Five doable tips for nurturing Creativity as a writer
Creativity is THE portal to individualism, expression, healing, inspiration, and connection. It’s how we connect with and inspire others. Its importance can’t be overstated. Keep reading for five easy things you can do now to nurture your creativity.
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Creativity is THE portal to individualism, expression, healing, inspiration, and connection. It’s how we connect with and inspire others. Its importance can’t be overstated. Here are things you can do now to encourage creativity.
1. Morning ritual
There’s something raw and renewed about the spirit when we wake up. It’s a sliver of time when we’re not sliding into the slipstream of the same thoughts, routine, actions, etc. It’s the best opportunity to prime ourselves for a new way of thinking.
Cue the morning ritual—a routine that brings joy and meaning to our day. It offers an easy way back to regular creative output and anchors us, giving us a safe container to feel like ourselves again. It draws us inward before we catch ourselves on the endless treadmill of social media, work deadlines, and emails.
That inspires me to write The Good Space morning mail for people who want to start their busy day in a connected and peaceful way.
Many creatives fear structure and boundaries, which is understandable. Creative energy comes from feminine energy. The kind that’s flowy, expansive, and flexible. It enjoys running wild in a world that runs on masculine energy–pursuing, planning, and focusing.
But without a grounding influence, unchecked creativity becomes unmanageable and sometimes destructive. In this article I wrote on feminine and masculine energy I shared how “When feminine energy is too dominant you feel unsupported, unfocused, scattered and unstable. Without purpose or direction and therefore feel no sense of success. Even a little ungrounded.”
We need anchors in our lives to truly experience the expansiveness that Creativity has to offer. Morning rituals don’t need to feel restrictive. As a new parent, I can only dedicate ten minutes, whereas before, I could dedicate over an hour. It doesn’t matter the quantity of time; it matters the quality. Do whatever suits you in the season of life you’re in.
2. Make space
It’s important to schedule regular blocks of time to create or dream, even if it’s a recurring 10-minute calendar event on your phone. If you’re struggling to find the time, consider this: What part of your life feels most overwhelming? What could you stop doing to give yourself more space?
Think of one or two distractions or things that drain you and commit to removing them from your life. Being a parent takes up most of my best energy and effort. Anything extra is precious and rare, so I deleted all social media apps from my phone and shortened the number of calls I took. My brain feels like it has more space, and I’ve written more deeply because of it.
If the idea of scheduling makes you hate life itself, create a ritual instead. Lately, after my daughter goes to bed, I dim the lights in the living room and light candles, sit on the couch with a gravity blanket, and write.
3. Keep your inspiration tank full
Inspired by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way, she recommends a daily morning pages practice and weekly artist date. Morning pages consist of writing three pages of stream of consciousness upon waking. This opens the gateway to inspired creation by getting the ego out of the way. She recommends writing by hand. If typing will get you to do it, then start there.
On an artist date, you take yourself out once a week to have a novel experience and soak things in. Whether watching a movie, going to a store, or wandering down a bookstore aisle. The key is exposing yourself to different sights, sounds, and experiences. Schedule this in your calendar weekly and enjoy.
For my parents out there, this becomes non-negotiable. A regulated, happy parent raises the well-being of their family. I haven’t had time to do my daily pages lately, so I joined New Rules Studio by Terri Trespicio. For my artist date, I take my daughter with me on a simple and spontaneous adventure. So do the weekly yoga class, morning ritual, artist date, or whatever you need to feel at home with yourself again. This will keep your inspiration tank full.
4. Let creativity come with you
I’m not sure where this image of the illustrious author sitting in their big brown desk with views of vistas, writing novel after novel, became the ideal to strive for. In On Writing, Stephen King said he used to write novels in his tiny laundry room with a typewriter propped on the dryer as it vibrated.
He said when he did make money, he still didn’t let himself have a big desk in the middle of a spacious office. He stuck a small chair and desk in the corner of his office because he believed your life shouldn’t revolve around your art. But your art should fit into your life. Creativity doesn’t require your undying attention and sacrifice to enjoy it.
I’m writing this as I wait for my daughter’s bottle warmer to beep. If I waited for the perfect conditions, I’d never write. Creativity is in the cracks, in the time we can give it, and everywhere. Don’t be afraid to let it come with you in life.
5. Create accountability
It’s hard to change when our habits work against us. Getting other people involved moves the needle faster than being by ourselves. I have two accountability friends. Every morning, we send quick voice notes sharing the top three things we’d feel good accomplishing today.
I’m finally finishing this article because I keep telling them I will. The act of someone being aware of your goal inspires us to take action. Ask a friend or two today to be an accountability buddy.
Did anything spark something for you? Let me know in the comments!
