How to Nurture Your Creative Side

Do you feel bored or boxed in by your daily life? Are you yearning for self-expression? Let's face it, many of us don't have jobs that foster our creative side. Here are some suggestions for nurturing your creativity.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• An open mind

1. Keep a journal. Write in it at least a few times a week, and don't censor yourself. Write about whatever comes to mind.
2. Join a scrap-booking or card-making group. You don't need any special artistic ability to do this. Some craft stores also have workshops on making Christmas cards or other craft workshops, where you can get step-by-step instructions.
3. Take a beginning watercolor, stained-glass or pottery class. Many communities have classes like these for adults.
4. Do creativity exercises from a book or website. These are especially good if you are feeling stuck on how to solve a problem or are just feeling creatively blocked. Visit the Braingle or Creative Thinking websites. Sark has many fun books on inspiring creativity. Other good books include "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron, "Cracking Creativity" by Michael Michalko and "You Can Have What You Want" by Michael Neill.
5. Spend some time with a child. Children are naturally creative because they haven't learned to censor themselves the way adults have. To them, possibilities are limitless.
6. Have fun! Don't worry about being perfect or doing things exactly right. Discovering your creative side should bring more joy into your life.