Tactics & Strategies for Keeping Your Creativity Strong

With the rapid improvements in AI, it’s more important than ever to keep your creativity alive as it’s one of the best defenses against the rising trend of automation. Even if you don’t buy into all the hype around AI, keeping your creativity alive has always been a challenge and as so we’ve connected with some of the most creative folks in our community to discuss tactics and strategies for keeping your creativity alive.

Kasey Lorah

Creativity seems to be something that comes and goes, just like the ebb and flow of the ocean. What really helps to keep my creativity alive is seeing how much other individuals love my art as much as I do. There’s nothing better than seeing someone smile and say “wow! that really does smell like that” after smelling one of my candles, or how they react when I add a new product to my shop.  Read more>>

Eri Blossom

I often get inspirations from books, movies and music, which helps me to keep my creativity alive. I recently read a book about Japanese music history by my favorite YouTuber Mino. It inspired me to listen to Japanese music from 2000 years ago to the present, and made me realize the possibility of it in J-pop and also for me to write songs in the Japanese language. Read more>>

Kerry “thekyleblue” Smith

I live with the belief of inspiration is all around us. A true creator has the ability to create and recreate. I like to be creative and tell engaging stories. I like to explore different type of approaches as I continue to seek innovation. I attend to small details and mechanics of it all and seeking improvements with my craft. I enjoy the execution of it all as I continue to challenge myself with creativity. Read more>>

Erick Fragoso

My creativity is genuine. It’s all in my mind and thoughts. Working in the service industry and talking to people every day helps me feed my creative persona. This is how I come up with new unique recipes. The love of my work also helps in my creativity. I love to please the pallet of everyone that is open to new and unique art of gastronomy. Read more>>

Kayla Veronica

I keep my creativity alive through a few key practices. Trying new hobbies constantly introduces me to fresh perspectives and skills. Being open-minded allows me to embrace diverse ideas and experiences, fueling my imagination with endless possibilities. I’m not afraid of change; in fact, I welcome it as an opportunity for growth and innovation.  Read more>>

Alex Buhlig

I think there are a few things that I do that ; first surrounding yourself with the right people helps keep the fire alive tremendously. Obviously the guys in Sight of Theia are a big part of that. I am constantly taking inspiration from the way they write their parts or the knowledge they posses about their specific instrument.  Read more>>

Christie Joy

Creating new pieces keeps me up at night! I find inspiration everywhere. In my home I will look around at the color palette of a room or go into my sunroom and view the flowers through the windows and then it strikes. I really try to be present in my life. I want to soak everything in. Occasionally when I feel like my work is getting stale or predictable I will go to a museum or a simple walk with my dog. Read more>>

Maria-Alejandra Icaza Paredes

My creativity thrives on curiosity and the willingness to explore. One of the most important lessons I learned in design school was the value of sketching hundreds of ideas for a single concept, pushing past initial, ordinary thoughts to uncover truly innovative ones. Curiosity drives me to understand how things work and how they are made, leading me to explore new materials and techniques. Read more>>

Maria Jose Benvenuto

I nurture my creativity through a blend of exploration and inspiration. Experimenting with various types of paints is not just a practice but a journey of discovery, where each brushstroke unveils new possibilities of color and texture. I find that surrounding myself with creatively stimulating music from Spotify creates a harmonious backdrop, enhancing my focus and opening doors to innovative ideas in my artistic research. Read more>>

Koichi Macgregor

I always keep my creativity alive with being myself and the most humbled model/artist because sometimes it’s better to be the best version of yourself and always tend to do things in a way I can definitely make things work in authentic way of my surrounds and myself always. Read more>>

Emilie Eklund

This has been something I think about often, especially in this season with two young daughters. Before I became a mom, I was able to follow my creativity a bit more — give more space when I was feeling inspired, or carve out time to find some creativity. But now being a mom of two toddlers, that flexible space is not the same.  Read more>>

Gabrielle Desroches

It’s funny that this question came up, because it’s something I’ve only really recently learned about myself. Perfectionism has always been my best friend and also my worst enemy. Lately, it’s been hindering my ability to create, and even live authentically, so in the last few months or so, I’ve been challenging myself to let go of it. Read more>>

Lulu-Eye Love

Creativity is akin to free speech. Although it can be restricted or abandoned for a variety of reasons, it is not something that fades. Your inner child, in my opinion, helps us connect to our imagination, which then fosters creativity. We are all born with the capacity to access the creative consciousness at any time. Many of the things I do on a daily basis, which I utilize as the lotion that keeps me in motion, seem to allow my creative juices flow. Read more>>

Rodrigo Occelli

Creativity is a human quality that exists in every single one of us, the difference is not everybody uses “ceative thinking”. As a film director and screenwriter creative thinking is key. Creativity comes and goes, but the real trick is how do you keep it flowing, how do you create inspite of how you feel? How do you avoid creative blockage? Read more>>

Jose Rico

I have always been interested in many topics, how stuff works, finding a different perspective on things and trying to find the truth, I guess that is just how my mind works, perceiving the world with big picture lenses. From a young age, I liked music and instruments. Then I started learning about life philosophies, different ways of living around the world, customs, languages, foods, their music, and dances, and the history of things.  Read more>>

Yiwei Drew Ma

As a cinematographer, I continually keep my creativity alive by watching more exceptional films and learning from them. When watching movies, I not only look for their scripts but also delve into the structure of the story and character development. For example, I carefully analyze the turning points, character motivations, and arcs within the film. Read more>>

Abrahaam

Since I was a child, I have always felt a deep freedom to create, regardless of the medium. It could have been drawing, graphic design, or even fashion design for a while, but mainly music. Being the son of an artist and a believer, I have always felt how deeply connected we are to Creation Itself, how creative freedom is, and how limitless our possibilities are! Read more>>

Reema Trehan

I don’t just look and i try to see things/movies/art anything and everything that make me feel something. Creativity isn’t textbook or a formula hence you gotta keep working / exploring to keep it alive. Every time i feel burned out or stressed i just take a break. I go for a walk – i sit in the sun or just eat something. Read more>>

Jo Iijima

I keep my creativity alive by maintaining a curious mind and paying attention to the small details outside of the screen wherever I go. When I’m out and about, I focus on details like signage, damaged typography, and different languages written on walls. An adventurous mindset makes my days exciting, as I’m always eager to encounter new things.  Read more>>

Danterious Brown

I keep my creativity alive by allowing myself time to experience all that life has to offer. I find that consistent travel and spending quality time with friends and family fuel my creativity in unimaginable ways. Read more>>

ARCHIE TYAGI

I believe creativity cannot be forced; it’s a feeling, an imagination, and a curiosity that ignites when the moment is right. Before I pursued my career as an architect and spatial designer, I was far more passionate and motivated to design. Although I remain thrilled and passionate about my field, the professional demands can sometimes hinder the natural flow of creativity, making the process tiring and challenging. Read more>>

Yulia Brodskaya

Nature is the ultimate source of inspiration that keeps my creativity flowing. It works magic in so many ways whether I’m just mentally fatigued and choose to go for a conscious walk in the park (meaning simply observing the colors, textures, shapes of everything I see around me), or start browsing beautiful photographs of birds, flowers, trees to find something that I feel inspired to depict for my next artwork. Read more>>

The Phantomat

To live with one foot in the imaginary world and with one in common reality requires commitment and constant re-calibration of my values, resisting the pervasive narrative that equates happiness with wealth. Read more>>

Kandi Hernandez

If I ever feel like it’s just been work work work. I will get together with other dope creatives and create something fun some real art. Something artistically I’ve been wanting to create. I love to be able to create sometimes with friends. Inspires me to want to make more. Read more>>

Ebony Latashe

I keep my creativity alive by God’s grace. Being a social media influencer you have to be creative in all aspects. My platform is basically for kids and families and how we all relate to certain lifestyle experiences. So by focusing on Jesus I’m able to keep my creativity alive. Read more>>

Sara Schultz

I keep my creativity alive by curating my social media feeds to be mostly about creativity and less about “brain rot” content, I find that now when I open my phone to social media I feel inspired by other people’s creativity, whereas before I would just scroll mindlessly at an endless feed of content that I didn’t really gain anything from. I also try to shoot as often as I can and bring creative ideas to life whenever possible. Read more>>

Christian Salem

Inspiration certainly comes and goes, and when it hits, you must harness that energy, take advantage of it, and let it guide the creative process. I’d say my creativity is consistently strong, and the ideas are always flowing, but the inspiration arrives in waves. For me, it primarily stems from travel, positivity, movement, and an openness to adventure.  Read more>>

Emily Beaver

I look to other great artists, as storytelling exists in multiple forms. I love to see a play, or listen to a new album, or go to a museum, or read a great book. Even a short-form comedy video on YouTube or TikTok can yield some creative inspiration for how well that person can construct a narrative. Read more>>

Yuying Chen

Some of the things you might be curious about or concerned with are innate or closely related to your upbringing. However, I prefer wandering around the city or basking in the sunlight in a park. I enjoy finding things that excite and interest me, and I’m always eager to try out new activities, even if they only pique my interest slightly. Read more>>

Heather Heckel

I keep my creativity alive by finding inspiration outside of myself. I participate in artist residency opportunities and freelance commissions. Making art about a certain theme or to meet certain client requirements sparks my problem solving skills. Read more>>

Sharon Webber

Keeping my creativity alive is essential to my work and personal fulfillment. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a crochet designer is the endless freedom to explore new ideas and techniques. This allows me to transform an idea or a concept into a beautiful tangible creation which is an incredibly satisfying process. Read more>>

J.V. Hilliard

I keep my creativity alive in a variety of ways, the nerdiest of which is by participating in a weekly Dungeons and Dragons campaign which is critical to my authorship. It’s also important to stay current in the industry and marketplace so I continue to read fantasy books of all genres. And I run a podcast called the Realm in which I interview other creatives of all specialties which help keep the creative juices flowing. Read more>>

Ana apolumni

As a musician, safeguarding my creative spark is crucial. For me, creativity manifests in two main ways. First, there’s the spontaneous creativity that strikes unexpectedly, like when a lightning hits you. You might be in the middle of doing something when suddenly a lyric or melody comes up in your mind. Read more>>

Aleksandra Stone

In my art practice, there lies a fundamental, perhaps unconscious, decision that has guided my journey: a profound gentleness with myself. This is not the gentleness of complacency, but rather a self-afforded grace to make mistakes and to explore a vast array of mediums. It is an essential part of my creative process. The only thing I take seriously in my art practice is the seriousness with which I practice it. Read more>>

Michael Benz

Be a kind person and see the joy in all things. Many times we get inspired bye others and events that take place either in our own life or right in front of us inspiration is all around us you just have open your eyes to see it. Read more>>

Elizabeth Downer Riker

I keep my creativity alive by nourishing it every day. A friend once told me that creativity is like a plant; if you don’t water it, it will die. I took this to heart and have since tried to explore creative thoughts and projects daily. Even if it is something small like contemplating a future sculpture or painting, I always write these ideas down in a designated art journal. Read more>>

Bill Mahoney

As a performative artistic type of person who has worked in the entertainment industry for 20 years before changing professions, one would think that creativity would be second nature. Well it is, and second and a half nature is critical thinking. Critical thinking can be the hall monitor. The second guessing that says maybe bungeed strawberry pickers moving along a zipwire is not such a splendid idea. Read more>>