Image: Jason Briscoe

​Do you ever feel stressed, overwhelmed, or boxed in? Developing your creativity is a great way to break up the monotony of your daily routines, release frustration or find more peace in your life.

In your search for your creative spark, you may discover talents you didn't realize you possessed, new activities that bring fun and excitement into your life, and new ways to relax and rejuvenate.

Try these ideas for developing your own creative outlet:

1. Delve into activities you know you like. What have you enjoyed doing in the past? Have you noticed that you have a knack for drawing, writing, painting, sewing, or making jewelry? Try some of the same things that have allowed you to be creative in the past.

• If you aren't sure about a particular creative outlet, start small. Avoid buying everything you need to really explore the new skill until you're certain that you've found something you'd like to stick with.

2. Take a class. If you can't easily think of a creative outlet on your own, consider taking a class, seminar, or workshop. You can try a variety of different creative arts from basket weaving to painting, from photography to belly dance.

• Check your local college campuses, arts and crafts stores and continuing education
schools to find weekend workshops and evening classes that teach these activities.

3. Write or journal. Writing and journaling can be a great creative outlet, whether you're free writing about your day or putting your feelings into words in the form of poetry or song..

• You don't have to become a published author to use writing as a productive creative outlet. If expressing your feelings on paper feels good to you, just enjoy the process.

4. Create gifts for others. Experiment with a myriad of different creative outlets by making things for the people that you love. Bake cookies, write a poem, draw a picture, paint pottery or handcraft a piece of jewelry for someone you care about.

• Not only do these tasks allow you to use creativity to deal with feelings and emotions, but they also let you share a part of yourself with people who are important to you.

5. Experiment with food. Whether you enjoy cooking, grilling, baking or candy making, you can experiment in the kitchen as a creative outlet. When you cook with feeling, you may be surprised with the results you create. You may find that you're more successful in your cooking and baking ventures when emotion is an ingredient.

• Share your creations with others. Regardless of whether you cook tasty meals or bake
sweet treats, your gift recipients are sure to enjoy them.
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These ideas are just a starting point. There are plenty of other options for you to pursue on your own. Your creative outlet can be anything that you want it to be, as long as you get joy from it. Simply find something that brings you pleasure and use it as your creative outlet. If you do this, you can find joy and peace in every day

​Photo by Tim Collins on Unsplash

Do you feel like you lack imagination? Do you struggle to create or to find solutions to the challenges in your life? It’s possible you’re suffering from a few creativity-blocking obstacles. By identifying the obstacles in your path, you can find ways to work around them.


Eliminate the creativity blockers from your life:

1. A cluttered mind makes creativity a challenge. Have you ever noticed that your best ideas come when you’re alone? You’re either being quiet or doing something very routine, like driving on a low-traffic road or taking a walk. It’s hard to get the creative juices flowing when you have too much going on.

2. You don’t prime your creative mechanism. Try doing a different creative activity for a few minutes. If you’re trying to write a book, try creating and humming a new song for a few minutes. Legos, Lincoln Logs, tinker toys, modeling clay, crayons and brain teasers are other options.

3. Stress. You might have time to yourself, but still be too distracted to be creative. When your adrenaline is flowing, and you’re dealing with the stresses of life, creativity can be hard to find.

4. A narrow focus can limit your ability to find new solutions. Keep an open mind and consider all the possibilities. Avoid assuming you know where the general location of the answer to your challenge is. The best solution might be something you’ve never considered.

5. You don’t believe you are a creative person. You’ve used your creativity countless times in the past. From dealing with an unpleasant boss to keeping a moody child occupied. Believe you’re a creative person and you’ll prove yourself correct.

6. You never get started. Creative endeavors can be intimidating. Procrastination is one of the primary enemies to creativity. Set aside time each day to be creative, even if you’re convinced you’re wasting your time. You never know when your creative genius will strike.

7. Fear of failure. The possibility of failure can stop anyone in their tracks. Think of all the times you failed in the past and came through unscathed. Creativity feels risky, but it’s all in your head.

8. You’re stuck in a rut. It’s not easy to come up with ideas in the same old space. Get outdoors or at least move yourself into a space you don’t normally use, like a spare bedroom or a conference room.

9. You insist on doing it alone. Fresh minds bring fresh ideas. Ask others for their input. You’re likely to find that the ideas of others trigger your own new ideas. Get some help! Who is the most creative person you know? They should be your first call.

10. You don’t have enough experience. You may have been a very creative child, but if you’re not flexing your creative muscles on a regular basis, you might be out of practice. Spend a few minutes being creative each day and you’ll enhance your creative skills.

Creativity is a powerful skill and ability to possess. The most creative people in the world have a huge advantage over the rest of us.

If you’re struggling to be creative, it’s likely that an obstacle or two is standing in your way. Overcome your obstacles and use your creativity to your advantage.

Photo by Andrew Ruiz on Unsplash

Harnessing your ingenuity will make your life more meaningful and enjoyable. Discover
here why creativity is so important and welcome more innovation and inspiration into your
daily activities.

How Creativity Enriches Your Life

1. Experience more joy. Creativity flourishes when you think positively. Find
your passions and cultivate them. Embrace challenges with curiosity. Observe the
conditions that help you get "in the zone."

2. Improve your physical health. Studies show that creativity exercises are an
effective way to relieve stress and boost our immune system. Those who think
resourcefully also cope better with aging and experience fewer declines in their
cognitive functions.

3. Strengthen your relationships. A sense of imagination can even enhance your
personal relationships. Break out of the same old conflicts by searching for common
ground. Look at challenging situations from the other person's perspective and try out
a different response.

4. Perform better at work. Collaboration is integral to the creative process. Help create
a more cooperative atmosphere where colleagues complement each other's strengths
rather than competing.

5. Be all you can be. We all have some form of creative genius. Enjoy the
pleasure of developing your own gifts. With persistence and an open mind, you'll
expand your skills for responding to all kinds of challenges.

Techniques for Sparking Your Creativity

1. Brainstorm. Generating ideas is usually the first step in the creative process. Put aside
any judgments and just let the options flow. Now's your chance to get zany and
experimental.

2. Incubate. Before inspiration hits, there's usually a quiet time while we digest our
ideas.  Help your unconscious mind along by taking a quiet walk or a relaxing shower.
Routine tasks like washing dishes can also trigger insights. Think about a dilemma
right before bed, and you may wake up with a solution.

3. Take action. Make a plan for how to implement your ideas. Regard every attempt as a
learning experience even if the immediate results fail to pan out. Remember that
successful people succeed because they take more risks.

4. Lighten up. Free up your fertile mind.

• Some gentle aerobics and stretches will relax your body.
• Meditation or soft music can dispel anxieties or boredom.
• Humor is a very powerful tool for lowering inhibitions and seeing things more vividly.

5. Change your routine. Any adjustment to your usual way of doing things can help
you take a fresh look at life. Take an alternate route to work or visit a coffee shop on
the other side of town. Expand your horizons by looking for ways to
experience novelty on a regular basis.

6. Observe the details. On the other hand, you can re-invent the most familiar aspects
of your life by viewing them from a fresh angle. Think about how your kitchen would
appear to an alien from space.

7. Ignore the clock. Get up early so you can savor the luxury of open-ended time.
Forget about deadlines. Focus on the present moment instead of thinking about the
next task you have scheduled. Feel what it's like to be free from hurrying. Try to
remember that sensation as you start your day.

8. Get a hobby. Make the most of your leisure time with creative outlets that
incorporate your passions. You may delight in watercolors. Or maybe you really get a
kick out of working on cars.

9. Seek inspiration. Surround yourself with whatever you find invigorating.
Visit art museums or go camping. Spend more time playing with your kids and
getting caught up in their excitement each time they see something new.
Transform your life into a work of art by tapping into your creative side. Once
you discover and develop your passions, you'll be on your way to feeling more motivated and accomplished