Guest blog from Lauren at The Artists Lab
When we think of creativity, the first thing that usually comes to our mind is drawing and painting. The reality is, being creative can be whatever you need it to be in any given moment.
We’re all creative in our own way - yes, drawing and painting can be part of that, but you’re not limited to just those things. Making time for creativity each day is often overlooked. It’s not always perceived as a necessity and I 100% disagree with that! Creativity is your time to wind down and play, which I believe is an essential part of living.
And play, or ‘play time’, isn’t just for kids. As adults, we seem to have grown out of the idea of play…
When we make the time and effort to introduce little bits of these moments into our daily life, it can make such a massive difference to our QUALITY of life. That’s why I think it’s so important to build it into our day.
Below is a short list of ways you can bring small snippets of creativity into your day without needing to dedicate hours to it – because we don’t all have tons of free time, do we?!
Experiment in a sketchbook
Make some space each day to play with different materials you have laying around. And it doesn’t need to be hyper realistic drawings and paintings that take hours to do. Quick doodles, random lines, and paint splodges are all welcome! Here’s a few ideas:
If you’re really liking the colour pink today, paint the entire page pink and doodle things on top.
Check out any old magazines, newspapers or leaflets that have come through the door, cut them up, use the letters and words to spell out a phrase, or fill the page with images you thought were beautiful.
Give yourself 15 mins with a pen, pencil, paintbrush – whatever you can find – and experiment with the materials. See what they can do and how they work when you use them in different ways.
For example: Grab a pen - what happens when you don’t press as hard, what if you add some water or spill some on it, use a paintbrush and water to smudge the ink. Can you fill a square with the pen and try to make different shades that are light and dark? What if you doodle on something other than paper? (a canvas or fabric maybe)
Keep exploring and asking yourself questions about how you can play with the materials you’re using. Things don’t have to be so black and white.
Be present
Creativity isn’t limited to creating something either – creative thinking can also be a part of it!
Stop for a moment and let your mind wander. It could be when you’re having your first cup of tea of the day, when you’re commuting to work, or while you’re eating a snack. Take that moment, when you can, to remind yourself and notice what’s going on around you.
Let yourself daydream, be present and appreciate the small parts of our life that you’d usually miss when you’re rushing around. Slow down, breathe, and take in the beauty that surrounds you.
Journaling
Journaling is a lovely way to spend some creative time with yourself. You don’t need to do pages and pages of writing to start either, and you also don’t need to answer really deep and thought provoking questions.
It’s a lovely activity to encourage more creative thinking. And if you’re stuck on time, keep it simple.
Here are a few quick prompts you can try:
- 1 thing you’re grateful for today
- A win from your day
- How are you feeling about the day ahead - set a 5 minute timer and splurge out your thoughts
I know Kat has written an Instagram post here with some wonderful journaling prompts that you can use as a starting point for inspiration as well. Don’t overthink it and write whatever comes to mind. Nobody needs to see it if you want it to stay private!
Take photos of joyful moments
Capture those seemingly mundane moments that brings you joy and happiness.
They say a photo can speak 1000 words, but when it’s an image of a happy memory, it can remind you of the thoughts and feelings you experienced as well!
Keep your phone on hand throughout the day to snap an image of something that makes you happy - let’s be real, our phones are usually nearby (at least for me anyway).
Have you ever experienced a moment where you loved the way the light was filling the room, or the shadows it was making? Or a time when you’re having a cuddle, with your pet/partner, and it filled your heart with so much love and appreciation of them? Or seen something beautiful and you can’t take your eyes off it?
Those joyful moments are memories that shouldn’t be forgotten. Photos can help us to relive those experiences when we see them.
Experiment with the way we dress and look
Being creative doesn’t need to be drawing, writing, or taking photos - it can also be what we wear, how we style our hair, or the way we put on makeup.
Experimenting with how we look can help to share our personality, give us a confidence boost, and express ourselves and how we feel. Need a relaxing and comfortable day at home? Throw on your favourite PJs, a thick dressing gown and your fluffy slippers.
Or maybe a confidence boost for a day at work? Whack some bold lipstick on and hold your head up high. It’s important to do what feels right for you and express yourself in the way you need to.
Kat sometimes shares her outfit and look for the day on Instagram with the hashtag #DressToExpress. So if you’d like to share your own looks for the day too, use the hashtag and tag her!
BONUS…
Try out a craft kit
If you have some extra time in the evenings or weekends, getting a craft kit can be a nice place to start if you want to see if you like that particular hobby.
They’re a lovely introduction to different hobbies and a ‘no strings attached’ way of dipping your toes in the water. And you’ll often get everything you need to recreate the project, so you don’t need to do the research yourself.
There are many small businesses out there that have created beginner friendly craft kits for you to try (myself included 😉).
I know it’s not possible to dedicate tons of time every day to being creative – there can be so much ‘adulting’ in our life that needs to take priority. So adding snippets of creative moments into your daily activities can be a way to incorporate it into your life.
Which of these things are you going to try out this week?
Thank you so much Lauren for these tips! Be sure to check out Lauren’s website to learn more about her and give her a follow on Instagram (@theartistslabuk) for more.
I’m also excited to share that we have collaborated on a kit, using a botanical illustration I drew and turning it into an embroidery pattern! If you want to get your hands on that, be sure to sign up to my mailing list and keep your eyes peeled for it in your inbox soon…
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