Anyone creative already knows that any craft needs a certain amount of discipline. You can only be called an Artist if you create art, for example. A writer must write. And so on. But this necessity can often lead to creative juices lacking, and this is a good time to shake it up by trying something new. Making ‘good art‘ can often be a struggle. Even the most dedicated find taking the time a challenge sometimes—we all have off days. Trying out other creative outlets takes the pressure off of your main creative processes. If you’re a writer who’s stuck, for example, try painting for a month. If you’re a photographer, try learning Japanese, or playing piano. Whatever it is will shake up your usual routine, will fire up your brain in new and exciting ways, remind you of the playful side of your creativity you felt when you first started your main focus now. It might even lead to your viewing the world in a different way. This practice is called ‘creative cross training‘. The idea being building your ‘muscles’ in other areas will seep into your current practice and help to improve it. So try it! Thirty days of exploring a new skill will gift your creative life the boost it needs, adding some colour to your craft and making sure you never (heaven forbid!) become boring.
