6 Tips for Guidance on Your Creative Journey

Over the years, I’ve always felt drawn to creative people and the art, ideas and music they produce. I’ve worked with so many different thinkers and innovators in my coaching practice and I’m constantly reading about where inspiration comes from and how to get the creative juices flowing.

After spending so much time focused on the creativity of others, I’ve recently felt a calling to start exploring my own creativity and follow my inspiration. I signed up for a writing class and am thinking about writing a novel. This is totally new territory and a huge step in the evolution of my creative journey.

As I help guide others on their creative path and start to explore my own, I’ve gathered some tips that I know have been helpful to me and the people I coach—and may be helpful for you too.

Here are six tips to help you on your creative quest:

1. Explore different avenues. So often, I see people limiting themselves because they’ve never done something before. I know I’ve experienced this! We might want to paint or play an instrument, but don’t know how. One thing that’s important is staying open to exploring and trying different ways of being creative. Maybe you want to start a blog and write every week. Or sign up for a knitting class. Or a writing class. Whatever you feel called to do, don’t let your lack of experience in that area hold you back. You never know if it’s the right fit for you until you try.

2. Step out of your head. With busy schedules, it can sometimes be hard to make space for creativity in our lives. One of the best ways to be open to inspiration is to create some “free time” in your calendar. Take a break, go for a walk, meditate, or do any activity that clears your mind and doesn’t involve “to do’s.” This creates space in your day for inspiration to start flowing in.

3. Get all your ideas on paper. I don’t know about you, but I have a lot of ideas of things I’d like to do and try. Sometimes, it can be overwhelming when you have so many things you want to create, but don’t know where to start. One great first step is to get all your ideas down on paper. Make a list and then pick the top 3 you’d like to begin. You can always return back to your list later and keep adding to it. Getting your ideas organized in this way will help you choose the ones you’re ready to move forward on.

4. Take one small action step. Review your top 3 ideas and decide on one small action step you can take to bring that idea to life. Maybe you want to get your artwork in a gallery? Make a to do to research galleries in your area and then send them an email. Or maybe you want to write a book? Find a writing class or sit down and create an outline. After you take one step, then take another. Each small step is one step closer to bringing your idea to life.

5. Stay open to new inspiration and ideas. Sometimes when we get focused on one idea, we might block new inspiration from coming through. While it’s important to stay focused on your new creative goal, it’s equally as important to stay open to new and fresh ideas you may have. There might be new way to approach your creative project. Or a totally new idea you may want to pursue. Stay open to any fresh perspectives and ideas you have along the way.

6. Remember: there’s no right path. When it comes to creativity, no one else’s path will look exactly the same as yours. We are all creative beings, and it’s your unique journey. There’s no right or wrong way to be creative. Trust yourself and follow your own inspiration. You can get support and motivation from others, but stay away from comparison. Creativity is your own unique expression that comes from you.

I hope these tips will help you on your creative journey! In addition to the guidance above, here are a few resources that may help you as well:

• Ten Habits of Highly Creative People
• The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
• TED Talk: 4 Lessons in Creativity