Five Ways to Ignite Creative Thoughts

“Out beyond ideas of wrong doing and right doing there is a field.  I’ll meet you there.” – Rumi 

1.  Let go of self-doubt.  Much easier said than done, I am well aware, but try it for one 15-minute writing exercise and see what you get.  No judgments, no criticism.  Just look at the words that came from your heart and see the message that is trying to escape.  Ask yourself, “What would I write if I didn’t have to care what anyone else thought?”
2. Create words from a word.  Write the word “creativity” at the top of a piece of paper.  (Remember this game from your childhood?)  Now list all the words you can create from the letters in “creativity.”  Try writing a short story or poem using those words.
3. Pick a theme.  Think of how your day is going, how you feel, or what you see.  Develop a theme around one of those things and begin writing based on that theme.  Do not worry about punctuation, grammar, or any of the detailed things that come later- just write.  Remember, it’s called a first draft for a reason.  At this point it is the process that matters. 
4. Take a break.  Get outside and walk, go where you can people watch, sit and breath deep and do nothing for a few minutes, go play…anything but what you feel you have to do.  Allow yourself to clear your mind of all the “have to’s” and see what floats in.  Take the first thought that is not, “I should…, or I have to… or I need to…” and go with it, see where it wants to take you.  If we allow the “muck” of everyday life to get so deep and thick, the light of creativity cannot shine though.
5. Take a class!  New information, new people, and like-minded enthusiasm are some great ways to spark that creative process.  It’s in there- let it free! www.eloquentauthor.com

© January 28, 2008 Marie Boyum