How to be more creative: just be delusional

I was struggling to create content just for myself, simply for the joy of creating.

The real issue was that I couldn’t see the beauty in everyday life like I used to when I was happier or less stressed.

When your mind is full of thoughts and worries, it’s hard to come up with new ideas, or even any ideas at all.

So how can we be creative when we’re stressed?

We can’t. Not easily, anyway.

But here are a couple of exercises that help me get out of that mental block and focus on the creative task at hand:

1. ???? Get delusional ????

Yes, you read that right.

I know this sounds a bit controversial, but hear me out. Sometimes, you need to “zone out” or pretend you’re not yourself. Put yourself in a different reality, one that aligns with what you need to do.

For example:

If you're working on a concept for a beauty brand, immerse yourself in content that speaks to that audience. Watch a series your target market loves. Slowly, you’ll start to see insights and get into the right mindset. You start thinking like your audience, and before you know it, you’re in the zone. You zone out.

That’s the magic of advertising, at least for me.

You step into someone else’s shoes to generate your ideas.

You create a whole new reality.

Yes, it’s a little delusional, I know. But that’s my point of view.

Not sure if this is helpful, but if it is, drop a comment and let me know what you think. Or tell me if this is just nonsense! ??

P.S. That photo I took was from when I first started learning to use an old flash on my camera. It wasn’t staged. I looked at my desk, saw the “mess,” and thought, “This looks so Pinterest!” I figured the right lighting would need a flash, so I gave it a try... and voila!