“The creative process is not like a situation where you get struck by a single lightning bolt. You have ongoing discoveries, and there’s ongoing creative revelations. Yes, it’s really helpful to be marching toward a specific destination, but, along the way, you must allow yourself room for your ideas to blossom, take root, and grow”. – Carlton Cuse
How to be creative? Start the day right by getting dressed UP. Just one level more than you usually wear. From a t-shirt to a blouse or collared shirt. From jeans to trousers or a dress. From no accessories and scrunchies to stud earrings and a bracelet. Nothing too extravagant. No prom dress — just up level!
But – where to start to start?
Start with Shoes
It’s easy to start from the bottom up. For example, I adjust the height of my heels depending on how much walking I do. On client shopping days, when I am all over the store, I select a low heel.
If I am attending a networking or sales event, but not presenting, I reach for a slightly higher heel for 2 reasons: A higher heel makes me feel more confident, and if there are any men at the meeting, I prefer to stand taller to see eye to eye with them.
Once you have the shoe, think about what skirt pant or dress goes with that shoe. Right there you will eliminate more than a few pieces, and be forced (hopefully in a good way) to choose a top to go with the pants that go with the shoe, and voila – an outfit.
Choose Color
Choose your most dynamic piece(s) that will amplify that feeling and energize your creativity!
We’ve all done it. Stared into the closet wondering what to wear, with our clothes staring back in an incoherent way. It’s almost like they’re mocking us. But are they?
Of course not. Clothes can’t mock. It’s us. Making mental notes about the weather. About who we might see today. About what won’t itch, cling or squish. Instead, look for your most colorful piece and put it ON. Find a basic top or bottom to match and trust the process of color and creativity coming together.
Ask Questions
There’s no reason to stare at a blank page or canvas when you can ask questions instead. Close your computer, walk away from the cotton duck material and ask: “who am I doing this for”? And then, give yourself time — time to listen, time to hear, time to get an answer. If you are having trouble coming up with an answer, try this list of questions from Seth Godin.
Lastly, I would add the work of someone whose name I cannot pronounce, but I can spell: Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who gives an entire chapter of his book, Creativity, Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention to our creative surroundings:
“The belief that the physical environment deeply affects our thoughts and feelings is held in many cultures…Unfortunately, there is no evidence — and probably there never will be — to prove that a delightful setting induces creativity…[and] While a complex, stimulating environment is useful for providing new insights, a more humdrum setting maybe indicated for pursuing the bulk of creative endeavor…”
If science can’t pinpoint your creativity haven, then check out this read about how clothing does affect your creativity, your performance and your success.
Now you can get back to your art!
