How to stay creative as a creative

These are seriously weird times right now – I think we can all agree on that. So I wanted to compile a few different ways I’ve been able to stay creative during these uncertain times.

Let me just preface this by saying making this list wasn’t easy. It took lots of trial and error to figure out what helped me feel better and more creative while I’m not able to do my job right now. So please – give yourself grace. Don’t feel like you have to nail it every time. Don’t feel like you always have to BE creative! But – if you’re looking for a few ways to spark ideas of creativity…keep reading. Then find what works for you.

WHY

Know your WHY. This has been HUGE for me! As a business owner it is important to know your “why” to be able to sustain through hardships. I am positive that if I wasn’t crystal clear about my “why” for my business – it would’ve been a million times harder to stay in the game.

Remember, I launched this new focus just weeks before the pandemic hit. Talk about a game changer.

If you’re doing your business only because of surface level reasons, then when shit gets hard and those reasons aren’t supported anymore, you’re going to burn out and quit. Find your DEEPER WHY, the “why” that makes you want to run your business. Knowing this will also help you stay aligned with your brand.

Your why is what fuels your passion, and thus – you guessed it – your creativity. So take a minute, and really think about WHY did you start your business? What drives you? What fuels you? What will keep you pushing for your dream life?

If you want to dig deeper on this – go check out my blog about how to build your brand. The first step is all about finding your why.

CONNECTION

Lordy, lordy, lordy am I grateful for my amazing clients. Because I’ve built relationships with my clients, we’ve been able to communicate openly and honestly throughout this crisis.

If I hadn’t felt connections to my clients before all of this, I would feel very alone right now.

Start building deeper relationships with your clients and customers. Connecting with a client can be as simple as a phone call, email or responding to a DM.

Whether you’re a product or service based business, you can form connections with your people. Then, like now, when things get tough you can tread through deep waters together.

Think about your business values and figure out where client connection lies. Is it high on your list? Do you nurture these relationships? Do you feel supported right now?

When you feel supported and connected, you’re more likely to continue to show up for those people. They can inspire creativity in you to fill a gap. You can create new things to fit their ever-evolving needs.

Build trust. Show up authentically. TALK TO THEM.

They’ll support you even more if you’re genuine in your business, marketing and communication.

SELF-CARE

We’ve heard this one a lot lately… self-care. When we hear a phrase too often we can become numb to it. So here I am – saying it once again – but in a more Bridget Marie Images fashion…. You are WORTH taking care of! You DESERVE compassion and grace.

Insert cheesy, cliché-but-true quotes here: “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” “The grass isn’t greener on the other side, it’s greener where you water it.” “Put your own oxygen mask on first.”

So……. Once again….. Fill your cup! Water yourself! Breathe! I feel like these things get chalked up to “easy solutions” because we hear them so often – but how often do you really do them? They really CAN help!

Filling your cup with hobbies, loved ones, or nature can truly shift your mindset. When you fill your “happiness cup,” you make room for creativity to flow from you. That leads to inspiring yourself, which spurs more creativity in your business.

Water yourself. Literally. Drink more water. Take a soothing, relaxing bath. Run through the sprinklers with your kids. Ignite your senses in new ways so that creativity can be sparked internally and externally.

Find time to BREATHE throughout the day. Even slowing down a few times a day to take 5 intentional deep breaths in and out can help realign your body and mind. It’s okay to slow down to gather yourself, feel the emotions you’re having and breathe through them.

Practice makes perfect.

VIBE

And finally – please be sure you’re feeding your brain good things.

A sure fire way to kill your creativity is to constantly consume negative information. This doesn’t just include the news and people around you. This also includes your social media feed.

Start weeding out what makes you feel like you’re in competition, or lesser-than, and start growing what makes you feel INSPIRED and that will lead to being more CREATIVE! Fill your feed with positivity!

Because as they say… “what you think about is what you bring about.”

We creatives need to stick together. Share things with your community that inspire you. Share things you’re creating that aren’t work related. Share things that EXCITE you right now in the moment!

Let’s help build each other up! The energy will help rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit. Of course we can have compassion for the hard days, but I think it’s our responsibility to look out for one another and not let each other get STUCK in the hard days over and over.

I’m an open ear to anyone who needs it right now, a month from now or down the road a bit. Business related or not.

I want to help others find the best parts of themselves while being patient with the wounded parts. I want to inspire others to keep creating. I want to lead by example, by living an authentic, fulfilled life.

So, I’ll ask you – what are you going to create today and how creative will you be?