So many of us spend a lot of time trying to mute our creative voices in our head. Whether this be because we feel safer in our secure 40-hour a week job, or because we just don’t feel confident in our own personal creativity, it’s a common dilemma worldwide.
While the majority of our parents’ generation were used to working one job in the same office or facility for 40-odd years, us millennials are not. There are travel bloggers, freelance photographers, international music producers, aspiring poets and talented artists – all of whom have at some point struggled to embrace their creative calling.
Although it’s a hard thing to do, listening to your creative voice can be very satisfying. Getting in touch with your creative side is always worthwhile, regardless of whether the goal is to be totally self-sufficient and 100% dedicated to your creativity alone; to maintain a balance between your pleasant part-time job and your creative project; or to maintain your normal working life and be creative in your free time as a hobby.
Here are a few steps to foster your creativity.
1. Create Your Own Website
Having your own digital place to call your own gives your creative project that online platform that it deserves. This is where you can display all of your work, provide information about your creative process, and of course, supply contact details so that those interested can find you. Creating a website is easier than ever before due to the emergence of free and paid website builders – just make sure you do your research on the topic using online guides like this one.
2. Take a Leap
Regardless of how much time you want to invest in your creative project, make sure to take that leap. Either quit that mind-numbing job, ask your employer for part-time hours, or assign yourself a couple of hours a day to spend some of your limited free time creatively. Take that risk and put on that art exhibition, submit to that literary journal, approach that shop to sell your items, or whatever you want to do. Just make sure to take a chance on yourself occasionally and don’t let your “no voice” conquer all.
3. Take Time to Nurture Your Creativity
One thing that we all struggle immensely with, is making time for your creativity. It can come down to simple things like watching less TV, taking care of your mental health, or just planning things a bit better. There are a large number of lists such as this one, that can help you with exactly that.
4. Write a Blog or Start Using Social Media
Creating a blog may help you find out that writing blog posts can actually help you to track your progress, help you meet likeminded people, and even earn money from your creative project. There are many reasons to start writing a blog, and most of these reasons also apply to maintaining your own social media channels. Networks such as Facebook and Instagram can be the perfect way to build a following and analyze exactly what your audience/readers/fans like and react positively to.