101 Ways to Stay Creative

Last night I received a message on Tumblr asking for advice on how to stay creative, and I realised how this is a problem for many people (including myself). So I decided to compile this list to refer back to, and to possibly inspire anyone who may actually read it...

1. Read lots of books to enhance your vocabulary.
2. Keep a sketchpad / notebook with you at all times.
3. ...And a camera.
4. Stay up too late.
5. Drink coffee - it makes you happy and gives you energy!
6. Travel.
7. Make mind maps.
8. Create endless amounts of Pinterest boards. Follow Pinterest boards. Become addicted to Pinterest...
9. Listen to alternative music genres - electronica, dark wave, house, ambient, experimental.
10. Make checklists of the things you want to do.
11. Stick pictures of things you love on your bedroom walls.
12. Take photos of everything you feel inspires you.
13. Experiment with different media - watercolour, graphite, oil paint, pastels, collage.
14. Go for a run.
15. Clear your workspace. Or leave it messy - whichever you work best with. But I find I can't work in a cluttered space (mainly because there is no space to actually work).
16. Don't try to impress.
17. Meditate.
18. Research artists / designers.
19. Create a moodboard of something that inspires you.
20. Watch films.
21. Do not rush things!
22. Make the best out of your mistakes, e.g. if you accidentally slip and scribble a line over your very perfect drawing, make something out of the line.
23. Keep a dream diary. Write as soon as you wake up so you don't forget.
24. Break the rules.
25. Doodle.
26. Write a list of things to draw.
27. Don't be a perfectionist.
28. Read non-fiction books on your subject of choice - art, fashion, etc.
29. Have a late night wander with your headphones on.
30. Read magazines.
31. Listen to songs from your childhood. I used to download all Mum's iTunes music onto my iPod and so I was brought up on 80s/90s music like Pixies and The Smiths.
32. Change up your makeup routine. Use colour where you don't normally.
33. Find some DIY projects to do.
34. Press flowers.
35. Be yourself. Don't do anything you don't want to do.
36. Discover alternative fashion trends - seapunk, minimalism, 90s grunge, preppy, bohemian, avant-garde, lolita,  revival of the 60s... There is an extensive list of fashion styles here.
37. Sign up to a local craft class.
38. Go charity shopping.
39. Get away from the internet for a day and see what you can do with your time.
40. Make a playlist for someone.
41. Read poetry.
42. Buy a funky hat.
43. Do something new every day.
44. Look through people's sketchbooks.
45. Go to a festival!
46. Make a list of inspirational quotes.
47. Get a Lomography camera and follow the rules.
48. Grow flowers in your garden.
49. Look at people's workspaces. Use ideas to enhance your own spaces.
50. Dye your hair a quirky colour.
51. Take a half-hour nap to revive your creativity.
52. Complete a 'Wreck This Journal'!
53. Go to the cinema alone.
54. Have a long bath surrounded by candles.
55. Drink green tea, it takes lovely and it's healthy too.
56. Have a 'blind date with a book' - go to your local bookshop and buy the first book you see.
57. Draw something new every day.
58. Visit local art galleries / museums. Sit down and enjoy your time there.
59. Take a drive in the rain.
60. Change your journey routines - get the bus to work if you usually walk, bike to school if you usually get a lift.
61. Say 'yes' to new opportunities and possibilities.
62. Design your dream tattoo, even if you don't go through with it.
63. Click the 'random article' link on Wikipedia until you find something that interests you and read the whole article.
64. Educate yourself about a new culture.
65. Spend a night camping in your back garden - minus a tent.
66. Take up a new hobby - embroidery, gardening, cooking...
67. See your favourite bands live.
68. Go 'people watching' - sit on a bench in town or watch from the window of a cafe.
69. Burn incense.
70. Talk to creative people.
71. Listen to your favourite music.
72. Create a time capsule to open in ten years. Include: a letter to your future self, a doodle inspired by your favourite song, a recent photo of yourself, a quote you feel deeply about and something small from your bedroom.
73. Learn how to lucid dream.
74. Start a blog.
75. Decorate an old jacket with badges and patches.
76. Eat foods you wouldn't normally try.
77. Visit all the places in your town that you haven't been to before.
78. Attend car boot sales. Buy things to decorate your room or workspace with.
79. Go on a long bije ride!
80. Create new words for colours that you see - e.g. 'Palma Violet lilac' or 'Pistachio green' and make a colour book.
81. Find out the Dictonary 'word of the day' and write a poem based on that word.
82. Have the occasional lazy day.
83. Create a scrapbook diary. Include tickets, receipts, wrappers and other things you encounter each day.
84. Throw a party.
85. Stock up on new flavours of herbal tea.
86. Focus on the present.
87. Make a gift for someone you appreciate.
88. Read biographies of people that inspire you.
89. Practice the things you want to be good at.
90. Focus on the positives in life! Write a list of reasons to be happy.
91. Go to Ikea and find something to revamp in a way that represents you.
92. Assume that you can do anything.
93. Get plenty of sleep.
94. Read the '365 Days of Inspiration' book by Lizzie Cornwall - a few ideas on here are taken from there, it's a really cute book full of quotes and ideas.
95. Make a 'dream collage' of all the things you want to achieve. Refer to it whenever you feel like giving up.
96. Use a thesaurus to learn new words to use in everyday situations.
97. Make your own fruit juice.
98. Write down negative thoughts as they enter your head. Then scribble them out.
99. Make new friends and let them share the things they love with you.
100. Smile more.
101. Make some of these tips your new resolutions to stay creative!