellent place to start. This forces you to have fun being creative without making you put in too much work. Games like Cranium also offer some prime creative opportunities to get you thinking.
Practice Mimicking Others
If you’re not sure about where to start with your creative process, you can always try mimicking others. Many people think that they aren’t creative because they haven’t done many creative things. This is a horrible trap to fall into and it simply isn’t true.
Every person on this planet has the capacity to be creative. Though people want to imagine an artist who was born to create, the reality is less romantic. You can learn to be creative by trying out what other people are doing.
People who are new to creativity often worry about artistic merit. You don’t have to create a masterpiece to be creative, and you don’t have to be original. Much of being creative is gaining the skills to be able to do so. A great way to do this is to try what other creative people are trying.
This might mean following a DIY tutorial, painting alongside someone on YouTube, or recreating something. If you want to be able to comfortably gain these skills, it can help to try mimicking what you see.
Let Yourself Be Imperfect
When it comes to learning to be creative, people are quick to shut themselves down for being imperfect. Plenty of would be creatives will throw in the towel when they don’t immediately make a masterpiece. Holding yourself to an unrealistic standard is a great way to actually crush your creativity.
The people that you watch doing amazing things online are able to do so because they practiced. Very few people are just naturally inclined to make great art. It takes time and practice.
Creative beginners are quick to assume that if they don’t make something good immediately, it isn’t for them. This line of thinking will not only stop you from getting better, but will make creativity hard. You are essentially emotionally punishing yourself for not being able to live up to perfection.
When you try something new, give yourself permission to be bad at it. You’re starting out and you can get better with time. Chances are that what you make will not look good initially, but there is room for growth.
Think About What You Have to Say
When it comes to being creative, you have to make the process your own. A great way to do this is to think about what you have to say. Everyone has a story that only they can tell, and artists use this as inspiration.
You don’t have to bare your soul to the world, but you can still think about what your unique perspective is. This is what you can use for inspiration when it comes to making your own art.
Put in The Work
At the end of the day, the best way to be creative is to put in the work to do so. Many people think that creativity is intrinsic, but this generally isn’t true. Even the most inspired artists need to rely on skills in order get something done.
If you want to practice being creative, you need to set aside time for it and make it a priority. This will help you get better, which will make it even more fun to do.
Conclusion
Being creative has many benefits for most people. It is a great way to express yourself and can help you to alleviate stress. Even if you just saw somebody make something cool and decided that you want to try, that is completely fine. Your reasons for being creative are your own. Just make sure that you have fun and allow yourself to explore the world around you.
What will you do to be creative?
Lightblue
Friday 18th of February 2022
Thanks for your awesome insight on creativity.
Jae Johns
Saturday 19th of February 2022
You're welcome