One of the hardest things to do is be consistently creative. Great ideas can come from anywhere, but it can be a challenge to always be in that head space to create those ideas. At times, the idea of being creative can seem nebulous. Personally, the beginning of my life-long quest to be creative began with a revelation. Creativity is a skill. We need to treat it as such. Like lifting weights or doing math equations, creativity requires training and commitment to cultivate. Here are some meaningful ways to cultivate creativity in a daily setting. 

Do or Do Not, But You Must Try

This tip is the hardest, and it is by far the least convenient truth. The only way to be creative every day is to try every day. You must write, draw, paint, sing — whatever form your creativity takes — every single day. Behind every great idea are dozens of ideas that never came to fruition. Your imagination and your creativity deserve to be trained and exercised like any other part of your body. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither are most great ideas. When I was in high school, I had a theatre teacher who before every rehearsal or performance would tell us to “Go and do.” The best way to work on creativity is to go and do.

When to Change (and When Not to Change)

This tip will mean different things to different people. Each of us works differently. For some, the best way to spark great ideas comes from constant change and variety. For others (me included) creativity comes most naturally in a familiar and consistent environment. The most important thing is to find what works best for you. If you do best in new locations, go find some! (If you need some advice on where to go in Raleigh, check out our blog on places to work remotely in Raleigh.) By learning which environment suits your personal brand of creativity best, you can ensure that your days are as creative as possible.

Food for Thought

One of the easiest ways to get a little more brainpower into your day is by adding some brain-healthy foods to your daily diet. If we are going to train our brain like we would train our bodies, it makes sense to include a regiment of healthy eating on to our plate. Some foods that are easy to add into your day include green tea (full of creativity boosting antioxidants) or pumpkin seeds (contain zinc that has been linked to increasing memory and critical thinking). Foods like these, or those that are high in other nutrients like vitamin K or amino acids, can help set you up for successful “a-ha” moments.

While these ideas are great for cultivating creativity in the long term, sometimes you need an immediate creative boost to get you past your biggest mental blocks. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with our blog all about mental blocks. Check it out.

Will Hornbeck is a rising senior at Wake Forest University. Any naming similarity between him and the editor of the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”(1946) is just a cool fun fact.