Personal growth can be achieved when one embraces their authenticity and makes the necessary steps to develop into the best version of themselves. To achieve personal growth you have to be ready to cultivate new ideas, do things differently, use creativity for personal growth, and commit to good behaviors.
One way to do all these things is through creativity. You need creativity in order to transform into a better person. First off, you need it to envision the person you want to become. Then creativity will also help you to turn into that person. We’re going to teach you how to achieve personal growth through creativity but first, let’s see what characteristics you need to possess in order to be a creative person.
The Characteristics Of A Creative Person
Creativity involves a mix of skills, characteristics, and mindsets, therefore it can differ from person to person. Being creative is not just something you are; it is also something you can acquire.
You will notice that people who aren’t creative are stubborn, they never think outside the box, they never want to go out of their comfort zones, and they are obsessed with rules. As you can probably tell, these characteristics are huge obstacles in achieving personal growth.
Please note that there is a big difference between stubbornness and ambition, between being safe and comfort zones, between having a set of strategies to guide you through life and being obsessed with rules, and between being realistic and always staying in your lane.
Creative people can and often are ambitious, safe, strategic, and realistic. But they also have a vision that allows them to see the world in a positive light. So is this vision that sets them apart from the rest of the crowd? It’s their attitude and the way they choose to look at the world. That’s why, no matter what, creative people are…
Unique
Creative people have many things in common, however, they are can be very different people. Their individuality is what makes them unique. Another important aspect to mention is that creative people are not afraid to live authentically and show their true colors all the time. Whether they are judged or not, they stay true to themselves.
Unconventional
More often than not, creative people are eccentric. They have habits that can be perceived as odd by other people. They dress differently, talk differently, and have a different outlook on life. Every person has an eccentric alter ego but not everybody has the courage to let themselves let that shine through the masks they use for society’s sake. The world loves uniformity so not caring about that is a sign of courage but also a sign of confidence.
Curiosity
Creativity without curiosity is not possible. Creative people are always willing to read, learn new skills, explore new places, and discover new cultures. This curiosity allows them to have different perspectives and better answers to their problems and dilemmas.
Why Use Creativity For Personal Growth
Creativity opens the world of endless possibilities so if you aspire to grow on a personal level, you have to be able to see all these different possibilities.
Your creative side is what sets you apart. It gives you the power to fight for your dreams and drive to overcome challenges.
It’s a shame that the formal education system doesn’t encourage creativity as much as they should. Understandably, it’s easier to teach a class when all the students have the same level of knowledge and behave pretty much the same. However, the real-world needs the exact opposite. It needs problem solver, creative thinkers, misfits who understand the world differently, and troublemakers who are willing to fight for their beliefs.
If you feel like your creativity has bee inhibited and it lies dormant somewhere deep inside of you, don’t worry, there’s a way to get it back!
Define Your Creativity
Your creativity is yours and yours only. In order to make the best of it, you have to define it and to give it life. Start by trying new things. See what you like and what you don’t. Continue doing the things you like. Whether that’s dressing up, creating unique makeup looks, singing, dancing, writing music, telling jokes, a combination of all these or something completely different, keep it up and find ways to improve your skills.
When you notice a pattern in your creative abilities, you’ll be able to define your creativity and develop it further.
How Does Creativity Impact Personal Growth
Curious how creativity can actually help you grow? Actually, there are many reasons. However, the most important one is that creativity teaches you other valuable skills. It teaches you patience, it teaches you how to overcome difficulties, it teaches you how to be authentic, and, most importantly, it teaches you self-love and self-care.
Creativity For Personal Growth Teaches You Patience
Creating requires patience. The main reason people don’t finish their creative projects is a lack of patience. However, when you find something that you’re very passionate about and you put your heart and soul into it, you’re no longer impatient. Such projects are usually creative projects that are more engaging and challenging than other types of projects.
If you feel a bit lost and you didn’t find your true passion yet, keep trying different things. And persevere! If you do, you’ll become more and more patient every day.
Creativity Can Help You Overcome Difficulty
Creating something, whatever that is, is not easy. It’s challenging and difficult. You need motivation, inspiration, trust, patience, and different skills. But when the desire to create takes over, nothing can stop you. You feel invincible and courageous. Few things in life are this empowering.
Furthermore, creativity helps you to see life challenges in a different light. It will make you look for solutions instead of ruminating over the bad parts. This builds self-confidence, self-respect, and self-worth.
Creativity Can Help You Rediscover Yourself
In this day and age, many people feel they are living without a purpose. Somehow, if we don’t pay attention, we end up losing our inner child who knew exactly what they want to do and who wasn’t afraid to fight for their dreams.
If you’re interested in personal growth, you know that being connected to yourself is mandatory. You can’t grow as a person if you don’t know who you are. Creating helps you get back in touch with that side of yourself that you thought was lost. Having ideas and putting them to work is an intimate experience that improves the relationship you have with yourself.
Creativity Can Turn You Into A Confident Person Which Is Key For Personal Growth
Creativity is hard but it’s also comforting. It can be an escape and a way to express your most honest feelings you can’t express in real-life situations. Expressing yourself is not only freeing but also empowering. It creates a sense of self-worth and it improves self-confidence. No to mention, it will make you respect yourself more.
Self-criticism is our worst enemy; it never does something good for anyone. On the other hand, having confidence, respect, and knowing your worth can do wonders. You may think that criticism is a great tool but you’ll think otherwise when you see what confidence can do for your growth.
How To Become Creative
We reached the most important part of our long conversation about creativity. The part that offers you important tips for how to become creative.
Let’s start with the basics, creativity needs to be nurtured if you want to succeed.
So…
- stop making assumptions, look for real answers instead;
- know the difference between cause and effect and redefine your way of solving problems;
- stop negative self-talk – be kind to yourself;
- support other people’s creative projects and ideas –helping others achieve their dreams will only make you want to work harder on yours;
- give yourself time and space to be creative;
- reward yourself for your creations or your creative thinking;
- take a risk – it is important to step out of your comfort zone and start doing the things you always wanted to do;
- give yourself room for mistakes – no one is perfect and mistakes are valuable lessons, not the end of the world;
- be more empathetic and understand that everybody has their own journey and process;
- do something new and exciting;
- surround yourself with people that bring joy and excitement to your life.
These behaviors will create the proper environment for creativity.
How To Enhance Creativity
Even the most creative person in the world has days when they lack inspiration for new projects. There are ways to stimulate creativity and to turn your creative rot into an endless source of creative ideas. Here are some of them:
Distract Yourself
It is important to do something creative every day to foster creativity for personal growth. However, sometimes people just lack creativity. It’s tempting to force yourself to create but, let’s face it, that won’t really work. For example, if your creative outlet is writing, forcing yourself to sit down at your desk and wait for ideas to pop up doesn’t help. The same things go for other creative activities such as painting, writing music, drawing, and singing.
When you’re stuck, disconnect and recharge your batteries. Do something completely different like listening to music, going out for a walk, or reading a book – all these relaxing activities can get your creative juices flowing again. Oh, you can also take a shower. We all know the best ideas come to us while showering! Joking aside, there is truth in this statement; awesome ideas arise in the weirdest moments. It’s important to be prepared for these random moments so make sure you always can write down your ideas before you forget them.
Know What Stimulates Your Creativity For Personal Growth
Your brain is unique, thus it is important to know it well. Analyze your creative moods and see if there’s any pattern there. Some people are most creative when they wake up while others go through a creative phase before going to sleep. Or maybe, there’s something that stimulates your creative moods. That can be pretty much anything. Food, music, boredom, whatever it is, identify it and see if you can recreate that scenario.
Capture Your Ideas
If you let your mind wander, you’ll be surprised how many creative thoughts you can get in a day. We know you can’t be distracted by your thoughts at every waking hour but it’s important to allow yourself at least an hour per day for thought exploration.
Brainstorm
Creativity doesn’t have to be an alone process. In fact, discussing ideas with others can stimulate your brain and make it come up with dozens of creative ideas. So invite your coworkers to brainstorm if you feel you lack creativity one day. You can also brainstorm ideas for projects with your friends. Supportive friends are a boost to one’s creativity.
Bring Your Ideas To The Next Level Through Creativity For Personal Growth
It’s hard to be original nowadays, however, creativity doesn’t necessarily mean originality. It means being open-minded and finding various ways to approach a subject. Turn your ideas into concepts by putting your own spin on things.
Another way to stimulate creativity is by asking yourself different questions. For example, when you’re facing a challenge and you already know the solution, ask yourself if there is a better solution out there. Be curious and test your theories. And never be afraid to start something new. There’s no such thing as too late so open yourself up to new experiences.