Your Creative Sweet Spot
“When is the best time to be creative? Right now.” ~ Fredi
We all have a creative sweet spot. That perfect time when the planets align just so, our creativity is heightened, our thoughts and ideas are flowing, and we are in blissful harmony with our creativity. In fact, we don’t even think about whether or not we are being creative, we just ARE. So the question is, just where is our sometimes elusive creative sweet spot – and how can we access and expand it?
Some people flourish creatively in the middle of chaos, hustle and bustle. Think of a busy newsroom with a important, breaking story. Others of us prefer a more quiet, serene place. When I am writing, my favorite time is early morning, when the world and I are just waking up to the day. The birds are chirping, the smell of fresh coffee is in the air, and with a only a very quick peek at my email, the ideas are easy to find. One of my writing clients swears by the magic of writing while she is on the train at 5:30 AM on her way into the city.
The reality is, most of us don’t have the luxury of always waiting for those creative planets to align. In fact, if you are work against a deadline, or some other externally imposed factor, you may be called to use what I call “creativity on demand.” This may mean thinking on your feet, being resourceful and innovative. Which in turn, creates a wonderful type of creative energy. Years ago, when I was a costume designer, more often than not I had to perform creatively in a bustling theatrical costume shop with opening night looming. People were constantly interrupting me, asking questions about the work. There was also a great deal of noise – in addition to the machines, lots of work-related talk, gossip, joke telling, complaining and you-name-it. On top of that, some type of music was playing in the background, often some random show tunes or whatever else the group agreed upon.
Out of necessity, I had develop a system that worked for me, and allowed me to thrive, even though my preferred creative sweet spot was definitely not in the middle of the day, surrounded by noise and chaos. My solution? Getting to work before the costume shop woke up, and savoring the solitary quiet where I could access and expand my creative vision. When my creative mojo was fully engaged, I was able to use and enjoy the excitement of the bustling shop as a means to further fuel my creativity. It also helped for me to take a break, or get outside for breath of fresh air when I lost my clarity and focus.
Being creative is an essential and integral part of the human experience. You may be producing creative content, and you may be developing creative thinking and ideas. Whatever you create, it is important to know where your own creative sweet spots are. Once you’re aware, you can choose how you want to access and expand them. A couple of questions to ask yourself:
Where is your creative sweet spot?
What times of the day do you feel most connected to your creativity?When is there a disconnect?
What is your optimal creative environment? Do you thrive surrounded by people, and chaos or quiet and solitude?
How can you expand and grow so that the planets don’t have to align perfectly in order for you to be creative?
What systems can you put in place to access and expand your creativity?
Go and make it fun – the important thing is that you create! The world is waiting…