As an entrepreneur who thrives on creating experiences for my community and clients, and as a writer, it’s vital that I foster my creativity in my everyday life for my work. It’s a commodity that is something I work to protect and cultivate every single day.
Recently, I was working with a client on her core values and helping her to really define them. She was so surprised to learn that creativity was at the top of her list. She doesn’t consider herself very creative.
As we talked, I realized she needed to really think about how she can be more creative in her already pretty set-in-its-ways lifestyle as a working mom of young children.
Ultimately, to be more creative requires an everyday set of practices. This is why the more we write the better and easier it gets. Or the more we paint and create the more prolific we become at it.
Creativity is a commodity that is absolutely worth investing your time and resources into.
In my small group coaching program, The Energy Boost, we work through the energy leaks that block our good energy for everything in our life that brings joy — such as time and space for more creativity.
Women often think they lack follow through on their creative dreams — like writing a book or doing art — is a time issue. If only they had more time … they think. They get frustrated at their procrastination, their self-doubt, their inability to finish things.
But, there is much more to being creative than having an idea or starting it.
We must have the energy to see it through.
We must have the confidence to launch it into the world.
All of this takes … a few good habits.
Here’s a few of my own favorite habits that help me to be more creative in my everyday life:
The Habit of Energy Management
In order to be more creative in your everyday life secret to a zest-filled, vibrant life is not more time. It’s more energy. Once you learn the habit of managing your energy and boosting your energy, you can do anything. Yes, energy has a lot to do with your physical body but your emotional energy has just as much to do with your energy level as well. In my one of the first coaching sessions I have with new clients, we plan out your energy goals and what you need to do to boost your energy because you can have all the dreams and goals in the world but if you don’t have the energy to make them happen we won’t see much progress. Keeping high energy — and positive energy — flowing all day long is a secret to being authentically creative and more productive. I also lead workshops on energy management for workplaces and groups because keeping a team’s positive energy going is vital for a productive year.
The Habit of Open-Minded Thinking
The glass is half full. Or is it half empty? Instead of looking at a problem as a problem. See it as an opportunity. This is one of the best ways to boost your creativity. It’s easy to get caught up in either/or thinking where problems only have black or white answers. But the truth is that most problems rarely have just black or white answers. Your perspective is what needs to change and being more open will get you there. In my coaching work, I challenge you to look at your struggles and your ideas in different ways so that you can see the bigger picture rather than the one small bit from your limited vantage point. When you learn to see life from an OPEN place, a whole new world of possibilities opens up.
The Habit of Choosing Courage
Behind every big thing we want to change or do in our lives, there is fear. When we learn to override that fear with courage, we see the changes we want to see happen in our lives. It’s so easy to let fear hold us back. Often we don’t even realize fear is the culprit behind our inaction. But when we get into the courage groove, we start to see how much we’ve been limiting ourselves. Change is hard. And it’s scary. But it’s also amazing and when we finally have the courage to make things happen in our lives we can do even more amazing things. When you start to choose courage over fear you will see big changes in your life.
Which of these habits can you work to instill in your life this week?