One of the most challenging aspects of creative work is keeping your creativity alive. If only it was as easy as taking a nap or giving your creative muscles some rest, but as countless creatives have shared with us, keeping one’s creativity alive is something that requires effort and intention. Below, we’ve shared some of those perspectives, stories and advice.

Tyler-Ann Bruce

It’s hard. Sometimes there will be months of just a sort of depression, not being able to create because life is too busy, even trying to make the time can be exhausting itself. I just wanna make art with my friends! I wanna be happy and inspiring for myself and others! I think it’s a matter of how badly you want the creativity to exist itself. Trying new things, meeting new people, finding inspiration, I mean the creative flow is all around, and I definitely try my hardest to stay in that realm, it heals my inner child! Read more>>

Twilla Twaun

I feel like being creative isn’t necessarily something you do once or a few times. Most successful artists will tell you they made creativity a lifestyle to be where they are. Read more>>

Maite Bradford

Becoming creative is easier when you are connected with your mission, when you find what you love to do with the focus of sharing with others. As a fashion designer, it is not simply creating clothing, but the enjoyment of the process, from the initial concept, the sketching, the patterns, the construction to the final connection with a special message attached to each piece. Read more>>

Peter Cannon

To start, I don’t think creativity is something some people have and others don’t. In my experience, people put too much stock in this amorphous idea of ‘creativity’. I think it exists woven into other concrete skills that are able to be practiced. Writing, directing, music composition, and acting are all things that are known as ‘creative’ trades, but those skills don’t develop because one person has more ‘creative juice’ than another. Read more>>

William Bishop

Keeping creativity alive is one of the hardest things about being a full-time filmmaker. Sometimes the spark is just not there and you sit and wonder if it will ever come back or worse, if you ever even had it in to begin with. Read more>>

Ashlyn Lin

It’s my habit to keep looking at other creatives’ works. Whether it’s books or digital, I will always be amazed by other’s amazing works. Also, it might sound cliche, but paying attention to details, and finding a way to be passionate about your everyday life is crucial. When I roam on the street, I will be happy to have my camera on hand although I am not a street photographer. Read more>>

Monica Echeverri

Lately, I’ve been having a hard time with this! This year especially, I’ve felt a stronger pressure to create and have found myself feeling a creative block more than usual. But when it comes, it usually happens when I’m spending time with myself, in nature, and listening to new music. Capturing the creative moment through writing, photography, or simply “feeling” the moment usually stirs us some new, exciting ideas in my mind. Read more>>

FRANK80

I live life. Everything I portray, whether it is music, photography or production, I have to have experiences and also learn from others. There is a lot of knowledge in this world that’s past the university––I know teenagers of this day and age who carries more wisdom than any older person I’ve had conversations with.  Read more>>

Seung Yon Lee

As an artist, I keep my creativity alive by enjoying life first. It contains movies, series, and artworks from other artists. Not only about creative stuff from other people but also enjoying mother nature helps me to keep my creativity. I would say that creativity doesn’t show up in your brain suddenly. When you can enjoy your life and feel happiness, creativity comes to you like Santa. In the past, I also had a difficult time to be creative.  Read more>>

Cedric Christophorus

As a writer-director, I keep my creativity alive by taking in a lot of inspiration from other established filmmakers. Watch a lot, and take notes of what works, what sparks you, what doesn’t work, and what you would do differently. Watch to understand the current zeitgeist of stories that are being presented and represented to know how you would contribute to or advance the current conversation.  Read more>>

Michael Sherman

You might expect someone like me, a wide-eyed college graduate in 1991 who landed smack in the center of his chosen field – broadcast production, to be living the highlife of unbridled creativity! While that was the intent, broadcasting proved uninspiring… dark, monitor-filled rooms, ancient equipment, taped programming, etc. Read more>>

TIAN GAN

Since I was a child, I have loved to draw and paint. I have tons of imaginary ideas I want to express, and art is the best way for me to communicate my thoughts with the world. I love observing and absorbing inspiration from daily life that encourages me to create and express my ideas. I also love video games, and I think that is one of the coolest ways to use your creativity to bring joy to the world. Read more>>

John Sobczak

I make my living as a commercial photographer. As such I have this rough theory that the more boring an item is to photograph the better the assignment pays. Conversely the less an assignment pays usually the more creative freedom I have to explore. Luckily I have always had a good balance between the two. That said I have always created personal work.  Read more>>

Basil Schneeberger

I need more analog moments in my life to find creativity. I try to separate myself from any digital medium and focus on tangible activities such as reading a book, making coffee, taking a walk, preparing a meal, writing or any other sports activities. Undertaking activities where you are enjoying yourself and living in the moment is where I subconsciously find the most inspiration for my projects. Read more>>

Basil Schneeberger

I need more analog moments in my life to find creativity. I try to separate myself from any digital medium and focus on tangible activities such as reading a book, making coffee, taking a walk, preparing a meal, writing or any other sports activities. Undertaking activities where you are enjoying yourself and living in the moment is where I subconsciously find the most inspiration for my projects. Read more>>

kate pawlicki Bourne

Creativity thrives on conversations, so I seek them out. When launching a new brand, creative thinking becomes the guiding force. It’s about telling a story that goes beyond the norm, tapping into cultural relevance, and coming up with marketing strategies that make a genuine and lasting impression. Engaging with people, being out in the world, and actively listening to emerging trends is vital for nurturing a creative spirit that breathes life into a brand. Read more>>

Elizabeth Kurpanek

Creativity is something you always have to pursue. You can be a creative person, but if you stick within the same routines and systems, you’re going to burn yourself out and start to resent your creative work. So with that in mind there are two things that are important to keeping creativity alive. Read more>>

Julie Swinton Fisher

I am a very creative individual. However, if I am not finding that my creativity is flowing then I will get outside. I am inspired from nature…skies, mountains, lakes, rivers, trees, animals, flowers, sunrises and sunsets, clouds, etc. I admire how the colors change based on the skies. If it is a sunny day, I look to see the light and shadows on objects. Read more>>

Qamar Brooks

I’ve kept my creativity alive by acknowledging my inner child. In every person there resides the younger version of yourself, the version that is full of wonder. That is the key to true creativity. I’ve kept my creativity alive by constantly being in cahoots with my younger self, the younger self wants to be expressed so I give permission to let that part of myself to be expressed. Read more>>

Marquel 806

Everyday I try to experiment with different sounds. There’s no wrong way to create so I just try different things. Read more>>

Lulu Carey

In my business is very important to listen to our customers and their ideas. We hear their plans, themes, inspirations and we take all of that and make it happen with our final and special touch. One easy way to find inspiration for us and our business,. is browsing through social media, like Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram, there we always discover great ideas, so much creativity and experiences. These platforms have been our biggest inspiration and keeping us in touch with trends that make people excited nowadays. Read more>>

Lainnie Contreras Felán

When I want to be creative, I take my laptop to different coffee shops around town. I also go thrift shopping and organize my home. I find that by doing all these things, whether it’s the ambience, the people watching, or sifting through old things, my imagination kick starts and ideas start swirling. That doesn’t mean that I will immediately start writing a new project or bust out ten new pages, but possibilities are now in my head for the future. Read more>>

Jena Tack

I maintain by creativity by actively engaging in all things related to “home” everyday! Whether it’s creatively staging a space using a seller’s belongings or designing a new (vacant) space, I stay immersed in the process. I’m also always on top of trends, colors, and ideas through Pinterest, Instagram and trade shows I attend. Read more>>

DJ Godfrey

I always look for inspiration from people that do the same craft as myself. There are several people out there that tie their own fishing lures and many of those people have a social media presence. I look at different things that people come up with and try to replicate that in my own style. It is a lot of trial and error.  Read more>>

Cindy Lopera

I nurture my creativity by constantly fueling my curiosity; it serves as my primary wellspring for inspiration. I like to maintain an open-minded approach to exploring the world, engaging with diverse individuals, and delving into the human experience. Often, these encounters reveal the magic within others’ creative minds and passions. I capture these moments through my camera lens, sharing these glimpses with the world. Read more>>

Olivia Lin

I’ve always loved being creative as a child and enjoyed drawing, painting, writing, sewing, and making things from my imagination. A few years ago I realized how little I was creating in my adult life, even though it was something that brought me a lot of joy and something I wanted to be doing! Running a small creative business meant I was still creating for my shop but it felt different, maybe because it was more of a job. Read more>>

Hayley McClintock

Creativity drives our lives in strange and unusual ways. I’ve had prolific periods of making art and I’ve had droughts, times where it felt creativity left my body entirely. Despite how it felt in the down times, creativity was alive in both experiences. When I was grieving the loss of my father, I didn’t have motivation to do anything for a really long time. Read more>>

ILIONA BLANC

The best way to stay creative is to create, so I do screenwriting, songwriting, composing… And to keep the inspiration flowing I constantly interact with art either by listening to music, watching movies, going to art galleries, going to museums, at building’s architecture while walking in the street, travelling, reading books, scrolling through magazines, doing some abstract paintings, testing new DIY skills… I never limit myself to one thing. It helps creativity to flow. And mainly living, I make sure I live fully and experience new things! Read more>>

William Flint

My creativity comes from inside, it’s what I must do! Painting and drawing never gets old, it’s something that I have to do on a daily basis. My mind is constantly thinking of the next piece of art that I want to create! Ever since I was young, I’ve had a vivid imagination that transforms into creativity! Read more>>

Mia Mimica

Preferably, I go on random walks and try to get lost a little bit or take new streets. For me, being outside and moving at my own pace, relaxed, feels so good and natural that my mind opens up and it all feels kind of hopeful like I could find anything. I love to facade/interior-watch (without being creepy, promise) and when we get to do it live and also we’re just out for a walk so there’s not incredibly great expectations, all of our senses become engaged and it’s just more fun so we’re more likely ‘see the beauty’ or consider new beauties.  Read more>>

Tiffany Bobo

I keep my creativity alive by allowing myself to stay engaged and learning new trends and skills. Trying new recipes and experimenting with different flavor combinations is always exciting… who would have thought Red Velvet and Keylime would pair so well. Along with trying different flavor profiles I also enjoy trying different design techniques which allows me to take a deeper dive into my creative side. Read more>>

Josh Warner

I keep creativity alive but consistently looking at things that inspire me. Music/videos really do help keep my creative wheels moving because that is the source of my creative mindset. I also like to look at photography and fashion when in I’m looking for creativity. Read more>>

Melisa & Betina Badea

As creative folks, keeping the creative juices flowing is all about trying out new stuff. We’re always up for learning fresh techniques and keeping our fingers on the pulse of what’s hot in the industry. Playing around with different styles and subjects is our jam, leading to some pretty cool and unexpected outcomes. And hey, inspiration? We find it everywhere—from art and literature to nature and the great outdoors. Read more>>

Sohil Vaidya

I surround myself with passionate individuals who keep me inspired. Read more>>