15 Creative Kick Starts

We all get stuck in our normal routines and ruts concerning doing things the same way we have been always doing them.  We can get unstuck by changing our usual routine and trying something new.  This will help get our creative juices flowing and expand our horizons.  Here are 15 ways in which to enhance our imagination.

1.        Deprive ourselves of media. Try this for a day or two.  Make the determination about how much television we do watch, or how many newspapers or magazines do we read.  Are we glued in front of our computers visiting facebook and reading emails?  Are we busy paying attention to our cellphones and texting.  Instead work on a crossword puzzle, bake cookies, take our dog for a walk or just spend time with friends shooting the breeze.

2.       Explore something new every day for a week.  We can try a new recipe, start reading a book from a different genre, or listening to a new style of music. 

3.       Experiment with a new art form or try something different with a type of creating we have been doing.  Instead of writing prose, try writing poetry.  Use colored pencils instead of paints. 

4.       Enjoy the great outdoors.  Take a walk outside and take in the sights, sounds, textures and  variety of colors.

5.       Make mistakes.  Knowing that failures are part of the creative process.  Create freely and allow errors to reveal themselves as insights for later projects.  When writing in free form some mistakes may end up happy accidents.  Don’t fear mistakes, welcome them, they serve as a bridge to learning.

6.       Try brainstorming.  When you are making a decision think of different solutions.  Work with others to come up with different ideas.  Don’t quash innovative ideas with quick judgments.  By trying a new approach you may learn something new and may actually like the results.

7.       Be a kid for a few hours.  Jump in a pile of leaves, build a fort, or get out the crayons and color. Explore your childhood sense of play and adventure.

8.       Notice the details.  Attention to detail is important concerning creative work no matter what type including poetry, painting, cooking, photography or decorating.  Paying attention to little things can foster a multitude of creative ideas.

9.       Take a risk.  Getting over a fear and trying something new can be quite exhilarating.

10.   Talk to others about creativity.  Share ideas, discuss motivational tips, talk about overcoming blocks and bond with other creative types.  Look for artist and writers’ groups.

11.   Carry a small notebook or journal at all times.  While waiting at a doctor’s office, try writing a poem.  Takes notes for your next story.  Write down things you noticed.  Write down ideas as they pop into your head. 

12.   Establish a creative climate in our office, study, corner of the family room, or another area in which you can spend a lot of time being creative.  Decorate with our favorite things:  pictures, a cozy chair, colorful things, and music. 

13.   Give ourselves a break.  Take long walks or breaks.  Make sure we take a time out each day instead of always having to do something.  Our minds need quiet time to restore and develop new ideas. 

14.   Loosen up, laugh and have fun.  Do something wild and crazy.  Life can be rather challenging.  Add a little humor to our lives.  Think out of the box.  Read something funny.  Wear a crazy shirt or go see a funny movie.

15.   Take a vacation.  Even if it has to be close to our home, visit a park, a spa, a museum or a small café.  Pack a little bag and include our journal and a bottle of water.  Vacations, even mini ones, can rejuvenate us. 

Beth Derringer-Keith.   June 2005 Issue.   15 Creative Kick Starts: How to feel inspired in a  world where you still have to take out the trash. Writers’ Digest.