The other day, I was having a conversation with my roommate Steph of The Big Brown Bag about our intrinsic need to feel creative and the pursuit of true passions over what is “safe” and expected. To an outsider’s eye, Steph and our other roommate Erin Willett are the epitome of born creatives relentlessly pursuing their passions in singing, fashion, etc. Though I have plenty of prose and paintings to prove my worth, when it comes down to it, I work in advertising. It’s a business of ideas and sales pitches – or so I used to think.
We assume that people are “born creative” and that true creative genius needs no work. However, I can attest that after insisting on always “keeping busy” and searching for each and every new opportunity, true innovation doesn’t come from piling on more to-do’s. It is just as important to take time to practice creative skills as it is in making sure you know what’s happening in your industry. The above list includes some ways to help spark creativity. You’ll notice that none include sitting at a desk or insisting on doing more work. My favorites that I have decided to live by are the following:
Quit beating yourself up.
– frankly, it’s unattractive.
Stop trying to be someone else’s perfect.
– you probably already are perfect, and if some one says you aren’t, that’s their prerogative.
Get lots of rest.
– humans were meant to sleep at night.
Carry a notebook everywhere.
– you never know when you feel compelled to make a list, write a thought, draw a frog, etc.
As of late, my friends and I have been feeling less motivated and a little lost about what we need to be doing with our lives. It doesn’t hurt to take a step back, refocus, and capture your creative energy again – whether you need to sing in the shower to do it or not.
My Name Is Reb 
One thought on “Working at Being Creative”