CiT: How To Nurture Your Creativity

Feb 7, 2012 by Stacia Rogan

Today, let’s get down to business. One thing that I’ve noticed about creativity is that no matter how hard we try to push it aside while we focus on “more important” matters, those yearnings refuse to be squelched. Sometimes they scream and sometimes they whisper, but they’re always there, hanging out in the back of our minds, just waiting to be heard and addressed.

This weekend, I saw a friend on twitter say that he was “allowing himself some much-needed guitar time.” It made me happy and sad all at once. Good for him that he was doing something he so obviously loves! But also, I was bothered by the reminder that so often we feel that we need to allow ourselves that time, rather than it naturally having a place on the agenda.

Here are four ways we can nurture our own creativity in this busy world:

Give yourself permission to try and fail, enjoying the process of doing. How often have you pushed aside a fun project because you don’t want to mess it up? Or, if you’re like me, how many beautiful blank journals have you bought that still sit blank because you haven’t come up with the perfect use for them? Far too many, I’ve found. Author Maureen Johnson dares us to suck in the video below. You’ve got to allow yourself permission to try and fail in order to get better. Don’t worry so much about the results; focus on enjoying the activity.

Make time and space. Identify some of those excuses you use such as I don’t have time or I don’t have space for my imagination to run amok. Here’s the thing – it might not take that much physical space. Fancying myself a bit of a writer, I’m fortunate because I can indulge that desire almost anywhere. A pad of paper and a pen in my purse (or a note on my phone) means I can work on ideas in line at the grocery store, sitting in a waiting room, or riding in the car. My more robust tools (laptop, notebooks, pens) all travel well and are largely TSA-approved and coffee house friendly; I can write at the library, on a plane, or during my kids’ basketball practice (if I, you know, had kids).

Maybe you need more physical space than that. Consider turning the guest room into a combination studio/bedroom (how often is it actually used for guests, anyways?). Maybe there’s a corner in the basement that could be rearranged. Maybe the dining room table can be donated to the cause for a few days. Don’t let the desire for a dedicated professional studio or office keep you from creating!

And then there’s time…

• Taking advantage of those situations I mentioned above is a great start. Maybe you’re a painter and you can’t paint in line at the grocery store – you can sketch an idea on an index card! Maybe you can read a book about technique. Watch a tutorial on your smart phone. Smart phones open up many opportunities – load up Pinterest and nurture your creativity with some ideas and inspiration! Even your lunch hour can be a great chance to indulge your creativity.
• To free up longer periods you can dedicate to your craft, practice saying no to activities and obligations that eat your free time. Don’t sign up for every committee and club – if you can focus some time on yourself, you’ll be in a better position to give to those opportunities later on.
• Make taking time a priority, whether it be an hour in a coffee shop, using a vacation day to sew, attending a retreat (or creating your own), or enrolling in a class.
• Feel like you can’t do those things because of other commitments? Ask for help! Trade babysitting services with a friend. Ask your spouse to make dinner that night.

Another great way to nurture your creativity is to recognize milestones as you reach them. How you choose to acknowledge your achievements should be something that will encourage you to keep going in the future. It could be a reward of some sort – maybe a class or a book. You could write yourself a note of congratulations. If you’re a visual person, consider a wall of sticky notes with your accomplishments, or a list on a whiteboard. Whatever you choose, pause long enough to savor the feeling of success, and remember that feeling so it can encourage you to keep going next time you feel stuck.

Our final tip is to hold yourself accountable. Because most of us are people-pleasers by nature, this is a great way to stay true to our goals. You need to tell someone that this is important to you and that you intend to dedicate some time and effort to it. Whether you join a creative group (like a writing group or book club), blog about your experience, or find a buddy, share with them about your dreams and desires. Ask them to check in occasionally.

We hope you’ll find something useful in this post that will help you find ways to really focus on this important piece of who you are. If you have other ideas, we’d love for you to share them below. Or if you’ve done one of these things in the past (or are inspired to do it now), the entire community would benefit from hearing more about your experience.

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