Inspiring Creativity - Quick Guide
People often ask me if I ever get creative block or run out of ideas… the answer is a resounding NO! I am overwhelmed with creative ideas and one of my biggest struggles, a blessing really, is which amazing creative adventure to pursue next! This was not always the case and this took conscious, consistent effort… conscious effort that every single person is capable of :)
I will be very transparent, there is no instant, magic pill and true noticeable change will take time. To create an overwhelming abundance of Creativity takes effort and lifestyle changes. Inspiring Creativity within oneself is a lifelong journey of personal, positive growth that I assure you is worthy of your time.
Here is a quick guide to inspiring Creativity. I have condense information in this guide and each one of these topics is worthy of an entire book. I am in process of writing a “Inspiring Creativity - Complete Guide” and when it is ready to share, you will be the first to know :)
(I am not affiliated with any other person/business/product I mention below… I encourage you to further research information that resonates with you)
The Quick Guide to Inspiring Creativity
Health is Wealth: 1. Exercise daily 2. Eat good, natural foods 3. Get great, ample sleep. Healthy body equals healthy mind… healthy mind equals healthy Creativity. I cannot over emphasize the importance of taking care of your physical body and mind and how this cultivates into healthy, sustained Creativity. Start with very small changes with the goal that they become habits… these habits ultimately become your lifestyle. Good rule of thumb: 1. any movement, including walking, is good… especially first thing in the morning. 2. If your grandma would not recognize the ingredient, do not eat it. 3. 8 hours of sleep is best and DO NOT bring your phone into bed or, even better, bedroom… keep your phone out of reach from where you sleep.
Breathwork: The mind is the master of your body, and the breath is the master of your mind. Start with 5 continuous minutes of daily, intentional, deep breathing…. this is creative jet fuel! A few great resources to research are Wim Hof Method, Box Breathing and the book “Breathe: The New Science of a Lost Art” by James Nestor. Breathwork is a great catalyst into a meditative mindset.
Mindfulness and Meditation: Just like we take time to physically exercise our body, we must take time to mentally exercise our mind/spirit/soul. I have always said that the masters in art, and in life, are not the ones who have mastered the technical skills but rather the ones who have mastered their minds. Here are 3 great teachers to research: Joe Dispenza, Napoleon Hill, and Neville Goddard. I can guarantee you that the most fulfilled people in the World all have a mindfulness practice and when you focus some of your mindfulness practice on Creativity, magic happens ;)
Stop Scrolling: The social media algorithm is not designed to inspire and connect you, it is designed to make you become addicted… the main stream media is not designed to inform you and keep you safe, it is designed to instill fear and hate within you… you know it, I know it, we all know it… so stop allowing it into your consciousness! One of the single greatest enhancements I made to my happiness and Creativity was when I completely stopped allowing any news into my existences… I avoid it like the plague and intentionally rid it out of all aspects of my life. Virtually 100% of the time, what is portrayed on the news has absolutely NO effect on you or your family and friends. By avoiding all of this mental garbage, I have freed up, what feels like, infinite space in my consciousness for Creativity… I would suggest doing the same ;)
non AI: In my view, Creativity is in everything and in regards to the creative act, I would strongly suggest tapping into your true Human power: Creativity. The use of AI, even a little bit, is robbing you of the opportunity to creatively grow and withering your creative muscles. The reason I am able to create the art I do, and constantly evolve, is because I honor and daily strengthen my Human Creative Spirit. Your Human Creativity and Imagination is exponentially more powerful and sacred than any AI now and any AI in the future. As AI becomes more pervasive in our society, the value of true Human Creativity is going to sky rocket!… Human Creativity is capital! Humans do not want more AI generated things… Humans want beautifully made Human things, with beautiful Human stories and beautiful Human Soul.
Trust the Process: Ask any lifelong creative and they will all say you must trust the creative process. Creating is not always rainbows and unicorns… sometimes it is a difficult struggle however, you must trust that what you are doing, in that moment, is the right thing and as long as you do not give up, the blessings of Creativity will reward you and the World you exist in :) There are no failures in art, only lessons to be learned and taken into your next creation.
Just Start Creating: The fastest way to find Creativity is to just start!… one brush stroke, one sentence, one note… start creating and Creativity will find you… it is often that simple. One great practice I did daily for 1 year was a timed 5 minute pen or pencil sketch of “pick your favorite subject(s)” (e.g. portraits, dogs, still life, Nature, or mix it up). These were done on small 8”x 6” paper and I adhered to the strict 5 minute time limit… this greatly elevated my creative skill and creative alignment over the year (these were my very popular “Morning Sketches”). Do not judge or overthink this process… just do it!
Break the “Rules”: Realize this very important truth about Creativity… there are NO rules! The more you embrace this, the more your Creativity will flourish. The only constant you will experience in Creativity, and life itself, is change. A life of positive change and growth will make for an amazing, fulfilled life! As Albert Einstein said, “The real measurement of intelligence is the ability to change”. One last point, always be aware of the habitual, creative processes you go through when creating… these subconsciously become self-proclaimed, dogmatic “rules” and over time can be very limiting to your creative growth… even your “rules”, in time, are meant to be broken.
Create Uncomfortably: Out of all of these, this is my real superpower as an artist! When referring to the act of creating, the most visceral indication that you are positively growing as an artist is the feeling of uncomfortability (I know this is not an actual word but I like it). Learn to love this feeling and rewire your thought process to be thankful and appreciate this feeling because great things are on the other side of it! All great artists spend lifetimes going through this… if you are afraid and unwilling to embrace this, your Creativity will become dull and stagnant.
Enjoy the Journey: Learn to appreciate and be thankful for the MOMENT and the present act of creating… this takes a lot of conscious effort, especially at the beginning. Thinking in the future or past will only cause Creativity to go elsewhere. When truly creating in the present moment, you realize that each brushstroke is an opportunity of positive creation and change. Living in-the-moment (presently) is an art in itself and one of the sure paths towards this is through gratitude/thankfulness. Brainwash yourself daily with positivity… train your mind to always find the positive in situations. Daily “Thankful Journaling” (write down 3 things you are thankful for each day) is one way to begin to change your mindset to subconsciously always think in the positive. I must reiterate, this is not a quick fix and this practice takes time and consistent effort before you begin to consciously experience the fruits of your effort. Again, these are 3 great teachers to look into: Joe Dispenza, Napoleon Hill, and Neville Goddard… myself and my wife, Dr Tara, still listen to them daily.
Become Your Favorite Artist: The art world’s idealization of the self loathing, depressed, financially struggling, troubled artist is a pathetic view. No matter your accolades, your financial success or praise from others, if you do not love your art, and most importantly yourself, you will internally live a life of misery. Learn to love your Creativity, your artistic process, and your art… it is one of the most worthy endeavors you will ever take in life and is a direct signal to your Creativity to flourish and blossom! Gratitude/thankfulness is your path towards love… love for yourself, love for others and love for your Creativity. Learning to think and speak positively of your art and creative process is a magnet for others, and Creativity. More and more people will want to be associated with you and your art AND… the real benefit, Creativity/the Universe/positive energy/God will begin to manifest more creative abundance into your life… I cannot prove this, but why not give it a try ;)
“Success does not create happiness… Happiness is success!”
Create for Yourself: Many well intentioned people throughout your life: teachers, artists, gallerists, friends, family, loved ones will innocuously suggest what they think you should create… take note of what they say, however learn to not let it dictate your creative process. First, foremost, and always, create what YOU want in the way YOU want to create! Whether, at this moment, you can viscerally/emotionally feel this or not, You are a unique and special Creator and there are Infinite creative possibilities for you to explore… so go and create! :)