Having understood the benefits of creativity, taken on new habits and hobbies and finally embedded creativity into your daily routine, what’s next for your creative spirit?
In a nutshell – keep it up! Life is one long stream of endless choices. The average adult makes 35,000 conscious decisions every single day.
35,000!
That’s 35,000 moments in every day where you have the opportunity to look at things differently, mix things up and walk the path lesser known. Have a habit of reaching for the remote when you get an evening home alone? Why not grab a book instead? Tend to eat oatmeal for breakfast? Grab a recipe book and try out some chia seed porridge instead. Keep things interesting, avoid habitual behaviour and challenge yourself everyday, and your creative muscle will continue to flex and grow, making creative thinking easier and easier as time goes on.
If you really want to take things to the next level, there are a few ways that a new sense of creative freedom could start to change your life.
Start Spreading the Creative Mantra
If creativity has had a positive impact on your life, why not help to spread the word to others? If your friends want to meet up, why not shift them away from your usual dinner and drinks and suggest an art date instead? You could even host a creative night at your home or start small by inviting friends to come and view some cool art or performance with you. If you’re finding that your current friendship groups aren’t receptive and are holding you back, feel free to start moving on. Friendships should feel light and supportive. As soon as they start to feel heavy and demanding, you are under no obligation to stick with them. You’ve got to be selfish darling!
Direct Your Creativity to a Cause You are Passionate About
Let’s face it, the world is in a state of flux at the moment and there are several people who are out there trying to get it back on track. If you’re looking for fulfilling outlets for your creativity then consider volunteering to help out with some community organising or charity projects. You don’t have to offer to paint them a picture – you could help create social media or marketing plans, host some community gatherings or simply cook some great food for the people who are working hard for great causes.
Look For More Creative Work
For most of us, work takes up most of our waking hours. But as the old saying goes, pick a job that you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life. Take a serious look at the job you’re doing and ask yourself one simple question – if money was not object, would I still want to do this? If the answer is no, it’s time to start thinking creatively about what else might be possible. Believe in the power you have to find something more rewarding and start imagining your dream job role. Getting clear on what it is that you would love to do is the first step towards making it happen. A top tip for getting into a role that you love – don’t limit yourself to looking at what’s already out there. Consider making your own work and starting your own projects.
Create the Life You Want to Live
As a final exercise in expanding your creativity – take on your greatest creative project yet. Create the life you want to live. Just like you did with your career, take some time to imagine and daydream about the life you would most like to live. Write it down! Get a really clear picture of your ideal situation and keep it in mind when you’re making life decisions. When you’re making an important decision, ask yourself – does this get me closer to my goal? Does this fit with the life I want? If the answer is no, then you know what to do. Turn around and learn to enjoy the sound of your feet hitting the pavement as you walk away from the things that don’t serve you.
If you’re struggling to get started with the vision of your perfect life, start by thinking about your perfect day. Imagine one single day where you had no commitments, no constraints and no limits. What would you do? What would happen during the day?
Your response can tell you a lot about what’s important to you. If you imagine a day filled with people you love, then you need to work on building up your networks. If your perfect day is all about helicopters and the finest champagne, then money is an important goal for you. Take a look at what you prioritised on your perfect day and begin to prioritise that in your daily life.
Whatever you do next, make sure you don’t ever put yourself in a position where you’re telling yourself that you’re not creative, or turning down creative opportunities because you don’t think you’re good enough.
