If you’ve been out of the habit of creating, it can seem daunting to get back into it. Whether it’s been a few months or many years.
Here are my 5 tips to get you back into a creative habit.
These tips are aimed at people wanting to get back into or to explore creative writing, creative journaling and photography, but some of them may work for other creative pursuits!
Make a commitment and start small
To get started, pick a time, put it in your diary, and then just do it.
(Sounds easy, I know it’s not like that in reality!)
Aim for 15-20 minute sessions of writing or journaling, or just take a few photos while out for a walk. Even if you commit to doing it once or twice a week, you’ll be doing more than you were before.
Do it even if you don’t feel particularly inspired at the time. Sometimes you’ll find that inspiration comes once you start writing or walking.
You can fit it into your usually weekly activities eg if you usually go for a walk on a Friday morning and it would work well to do some creative writing after that; or you usually have a lunchtime walk where you could take a few photos.
Embrace imperfection
You don’t need to come up with something you can share on social media or publish, you just need to create something. It’s just for you.
At some point maybe you’ll create things you’d like to share, if that’s what you feel drawn to do – but don’t put pressure on yourself when you’re just exploring different ideas.
Do it because you want to, because you enjoy the process – don’t force it to become something big and scary.
Go with your energy flow
Get used to spotting when your best creative times are and use those wisely.
Maybe that ebbs and flows each month? Maybe you’re very definitely a lark or a night owl and one of those times works best for you?
If you don’t yet know, just try and create at different times of the day, make a note of which times felt easier than others, and look back after a month or so to see if there are any particular times that were better than others.
Notice what inspires you!
Everyone is different in their creative practice.
You might feel creative after going out for a walk in the morning. Or maybe when you look out of the window at night.
You might be inspired by urban scenery and interactions between people. Or perhaps the tiny little details of nature you come across on a walk.
Start to notice what inspires you, and make an effort to immerse yourself in it regularly.
Get yourself some accountability
Sometimes it helps to have someone to share your plans with and your progress.
Maybe you have a friend who also wants to create more – ask around, you may be surprised who is interested.
Or you could join a creative group – whether specific to the type of creativity you want to immerse yourself in, or a more general group for encouragement. You might find free groups and paid for groups, online or even locally in-person – just have a look around.
If you decide to commit to a bigger project, you could either find an accountability guide to speak to a couple of times a month to keep you on track, or if you want to use the creativity to spark some bigger changes you could look for a life coach to explore this with.
How can I help?
If you’re looking for someone to keep you accountable, that’s something I offer, so do get in touch 🙂. Otherwise, you can sign up to my mailing list to find out about my latest courses.
