As a creative soul surely you know that feeling of being in the zone – when you merge with the energy of creation and become your art. Time and space are no longer relevant as you’re receiving instruction and taking action from a higher part of yourself. I call it flow.
But you surely also know that feeling of pressure when you need to create because of your schedule or deadline, but the flow just isn’t happening. What do you do to get your creative juices flowing?
First of all, let’s understand why we get ourselves into this situation:
It’s common for most of us to spend our days in a masculine state of being. To always be orderly and pushing forward is a highly valued trait of success in today’s culture. Though our masculine thinking brain controls our goal oriented self, that part of us that sets schedules and deadlines and gets us to focus, it is the feminine creative side that is ultimately responsible for the creation itself – the flow. This side of our being wants to expand and explore all regions of ourselves and our surroundings so that it can turn the experience into art.
There are many things you can do to get your creative juices flowing. If you practice these regularly you’re more likely to be able to turn on this flow whenever you need it. Here’s a short list to help you get started.
7 Ways to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing
1. Start an inspiration file of creative ideas. Get those ideas out of your head. This might seem counter intuitive, but the more ideas you have, the more space they take up in your head. That’s mental capacity you need to be able to download and execute your creative ideas.
When I feel an inspired thought for my writing I make a note of it in my Bear writing app for the Mac. I also have a binder of visual images for my paintings. So when I want to get my creative juices flowing I simply open these and begin browsing for something that resonates with my current creative mood.
2. Read a fantasy book or watch a magical movie. What I mean by this is to expose yourself to something other than the daily grind, something that draws you into the story so you can unstick yourself from this world for a little bit of time. Remember creative energy wants to explore and loves to play with unusual or nonsensical ideas. It really gets the juices going.
And speaking of play…
3. Let yourself do something silly or unexpected. Try some cartwheels in the yard. Go sing some karaoke. Dress up in a costume and pretend you’re someone else for a little while. As children we experienced the world through play, which is a highly creative state. Find some ways to get into a playful mood as often as you can. You might be surprised at what comes through when you open yourself up to this way of being in flow.
4. Get out of your head and into your body. Feminine energy is associated with the body and your five senses. As I said earlier your creative side wants to have experiences and feel the world. To get your creative juices flowing I encourage you to literally step away from your computer and go for a walk or engage in your favorite exercise. Allow yourself to feel pleasure through your body by taking a fragrant bath or eating foods that are full of delicious flavor, smells, and textures.
5. Connect with a tribe or community of like minded souls. Here again, creative energy is connected energy and often the writer or artist spends much time in solitude. That may be the perfect setting when you’re actually creating but it doesn’t always lend itself as well to being stimulated and inspired. For instance you may be thinking in your head intently on a particular subject and think you’ve explored all of it until you have a conversation with another person who gives you a different perspective and opens your world and thus ideas up even further. Even if you’re an introvert, and most writers are, your creative side will benefit from short bits of interaction with others.
6. Immerse yourself in water. You are made up of mostly water and water represents your subconscious self. Water is a great conductor of creativity because it is literally in a state of flow itself. No doubt you’ve had an epiphany while taking a shower or bath, or felt inspired after a nice swim. When I’m in need of creative ideas and I know that my thinking brain just isn’t up to the task, I will stop what I’m doing and go take a shower, even in the middle of the day. It’s one of my most reliable creative tools.
7. Practice free writing or word/idea association. Free writing is a technique whereby you write for a short period, about ten minutes without stopping or picking up your pen. The goal is to let any and all thoughts come out of your brain without censoring or judging them. You could do this also with a word or idea association game. Start with one word and speak or write the very next word that comes to you. This will stimulate your brain and spark some interesting and creative thoughts.
Creativity is a mysterious energy. It can be hard to direct by mere force or intention. Creativity needs space and time to grow and unfold. I hope you’ll try these seven ways to get your creative juices flowing the next time you’re feeling that pressure to perform.
Are you trying to think your way through writing a book with no luck? Schedule a Clarity Consultation with me to find your next step in getting those creative juices flowing.
