11 Ways to Develop Your Creativity

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So many people conjure up a somewhat stereotypical image of a person when they hear the word “creative.”

Maybe you think of a woman in an art studio with paint splatters all over, creating a masterpiece on a canvas. Or some hipster-type in a black turtleneck sitting in a coffee shop writing deep poetry.

The fact is, anyone can be creative. I actually believe that everyone is creative. You just have to find what sparks your inner fire and figure out how to inspire the side of you that was made to create.

There are so many different ways to inspire your creative side and become a more creative person on a daily basis.

So, today I thought I’d share 11 ways to develop your creativity:

1- Exercise your creativity.

This is the most important tip on this list! As with most things in life, practice makes perfect.

Think about an athlete, like a baseball player. If he stops playing baseball for a year, he’s not going to be as good at it when he starts up again.

The same thing goes for creativity. The more you exercise your creativity by coming up with ideas and making things, the better you’ll get at it. The longer you go without exercising that muscle, the weaker it will probably get. So if you want to develop your creativity, exercise that muscle regularly.

2- Complete a daily art challenge.

This ties in with number 1 but it’s super helpful. Daily creative challenges have so many benefits! But there are 2 important ones that are relevant to this post: they can help you improve your skills and seriously develop your creativity.

If a year-long creative challenge sounds like something you’d like to try out, you should check out my book 365 Art Prompts. Whether you’re new to creating or a professional artist, it’s the perfect way to develop your creativity. It also works for painting, drawing, writing, and many other creative hobbies!

3- Never stop learning.

One huge way to become a more creative person is to never stop learning. This can mean multiple different things.

For one, learning new things and exercising your mind can naturally make you better at creative thinking.

And two, you need to push yourself when it comes to your area of interest. Whether your interest is painting or writing or anything else, learning more skills and getting better at it can help expand the ways you can be creative.

4- Figure out when you’re most creative.

I’ve seen so many creative people say that they have a time of day when they do their best work, and I know this is true for me too.

For me, late at night is when I seem to get into my “flow” and create my best work. It also seems like that’s when my creative ideas are never-ending.

I’ve seen other people say that the best time for them is early in the morning. So pay attention to when you feel like you’re in the “flow” and doing your best work – then take advantage of it!

5- Try a new hobby.

My biggest hobby is painting, but that’s not my only hobby. I also like to draw, read, play video games, and crochet. Plus, I have this blog that I love, and all the tasks that go along with it!

I feel like weighing yourself down with just one hobby can get you stuck sometimes. You can also hit a creative block and end up stuck.

Giving yourself a break to spend time on other hobbies can do two things for you. One, you give yourself space to open your mind back up. Two, you allow yourself to use your mind in a different way and grow more.

>> You might like: 30 Creative Hobby Ideas for Better Mental Health <<

6- Feed yourself art.

Feeding your mind with art of any kind can inspire you and stimulate your own creativity.

So listen to music you love or cover your walls with paintings or fill your social media feed with the work of other creatives.

Doing this can get your ideas flowing when you’re not even trying!

7- Exercise regularly.

When we sit for too long, our bodies get stuck in a negative habit loop and so do our minds!

Regular exercise is so important for our minds. It has been shown to combat icky things like mental fog and tiredness, which can help us get our creative juices flowing.

When you don’t have anything blocking your thought process, it’s easier to focus and come up with amazing ideas.

8- Spend time in nature.

There’s just something about being in the fresh air, surrounded by the beauty of nature, that makes me feel more at peace.

There’s so much that I could talk about here to tell you how nature can help you be more creative, but I’m just going to link to this post from Chelsea Pennington if you’d like to read more about how/why to use nature to develop your creativity! (:

9- Meditate.

Meditation is an amazing thing that can do so many positive things for our bodies and minds, including increasing creativity.

Research shows that certain types of meditation are actually linked to an increase in creative thinking. I’m not sure if this is due to the fact that meditation helps us keep stress and negativity out of our minds, which leaves more space for positivity and opens us up to creative thinking.

But whatever the reason, adding just a few minutes of meditation into my daily routine has helped my mind in countless ways and I can honestly say that I feel more creative too!

>> You might like: A Beginner’s Guide to Meditation <<

10- Keep a journal.

I keep like 3 journals but that’s just me, haha.

In my creative journal, I jot down ideas I have for paintings or writing. I also keep lists of things I’d like to do or learn. In my bullet journal, I have all sorts of different pages.

This helps me clear my mind, look back on what I’ve accomplished and make sure I don’t forget ideas when they randomly pop into my head.