Do These 5 Things When You’re Feeling Uncreative And Uninspired

“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” – Joseph Chilton Pearce

Every day, we create. In our jobs, we add value by approaching problem-solving with a creative touch. In our social lives, we use creative ways to develop our relationships with others. In our own minds and bodies, we imagine and hope and dream in creative ways that allow us to grow. Any time we have a new idea or craft new ways to approach our everyday habits and responsibilities, we create. There is simply no wrong way to be creative.

Creativity is not reserved for the artists. Living a life that is creative means being open to new experiences and having a commitment to learning and progress. So many people discount themselves as creative because they lack certain skills, but creativity lies within us all. It is like a muscle that must be worked, stretched, and strengthened over time. Even better, humans feel happier when they feel creative.

Don’t let fear of being wrong stop you from pursuing a more creative life. Here are 5 ways to inspire creativity today:

1. Schedule time to read. 

Read a novel, read an article, read something related to your own job or stage in life. When we read, we expand our own thoughts and adopt new perspectives. Stepping inside the minds and worlds of those in books will allow your own mind to turn over new ideas. Instead of grabbing your phone to scroll endlessly, do something good for your brain and grab your closest book instead.

2. Write something. 

There is much to be accomplished when writing, especially a devotion to 500 words per day. This is a skill that takes time and patience, but gets easier with practice. Even if you don’t consider writing to be important to what you do, rethink this. Writing allows us to better connect with our own thoughts. If 500 words feels overwhelming, start with a simple 5-minute journaling exercise.

3. Talk to someone outside your normal circle. 

There is perhaps no better way to add to our own creativity than to have a discussion with another person. Particularly for those that have a different occupation or life experience, they can be a wonderful resource to have our eyes opened to see beyond the confines of ourselves. Try networking with someone at your workplace or reaching out to a new friend to grab coffee or take a walk.

4. Go somewhere new. 

There is something magic about visiting a new place for the first time. To see a new place is to become a new version of yourself. While taking a vacation to an exotic location is nice, it doesn’t have to be so drastic. Be a tourist in your own town and visit a new museum or go to a new park or simply explore a neighborhood you don’t frequent. The novelty of a place unobserved will give your idea-generating skills new material to work with.

5. Reframe your mindset.

As the saying goes, we are what we believe we are. If you stay in the mindset that you are not creative, you will not do creative things. On the other hand, having a mind and heart that is open to the creative life and considering yourself a creative person will invite new opportunities into your life. Speak and think words of encouragement—and creativity—to yourself and see the difference it makes.

Never let fear of being wrong stop you from being the most open and creative version of yourself. By taking actions that keep your thoughts receptive to creativity, and adjusting your beliefs about yourself, you can find more ways to live than you ever thought possible. The benefits of this are ongoing; creative people are healthier, both mentally and physically. So get outside your own head, travel to a new place—literally or otherwise—and embrace the possibilities that a little spark of creativity can introduce.