Blog post no. 3
Blog post no.3 9/15/2023
30 ways to stay creative!
Welcome to the third Tyistight Creatives blog post!
Today’s post will be about how we can stay creative in our everyday busy adult lives.
You’re probably thinking “I can’t possibly add another thing to my everyday to-do list”, but TRUST ME it is possible, and you don’t have to look at it as something else to throw on your to-do list, but rather look at it as a form of self-care which should start being a priority, a non-negotiable.
I would like to go over 10 reasons why staying creative is IMPORTANT, and then we can dive into the 30 activities to actually keep us creative.
10 reasons why creativity is important:
-Problem-solving: Creativity helps us think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions to problems.
-Self-expression: Creativity allows us to express ourselves in unique and meaningful ways.
-Personal growth: Engaging in creative activities can help us learn more about ourselves and our values.
-Stress relief: Participating in creative activities can be a great way to reduce stress and improve mental health.
-Innovation: Creativity drives innovation and leads to new and exciting products, technologies, and ideas.
-Social connections: Creative pursuits can bring people together and create a sense of community and belonging.
-Career advancement: Creativity is highly valued in many industries and can lead to career advancement and success.
-Cultural preservation: Creativity plays a vital role in preserving cultural traditions and passing them down to future generations.
-Personal fulfillment: Engaging in creative activities can bring a sense of accomplishment and personal fulfillment.
-Education: Encouraging creativity in education can lead to better academic performance and critical thinking skills.
If those aren’t good enough reasons to want to stay creative, I don’t what are! Now that we know why we should want to stay creative let’s talk more about how to do that.
30 ways to stay creative:
(Explore the world around you, it is so big and beautiful and you can gain great inspiration.)
-Read a book or a magazine that you wouldn't typically read.
-Go for a walk or hike in nature.
-Take a different route to work or home.
-Listen to music that you haven't heard before.
-Attend a concert, play, or art exhibit.
-Try a new hobby or craft.
-Take a cooking or baking class.
-Write in a journal or start a blog.
-Learn a new language or skill.
-Paint or draw a picture.
-Start a garden or grow some plants.
-Attend a workshop or conference in your field.
-Collaborate with others on a project.
-Watch a documentary or educational video.
-Meditate or practice yoga.
-Take a break from technology and social media.
-Practice mindfulness and being present in the moment.
-Travel to a new place or culture.
-Volunteer or give back to your community.
-Attend a networking event.
-Take a dance or fitness class.
-Attend a comedy show or improv class.
-Play games or puzzles.
-Attend a book club or discussion group.
-Experiment with different textures, colors, and materials.
-Attend a poetry reading or writing workshop.
-Attend a lecture or seminar on a topic that interests you.
-Take a photography class or go on a photo walk.
-Create a vision board or mood board.
-Take a break and relax, allowing your mind to wander and daydream.
Feeling inspired to be creative yet? LOVE TO HEAR IT because now it is time for today’s art therapy exercise which is….
Finger painting - Finger painting isn’t just fun for kids, adults can enjoy it as well. Get your hands messy and really have fun connecting with the paint and spread it around freely.
With that being said let’s start with the rules which is this is a JUDGEMENT-FREE ZONE. A safe place for everyone to create freely. No judgment from others, and most importantly no judgment from ourselves.
Next, let’s go over MATERIALS:
-Creativity (non-optional)
-Paint (**If you have sensitive skin please use
hypoallergenic friendly paint**)
-Paper, cardboard, or any paper-like material that is durable enough to hold the paint
-Your fingers!
If you are anything like me then you really don’t like to get super messy, but today we are going to put aside that, get outside of our comfort zones, and focus on just having fun.
Finger painting can be very messy, but it doesn’t have to be THAT messy. Please consider covering the table or surface you will be painting with newspaper or a plastic tablecloth. You can also use an easel if you have one!
Also, please put on clothes that you really don’t care too much about getting paint on. I have ruined many pieces of clothing from painting, don’t be like me. So grab an old t-shirt that you may only wear to bed or to do chores in, and those jogging pants with the hole in the leg and missing drawstring, and let’s get started!
*If I could suggest one thing for this exercise is to listen to some of your feel-good mood music, something that gets you moving and feeling good*
The song I listened to
***I DO NOT OWN COPYRIGHTS TO THIS SONG!
Once you feel comfortable with stopping, find a safe place for your art to dry, it’s time to reflect!
I challenge you to take a piece of paper or maybe jot it down in the notes on your phone, but take some time to reflect on your art and ask yourself questions to gain a deeper understanding of your emotions and yourself.
Some questions can be:
-What parts of your artwork do you feel are most successful?
-Did your work turn out how you intended? Or did it take a different direction?
-If you were to recreate this artwork, what would you do differently?
-What did you enjoy most of this process?
-What did you learn from creating this artwork?
Here is my artwork from today’s exercise and my reflection!
My reflection:
-What parts of your artwork do you feel are most successful?
I feel the most successful part of my artwork is my fingerprint hearts. They added a nice touch to the background in my opinion.
-Did your work turn out how you intended? Or did it take a different direction?
No, my artwork did not turn out how I expected or intended. I think I shouldn’t have aimed to make anything recognizable but utilize the whole piece of paper and spread more paint around with no goal in mind.
-If you were to recreate this artwork, what would you do differently?
I would’ve done as mentioned above, I think I shouldn’t have aimed to make anything recognizable but utilize the whole piece of paper and just embrace the paint between my fingers and the paper.
-What did you enjoy most of this process?
I enjoyed the whole process. I haven’t painted with my fingers in FOREVER and it really felt therapeutic to revisit.
-What did you learn from creating this artwork?
I learned to be more free-flowing in my process and to not always focus on making something I am familiar with.
If you participated in this week’s exercise please feel free to share with me! You can either post your art and tag me on Instagram (@tyistight_creatives) OR if you don’t want to share publicly you can also email your art directly to me at tyistight.creatives@gmail.com
The quote of the week is:
This week’s featured artist of the week is :
Iris Scott <<< Click here to check out their website and discover more of their art!
Primarily known for their finger-painted artwork!
https://www.irisscottfineart.com
Thank you again for reading this week’s blog post and participating in the art therapy exercise! I hope you had fun and look forward to next week's post!
Until next time,
-Tyistight