(Video) 7 Fun Ways to Spark Creative Ideas

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(for the auditory consumers!)

“A creative life is an amplified life. It’s a bigger life, a happier life, an expanded life, and a hell of a lot more interesting life.”

-Elizabeth Gilbert

Have you ever stuck, unproductive, or a weird brain fog?

Well, I want to let you know that you’re a total weirdo and no one’s ever felt that way…

Just kidding.

You are very human, my friend. And I know that anytime I’ve experienced this, it’s because I’m lacking one main thing in my life — creativity.

Whaat? That might sound surprising. You might think it’d be something like a lack of motivation, or discipline, or the “right mindset.” And you’re not wrong. All of those things are absolutely helpful for feeling productive and in the zone. But where do these things stem from? And how do you stay motivated and disciplined? Creativity, baby!

Here’s the good news. Creativity doesn’t have to be something you “conjure up.” And it certainly isn’t something that takes a ton of time. (I know none of us have enough of that!) Just a little dose of inspiration or committing to an idea is really all you need to align your energy from a place of inspiration and motivation!

Here’s 7 fun (& easy!) ways to get your creative juices flowing:

MOVE YOUR BODY

Okay, so let’s be real. Everyone says this. I’m actually kind of sick of it! So let’s think of it this way: replace exercise with movement. Any type of movement! Something that will make you feel good that day.

One of my favorite ways to move my body is with something called a flow toy, which are toys literally designed to help you flow. Other great ways to move your body are through dancing, yoga, running, toning, biking, hiking, or simply taking your dog on a walk.

As Tony Robbins brilliantly says, “you have to be in motion to change your emotion.”

ACTION STEP:

Alternate between intense and light activities every other day. Walk your dog around the block one morning and lift weights or go on a run the next. Do this either in the morning on right before you want to start working on a creative project!

2. HAVE (INSPIRING!) CONVERSATIONS

Communication -- especially conversations with empathy and depth -- is how we gain new perspective, make connections, and really embody what it means to be compassionate. Not to mention having a great conversation is like taking a bubble bath -- it just feels oh, so good! And it can spark a ton of creative connections.

I’ve found myself with more ideas and a-ha moments after good conversations probably more than anything else. There’s something magical about conversing with another person or having an energetic transaction with them.

ACTION STEP:

Call up a friend who you really enjoy talking with. Take them out to lunch or enjoy the phone call. (Not texting!) Ask what’s going on in their life and really listen. You’d be surprised what you could inspire you simply by tuning in!

3. CONSUME WITH INTENTION

It’s funny -- a lot of people hate the word ‘consume’ and it has a negative connotation. But, I’m a consumer. And so are you! Why deny it? And instead, let’s focus on consuming the right content.

Let’s check in:

When you’re consuming on your news feed, how it does it make you feel?

When you read it, do you feel inspired, motivated, and ready to work? Or do you feel anxious and drained, and maybe even a little jealous. This doesn’t spark creativity at all. In fact, it comes from a place of lack, not abundance.

When you need an inspiration boost or you want to feel creative, consume something that generates this. Whether it’s reading a book, listening to a podcast, or attending a conference, take advantage of the knowledge and resources right in front of you!

ACTION STEP:

Consume content with intention that supports & aligns with the creative ideas that you want to have! For example, if you want to write a song, spend time listening to great songwriters while driving in the car. Look for inspiration that fuels you with ideas, not things that make you feel worse about yourself. (You’d be surprised how often we subconsciously do this!)

4. CREATE SPACE & SILENCE

But, didn’t I just say to talk it out and go out and have conversations with people? Absolutely. AND we need space and silence. Space in the form of time, environment, lack of distractions, and aloneness. And silence meaning — turn off the noise! No music. No podcasts. In fact, no consuming, period. Just space and silence.

The truth is, whether you identify as an introvert or an extrovert, the best way to spark creativity is through dark AND light. Communication AND silence. Consuming AND space.

Think of it like igniting and inviting. Igniting inspiration and ideas through conversations and consuming powerful & thought provoking content, AND turning everything off, and putting everything away to make space for inviting inspiration and ideas to come in.

ACTION STEP:

Block off 2 days this week: (1) for conversing, consuming, and engaging in an intentional way, and (2) for space and silence. So you can ignite AND invite creativity!

5. TRY SOMETHING NEW

Creativity thrives in creative spaces. And while this may seem obvious, sometimes we need abort our normal routine in order to experience this. (There’s a difference between intellectual knowing and realized knowing. But that’s for another video.)

So whether its taking a painting class or participating in a drum circle dance, try stepping out of your comfort zone. Give yourself permission to be terrible at something for sake flexing your “learning” muscles. The more open you can be to newness, the more open hearted you will feel.

ACTION STEP:

Grab a friend, or significant other, or you can fly solo -- whatever feels good -- and pick one activity that perks our ears up. For example, maybe you’ve been curious to try rock climbing or reiki healing or taking a jewelry making class -- and do it! Look up meet ups, facebook groups, or good ol’ google and put it in the calendar. (And I promise, I’ll do this with you!)

The more you practice being open to newness, the more open hearted (and self forgiving!) you’ll feel in your creative process.

6. GET OUTSIDE

No seriously. Just do it! Rain or shine. 2 minutes or 2 hours. It doesn’t matter. Because just taking a moment to be outside can immediately change things in our mind, body, and soul!

To be outside doesn’t mean immediately taking your phone to boomerang the waves and capture every flower. Sure, it’s okay to do that -- I do that on my instagram stories -- but it’s important to take a breath and be outside for a moment before doing this.

Better yet, don’t do it at all. Just be with nature. Observe the plants. What stages of growth are they in? What can water teach us about the ebb and flow of life? How does living planet mirror us? (Hint: we are the same.)

Mother Earth is abundant with gifts including creative ideas, elevated senses, and the courage to reveal transformative personal lessons.

ACTION STEP:

The next time you feel stuck or in a brain fog, take a walk outside. As you walk, challenge yourself to be completely present. Don’t think about work, your to-do list, or what you’re going to eat for dinner -- focus on what’s around you.

What stage of growth are the plants?
What’s the color of the house 3 doors down from you?
What does the ground feel like?
What scent is roaming the air?

A mindful walk -- even for 5 minutes -- can eliminate unnecessary baggage in yo’ brain! No excuses. (And accept the weather as it is rather than focusing on what it’s not. ;))

7. TALK IT OUT

Can I be real with you? I talk to myself…all the time. Not because I’m a little looney tunes (well, maybe just a little…), but because talking through something helps me empty my brain.

Remember how space & silence help invite inspiration? Think of talking it out like emptying your brain so that you can create the space to invite ideas. (Make sense?)

Talking out what’s on your mind helps clear space for new ideas. Think of it like talking it out with a friend…but yourself.

I know this sounds silly, but you’d be surprised what magic can happen by talking through things. I’ve discovered the most incredible creative ideas (some of which made a profit like whoa) from saying my thoughts out loud.

ACTION STEP:

Get in the car and take a long drive. (I’ve once done this for 2 hours).
Hit ‘record’ on my Voice Memos app (or any voice recorder app).
And talk. it. out. Brain dump. Spill ideas. Work through through problems. Have practice confrontations. Run through to-do lists.
Just get it outttt.

You’ll probably never listen to the recording again. Or maybe you will because something magical happened in the process. (I once accidentally wrote lyrics of the chorus to a song I wrote… all because I recorded it!)

Either way — talk it out, no matter how weird it feels!