I’m of the opinion that everyone has creative ability and it is expressed in different ways.

Some tips on how to get started

1. Pray
2. Write down your ideas (no matter how silly they sound)
3. Exercise (even if it’s just a walk)
4. Talk to people
5. Look around
6. Ignore your inner critic

Areas to showcase your creativity

Fashion: I used to be rigid with fashion. I would wear an outfit the exact same way over and over again because I was scared of trying it in a different way and messing it up. One tip I can give in this area (even though I don’t consider myself a fashionista) is to look within nature. Look at flowers, birds, the sky and draw inspiration from their colour combinations and textures.

And why worry about your clothing?
Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow.
They don’t work or make their clothing
yet Solomon in all his glory
was not dressed as beautifully as they are

Matthew 6:28-29

Food: You can find creative ways to prepare your usual meals. If you’re like me and don’t enjoy cooking, maybe try plating your food in a different way. Below I tried to switch up my basic bread and fried egg breakfast and I actually enjoyed it. For the smoothie, I have coconut, yoghurt, bananas, and vanilla extract.

Friends and Family: Be creative with how you interact and show love to your family and friends. Give them unique gifts. Surprise them with calls or special messages. Observe them for a period of time or reflect on what you already know about them and act accordingly.

Faith: For the people of faith here, this may sound tricky. I know that God has His set rules that we must follow, but He also made us creative. Some ways I thought one’s creativity could shine here is how one shares one’s faith with others, prayer, and Bible study. Here is an example, the book of Luke has 24 chapters so reading a chapter a day in December will end on Christmas Eve and that way you’ve either learnt of the Christmas story or are reminded of it.

Finances: There are many creative ways to make money out there so you can find ones that fit with your gifting and lifestyle and use them. Alternatively, you can find creative ways to use the money you already have. Here’s a challenge: Try to do more with your current budget and maybe make some things that you can at home instead of purchasing them. Alternatively, you can borrow certain one time use items (e.g. hammer, bread maker) from a neighbour or friend.

Final Thoughts

We are all gifted in different areas so it’s not wise to compare oneself to others. In addition, practice causes improvements to happen. You may not be a top chef today, but you can get there if you keep trying.

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Which areas are you going to express your creativity in moving forward?

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