Your creativity is your biggest asset, nurture it

Hey inclusive communicators,?

Building on my previous newsletter about rest, I’ve been reflecting on the importance of creativity.?

• How it provides both rest and invigoration.
• How it is a muscle that you need to train.
• How it bleeds into all aspects of life.?
• How it helps us connect with other people.

Each year, I set myself a creative challenge. This year it's a DJ course, last year it was musical improv and the year before that I found myself building a business.?

For me, these challenges are about the journey. The frustration of not being good at something, followed by the satisfaction of getting something right for the first time. The joy you get building something together, then performing/ delivering it and celebrating afterwards. I even enjoy the sadness that comes when it's all over, as it reminds me that everything end and that grief is just love with no place to go.

As we move into the age of AI, I believe that our human creativity will be our greatest asset. Our creative expression is something that is wholly unique to us, something that cannot be replaced by technology. It helps us solve problems, it helps us communicate better, it helps us be more resilient.?

We are each a unique combination of cells and fleshy matter, experiencing something that will only be experienced once, in that moment. There is something beautiful in that.?

??Tips for nurturing your creativity

Over the past few years I’ve been trying to be more intentionally creative. I see it as integral not only to my work, but to my happiness.?

Below are some of the different practices that I’ve adopted that you might find useful too!?

As always, these are things that have worked for me, so experiment or even get creative and write your own ;).

1. Find ways to be creative each day - from how you set the table at dinner time to clothes you wear to the way you walk around the park - I like to think of creativity not as things you produce, but as an expression of how you move through the world. This means that everything we do is a creative act!?
2. Look for creative inspiration everywhere - in nature, in books, in architecture, in music. Collate that inspiration on a mood board, in your notes app, in a playlist.?
3. Build on your creative foundations - start with something you already love or enjoyed as a child - music, dance, cooking, painting, drawing, writing, design, lego. As children we were encouraged to be creative, sadly we often lose this as adults. So go back to when you were little and embrace your GCSE art class. Build from there.?
4. To help you focus the mind, do a course - courses really work for me, as they keep me focused and accountable and help me give myself permission to be creative.?
5. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable - once you’ve built your creative confidence, challenge yourself by learning something completely new, something that you haven’t done before. Sit with discomfort of not being good at something, find the joy in it. As adults we have a tendency to shy away from new experiences, because we feel shame for not being “perfect” at stuff. This restricts us sooo much.
6. Have creative log - write down your creative ideas and know you can always come back to them. I have a log full of book ideas, business ideas and even a video game. I have half written chapters, half painted canvas, incomplete set lists and who knows if any of them will ever come to fruition! It’s ok to start a creative project and never complete it, this doesn’t make you a failure. Your creativity is your life’s work, not a siloed projects that you “complete”.?

??? Quote of the week

“I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. The way you drink your tea. How you decorate your home. Or party. Your grocery list. The food you make. How your writing looks. And the way you feel. Life is art.” - Helen Bonham Cater?

?? Book recommendation?

The Artists Way: A Course in Discovering and Recovering Your Creative Self

The Artist's Way provides a twelve-week course that guides you through the process of recovering your creative self. It aims to dispel the 'I'm not talented enough' conditioning that holds many people back and helps you to unleash your own inner artist. Its step-by-step approach enables you to transform your life, overcome any artistic blocks you may suffer from, including limiting beliefs, fear, sabotage, jealousy and guilt, and replace them with self confidence and productivity. It helps demystify the creative process by making it a part of your daily life. Whatever your artistic leanings, this book will give you the tools you need to enable you to fulfil your dreams.

?? Rewatch my inclusive communication strategy session here

If you missed my 'How to Build a Campaign Strategy' last week - you can now catch-up via the GoodTech Video Library ??

This masterclass is part 2 of 3 in our inclusive communication masterclass series delivered by More Diverse Voices.

Part 1: Inclusive Comms Masterclass (1/3) - watch here: https://lnkd.in/egHU2aiw

Part 3 RSVP: Communicating Your Story with Purpose Masterclass. Join us live, RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/eygZeKJ6

This newsletter was written by Emily Horton, the founder of the inclusive communication consultancy More Diverse Voices.

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