You do not need to be a writer or artist or be in any creative field to be creative. Each one of us have creativity hidden in all our mental crevices. 

I have often heard my friends and close acquaintances tell me how they want to be creative, how they are not clever enough, or how their brains are not wired for creativity. So many such statements float around in the Universe, and we all get attracted to negative words first. Right? I am sure most of you will resonate with this.

So how do you define creativity? Creativity is subjective and different for all. For some, it can be words, and some can be sketches, singing, dancing, photography, or even graffiti. It is a release of energy in a constructive manner using various tools and mediums. Creativity helps break the same old mundane routines – a break from doing ordinary chores. 

According to the dictionary, “Creativity is the ability to make or otherwise bring into existence something new, whether a new solution to a problem, a new method or device, or a new artistic object or form.” 

In modern terminology, there is a term called “Creative Explorers.” They are those who can invent and invent original ideas. Are you one? What is your definition of creativity? What do you think makes your creative juices flow? Do mention it in the comment section.

In my early days, creativity came in writing and doodling (drawing and scribbling). Between classes in school and while attending boring lectures in college, I have often dawdled and scribbled designs. Old textbooks were filled with Warli décor (my favourite tribal art). Doodling gave me ideas to study concepts, ideate for a new project and help friends in their romantic adventures (I shall come to that later) too. 

1. Nature Walks
   Mother Nature can be highly inspiring. Flora and fauna, insects, and all elements of nature can give you many ideas if you look closely at each. The designs, contours, colours, texture, and sounds can evoke you to create the best creations.
   
2. Music
   At times, you listen to a particular music piece in your playlist, and it will make you freeze in your tracks and make you think. So keep your journal and pen handy. Jot down the first word or concept that comes to your mind. 
   
3. Crossword Puzzles
   If you have been stuck while writing a novel or trying to fit a piece in a jigsaw puzzle, solving the mystery of a missing object, weaving threads of a relationship, or healing a part of your unresolved traumas, sit down with a crossword puzzle. While solving the crossword, you might stimulate your brain and think of something you never thought of before.
   
4. Dance  
   If you are a kinaesthetic personality who loves to move around and think or do things, dance may activate your brain and help you solve problems. So many a time, we get saturated thinking in one spot. Dance movements will help re-center your body and mind, making you come up with out-of-the-box solutions.
   
5. Painting
   Colours have a beautiful effect on humans. You can develop mindfulness and concentration, solve problems efficiently, act as a stress buster, and connect with yourself more. Painting is akin to connecting with one’s inner self since you spend much time filling a canvas with drawings and colours. They say an artwork reflects an artist’s soul on the canvas.
   
6. Graffiti 
   It has become of the best mediums to express one’s thoughts and opinions. Apart from being a hobby, it is being explored professionally by people in ad and digital marketing companies for social media campaigns. It gives people a sense of individuality and uniqueness, helps them come up with offbeat ideas for doing social projects, connects with the masses easily during campaigns, and helps boost self-esteem. Caution is to do graffiti on old walls, unused warehouses, old structures in cities, and legally designated public spaces.
   
7. Photography
   A camera is a medium for a person to capture moments, people, animals, and all elements of nature. A photographer’s pictures reflect their soul, they say. The photographs captured show how they want to express their thoughts. Each frame has a part of them frozen with other elements in the picture.
   
8. Cooking
   I know many friends who enter the kitchen to get inspired. They say food inspires and stimulates their imagination. It kicks up their creative abilities when they try a new recipe in the kitchen. Baking, grilling, or cooking something completely new even helps solve a lot of unresolved doubts in their mind. It is also a beautiful art form.
   
9. Do-It-Yourself (DIY)Art
   If you are into making handmade things for yourself, the house, or your loved ones, then DIY is for you. Try making things from scratch, and the excitement that gets fired up to create something different will bring out all your creative juices. Of course, it can be just picking out raw materials for your DIY craft, but it will stimulate all your senses.
   
10. App Designing & Video Games
    Both these are the current trend among teens and Gen Alpha. It is one of the biggest stressbusters from studies and usual routines. There are dozens of video tutorials to guide you to do the same. You can learn a new skill too and, in the long run, help your friends create and design apps, video games, and anything tech related. You need not be a tech geek for this. All you need is a laptop and online tools to develop web programs. A lot of tutorial videos break tech concepts into plain non-specialist language. 

So, what are you waiting for? Get creative, and make your creations this summer!

Signing off with a favourite quote I read:

“Creativity doesn’t wait for that perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.” – Bruce Garrabrandt, artist, author, and speaker.