Hey Dreamers! I hope you’re feeling energized, encouraged and inspired today. (If not, I’m going to get you there!!!) Today, I want to talk about a critical aspect of Dreaming BIG: creativity. This might seem like a “soft skill,” but your ability to think creatively and imagine new futures for yourself is so much more than that. Your imagination is your God-given superpower. Learn how to embrace and maximize this gift, and you’ll be able to Dream as you’ve never Dreamed before!
In The Big Stretch, I talk a lot about harnessing your creativity and imagination to expand yourself from a life of just maintaining the status quo… to a more fulfilling reality. However, I know some of you might be thinking, “That’s great, T — but I’m just not the creative type.”
Listen: I hear ya! Creativity isn’t everyone’s strong suit, and it doesn’t have to be! But I’m here to tell you that we all have the inherent ability to be creative to some degree, even if you don’t view yourself as a “creative type.” Sure, some of us are more analytical than others, while others are a little more comfortable expressing our creative sides. It doesn’t matter if you’re a medical professional, an accountant or a graphic designer — if you can imagine, you can be a Dreamer. You just have to learn how to tap into your imagination, amplify your creativity and propel yourself to Dream BIG.
Here are three simple ways to maximize your creativity and empower yourself to Dream:
1. Give yourself time to imagine
It can be hard to carve out personal time for yourself these days — especially if you’re a parent, business owner, entrepreneur, or any other kind of 24-7/7-days-a-week hard worker making it happen every day! One of the biggest challenges of being an adult in our high-tech, always-on era is that we hardly give ourselves time and space to just sit and think.
When was the last time you daydreamed? Just unplugged, stared into space and got lost in your thoughts? Do you ever consider the possibilities for enhancing your professional growth, growing in your personal life or achieving your goals? Research shows that spending time in daily self-reflection makes people happier, more productive and less prone to burnout.
Here’s my challenge for you, Dreamers: spend 15 minutes each day engaging in reflection and allowing your mind to roam. During that time, I want you to ask yourself “What if…”
What if I didn’t have any financial limitations?
What if I could snap my fingers and be successful in any career right now?
What if I quit my job next month?
Use this as a jumping off point to spark the creativity within you that’s just dying to break free!
2. Find your creative zone
Once you’ve found the time to Dream, now it’s up to you as a creator to devise your ideal setting for Dreaming BIG. Become aware of the kinds of places and scenarios that make you feel creative or inspired, and then…spend time in those situations!!! I call this creating your “Dream Environment”: the optimal time and space, with the right tools, that will empower you to Dream your wildest Dreams.
Everyone’s Dream Environment is different. Perhaps yours is at an art gallery, surrounded by mind-blowing modern art. Perhaps busy late-night cafes or bustling co-working spaces ignite your imagination. Or, maybe you create best in the wee hours of the morning, looking out your bedroom window. For me, it took booking a quiet getaway to Pine Mountain, Georgia, to finally set my ideas free and let them flow!
To discover your ideal Dream Environment, start by asking yourself a few key questions:
- What time of day does my creativity really flow?
- Where do I like to receive new ideas the most?
- What kinds of tools do I like to use when I create?
- What kinds of practices do I need in my life to hear my ideas more clearly?
Here’s my next challenge for you: take 30 minutes to write out exactly what your ideal Dream Environment looks like. Do you like music in the background, white noise or complete quiet? Do you need to be alone, or do other people help tap into your creativity? Do walls make you feel stifled, or does a private room help you feel freer to Dream on your own terms?
You might be surprised what you learn about yourself. This simple activity will help discover a time and space for yourself where your imagination can grow wings and take flight!
3. Let go of “How”
Finally, to maximize your creativity and ability to Dream BIG, learn to let go of the “how” part and just focus on the Dream itself. When you’re honing your creativity, your energy is wasted on worrying about how you’re going to execute the details of your Dream. Questions like “How am I going to pull this off?” (while being totally normal!) are creativity roadblocks that hold us back from Dreaming to our full potential.
So, my final challenge for you is this: the next time you find yourself asking a “how” question about your Dream, continue on your path of allowing your imagination to dream freely. There will be a moment in time for HOW but don’t make the mistake of pondering the HOW too soon. Now is the time to DREAM. There will be plenty of time to hammer out the details — for now, just empower your Dream to reveal itself to you, and then EMBRACE IT! Imagine freely….
I hope you enjoyed this one, everybody. I want to hear how you’re getting your creativity flowing this week! What’s your ideal Dream environment, and how is it changing the way you envision your goals? Share your experience on social media using the hashtag #TheBigStretch.
Keep dreaming BIG!
Your Dream Coach,
T