Have you ever been entrenched in an experience—maybe a job, school, group brainstorm—when you learn something and that new knowledge percolates ideas and thoughts? Have you ever had a moment in your exercise routine when your brain suddenly turns on and a flood of ideas fill your mind? Have you ever had a spiritual journey that enhances your ability to generate new thoughts?
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In those moments, you’re growing your creativity.
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Sometimes creative thoughts just come to us. And that’s wonderful. But many times we need to seek them out. We need to put our mind, body, and soul in experiences and places to grow so the creative ideas and thoughts will more easily come to us.
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If you like metaphors, it’s like sourdough. You have to keep feeding the sourdough to keep it growing so you can continue making delicious bread. So too you have to keep feeding your creativity to continue generating new ideas and solutions.
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Grow Your Creativity through Mind
This may be one of the easiest ways to understand how you grow your creativity. We focus so much on growing our mind anyway through education, reading, learning new skills, etc.
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A painter who wants to grow their creativity may take classes or read lots of books on art history, techniques, colors, and more. A singer may take voice lessons, learn to read music, and study their favorite singers. As a writer, I majored in creative writing in college and studied other writers’ works, literary theory, and writing techniques. I continue to grow my writing through practice, taking online courses, following other writers on social media, and reading books.
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Sometimes we think we need so many hours a day to take advantage of growing a skill or creative passion. The truth is that you only need any amount of time you can devote. If it’s 10 minutes a day three times a week, that’s good enough. If it’s more, great. But you’ll never get anywhere if you don’t start. One drop in a bucket is one drop closer to filling the bucket.
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And money… you don’t need a ton. If you can’t afford anything right now, do what you can for free. Then when you can spend a little, let your pinching-penny mind be at ease knowing growing your skill and creative passion is what life is all about. If you’re going to splurge on anything, it might as well be on you.
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Grow Your Creativity through Body
There’s something about movement that frees the mind. I’ve heard stories from runners who get into that perfect pace that yokes the mind and leg movements. It’s like the movement of the body allows all the jumbled messes in our mind to release.
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I have felt the same through my yoga practice. When I move through yoga poses, I focus on the present, which frees my monkey mind and untangles all the thoughts in my head, allowing more space to learn and create. Something I have been pondering and trying to figure out for days suddenly becomes clear.
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In addition, movement is also creative. This is more evident in dance, martial arts, and yoga where the artist creates poses with grace and poise, or in weightlifting or body building where the artist sculpts the muscles to a desired look. But HIIT, running, swimming, biking, hiking, and all the different forms of exercises you can think of are also creative in their own way. And they take a lot of effort for improvement, just like any other creative skill.
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Grow Your Creativity through Soul
When I think of soul in this context, it is that inner part of us, the spiritual part, that yearns to be connected to something higher. I believe that higher entity is God, the ultimate creator, our creator. And He created us in His image, to be creators ourselves.
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When we create, we grow closer to God, our Heavenly Father. And when we grow closer to Him, we have more capacity to create.
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There are many ways to grow spiritually—organized religion, reading holy scripture, praying, chakra healing. These have all helped me grow closer to my Creator and have helped develop my desire and capacity to create. I also keep a few different types of journals, including a daily gratitude journal. Meditation is also a great spiritual medium, as well as other soul-relaxing mediums such as sound baths, essential oils, and Kundalini yoga.
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Grow Your Creativity Your Way
In truth, I can tell you all the ways to grow your creativity. And I will, as long as you keep coming back to my blog. It’s what I’m here for, what I love talking about. But it’s really up to you to figure out what resonates with your mind, body, and soul.
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Why does this matter? Creativity is a deep-rooted part of us. And it brings a sense of accomplishment and happiness. If fills us with purpose and helps us recognize our unique and beautiful potential. And you deserve all of that.