Why everyone needs a creative outlet and how to find yours

The other day I caught up with an old school friend and she told me that she’d taken up painting last year, gleefully showing me photos on her phone of the works she’d produced. While the paintings themselves didn’t particularly catch my attention – it was how she talked about the process and her works themselves that really stood out to me.

I realised that I longed for something that could make me feel like that, like I was expressing myself in some way other than just simple words. I was missing my own creative outlet.

With this idea in mind, I set about trying to find my very own creative outlet…

Chat to your friends and family

When I chatted to Christine, I thought, hey, if painting is for her, then it might be for me, too! There’s nothing wrong with nabbingone of your friends or family’s hobbies and giving it a whirl for yourself. It’s not about being in competition with someone else, it’s to see whether it fits you, too. Popular creative outlets, such as painting, are popular for a reason after all!

Think back to your childhood…

When you were a child, what creative activities really spoke to you? Maybe you really enjoyed poetry class, singing in the school choir, or woodworking class. If you really enjoyed a particular creative activity or activities as a child, it stands to reason that you’ll probably still enjoy it now. Even if you haven’t sang in 40 odd years, there’s nothing stopping you from picking it up again now.

What creative tasks did you enjoy most throughout your career?

Did you love doing presentations during your career? You might like to take up ToastMaster. Thrived on designing new brochures? Offer your services to family and friends. Loved writing the weekly newsletter? Creative writing may be for you. Just as you can take inspiration in your childhood creative activities, you can look to what you enjoyed in your working life to help fuel the creative fire, too.

Try out some new classes

Still stumped? There’s no shame in that. There are plenty of creative classes available in your area, so dive in and give them a try. From pottery, to flower arrangement, and even DJing, there’s no shortage of classes to choose from – so pick out a few and get started. The most important thing to remember when trying out new classes is that no one is amazing at it their first time around. Creativity is about the process, not the finished product. Don’t be put off by first attempts if you’re liking the process!

Want to know what I discovered was a great creative outlet for me? Simply dancing around my own home with my favourite songs on. I remembered how much I used to love going out dancing, and dancing like no one was watching. An hour or two a couple of times a week with no interruptions leaves me feeling on top of the world – and that’s a good place to be.