5 ways to jumpstart your creativity

I invented the smart phone in second grade.  

Okay, so, I knew nothing about how to create a smart phone, but I envisioned one. 

It was part of a special project in second grade where we were tasked with creating a blueprint and model for an invention that we presented at an inventor's fair. 

I created an all-in-one watch-phone that strapped onto your wrist and acted as a fully functional computer, telephone, and video-game system. (The model screen had a hand-drawn picture of Sonic the Hedgehog)

I remembered the invention (and the awesome white lab coat I wore to the fair) a few days ago with a chuckle. It made me think about how much fun I had in elementary school, how I "created" with abandon.

Kids never say "I'm not creative."

How often do we hear adults say it (or have said it ourselves)?

I used to say it all the time. Until a few years ago when I realized being creative doesn't mean being able to draw well. 

Which is a good thing, because being creative is a required skill in today's marketplace, where the "next big thing" could be invented tomorrow (and maybe by a second grader who actually knows how a micro chip works...because admittedly I never did and still don't).

Your creativity can manifest itself as simply as an afternoon redecorating a favorite space, or as life changing as coming up with a new way to solve an old problem you've been facing. Who knows, your creativity could even solve a problem for an entire community - even the world. 

You are more creative then you realize. 

Below are a few simple ways to get your creative juices flowing this summer!

1. Browse the children's section of a bookstore for your favorite childhood books. Revel in the memories, and think about buying one for inspiration. I recently ordered a hardcopy of my favorite childhood book and set it up as office decor - it serves as a reminder for me to continue to approach the world with childlike wonder. 
2. Pick out a journal that inspires you and commit to writing in it (or sketching in it) every day for a few minutes every morning or evening. Make it a habit, even if you only write one sentence per day. 
3. Do something that relaxes you like going for a walk or taking a bath. Most creative ideas happen when you're relaxed. 
4. Grab some old magazines and a poster board and make a collage of things that inspire you and put it up on your wall. 
5. Read about and engage with people from industries outside your own. For example, Disney has always inspired me. I once met with a Disney animator who'd worked on some of my favorite movies, like The Lion King. I wasn't looking to learn his craft, but I wanted to know him. I just had a feeling I'd be inspired, and I sure was.  

So put on your metaphorical white lab coat and create a smart phone inspired by your desire to play Sonic the Hedgehog at school. Remember the child you once were - the one who knew that you didn't need to understand everything about the world in order to dream.  

You are creative. Really.

When someone asks if you're creative, do you just say "no"? I used to. Because I couldn't draw and got a B in pottery class, I assumed I wasn't creative. It wasn't until becoming a professional did I realize creativity goes far beyond the arts. You can bring creativity into everything you do; and in fact in today's world, it's mandatory.

This video from the Pearson Students Break Through series shares some tips on how to develop your creativity (note: no actual cursing was spoken in the making of this video ;))

How to never lose your good ideas

I got the idea for my book while walking on concrete in an outdoor breezeway.

Seriously. 

I was working full time at a community college, and at the time the idea of writing a nonfiction book was a distant dream. 

So there I was, strolling in the Florida sunlight after having walked across campus to the print shop to pick up signs for the newest student life event, and BOOM. It hit.

I should write a book for community college students, teaching them how to connect with their peers, professors, and professional mentors. I see that the successful students here are doing the same things, just like I did. 

And the rest is history. 

Or is it that simple? Not exactly.

A million other things could have distracted me from making that idea a reality. We get ideas all the time, as we're going through our days. But often, they disappear due to distraction. 

So when I got this idea, I raced to my desk and sent an email to myself, fleshing out the thought. 

Whew. Idea solidified. 

You probably get more good ideas than you realize. And as the book Imagine: How Creativity Works explains, we typically get those ideas during times of rest.

Walking, working out, on vacation, when you shower, and just before you fall asleep are all times when your mind often cranks out ideas. 

But if you don't act on them immediately, they will disappear as fast as they came. 

So the next time you have an idea that strikes you, write it down immediately. I have a notebook app in my phone just for these ideas, as well as one in my iPod that I fill in when ideas come to me at the gym. I also keep a small notepad by my bed.

Even if 99% of your ideas never work out, you never know how that one could change your life. 

Write down the ideas that come to you in times of rest and relaxation, and in between, keep learning lots so that your brain will have many creative things to mull over when you finally take a break :)