How to Keep Your Creativity Flowing—Even When It Feels Elusive

Ever feel like your creativity just… disappears?

One day, you’re brimming with ideas, and the next, you’re staring at a blank screen wondering if you’ll ever have a good idea again. Yeah, same.

Whether we realize it or not, creativity impacts everything—not just our work, but how we problem-solve, how we connect with people, and honestly, how we feel in our day-to-day lives.

Which makes it a pretty big deal.

Creative thinking helps us navigate tricky situations, fuels our best ideas, and makes our work and businesses feel more meaningful. But here’s the problem: creativity is notoriously unreliable.

So, how do we stay creative? How do we tap back into that energy when we need it most?

I’ve been experimenting with small, practical ways to bring creativity to life—even when it feels completely out of reach. While there’s no perfect formula, here’s what’s been working for me.

3 Simple Ways to Tap Into Creativity (Even When It Feels Elusive)

Creativity isn’t waiting for the perfect moment.

These aren’t groundbreaking ideas, okay? But they’ve made a huge difference in how I approach creativity—especially when it feels like it’s actively avoiding me.

Make Time for It—Even If It’s Imperfect

For the longest time, I didn’t lean into creativity unless everything felt just right. The project, the environment, my supplies, my ideas—they all needed to be fully formed before I could even start.

Now? I see my biggest challenge as simply making space for creativity.

Creativity doesn’t need the perfect moment—it just needs a moment.

Instead of waiting for the right conditions, I carve out time to do something creative—even if it’s messy, even if it’s just for five minutes. Because the more I show up for creativity, the more it shows up for me.

Creativity Sparks More Creativity

I’ve realized that my best ideas don’t actually come when I’m sitting at my desk, trying to think of good ideas.

Instead, they happen when I’m already doing something creative—like coloring with my kids, working on a small craft project, or just doodling for no reason.

Why? Because when I’m not actively thinking about being creative, my brain has the space to wander.

If we’re constantly in thinking-thinking-thinking mode, we don’t leave enough room for new ideas to breathe.

Instead of waiting for inspiration, I make a point to do something creative—even if it’s just playing around. Because when I create, I get more creative.

Redefine What It Means to Be “Creative”

If you’ve been struggling to feel creative, it might be worth revisiting your definition of creativity.

Because here’s the thing: creativity isn’t just long, uninterrupted hours of flow state. It’s not some mystical force that only strikes at the right time.

If you think creativity only happens in perfect conditions, but your reality looks more like ten-minute bursts between work calls or chasing kids, you’re setting yourself up to feel stuck.

Instead of waiting for a “big creative moment,” start practicing small bursts of creativity that fit your actual life.

A quick doodle, a messy brainstorm, a voice memo with a half-formed idea—it all counts.

Creativity isn’t waiting for the perfect moment—it’s finding ways to work within the moments you have.t—it’s finding ways to work within the moments you have.

Rapid-Fire Tips to Keep Creativity Flowing

Beyond these big shifts, here are a few quick tricks I swear by when I need to get the creativity flowing again:

• Write everything down. That tiny voice that says, “Oh, I’ll definitely remember this idea” is a liar. Don’t trust it.
• Revisit old work. Sometimes, past-you left gems that current-you totally forgot about.
• Take breaks before your brain starts melting. Pushing through isn’t noble—it’s counterproductive. Step away. Lay down in your driveway (my personal favorite). Hydrate.
• Don’t edit while you create. Make the mess. You can clean it up later.
• Switch tools when you’re stuck. Grab a notebook, a whiteboard, a napkin—it doesn’t matter. A simple change in medium can shake loose stuck ideas.

Final Thoughts

Creativity isn’t meant to sit on some weird pedestal, waiting to bless you when it feels like it.

We can find it, feel it, source it, and operate in it every single day. It just takes intention, practice, and a lot of unlearning.

So, if creativity has been feeling elusive lately, start small. Play. Experiment. And most importantly—make time for it.

Because the more you show up for creativity, the more it shows up for you.

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What’s your go-to way to spark creativity when you’re feeling stuck? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear!