Photo from my Instagram
Creativity is a big part of my life. It’s what I share on my Instagram. It’s something I try to fit into my days. It makes me feel like, well, me.
Believe it or not, when I was growing up, I never thought I was one of those creative types. This is probably because I wasn’t into Art, and if you can’t draw well, then you can’t be creative, right? WRONG. It’s only taken me about 25 years to realise that creativity is something that can come naturally to you, and it feels very freeing and liberating.
So, what do you do when your having one of those days where you don’t feel creative? Well, that’s hopefully where this post will help you out!
#1 FIND YOUR INSPIRATIONS
Whether that’s following your favourite content creators online, creating a new Pinterest board, or listening to a new album (hello Folklore), immersing yourself in something you find inspiring is only bound to create great things- just leave your comparison at the door, it’s not needed here. This is something I do regularly, personally I love to spend a bit of time on Pinterest looking for pieces of art that I really connect to, and having a look at the concepts that I might be able to use in my own work in the future. Also worth noting here, please don’t create exact copies of someone else’s work, put your own touch on it, that’s the magic ingredient that will make it wonderful!
#2 LOOK BACK ON YOUR PAST WORK
You’ve created things in the past that you’ve been really proud of, and felt exciting to share, right? So why not look back and revisit those images? Maybe re-create them, that’s something I do regularly too. Upgrading old images with new ideas means you have lots of inspiration already at your fingertips! You never know what lightbulb moment you might get.
#3 HAVE A BREAK
Sometimes, when all else fails, you just need to log off. Do something that isn’t related to the project you’re working on. Go outside. Workout. Have a duvet day. Coming back to something with fresh eyes is bound to feel so much better than staring at it for 5 hours non-stop. I know that I personally, like to work on an image throughout the day on and off, instead of just in one go. Every few hours I will add little bits here and there, and look at it throughout the day to see if it’s going in the right direction I want.
#4 DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Whether that’s watching a different type of film than usual, treating yourself to a new magazine, or just getting out of your creative comfort zone in your photography, you never know what you could end up creating. I know it can feel really nerve-wracking to post something online that your audience isn’t used to, but I think giving people a little surprise works well every now and again!
#5 REMEMBER ROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY
We are all on our own journey. Don’t compare your first draft to someone else’s best-selling novel. I really believe we will all achieve our own goals in our own time. Focus on yourself. Stay in your own lane.
What’s one of your top tips for creativity? Is creativity something you struggle with, too?