The creative cloudburst—7 traditions for growing your creativity

This is for anyone who has ever dreaded the solace of the writing desk or studio.

It’s true that creativity can ignite an ordinary life. But when you’re starved for ideas, all that rich, creative possibility can feel quite remote.

For those of us who make a living in art, the creative process can feel anything but beautiful at times. And for those of us who dabble or create for our own pleasure, we can sometimes feel stalled by a lack of deadlines or vision.

And there are still more complications. This busy and enterprising world we live in does not always understand or protect the creative process. At worst, it dismisses it as childish or self-indulgent. Guilt isn’t a great starting point for most of us. So what’s a person to do?

Well, whether you’re starting something new or you’ve been creating for years, you may benefit from reviewing your strategy before you begin. Here are some simple suggestions and time-honored traditions to stir your inspiration awake. So, get out your galoshes, we’re about to summon your very own creative cloudburst.

1.) Get the goods. You wouldn’t go camping without a sleeping bag, right? Make sure you have the proper materials in good working order before you begin. If the materials of your craft are expensive, hard to come by, or simply not available at the moment, see if you can experiment with a proxy. Try rendering your idea in a different format or medium. This may give your mind a different angle to work the creative problem, and you may find the modified plan produces an outcome more pleasing than the original one.

2.) Give permission. We owe our third grade teachers a lot of gratitude for scheduling time for art during the day. Now, it’s your responsibility to make time for the creative process—whether you’re composing your macaroni art or your next novel. Take it seriously and protect time and space for your project.

3.) Develop ritual. Establishing inspiring space will help you awaken your creative mojo. Have a ritual or routine—designate a special time and place where you can do your work. If you’re a writer, this may mean clean desktops on your table and computer. Read or watch something inspiring to put you in the proper frame of mind before you begin. Remove distractions. Engage your senses in a pleasing way with incense, music, a cup of tea, or a lovely view from the window.

4.) Create a repository. Most good ideas come to you when you’ve got no spare hands to record them. Make a habit of jotting down your best notions and stashing them someplace safe. Some people like to have an actual binder to house their library of ideas. Others prefer to keep a box full of inspiring stimuli, little knick knacks or treasures that evoke a certain mood. Still others cover a wall with butcher paper and create elaborate webs of idea maps or a vibrant montage that represents their creative vision.

5.) Obtain fuel. Creativity consumes. Feed yourself a healthy diet of film, sunshine, museums, magazines, coffee or conversation—whatever your creative heart desires! Just remember to return to your own project when you’re finished—it can be easy to immerse yourself as a spectator in someone else’s art and forget to return to your own.

6.) Nix the judgments. There is a time and place for critiques or judgments. Leave them at the door when you are brainstorming or actively creating. Promise yourself a time when you will revisit any points of concern you have about a project before you finish it.

7.) Reward yourself. Whether you are doing it for yourself or someone else, it is an accomplishment to take time to create something. Give yourself credit for a job well done.

Cultivate these good habits regularly and I think you will find yourself brimming with rich inspiration in no time.

Have a foolproof method that sparks your creativity? I would love to hear about it!