I didn’t set New Year’s resolutions this year. Rather, I set this year with a theme – to become more creative.
I spent my childhood unintentionally creative – I danced, sang, drew, played instruments, and wrote. I didn’t realize it then, but pursuing these creative endeavors allowed me to perform better at school. It also made me happier.
While this blog does serve as a creative outlet of sorts, it’s also become a bit of a second job (which I love). However, I need something more. And I wasn’t quite sure what more was – until I read these books:
The Artist’s Way – I talked about writing my morning pages here (a habit still going strong!) and how much it’s helped me, but Julia Cameron’s entire book is full of incredible advice, and a tactical plan, to help you unleash your creative energy. It’s THE book that can help everyone.
The Creative Habit – I saw it on my Instagram feed some while back, and immediately purchased it without reading any reviews because of the bold cover. The famed choreographer treads the line of self-help and memoir carefully in this tome, which also provides tactical advice on cultivating creative habits. It’s a quick read, and one of my favorites on this list.
Bird By Bird – focused on writing, this book has helped me cultivate a daily habit of writing, for writing’s sake. Writing has been one of my most favorite creative outlets since…well, when I learned how to write. It also has helped me work on a literary project I’ve been thinking about for a while, but never pursued.
Super Brain – Not necessarily devoted to creativity, but this book is an eye-opener on how our brains work – and how to make them work better. No surprise here that creative projects enable us to think and perform better in our non-creative lives. All in all, a solid read.
How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci – While I haven’t tackled this book yet, it’s been recommended to me by multiple people. Plus, the title just catches your attention, doesn’t it?
My other creative endeavors include – resuming dance classes (taking a hip-hop class on Thursday with Megan), setting time aside every other weekend to explore a new neighborhood and take pictures (just for the sake of taking them), and doing more DIY projects.
Are you a creative person? I’d love to know – how do you incorporate creativity in your daily lives?
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