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.
Farnoosh Doroodgar
Creativity and art have served as essential tools for survival in everyday life for me and many other artists. The experience of living in Iran, along with the restrictions faced by many individuals, particularly artists, has awakened a new and distinct form of creativity. The common thread among the artists and innovative individuals we recognize today lies in the gaps and tensions that have fostered a creative environment. Read More>>
Dennis Walthers
For me, creativity comes from staying curious—and staying connected.
I keep my creativity alive by constantly exploring what’s next, not just in technology, but in culture, art, and human behavior. I’m always asking, “What’s going to surprise people? What will they remember a week from now?” That mindset fuels our innovation at Interactive Dallas. Read More>>
Jon Mayer
Experimentation, trying new things, embracing the difficult challenges as they come along. You never know where you could find inspiration from, so being open to changing things up, both in work and personal life, is essential to keeping my creativity going. If I’m just going through the motions, that’s when my mind gets bored, creativity stalls, and getting anything creative done becomes a struggle. Read More>>
Deville
I keep my creativity alive by stirring it on purpose. That could be walking through an art gallery, digging for rare tracks, or watching documentaries. I’m constantly feeding my mind and staying curious about the world around me.Little things like that always spark something in me. Read More>>
Maddie Cook
As an artist, I keep my creativity alive by making time for personal hobbies and creative projects that are different from my main focus, which is painting sneakers.
I’ve explored all kinds of mediums, from making polymer clay keychains (which became a small side business for a while) to painting pottery, building models like gunpla, sewing plushies and more. These creative breaks give me time to recharge and reset, but they also push me to grow as an artist. Read More>>
Frank Czajka
Your creativity is a powerful force that can ignite the creative spark in others. It’s not something that can be taught, but it can certainly inspire someone else’s inner creative need or desire to flex their dormant creative urges. Everything is a blank canvas, and with your mind’s eye, you can see the infinite possibilities. Start small and build from there, exploring what can be. I speak to several people about the ideas they have, and the next thing is that only if I had $100,000, I could do it. It’s unclear how that number came about, but you’ve just given yourself 100,000 reasons not to move forward. Read More>>
Noah Brockett
As a comedian it’s very important to constantly be pushing yourself in new creative ways. a place of advice that a comedian gave me was ABW, or always be writing. Carry a notebook and pen with you everywhere I go, I use a voice recorder because I can’t see, and write down anything that you find funny. Read More>>
Dmytro Shcherbakov
Creativity is at the core of my profession — I’ve been working as a tattoo artist for over eight years, and the entire process, from shaping the idea to designing and finally bringing it to life on skin, is deeply creative. In today’s industry, creativity isn’t optional — it’s essential. You either create unique, original work, or you eventually get lost in repetition. For me, having a constant flow of ideas is non-negotiable. Read More>>
Marcia Harvey
Keeping my creativity alive is sometimes as easy as pie; at other times, I find it much easier to keep creativity alive in others! Let me explain what I mean: During the Pandemic I discovered that my creativity was very closely tied to feelings of joy- now that I see it, I find it kind of funny that in 50 years of making things this was the first time I realized it! The impulse for me to make art, to want to ‘make something,’ comes from a place of play, of open space and time. What do I do when there is no joy, open space, or time? I give myself permission to be ‘not-making.’ Read More>>
Doug Burns
As a song writer it can be difficult to stay creative. I write so many songs and sometimes it can be hard to come up with something unique or new. So, to stay sharp I listen to different genres both modern and things from the past to see where things could go. I also spend time learning new instruments to challenge myself which further opens up my creativity. Read More>>
Everett Sutton
Creativity isn’t created in the restaurant itself. It’s created through repetition—in your own style and your own kitchen. I was experimenting with my own recipes and ideas every single day.
On the days I worked, I would constantly think about new ideas so that, when I had a day off, I could spend it cooking. Eventually, I started to run out of inspiration—even after looking online. It really bothered me because all I wanted to do was cook. I didn’t enjoy doing anything else. Read More>>
Ross Christopher
As a songwriter and composer, it’s vital that I surround myself with wonder. I think I’ve always leaned into curiosity, learning, and discovery. I can tend to get bored doing things religiously or rote. I think it’s healthy to explore the unknown and to not feel the need to always have an answer. So I try to read things from diverse authors and thinkers. This year I’ve listened to at least 1 new album, everyday. I watch a lot of foreign films and tv series. I also love to travel – immersing myself (even if for a short stint) in different cultures, foods, art, faith, and incredible people. Read More>>
Lo Hendrix
My creativity tends to come in waves, so staying in tune with my mental health is really important. Being a creative often means feeling things a bit more deeply, which can be both a gift and a challenge. I’ve found that regular travel, sunlight, and surrounding myself with people who energize me are essential. I’m constantly inspired by the world around me — textures, unexpected light, colors I don’t see every day, art installations, and even the way someone puts together an outfit. When I stay open and curious, keeping creativity alive actually feels effortless Read More>>
Shelby Criswell
I’ve been in tune with the creative side of my brain my whole life, but ideas have ebbed and flowed over time. For a while in my twenties, I used to be so blocked mentally that I couldn’t create without the help of alcohol. The fount of ideas dries out pretty quickly when you’re not replenishing it, and you can only make so much nihilist art before it gets redundant. Read More>>
Anya Gonzales
For me, creativity isn’t something I force. It’s a spirit I protect. A quiet pulse that needs beauty, rest, ritual, and room to breathe.
As an immigrant woman, I was taught how to survive. To excel. To make my family proud. But survival doesn’t leave much space for softness. And for a long time, I thought my art had to take a backseat to being “practical.” Read More>>
Nelson McMahon
Creativity is a constant fire burning in one’s mind; it often requires fuel to sustain the never-ending flow of new ideas. In my practice, I find the first step on making sure my body stays creative is getting enough rest. When you wake up from a good nights rest, your body is able to fully marinate on the ideas you left it with and I find it is a necessary practice to fulfill your mind. Personal wellness aside, keeping your creativity alive demands constant field research and inspiration gathering. Read More>>
Charie Garcia
I’ve been drawing and coloring since I was a boy and I never stopped even with hardships and obstacles along the way. I was always inspired by the comic book artworks from visiting comic stores and popular superhero movies. Combined with the love for both, I got the idea to make handmade comics from the movies, sketching the actor’s faces, the costumes and The fight scenes, and so far I’ve gotten much good audience from around the Internet. Thanks to the people followed me. Read More>>
Tiffany Moore
Emmylou and Oliver and the people I meet help keep my creativity alive. When we are RVing we meet friends very easily. People are drawn in by these two kittens because of they are so cute and unique looking. When they first see them they dont know what they are. When Emmylou was a baby we were walking her on her leash at the beach and a couple came over and thought she was a squirrel. That interaction inspired me to put that in my second book along with a gentleman asking me (jokingly) if Oliver “was some kinda panda bear” Read More>>
Dominique Jessie
Honestly, I don’t force it , I just stay open to it. A lot of times I’ll be at work or out somewhere, and a melody will pop into my head out of nowhere. When that happens, I grab my phone and hum it into a voice note before I lose it. Later, I’ll bring it to my computer and start shaping it , usually on sax or piano. The melody almost always shifts once I start adding drums, bass, or other layers, but it all starts with that original hum. Read More>>
Alexander Gusev
Creativity is like a muscle, if you don’t stretch it beyond the familiar, it gets lazy. While my commercial work is structured around strategy, branding, and precision, I make space for creative freedom through personal projects. I always carry a camera when I travel or explore new environments, even if it’s just a quick walk in downtown LA or a late-night drive through the desert. Read More>>
Emma Bahrton
Honestly, I think what keeps my creativity alive is just remembering how badly I wanted this when I was younger. I’ve always dreamed of working in the creative field, and sometimes I think about how my younger self would have freaked out if she knew I’d actually be living and working in LA one day. That pushes me—I feel like I owe it to her to keep going and really make the most of it. I also get a lot of inspiration from moving between Sweden and the U.S. Read More>>
Mason Lehman
The best way I keep my creativity alive in leatherworking is by trying new projects. Every artist has a few staple pieces they make all the time, and it’s easy to get stuck in that routine. For me, doing something different — even if it’s just testing out a new type of leather or technique — helps break up the monotony. It doesn’t always have to be a big project, but switching things up keeps the work interesting and keeps the ideas flowing. Read More>>
Anna Kovalenko
Creativity is like a muscle. Of course, you might have some “athletic ability” from the beginning, but in most cases, it’s daily work. The secret is not to think of it as a job — better to think of it as a game. This skill definitely improves with practice. Read More>>
Leslie Piggott
I have always loved being creative. I have an engineering degree and my husband describes me as “the most creative engineer he knows.” From watercolor to knitting to quilting and beyond, I try to do something creative every day. I find that my writing is enhanced by starting the work day with a simple watercolor painting. It stimulates my right brain. I have a personal goal of writing 1500 to 2000 words a day in my current manuscript. Read More>>
Oliver Lyric
A lot of my creativity and drive to create comes from my lived experience and what is happening in the world around me. The way I keep my creativity alive in terms of pulling from my experience is by reflecting. I reflect on experiences frequently either through writing or drawing and this is where most of my ideas for creating come from. I think reflecting on yourself and your lived experience is the way to pull the most raw ideas and creative spirit from yourself. Read More>>
Finley O’Hara
For me, the key to keeping my creativity alive is to always be creating. I’m constantly writing, acting, taking photos, or filming, and when I’m not doing that, I’m exploring other art forms just to stay connected to that creative energy. I’ve learned that not everything I make has to be shared or perfected. A lot of what I create is just for me. It’s messy and confusing and personal, and that’s just as valuable to me as the polished things I choose to share with the world. Read More>>
Jodi Sun
My love of drawing and painting began before I was old enough to remember, and I was a very creative child, but I’ll be completely honest – keeping that creativity alive has been a challenge for me over the years and often still is. Even as an artist, I’ve found that it’s something that really needs to be practiced and nurtured with intention. For me, what that looks like is spending time in nature, surrounding myself with other creatives, and diversifying my creative outlets. Read More>>
Megan Morales
Sometimes people fixate on things they don’t like about themselves but if you had to choose your favorite thing about yourself, what would it be? For me, it’s my creativity. I’ve always had an artistic side, ever since I was a kid. I loved drawing and specifically remember my grandpa coloring with me and teaching me how to ‘stay in the lines’ –which ironically, I don’t think you need to do in art but I guess that is a fundamental step when learning. Read More>>
Kelly Maret
As a photographer, I rely on creativity with everything I do, so I’m constantly thinking about how to approach shoots differently: different lighting, editing styles, experimenting with composition, storytelling, locations, or creative direction. Every project is so unique, and creativity is what allows me to bring that to life. Read More>>
Shinya
To me, creativity is like a puzzle but one without a definite goal. I always try to keep my mind as open as possible. For example, as a musician, when I play music, I try to forget everything I know, theory, technique, even my ego. I try to let myself go and take chances. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but that’s part of the process. This is one way I keep my creativity alive. Read More>>
Kyla Metzker
This is a great question. Keeping my creativity is really kept alive by learning from others! I get so excited about learning new things in my craft and am always striving to get better. I surround myself with creative people who are passionate about what they do as well. They inspire me to be better! Read More>>
