How to get out of a creative rut
Even though I consider myself to be quite a creative person, I also struggle a lot with it. I wish I had more time to be creative by producing more. I envision myself sitting in a room with floor-to-ceiling windows painting a picture of a mountain landscape on canvas propped on an easel, with a paint palette in my hand. I also envision innovative photoshoots where I am creatively directing the shoot to produce inspiring and aesthetically pleasing photos. However, I am a mother of two, and I am not left with much time to dedicate to peaceful painting or creative projects. I also don’t have a view of a mountain, nor do I have floor to ceiling windows. However, what I have begun to realize, is that there is creativity all around me, and I really do overlook a lot of what I do in a day that is creative and allows me to express myself.
Tune out others
When I’m feeling like I am not being creative enough, or I don’t have time to sit down and produce something, I tend to reach for my phone and browse Instagram, Pinterest, or other sources of inspiration. A lot of the time I am left with feeling even worse and inadequate. Instead of browsing aimlessly, I collect images and articles to reference when I need lucid inspiration. That way, I am not inundated with other people’s efforts, and I can focus on my own version of self-expression.
Creativity is all around us.
How do you style your home? What are you wearing? What’s for lunch? What music are you listening to? All of these things are creative expressions, which I take for granted. In fact, the way these things are carried out is an expression of yourself, which you may not even realize. Try to be more mindful throughout your day on how you make the decisions you do, right down to what socks you pick for the day. It sounds silly, but it’s all an expression, and expression is in fact creative.
Planning to be creative is also creative
I do a lot of planning on how I can be creative if I had ample amounts of time to do whatever. I make lists of what inspires me, I create mood boards, I gather photos, I bookmark articles, and more. This is all an expression of me and my creativity, which is also creating.
So, if you’re like me and you wish you were more creative, try noticing all of the things you do in a day that express creativity, without you even realizing it. In the future, I plan to share more of what inspires me, in hopes of feeling as if I am outputting more of my own creativity into the world. Maybe I will inspire you to be a bit more expressive, too.
