I love to craft. I crochet, spin yarn, weave, make stuff… My creations don’t always turn out, but they satisfy my need for a creative outlet I often use the repetitiveness of crochet and spinning to brainstorm ideas for my novels or my plan to take over the world.
While not everyone wants to write a novel, I do believe we need some kind of outlet for our creativity. Humans are designed to “make” whether it’s a physical creation, beautiful social media posts, or a tasty apple pie. (Mmmm… pie!) Why do we pursue creativity and making? Sometimes, it’s to relieve boredom. Other times, we use it to create things/tools to make our lives easier or more beautiful.
So what do you do when your creativity is in the proverbial dumps? Personally, I’ve met this obstacle too many times over the past two years. Writer’s block, winter doldrums, work stress… they’ve all done a number on my creativity. I’ve decided to put together an arsenal of activities for when I’m stuck in the middle of a novel or other project.
Here are some of my creativity buster ideas:
- Try a new recipe. My personal forays have been with recipes I’ve seen on the Great British Baking Show. Paul Hollywood has my heart and my calories.
- Do a crossword puzzle. It makes you think.
- I am such an advocate of crafts that involve your hands. For me, focusing on the stitches in a crochet project or the repetitive nature of weaving and spinning helps me empty my mind of all the stuff that clogs it up during the day and makes room for creative ideas.
- Garden. I’m not a big gardener, but my husband is. Every year, he plants more tomatoes and beans then I want to can.
Those are just a few ideas. I would love to hear how you “create” in your daily lives and why.
Here’s a picture of one of my completed projects– a Spiderman afghan for my nephews.
