I love to create. Bringing an idea that lives in my mind to life fills me with so much joy. I also love doing so for others. Although, there are moments when my mind is frazzled. Recently, this has been happening more frequently than usual. This is mainly due to the pandemic. A lot of my ideas come from talking to people and exploring new places. This way of getting inspired is obviously limited therefore I have found new ways to get the wheels turning.
1. DO NOTHING
I know, I know... you are thinking, "Feyi, how the hell is this going to help?" and I am telling you it does. When you are trying so hard to come up with an idea you put a lot of pressure on yourself which doesn't allow your mind to wander or think freely. You spend more time thinking of how to come up with an idea instead of actually coming up with an idea. By doing nothing or distracting yourself from the task allows you to stumble across something that sparks your interest.
2. LOOK TO OTHER FORMS OF CREATIVITY
This always works for me. There are many ways to create and bring ideas to life. If you are a musician look at the work of a photographer. If you are a painter, listen to music. In my case, I create through digital tools such as video editing or graphic design. I love to read or listen to audiobooks when I am looking for inspiration. I fall under the "new age" of design or content creation and looking at artists who use non-technological tools to create inspires me to create with my non-traditional tools. It is also wonderful to support other creatives and the power of the internet allows that. There is Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and so much more to find people doing work similar or completely different to you but learn from them. There are platforms that are created to build a sense of community for creatives. Such as Deviantart, which is an online art community featuring artwork, videography, and photography.
3. LEARN FROM ANOTHER CULTURE
Before doing this you must understand there is a difference between Cultural Appropriation and Cultural Appreciation. Please, learn about this before taking this step. There is so must beauty in places different from where you grew up. I love watching foreign TV shows and getting inspiration from their fashion or hairstyles. If you are an architect, look at buildings and structures in places different from yours. If you are a musician listen to songs in different languages. The key is to work with the creatives from different places. Reach out to collaborate and create something new together. DO NOT STEAL and claim an idea has your own. There is so much beauty in bringing two worlds together.