Everyone is Creative

By Kelle Walsh, Imagine Magazine (Fall, 2004).

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thread of inspiration to move her forward. Others keep a notebook of impressions or story ideas. It is this kind of preparation that allows creative people to tap their muse again and again.

Stay in the flow. "After creative energy is awakened, it is necessary to protect it. We must erect barriers against distractions, dig channels so that energy can flow more freely, find ways to escape outside temptations and interruptions," says Csikszentmihalyi.

Take charge of your schedule, he advises. Make time for reflection and relaxation. Shape your space. Discover what you like and dislike, and do more of the former and less of the latter. Surround yourself with people who inspire and delight you. Avoid contact with those who drain your creative energy. Seek out sources of inspiration. Make creativity a priority in your life.

Living the creative life

Most of us won't build towers that shape the skyline, or write novels that capture the pathos of our time. But we are all capable of original contributions and of making our lives more colorful. You may not change the way future generations experience the world, says Csikszentmihalyi, but you will change the way you experience it.

"Exploring and expressing my creativity on a daily basis has made a huge impact on my life and how I view the world," says Dunmire. "The act of creating for myself and for others brings me joy, and has opened many doors to exciting projects and opportunities. It's led the way to new thinking patterns and understanding others, and it's helped me to connect with tons of other people who nourish my muse."

So if one art class doesn't get you there, take three, or five, suggest those who have found their muse. Try a different medium and see how it feels. Create only for yourself and let go of your need to be good. Be willing to fail, and learn from the process. Then start again, and again, and again. That's the creative spirit at work.

"If creativity with a capital C is largely beyond our control, living a creative personal life is not," says Csikszentmihalyi. "And in terms of ultimate fulfillment, the latter may be the most important accomplishment."

10 Ways to be Creative Today

To be creative means to bring something new into being. You have to step outside of your comfort zone to see the world through fresh, creative eyes, and to allow yourself to play a bit. You may be surprised by what inspires your inner child. Here are some fun ways to limber up your right brain and step onto a creative path.

1. Buy toys for yourself. Not the grown-up kind that require directions and warranties, but real toys, like the ones you loved as a kid. Keep them on hand to play with at will.
   
   
2. Pick a new name. Why did you choose that name? Think about what you would want your name to say about you.
   
   
3. People-watch for at least 15 minutes, noticing every thing they do. Make up stories about their lives.
   
   
4. Act out a verb.
   
   
5. Start carrying a notebook and write (or draw) anything that inspires you, whether it be song lyrics, names for a not-yet-planned-for child, a design for a pair of totally impractical shoes, your dream dinner-party guest list.
   
   
6. See how many objects you can identify in three minutes looking at the clouds.
   
   
7. Play "20 Questions" with yourself. Write down 20 questions about any topic you want to know about, and then begin the process of answering them.
   
   
8. Write with your non-dominate hand for 20 minutes, or draw something upside down.
   
   
9. Wear a color that's outside your usual palette, or a style that you never wear. Try a new hat, for example, or a flamboyant scarf. Let yourself express this new persona.
   
   
10. Look at a photo of yourself when you were young. Try to remember what you were feeling, thinking and doing at the time. What were your plans for your life back then? Who were your friends? See you if you can recapture the feelings and impressions of a time past.

Sources: The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use it for Life, by Twyla Tharp (Simon & Schuster, 2004); "A great way to spark creativity," Inc.com., May 2001. — Kelle Walsh

Kelle Walsh is a journalist based in Santa Cruz, California. Article reprinted with permission.