How can I be more creative? Five steps that helped me write 7 articles in seven days

I’ve never thought of myself as creative.

But I want to be.

I’m always inspired by the work of others. Sometimes my snarky brain thinks things like, “I could make that,” or “Oh, I see what they did there.” But when I get home, I fall back in my same-ole, same-ole patterns.

The creative work never seems to get done. This past week, though, I’ve felt a shift. Where I might have had pockets of proud ooo look what I did moments, I never felt the magic of inspiration hit like it must hit those NYT best-selling novelists or real artists.

I’ve written two books. I speak to hundreds at a time on the power of play. But I’ve not felt productive… until now.

What changed?

In the past week or so, I’ve shifted 5 things about my mindset and work flow and it’s making a HUGE difference in not only my output, but also my ideas.

1. Find digital tools that work for you

The digital tool step goes first for me. Why? This is the ONE thing I changed that tipped the productivity and creativity scales for my work. 
In the past year, I’ve tried both Scrivener and Ulysses as a platform for my writing. In another post (upcoming), I detail all the differences between these two programs. Here, I’ll tell you why Ulysses is the QUEEN when it comes to my flow:

• It backs up to iCloud. 
  When an idea hits, I might be at a red light or in the grocery line. I’m almost never at my computer. Having the ability to open the Ulysses app across devices (some open at the same time!) lets me capture my thoughts in the moment so inspiration isn’t lost.

• It helps me with distraction. 
  There’s a magic button. It takes away the ability to click away and chase rabbits. I love it.

• It publishes with minimal work on my end. 
  Ulysses publishes my drafts straight to Medium and four other platforms. Less time spent on formatting means more time is spent on the writing!

2. Show up EVERY DAY

At least on the weekdays. Even when I don’t feel like it. And a lot of times I don’t. Here’s what helped me show up.

• One sentence. 
  My daily goal is to write one sentence. It’s do-able. It’s manageable. It’s not intimidating. It can be a junky sentence, and it’s still done. But, no-one just writes one sentence.

• Outline the night before. 
  If I have my topic and my three or five points, the heavy lifting is done. On paper (digitally) the work looks is almost complete, so all I really have to do is show up and elaborate.

3. The more you create, the more the ideas will come.

That sounds so cliche. 
But, y’all… it’s true. Just as I’m writing this piece, I’ve already added two additional potential topics to my list. And that ideation has happened each time I sit to write this week. If that momentum continues, I’ll not run out of content. (See also step 2).

4. Let yourself be bad at something.

Too often, it’s the idea of perfection that keeps us from creation.

I don’t want to try watercolor because it will be bad.

I don’t want to write a novel because it will never be as good as Elin Hilderbrand.

I don’t want to _____ because it won’t look like _____.

Never compare your draft or work- in-progress with someone else’s finished work. You’re only seeing their final piece — you don’t know that it might have taken ten years to create!

If we don’t allow ourselves to make mistakes, how will we ever create something new?

5. Embrace play and a playful mindset.

When we allow play and playfulness in our lives, we approach our work with a sense of lightness.

We are curious.

We are sociable.

We are imaginative.

We listen.

We enjoy the craft.

Creativity is cultivated with practice and intention. Having a playful life is having a life in which we embrace the journey — unlocking our creative potential and foster a more vibrant experience.