After spending some time mulling over the idea of what creativity is, it seemed right to pay some attention to how to find creativity.

We’ve all been there. You’re faced with something and you just don’t know where to start. You don’t have any ideas, but you have (at least) a vague idea of where you want to end up. And then the fear sets in.

“I’m not going to be able to do this.”

“This isn’t going to go well, I have no idea what I’m doing.”

You then panic and go with the first thought that comes into your head, despite not being totally convinced that it’s the right choice or even a good idea. 

So what do you do? Commit to the idea even though you’re not entirely sure? Scrap it entirely? Or, just fall into the pits of imposter syndrome, thinking you’re simply incapable?

Of course you don’t do any of those, that would be simply inefficient.

So how do I find creativity?

A big part of creativity is the problem solving element – which often gets overlooked. But if you don’t know how to solve your problem, this can be a big sticking point. 

So what do you do in those situations?

Without turning this into KT’s Top Tips, there are a few things that help me to find my innermost creative self*.

*None of these are quick fixes, sorry.

Take a break

Also known as the marination phase. Many creatives often need a break from what they’re doing to let ideas rest, and new ones come to the surface. By stepping away from your task or problem, and distracting yourself, you might find that the solution comes to you when you least expect it. 

Forcing yourself to come up with an idea typically leads to things being rushed or not fully fleshed out. If you’re on a short timeframe, I totally get it, but try and avoid overengineering a situation.

Go with the flow

In the same vein as taking a break or marinating: don’t look for ideas. Let them come to you. While this might sound a little wishy-washy, sometimes just letting life happen, as the forces surrounding us intended, isn’t actually a bad thing. 

There might be new ideas that stem from another, or you might observe something you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to if you manufactured the situation.

Personally, I find the best ideas come when they happen naturally. I’ll begin at one point and soon other ideas or inspiration come out of the woodwork. 

Maybe you just need to pause thinking, let your mind settle, and that creative feeling will just come to you. Likely at an inconvenient time. Usually an inconvenient time. Like 3am when you don’t have a pen and paper. Anywho.

Flow state

If you’re not familiar with the phrase, flow state is when you’re so absorbed in something that you just cannot take yourself away from. I actually asked some fellow writers for their definition and one likened creativity to flow state – she raised an excellent point!

Finding your flow state can be achieved in many different ways. For example, you might be the kind of person that needs to be fully immersed in something to reach peak creativity. 

Perhaps you’re researching and writing a piece, or you’re trying to landscape your garden. Basically,  everything is just vibing as it should. The unstoppable force takes over. You find your focus, and run with it.

Do what makes you happy

…or maybe you need something to coax you into your flow state. Doing things you enjoy will create positive distractions and feelings. If you’re relaxed you’ll be more likely to have good (or any!) ideas.

Maybe listen to a little bit of music, a song that makes you want to dance around the kitchen like a loon? Indulge in a craft and seek inspiration in other ways. Let the good feelings take over and see where you end up.

Just start

Taking inspiration from Elijah here – close the app, make the ting. I find that sometimes, by looking at one thing (like home decor or recipes) it’ll set off a bit of a chain reaction… I’ll fall into the research rabbit hole. 

Motivation forms a large part of being creative. We don’t always have to show up and be our best creative selves. These things fluctuate, it’s okay. Sometimes it’s worth trying to find that motivation, rather than creativity. You might settle in sooner than you realise.

And sometimes finding creativity is just sheer luck. It serves as a blessing when these ideas just simply come to us.