7 Techniques for Inspiring Your Inner Creativity
November 22nd, 2010 by Tweet
Creativity is difficult to define and can be even harder to activate on command. With deadlines to meet and projects to complete, this can sometimes be problematic and it’s easy to become frustrated and discouraged. However, there are numerous ways of overcoming creative block. If you’re someone who needs creative inspiration in a hurry, one of these seven techniques may help to ameliorate your situation.
Read Poetry
Poets have a unique and inspiring perspective on the world and can even make the mundane seem romantic. This kind of “outside the box” thinking can be useful for any creative endeavor. While reading, be particularly aware of the way in which many poets combine seemingly unrelated or even opposing ideas. These kinds of juxtapositions are the stuff of major creative innovation.
If you’re a creative writer trying to overcome writers block, poetry can inform your work more directly. Not only are the perspectives of poets inspiring, their diction can be as well. Since poetry is often much shorter than prose, poets have to make the most of each and every word. Take note of the word choices that poets make.
Read a Biography
Biographies are often written about individuals who have achieved great things,and achieving great things often involves some degree of creativity. Read about great creators and consider their environments, their relationships, and their habits. All of these things contribute to the creative process.
Use the biographies of creative individuals as blueprints for creative success. Even though there are many intangible qualities of creative individuals that can’t be mimicked precisely, you can still learn quite a bit from them. Just as actors use real individuals as models for their characters, you can use successful individuals as models for the creative process.
Listen to Music
Music can be relaxing, it can be invigorating, and it can be enlightening. Each of these three qualities can be taken advantage of when searching for creative inspiration. As you listen, attend to the subtle ways in which musicians evoke emotions with sound and consider how you could express similar emotions and energy in your creative project.
Sometimes the distinctions between good work and great work is something that can only be detected through careful observation and analysis. Music in particular is rife with examples of this, all creative thinkers could benefit from developing a similar knack for details.
Meditate
Meditation if often associated with spirituality, but it also has practical benefits such as relaxation and stress reduction. With the pressure of deadlines and the expectations of others, creative thinking can be stifled by stress, and simple meditation exercises such as mindful breathing can be helpful for allaying this pressure.
The process of meditating also brings awareness to things that normally go unnoticed, which can spark creative ideas. However, it is important to remain focused while meditating. Even though your mind may be inclined to wander, and this is a normally a crucial part of the creative process, it’s important to give your mind a break every once in a while.
Go Somewhere New
Sometimes a change of scenery can work wonders in the creative process. For instance, if you usually work on your creative projects in an office, it may be helpful to work in a coffee shop instead. The simple act of putting yourself in a situation or setting that is slightly out of the ordinary can have a profound impact.
Learn Something New
Learning new things can change your perspective. For instance, studying psychology affects how you interpret the actions and motivations of others, studying philosophy can affect your understanding of knowledge and truth. Even academic subjects such as these have potential to inspire inner creativity.
If you’re not the academic type, learn something practical. It could be something as complex as automotive work as simple as a new game. The subject is unimportant. As long as you’re interested and engaged in the learning, you are opening a door to new thoughts that could fuel your creativity.
Find a Creative Partner
Some of the greatest creative works are created by partners. Often times, the individuals involved in creative partnerships are fully capable of doing great work without assistance, but the contributions and feedback of a partner allows them to create works that go beyond what they could accomplish alone.
Working with a partner can also make the creative process more enjoyable. While solo creators often spend a significant amount of time alone, partners have the benefit of company in the creative process. As long as both partners are equally committed to the project at hand, this can be a catalyst for unique ideas and will make working for long periods of time more comfortable.
Cut down your exam stress by using our latest microsoft dumps and high quality 642-813 and 70-290 demos. We provide updated testking 642-384 questions with 100% pass guarantee along with itil v3 certification.
Check out our latest testking 640-816 exam product & 70-511 exam guide written by our F50-532 certified team to help you to pass in real. 642-165 dumps and CISA dumps are also marvelous.
James Adams is a writer who is constantly looking for inspiration. Right now he works as a full time blogger and designer at an online ink cartridge supplier in the UK. Much of his time is spent reporting on developments in the tech industry, but he also writes reviews of products like the CLT-K4092S and posts on their design blog.
Subscribe to our RSS
Please help us to promote this article.
#1 Rated Cloud Server Hosting Provider
Recommended
A Leading B2B platform with 10 years history. Compare & Inquire with Trusted China Suppliers (SGS certified). Log on & Order now! 
What hosting plan offers more - InMotion Hosting or iPage? What about FatCow? Compare all at BestWebHostingFans.com.
Taking walks and exercise can definitely get some creativity flowing. If I am suffering from major creative block I will sometimes step away for a day or so and return to the project. Every time I have done this, the solution has come to me almost immediately.
Nicely done article. Thanks
Really nice article, James! Looking it trough I thought that it is the next repetition of old things again. I was wrong, sorry.
Making translation of your article for russian audithory (http://www.lentaprowebdesign.ru/2010/11/7.html) I realized that it really contains fresh thoughts and new (and creative) interpretations and ways for the searching for something that can burn ones creativity.
I would be glad to popularize some other of your articles too, if you would like. Please feel free contact me in this case. You know my e-mail. Thank you!