Twenty Five Little Ways to Be Creative

Creativity is like a muscle. When you use it, it grows, when you don't it atrophies. If God has given you the gift of creativity, it is your responsibility to use that gift and help it grow. This list of twenty-five little ways to be creative is sure to help you stretch that creative muscle regularly and help you think creatively about other things too.

1. Write a haiku every night before bed. Short and easy, but the regularity will help you discover new things.
2. Research herbs and spices so that you can make some kitchen magic without just following a recipe. Pretty sure your loved ones will be onboard with this one.
3. Doodle while you're on the phone. If you don't like to doodle, try a coloring book for adults!
4. Try and put together two pieces of clothing that shouldn't work. And try and make it work anyway. This won't always be successful, but sometimes you find the best things!
5. Refresh your space and do a quick decorating facelift with new curtains, throw pillows, or a quick upcycled DIY.
6. Listen to an old radio show like Dad's Army or Sam Spade (most are available through podcasts on iTunes) instead of watching TV. The road between reading and TV can give you a new perspective.
7. Make a list of things you want to learn and then start learning! Consider a Skillshare membership to start chipping away at some of them. (If you use this link to join you can get 3 whole months for just 99 cents!)
8. Play dress up. Sometimes it's okay to just take an afternoon to try on clothes. Consider it shopping your own closet.
9. Repaint your work space in a bright and fun new color. This is majorly on my to-do list. Wall color can go a long way to fixing up a room.
10. Go to a local museum for inspiration. Art, history, culture, doesn't matter what kind, just seeing some fresh perspectives can bring you new ideas.
11. Tell a child a bedtime story. Try to go beyond the rote "once upon a time..." and get creative!
12. Make a collage of photos family and friends sent with their Christmas cards to display on the fridge or a bulletin board.
13. Reread a favorite book and use it to inspire a piece of art. It will hold even more significance for you because of the book connection.
14. Buy some inexpensive and fun accessories like belts and earrings you can use to expand your wardrobe. Etsy is a great option, and it allows you to support more creative people!
15. Experiment with fun cocktails at home so you can wow guests while you're entertaining in the future!
16. Have a girl's night out to a painting or pottery studio. It's the perfect opportunity to branch out artistically without buying a lot of supplies!
17. Go to a home remodeling workshop at a local hardware store and learn a new technique for home beautification.
18. Make a Pinterest board of DIYs you want to do in the next 3 months. Make it realistic. Do one pin each week.
19. Learn calligraphy or another hand lettering style and use it address any envelopes you send - even the bills!
20. Buy a beautiful journal and use it for writing or sketching, whatever you like to do best.
21. Make lovely and colorful arrangement of fruit for your kitchen such as apples, bananas, mangoes, oranges, and pomegranates - the color is sure to be inspiring!
22. Buy something unexpected off the sales rack or at the thrift store - and challenge yourself to wear it 4 times in the next month.
23. Try to journal with your opposite hand - it can help put you in touch with the other half of your brain, and for rightys that can mean even more creativity!
24. Take selfies with a child. They are so spontaneous and don't have a self-conscious bone in their body, which is the perfect breeding ground for creativity.
25. Mess around with photo editing software, just for fun. I love Canva for a quick and easy online option - Enlight and Color Story are great iPhone options.

With Joy!

Jill