Cultivating Creativity

I have written before about the importance of cultivating creativity in our children. This is so vital to developing their self-esteem, teaching them to be problem solvers, and teaching them to be givers and not takers.

See my post at HomeFreeMedia – Consumer or Creator? for more on this.

Creativity, in children or adults, is all about opportunity. You might have wonderful ideas, but do you have the time to execute them? You might have great plans, but do you have the tools you need to build on them?

Encouraging creativity in children is relatively easy. Give them lots of blank paper, some markers or crayons, a pair of scissors and some glue and just watch the magic happen!

Creativity is all about opportunity.

It is more difficult for adults. We are working under the time constraints of earning a living and making a home for our families, so taking time to paint, draw, make music, or write seems like a selfish indulgence.

But even as adults, we need to find time to be creative, whether it is writing that novel or baking a casserole. Because we are made in the image of an awesome Creator, creativity is part of who we are.

So how can we make time for creativity, with all of the other things we need to think about?

The book Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt into Fuel for Brilliance by Jonathan Fields offers a description of the difficulties of living a creative lifestyle and some extremely practical tips on how to succeed as a creative person.

His insights will inspire you, whether you are just trying to get back to your favourite hobby, or endeavouring to earn a living with your art. Finding the time you need is the first step.

How to Find Time to Be Creative

Here are a few suggestions to help you find time for your creative side.

Simplify your life. The more you have to think about and keep track of, the harder it is to free your mind to be creative.
Develop daily routines and stick to them. The more you can automate the mundane activities of your life, the more mental energy you free for your art, whether it is writing, music, or sewing.
Streamline your decision making process in areas that aren’t important.

Have you noticed that two of the greatest creative thinkers of our time basically wore a uniform every day so they wouldn’t need to be concerned with what to wear?

Dean Camen, genius Segway inventor and holder of over 150 patents, is hardly ever seen without his trademark jean shirt. Steve Jobs, Apple visionary, became noted for always wearing black turtlenecks. Maybe you could ascribe this to branding, but I think that having a uniform of sorts helped free the minds of these exceptional men so they could be more creative.

How can you simplify your life in order to encourage your creativity?

Can you sell your knick knack collection on eBay to cut down on your housework and dusting time?

Can you limit yourself to just two or three favourite television shows, instead of a dozen, to gain a few hours every week?

Can you purge or organize your closet so that less time will be spent thinking about what to wear?

What will you do today towards cultivating creativity in your life?

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