{"id":1922,"date":"2010-03-16T22:37:29","date_gmt":"2010-03-17T06:37:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=1922"},"modified":"2013-08-21T12:27:51","modified_gmt":"2013-08-21T20:27:51","slug":"12-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Ways To Unleash Your Creativity"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.abundancetapestry.com\/photos\/creativity.jpg\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Image courtesy of <span style=\"font-size: x-small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/laffy4k\/404321726\/{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}3Cbr{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}20\/{54c12dad2cc2b53ae830e39915b1a3e70288dbcbbeb8bbf8395437c5dc3c512c}3E\">Laffy4k<\/a> at Flickr<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Is creativity something that can be tapped? If you are anything like me, creativity can seem elusive; something that comes in waves or that is unpredictable. But we can <a href=\"..\/can-you-learn-to-be-creative\/\">learn to be creative<\/a> &#8211; like anything it is a process. There are things we can do to harness this power and unleash it:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Release perfectionism<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Perfectionism is the biggest killer of creativity. Notice when you are approaching a task and have \u2018am I doing it right\u2019 or \u2018will it be good enough\u2019 thoughts and do it anyway! Start practicing doing things even when you don\u2019t know if you can do them perfectly or how they will turn out.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Have fun<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>In our society we are often taught that we should have a goal or an aim and an outcome to an activity in order for it to be successful. Creativity isn\u2019t linear. Start doing purely things for the enjoyment factor.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Practice<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Practice being creative often! You don\u2019t necessarily have to show others your creations, but the act of making creativity a ritual will help your brain get used to being creative and keep the flow going.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Be present <\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Being present and living in the moment helps us to get in touch with our creative side. We need time and space to let our creativity pour forth. Try and be aware of how present you are being every day.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p><strong>Relax<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Creativity thrives in a relaxed mind. The more stressed or contracted we are, the less creativity can come forward. Find ways to relax and wind down. A massage, long walk or watching a good movie are great ways to do this. Find what works for you and do that.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Daydream<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The lost art of day dreaming is a powerful tool for evoking creativity. Take time out to day dream and let your mind wander. You can even say that it is in the name of creativity!<\/p>\n<p><strong>Find what works for you<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We all have different ways and times that we get inspired. Start noticing yours. Are you a morning creative or a night owl? We are all different. Find your way. Take notes oif necessary to track your most creative times.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Catch the wave<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>When inspiration hits, catch the wave! We all have ebbs and flows in creativity. When I am inspired I feel like I am on fire! Nothing can stop me. Use these times to your advantage and go with the creative flow.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Catch your ideas<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes inspiration hits when we just can\u2019t follow the flow immediately, for example when we are about to go into an important meeting or when we are driving! Carry a notebook or Dictaphone to catch your ideas and come back to them as soon as you can.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Brainstorming<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Brainstorm often! Whatever your creative \u2018niche\u2019 is get in the habit of brainstorming and letting your ideas and visions flow forward without censoring them. Let your imagination soar and don\u2019t hold back!<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Be in nature<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Being in nature has the power to help us be present, unleash our creativity and get us in touch with a different aspect of ourselves. When you are stuck go for a walk in a park or by the sea \u2026 whatever is available to you. Take in your surroundings and let nature work its magic on you &#8211; it is after all, the supreme source of all things creative.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong>Feed the well<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We need to \u2018feed the well\u2019 of inspiration. Make sure you are spending time regularly \u2018feeding\u2019 your inspiration. Start keeping track of what inspires you and taking time regularly to participate in this. You should even set a time aside each week to do this.<\/p>\n<p><em>Jennifer Smith is a Guest Blogger for PickTheBrain and a successful life coach @ <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reachourdreams.com\">ReachOurDreams<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>Don&#8217;t Forget To Follow PickTheBrain on <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/pickthebrain\">Twitter<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>Related Articles:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/7-steps-to-compel-creativity\/\">7 Steps to Compel Creativity<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/the-secret-to-creativity\/\">The Secret To Creativity<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is creativity something that can be tapped? If you are anything like me, creativity can seem elusive; something that comes in waves or that is unpredictable. But we can learn to be creative. There are things we can do to harness this power and unleash it: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/12-ways-to-unleash-your-creativity\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12163,"featured_media":12879,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"categories":[45,6],"tags":[4650,4631,66,4652,4629,4640],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v19.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>12 Ways To Unleash Your Creativity<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Is creativity something that can be tapped? If you are anything like me, creativity can seem elusive; something that comes in waves or that is unpredictable. 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