Our Creative Seasons
When I started researching and prepping for this article, I found numerous studies, opinion pieces, and articles about the creativity cycle, but it wasn’t exactly what I was looking for. Most of these pieces focused on a more logical cycle like this:
And that example of a creative cycle is great — but again, not what I was looking for.
I wanted something to explain the various types of creativity we go through and how we navigate those specific areas of creativity when we’re in it.
So, in true Jade fashion — if something doesn’t exist (or I can’t find it) — I make it myself. Here is my rudimentary, first attempt at making my own mind map of the creative seasons I’ve experienced and watched many other creatives experience:
Mundane Creativity
I think everyone is capable of creativity, but some of us intuitively lean toward creativity more than others. And I find that Mundane Creativity happens more than people think or realize it does. I find a lot of my clients who hold 9-5 jobs find ways to infuse creativity into their day-to-day tasks and responsibilities, often without even knowing that’s what they’re doing. But for those creatives who don’t have the time or energy to put into creative projects, having an outlet of sorts is crucial to mental and physical health. One way I’ve encouraged others (and myself) to utilize that creative energy to by taking everyday, possible mundane things and turning them into creative projects. My personal favorite is by spending a few extra minutes on making my planning workflows and task management system creative. It’s a simple and easy way to infuse something boring into something fun! For example: on Sunday, when I do my weekly planning, I intentionally map everything out in my digital planner and “pretty it up” (totally a phrase). Even this little infusion of creativity on something small can make a huge difference!
For these spreads, I’m using the Laurel Studio planner with an insert from Passion Planner and some digital stickers from LuxBook
For these spreads, I’m using the Laurel Studio planner with an insert from Passion Planner and some digital stickers from LuxBook
Feeling unmotivated at work or that itch to be creative? Another quick fix is adding some color and fun to your notes. Sticky notes are GREAT for this type of thing. For example: if there’s something that I need to be reminded of, I’ll put it on a sticky note and then add doodles and little marks to make it feel a bit more like me.
When the mundane meets the creative. Sticky note doodles are a great way to infuse your to-do with some creative sass
Those meeting notes you need to take? Yup, you can spruce those up too. For example: when I take client notes or notes from a meeting, I always use different colored pens, add some doodles, and make it just a little bit more fun.
Client Notes Example — Permission granted to use.
See, even if you don’t have time to work on a specific creative project, you can intentionally add creativity into your mundane day-to-day activities.
Creative Indulging
I see a lot of creative teachers or gurus advise against this, but I feel the exact opposite, and I know a ton of creatives who do as well. Creative indulging is one of my sure-fire ways to get more inspiration, and I’ve stopped the shame-guilt spiral I used to get when I did it. So, if you need a permission slip — here it is.
Indulge, indulge, indulge.
The more you experience creativity, the more your creative muscles want to be exercised. This is also a fantastic way out of a creative rut. Here are a few (and by no means exhaustive) examples of indulging in creativity:
Examples:
Going to art showcases, dance performances, public book readings, poetry slams, concerts, etc.
Binge reading or watching movies or television shows that ignite the creative spark within
Scrolling through social media and seeing what others are doing creatively (watch out for this one, though — you don’t want to go from being inspired to feeling ashamed or doubtful of your creativity by comparing yourself to others — proceed with caution with this one)
Being a beta-reader, beta-tester, first eyes on a friend or colleague's creative project
Mentoring someone in their creative endeavors
Paid Creativity
This season could be the “sweet spot” for many creatives. Getting paid to be creative is no small feat, and it’s incredibly rewarding to see the fruits of your labor playing out in real-time. There are many pros and cons to being in a position of paid creativity so don’t think this is the “golden ticket” everyone makes it out to be. With this kind of creativity, creatives often lose quite a bit of freedom and wiggle room to execute fully on their vision. There can be insane pressure to produce something creative, even if you don’t feel particularly creative. That being said, there are so many robust and valuable reasons to be in this creative season.
Being paid to create can look so many different ways, and this is just a very tiny example list:
Getting a book deal
Writing articles, op-eds, essays, etc., for pay
Copywriting
Commissioned artwork
Songwriting and performance
Creativity for Change
Up until a few years ago, I had no idea that being a “creative activist” was a thing. I should have, given that I know how powerful creativity can be, but when I did find out and researched those who identified as creative activists, I was so excited and proud of them. This season is such a beautiful way to use our gifts for something bigger than ourselves. I have a friend who channels her creative energy into creating newsletters and reports for the social justice organizations she belongs to. She’s an incredible artist and an enviable writer — she could be using all that creative energy on her own work; instead, she chooses to put it toward helping others in need and fighting systemic racism and oppression.
In fact, there’s such a need for people in this season that entire organizations have been built around creative activism. Take, for example, the Creative Visions organization. Its mission is to support, promote and amplify the work of creative activists who ignite positive change through storytelling, impact media, art, education, and technology. The Transformative Language Arts Network is another great example of an organization trying to inspire social and climate justice through the creative arts.
If you find yourself interested in this type of creativity and feel it fits with your season, here are a few more resources to check out:
The Creative Activist: Make the World Better, One Person, One Action at a Time by Rae Luskin
Social Change and Creative Activism in the 21st Century by Silas S. Harrebye
Personal Creative Projects
When I think of my most creative seasons, it tends to coincide with specific creative projects I’m working on getting out to the world. I tend to think this is a season many creatives long to be in because this all-consuming creative energy is directed to a particular project. I often feel the “creative high” during this season, and I believe there’s nothing else quite like it. It’s hard to describe, and I think every creative feels different in this season, but it’s definitely one of deep, creative work for me. I immerse myself into it and let the creativity play out how it wants to. There are downsides to this season, too, though. Especially if you’re a creative who suffers from perfectionism, the inner critic, and the pressure to produce.
That doesn’t mean those feelings have to stop creatives from being creative, though. It just means we have to learn to navigate those less-than-ideal emotions and feelings to continue down the creative path.
I considered giving you some examples here, but personal creative projects can literally look like anything! From scrapbooking to watercolor painting to writing a novel to putting together a puzzle. You get where I’m going here, right? Personal creative projects are just that — personal. But I can tell you from my own experience that some of my favorite personal creative projects have been unexpected ones like:
Doing the calligraphy work for family weddings
Making gifts for family and friends
Writing a novel to heal
Experimental Creativity
I have a love/hate relationship with this season of creativity. I love it because I’m a perpetual student. I love learning new things. But, I’m also a Type A overachiever who gets upset when I’m not immediately good at something. Then I have to remind myself that the purpose of an experimental creative season is to play, explore, learn and try new things. The best part of experimental creativity is getting to know your creative self deeper and more intimately. By playing and experimenting, you learn what it is that you like to do and the areas where you’d like to improve. And the way you experiment with your creativity is completely up to you! Here are a few examples of experimental seasons in my life and how they panned out:
Calligraphy → I encountered this creative practice during one of my “Indulging” seasons, and when I was ready to try it out, I was so excited! I ended up spending a lot of time on this particular creative practice during my experimentation season, and it turns out it’s something I still enjoy putting creative energy toward.
Watercolor Painting → I’ve always been drawn to watercolor. I don’t have any watercolor artists in my family and it was never something I did growing up. But in the past few years, I’ve taken watercolor painting classes (and loved them!), and I’ve also experimented with digital watercolor. Turns out, I love digital watercolor painting, and it satiates the creative itches I get to make art.
Knitting & Crochet → This was an epic “fail” for me. I thought for sure it would be something I enjoyed and a way to unwind and relax. Turns out, the frustration and confusion I felt overpowered the desire to keep playing and experimenting.
Cricut Projects → I felt like the ultimate “crafter” when I got my Cricut machine and the varying colored vinyl rolls. I was stoked to create and make things for myself, my family, and my friends. Well, that didn’t go as planned. I’m far too impatient for the intricacies of advanced projects. I grew bored and uninterested in using the machine or even experimenting with what I could do with the machine. It’s now in the loving hands of my sister, who has already completed more projects in the short time she’s had it than when I owned it.
Wood Burning → I loved the idea of combining creativity with natural elements. I thought wood burning would be a great way to test out if I liked using raw materials (like wooden slabs) to be creative. What I learned was: that it takes a lot of practice and patience. During this experimentation season, I wasn’t sure that’s where I really wanted to put my creative energy, even though I did enjoy the process. The good news is that I can always go back to wood burning again if I find myself in a creative rut and need to play around again.
Website Design → I’m a “try to see if you can do it yourself first” kind of person. So many moons ago, when I needed a website, I told myself, “well, there’s no better way to see if you like website design than working on your own.” Lo and behold — I absolutely LOVED it. I loved that the creativity needed to have some limitations, as that actually helped me develop the right creative skills I needed for website projects. To this day, I’ve never had anyone else design my websites, and I’m quite proud of my work for myself and others. This is one of my favorite ways to be creative now!
I hope this very experimental way of talking about creative seasons has given you some insight into where you might be on your creative journey. I think we cycle through these seasons a lot in our life, and it never quite looks or feels the same every time. The one true constant in all seasons is the need and desire to create. If we can hold onto that desire, it doesn’t really matter what season we’re in or how we’re choosing to apply our creative energy — so long as we’re committed to using it at all.
If you’re interested in going down the rabbit hole of creative cycles and seasons, here are two other ways to possibly identify and excavate where you’re at creatively:
