We’re beyond fortunate to have built a community of some of the most creative artists, professionals, and entrepreneurs in the world and one of the most important questions we ask them is around keeping one’s creativity alive. Below, we’ve highlighted some of those responses.
Hillary Hawkins
I keep my creativity alive by constantly creating! “Actors Anonymous Hotline” is a comedy-drama series I created that I get to work on everyday in one capacity or another. My many hats include Creator, Showrunner, Screenwriter, Director, Casting Director, Producer, Editor, Music Supervisor, Songwriter and lead actress! Playing the part of Sunny Love is so much fun and working with such a talented team of actors also helps keep the creativity alive! These characters, they just pop into my head and start talking! LOL That’s my cue to write! Also, getting good sleep at night also helps keep the creativity alive as God frequently blesses me with highly vivid dreams. That’s when my imagination runs wild! Read more>>
Laura Berkemeier
In my first-grade yearbook, I said that I wanted to be a teacher and an actress when I grew up. That’s about half true of my adult self. I studied theatre (and communications) in college and ever since, I have been involved in theatrical productions whenever possible. I remain connected to theatre as an actor and a director through the robust network of community theatre organizations in the Cincinnati area. Read more>>
Digital Garden
The way I like to keep my creativity alive is by finding other creative things to do. If I’m not motivated enough to make music, I make videos. If I’m not motivated enough to make videos, I’ll write a short story. Bottom line is, there’s always something I could make that’s different from what I temporarily have trouble making. The more I create in general, the more productivity I build. The more of that, the more results I get from making something I can look back on and be proud of. This string of creativity has allowed me to find joy in the initial thing I needed a break from, which I believe to be rekindled by the boost in general productivity. Read more>>
Candy Lowe-jones
Being able to move forward had always be what I’ve even as a child. As an entrepreneur wanting to stay ahead I had to come up with creative ways to keep customers in my tea shop at the time. I came up with three day a week making it a day that you wanted to have the or tea sipping. If I was able to get you in, I had a sell. Read more>>
Yafei Zhang
To keep my creativity alive, I immerse myself in various sources of inspiration, from nature and art to cutting-edge technology and architecture. I believe in constantly expanding my horizons, so I frequently attend competitions, engage in panel discussions, peer-review in the latest journals/conferences, and explore cross-disciplinary ideas. As a BIM Lead, I also find inspiration in the intersection of design and technology. BIM’s capacity to bring designs to life with precision fuels my creativity by enabling me to explore sustainable solutions and streamline complex processes. Teaching at Kean University and my involvement with Women in BIM also help keep me inspired, as interacting with diverse voices and fresh perspectives encourages me to keep pushing the boundaries of my work. Read more>>
Russell Shaw
Sustaining creativity is about taking a long-term view about what it is that you are trying to do — and then committing to keep going, day by day, inch by inch, for the long haul. People often confuse “creativity” with “inspiration.” Inspiration is something that finds you and strikes you. It washes over you like a wave. Elizabeth Gilbert likened it to a “spirit” that comes upon you. Rick Rubin wrote that an inspiring idea is like a gift from the universe that you receive when it’s time for that idea to come into existence. Inspiration can be mystical and mythical that way. Creativity, I believe, is something else. When people say things like, “I don’t feel creative today,” I think what they really mean is, “I just don’t feel inspired.” Read more>>
Sam Cook-stuntz
For me, there’s nothing more creatively invigorating than working directly with other artists. The times when I find myself in a creative rut tend to be periods when I’m spending a lot of time working on projects by myself. When there’s nobody to bat ideas back and forth or bring a different skill set to the table, it’s easy to repeat yourself or get stuck in patterns. But when even just two artists put their heads and their distinct talents together, the possibilities suddenly feel infinite. Read more>>
Kwazar Martin
I keep my creativity alive by staying opening minded. I have certain people I study mainly fashion designers. The have a different way of seeing thing. Nigo, Jeff Staple etc. Read more>>
David Kantrowitz
I’ve learned that I’m happiest when I make time for personal projects. Creative careers can have ups and downs, but carving out time where you do the thing you love just for yourself can help remind you why you do it in the first place.
Even though I work digitally, my favorite ideas always start on paper. I like sitting somewhere comfortable away from my computer with just a pen and sketchbook. I just keep drawing whatever pops into my brain until I find something that I think is fun and worth exploring further. So many of my comics and projects are born out of mindless doodling. Read more>>
Torri Burrell
I keep my creativity alive by trying new things and continuously trying to improve my skillset in every way possible. With cakes, I try to keep up with the different trends and designs as much as possible to create challenges for myself while learning. I also love doing other creative activities such as painting, crocheting, and writing so I have many ways I express myself through my creativity to keep it alive. Read more>>
Shamar Binns
The only way I can truly keep creativity alive within me is by exploring a variety of art forms. I’m not just a filmmaker—I’m a rapper, a TikToker, a writer. I believe that you don’t have to limit yourself to one medium, because relying on a single format can eventually feel restrictive. By learning from different types of art, you can bring fresh perspectives and unique elements into your primary work. Studying music, for example, has taught me so much about evoking emotions, which I now weave into my films to make them resonate more deeply. Read more>>
Noelle Tavares
Music. Music has always been the fuel to my creativity. I grew up an only child so I would be in my room a lot. I would listen to A-LOT of my father’s records. While he had the whole Technics sound system, I had my fisher price record player. From there, I put music on a record or cd and it would take me on this creative journey as a kid…which continues on into my adulthood. The right song or album can have create a whole collection or 8-10 canvas pieces ready for an exhibition. Music keeps my creativity alive and kicking. I also feel it places an important part in art and fashion. To me it always went hand and hand. Read more>>
Yixin Yang
In my view, the key to maintaining creativity lies in continuous self-reflection and sensitive observation of life. I have a habit of recording my thoughts and emotions at any time, and through this process of self-dialogue, I can deeply explore my inner feelings and experiences, which in turn provide direction for my upcoming work. Read more>>
Chance Sanderlin
Being able to engage myself in life’s experiences. Exploring new places, seeing fresh perspectives, and engaging with the world around me often ignite inspiration and spark new ideas, helping me think more creatively and broaden my imagination. Read more>>
Adina Mullen
To keep my creativity alive in the kitchen, I draw inspiration from a variety of sources, such as my travels, the changing seasons, and my ongoing exploration of new ingredients. I approach cooking and baking as a form of artistic expression, where each dish is a blank canvas. Experimenting with flavors, textures, and techniques allows me to push boundaries and discover new possibilities. I also love blending diverse cultural influences, which results in unique fusion recipes that are both exciting and accessible. Whether it’s a new twist on a classic dish or inventing something entirely new, I stay engaged by embracing spontaneity and continuously challenging myself to innovate. Read more>>
Rachel Green
I keep my creativity alive by constantly seeking inspiration. I love exploring, trying out different things, and just letting my mind wander. Whether it’s a weird design I see on a building or a cool texture I feel, I’m always on the lookout for something that sparks my imagination. I also think it’s important to just experiment and have fun. I love playing around with different techniques, even if I don’t know exactly what I’m going to create. Sometimes the best ideas come from unexpected places. Read more>>
James Henry
“Staying creative in the kitchen is all about staying true to yourself, and remembering why you became a chef in the first place. For me, my creativity comes from the freedom to express who I am—whether that’s through the ingredients I choose, the techniques I use, or the stories I tell with my food. My favorite quote is ‘Your ART is your ART.’ It means whatever you create, however you express it, is valid. Your art doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s, because your story, your experience, and your background are unique. Read more>>
Mac Pike
I keep my creativity alive through my self care practice. Self care for me these days looks like going to therapy, scheduling painting and drawing time, saying no to things that don’t bring me joy, going for swims, and carving out quality time to spend time in nature with my husband and daughter. Through my personal work I have been able to get really clear on the things that bring me joy and center my art around it. Read more>>
Linden Wilson
I keep my creativity alive by immersing myself in nature. Nature is a constant source of inspiration; the colors, textures, and light in the natural world bring out new perspectives and ideas that I love to incorporate into my work. Spending time outdoors always allows me to clear my mind and tap into a creative flow, and provides me new locations to create in the more I explore. Read more>>
Sijia Zheng
I liked the concept described in the article that I read before: “Great ideas often come from unremarkable inspirations.” The article shared many stories of how others found their inspiration, and I’d like to share my own experiences as well, the way that I keep my creativity, and how I find the inspiration. I believe that every artist is moved by something when creating a piece of art. If it’s not due to a project requirement but rather a genuine expression from the artist, then those unrestricted artistic creations are each artist’s response to life. I’d like to share my experiences in discovering creativity inspiration, divided into two types: first, how to find personal inspiration under the constraints of a set theme, and second, how to freely seek inspiration from everyday life. Read more>>
Kelsey Roberts
I keep my creativity alive by remembering WHY I create. My earliest memories are of my mother singing nursery rhymes and telling me fairy tales. Once I learned to read, I was immersed in the short stories of Mark Twain, O’Henry, Edgar Allen Poe, H. G. Welles, etc. As I grew older I was drawn to episodic and anthology-type storytelling like The Twilight Zone, Night Gallery, Star Trek, Tales from the Crypt, and The X-Files. Read more>>
Alejandro Loor
Creativity is a living practice for me, sustained through a dynamic blend of sketching, spontaneous note-taking, and moments of mental wandering. The process begins with striking while the iron is hot—capturing ideas as they surface, whether on metro rides, in the fleeting scenery outside a car window, or at unexpected moments. Sketches and notes are my anchors, recording the specificities of a thought that might never return or evolve beyond recognition. Revisiting these raw ideas often reveals new paths and sparks that further my work. Read more>>
Sam Walsh
Keeping your creative “alive” is such a funny question. Creativity really never dies. It may lay dormant for months or years, but everyone has the potential to tap into the deep well of creativity that lies within us all. I have found several ways to keep my creativity alive. One of the simplest things to do when feeling drained from working on something creative is to just take a break (the break can be months or years, too, depending on the task at hand). I think the goal or result of taking a break is a change in mindset. Changing your mindset to tackle a creative task forces you to approach it differently, and often yields different results that you would not have thought of prior. For example, when I am working on a song, sometimes I view it from the lens of a painter. Read more>>
Daniel Wiebe
My creativity keeps me alive, not the other way around. It’s always working, but never feels like it’s on over drive. I’m always reading something, or playing a game, and that definitely helps to keep gas in my tank. Some days are worse than others, but I find a glass of bourbon and a late night are the perfect combination to open the gates to creativity. Read more>>
