How To Declare Your Own Creativity Manifesto

One of the biggest stumbling blocks, when it comes to being as creative as you can be, is trying to do it all under a veil of secrecy. You feel that creating, and the work you create, shouldn’t be talked about; it should remain hidden like a dark secret.

It’s one thing to keep your creative work hidden from the world, but the problem is this mentality extends to you yourself. If you’re not open and comfortable about being creative, then how can you hope to create freely and naturally?

It sends mixed messages to your inner creativity about what you want it to be and to do. It’s like you’re planning a huge celebration party but you’ve hardly invited anyone who can make it fun, and have been telling people you’re not even sure it’ll go ahead at all, let alone given them the exact time, date and place they’re invited to come to! It’s hardly a recipe for a wonderful party!

What’s needed is your own Creativity Manifesto, a passionate declaration of what creativity really means to you, and your creative hopes and intentions from today onwards. Here’s how to make yours:

1. State why creating is important to you. There’s a reason you keep coming back to creating, even if sometimes it’s a struggle. Rediscover for yourself the deepest reasons behind why you create. When you’re in the flow of creating, what does it give you that nothing else can? How does it make you feel? Once you’re clearer about these details, you’ll be more motivated to find ways to create more.
2. Embrace creating as a journey, and an adventure. Creating is a core part of your personality and make-up; you’ve just strengthened this in step 1. The next step is to accept that it’s a lifelong journey, packed with excitement, exploration, revelations and, yes, some setbacks. Commit yourself to your lifelong creative adventure, whatever it may bring.
3. Declare your intentions to evolve and grow. With each new creative experience, you will learn more about yourself, how you create, and ways to express yourself more clearly and fluently in your chosen creative forms. Openly welcome this personal creative evolution; don’t be afraid of discovering new ways of creating as you go. All of us change as people, and as artists over our lifetime. Welcome that; don’t fight it.
4. State that creativity is something to be enjoyed and celebrated. When you focus only on producing an end product and try to race through each creative project just so can say you’ve finished, you miss out on so much along the way. Remind yourself that creating is fun and enjoyable and that you’re going to keep this attitude at the front of your mind whatever you create.
5. Openly commit to regular creating. It’s pointless declaring how important creating is to you, then never making any time for it. The best way to commit to creativity is to schedule creative time each and every day, for at least 15 minutes. Once you state your intentions to do this, and start doing it, you’re taking the action that backs up how important creating is to you. You’re done with the talk; now you’re walking the walk.

Take these 5 steps to form your own Creativity Manifesto, your open declaration of how important creating is to you, and how you’re going to honour that in the coming days, months and years. Then take the necessary action step by step and day by day to live out your Creativity Manifesto to the full.