Step one of being Creative, getting comfortable

While preparing to speak to a group of elementary education students  on how to bring creativity into their classrooms, I asked myself, what are the foundational pieces that must be in place for asking anyone to be creative?

If you’ve ever turned to google to find tips and tricks to being more creative, it’s extremely likely that you’ve been told to step out of your comfort zone. However, I believe that we are often in too much of a rush to get uncomfortable. While discomfort is a part of the process, it’s not the first part.

The foundation of creativity is comfort and confidence, so don’t be in such a rush to jump out of your comfort zone.

Before I ask students to be creative, I first need to make them comfortable, with themselves, with the space and with me.

What in your environment do you need to be comfortable with?

Start by setting up a workspace, it doesn’t have to be anything crazy, but it needs to be a space that you like to be in. Light some candles, put on your favorite music, and slip into those jeans that make you feel all sexy and sassy.

Create something that you’re comfortable making, or write about a topic that you know you’ve got nailed. Start in a space of comfort, and then step away. As you work in that space, where you feel safe and fully confident that you can rock it, you’ll naturally start to feel a pulling to push it forward, you’ll hear questions dancing in your head… what if…. what if….

When you feel that pull, and hear those questions ,now it’s time to get uncomfortable, you’ve built the foundation, and are ready grow. And when you feel yourself ramming into a wall, that means you’re ready for another moment of comfort, give it to yourself, rest in the knowing.