10 Simple Ways to Bring Creativity to Your Life

10 Simple Ways to Bring Creativity to Your Life

A few months ago while going through some childhood possessions my mom had kept, I came upon my Kindergarten graduation program.

Here’s a picture from that day. This is me with my cousin Jeff Marshall (who is a regular contributor for this blog):

Just for fun, here is the two of us at on our high school graduation day, too. We are cousins and have been best friends our whole lives.

Back to kindergarten. On the back of the program was a list of each child’s plans for their future profession. Mine? “Artist.” I love it! I had no idea artistic talent was required for this profession. I’m sure I just loved to draw, paint, and color.

Truth is, I have very little creative talent in those ways, but there are other ways I can be creative. I like to cook a fancy meal or bake bread. I love to write this blog.

Even the artistic expressions I’m not especially good at, sometimes it just feels good to get out and try it. It doesn’t have to be Pinterest-perfect. Give it a try.

Use your talents to glorify God, to express your feelings, or to just relax and enjoy!

There are endless ways to be creative. These are just a few to get you started.

10 Simple Ways to Bring Creativity To Your Life

1. Create a Happy Box.  You will love this concept! Fill a box with your favorite items. Use books you enjoy, favorite foods, lotion. Maybe decorate the outside with pictures that make you smile.

2. Journaling Bible. Have you seen these really cool Journaling Bibles? They allow space in the margins to do your own note taking and creating. Journaling Bibles come in a variety of prices and types. People have really gotten creative with these and do lots of amazing artwork in the margins as a way to meditate on God’s word. A wonderful resource is this website, Illustrated Faith.

3. Adult Coloring Pages. Coloring pages for grown ups have become quite popular. Why let kids have all the fun? These are quite relaxing, and I especially love the ones with a Christian theme.

Adult Coloring — books for adult coloring

4. Write. Writing is a great creative outlet. Today’s blog post is part of my write 31 days series, which is part of the #write31days series that goes for the whole month of October.

5. My Hope Toolbox Printable Kit for Depression & Sadness. We’ve created a printable kit to go with this series. Click here to check it out. Write, doodle, draw, pray your way through this series and beyond.

6. Get Fancy. When I’m feeling down, a trip to Ulta or Sephora cheers me up. I love to spend hours playing with the sparkly, glittery make-up and fun stuff. Yes, I can be a total girly-girl. Maybe it’s just the crazy names they give everything, but I love the Too Faced line of make-up. Check it out if you are in the mood for something fun and different.

7. Re-do a Room. Pick one room in your home and change it up! Rearrange the furniture (what my husband and I call “poor man’s redecorating”), paint, or hang new photos.

8. Play music. Play an instrument. Sing. Blast new music throughout the house.

9. Dance! Move your body. Do what feels good. Don’t worry about what anyone else thinks! Wait until you are alone if this makes you more comfortable. When is the last time you let yourself go and just enjoyed moving?

10. Bake. Create something awesome in the kitchen. Use a recipe or don’t. We don’t often think of baking and cooking as creative, and so often we are going through the motions of getting everyone fed or worrying about calories and nutrition. Make something for the sake of creation. Then when it’s finished, savor every wonderful bite. Here are a couple of our favorite recipes: Jen’s Paleo Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and Bekah’s Raw Cookie Dough Squares.

What creative activities do you enjoy?

The Hope Toolbox

Throughout this series, each of us is creating My Hope Toolbox, your own personal list of resources you can use for the bad days. Whether it’s go for a run, listen to music, or sit in the sunshine, we all need activities we know will help move us toward healing, even when we don’t FEEL like doing them.

What will you add to your Hope Toolbox today?

Today’s Bible Memory Verse: 

Then Moses said to the people of Israel, ‘See, the Lord has called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, with intelligence, with knowledge, and with all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold and silver and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every skilled craft.’

Exodus 35:30-33

Today’s Journaling Prompt:

How can you add more creativity into your life?

My Hope Toolbox Printable Kit

• You Are Not Alone
• Depression Does Not Define You
• What Does Depression Look Like?
• 10 Encouraging Bible Verses to Ease Depression
• When Your Daughter Wants to Dye Her Hair Blue
• How to Manage Depression and Chronic Pain
• Truths About Depression: Stuff You Don’t Want to Hear
• I Got Punched in the Face This Weekend
• Straight Talk About How to Survive Heartbreaking Grief
• For a Day When You Need Motivation
• Sometimes Grief Comes From Unexpected Places
• For Parents of a Teen Who Had a Near Miss
• 10 Simple Ways to Bring Creativity to Your Life
• A Depression Solution: Speak!
• Q & A with a Therapist about Depression
• Research Shows 4 Keys to Motivation When You Are Depressed
• 101 Ways to Boost Your Mood Immediately
• Is it Okay to Avoid Pain?
• How Can I Serve If I’m Depressed?
• Do You Have Angry Depression?
• A Room Full of Love: Thoughts After a Loved One’s Suicide
• Top 5 Offbeat I’m Depressed and Nothing’s Gonna Stop Me Now Movies
• What You Need to Know about Postpartum Depression
• Why You Need More Mental Flexibility
• How to Eat Healthy When You Don’t Feel Like It
• How to Exercise When You Don’t Feel Like It
• A Cure for Panic Attacks: The Potato Chip Method
• Can’t Sleep? Read This at 3:00 AM
• Do You Have Secondary Traumatic Stress?
• You Were Set Free For a Reason
• If You Write, Please Read This. (Plus, a FREE GIFT for All!)

Series Navigation

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