5 Tips to Unlock Your Creativity
By Courtney Knowles
Creativity isn’t just for people who call themselves artists or performers — it’s for everyone. It’s how we express ourselves, process emotions, and add fun to everyday moments. Tapping into creativity is good for us too: Studies suggest that creative activities have the potential to boost mood, reduce stress, and help us feel more connected to ourselves and others.
You don’t have to paint a masterpiece or go viral on social media to be considered creative. Creativity is already part of your life — it’s in how you tell a story, style an outfit, cook a meal, or pick the perfect playlist. The key is to notice it, embrace it, and make space for it. Here are some tips to help you unlock your creativity every day.
1. Recognize Your Creativity
You don’t need years of experience or special skills to be creative. You already use your creativity when you decorate your space, put together an outfit, or plate your dinner like you’re on a food show. The biggest blocker? Thinking you’re not creative or not good enough. The moment you let that go, you’ll start to see your creativity come through just about everywhere.
Try this: Make a list of ways you’re already creative: journaling, thrifting for unique outfits, arranging a playlist, or responding to group chats with the perfect meme. Recognizing these moments helps you appreciate your creativity in real time.
2. Turn Ordinary Moments Into Opportunities to Create
Creativity isn’t just about making art — it’s about adding your personal touch to everyday moments. When you put your own spin on things, even routine tasks can become acts of self-expression. Whether you’re refreshing your room with a new layout, experimenting with a makeup look, or developing ideas for projects at school or work, creativity thrives in the little choices you make.
Try this: Look at the list you created from the last tip and focus on bringing more creativity into those moments. Add doodles or photos to your journal, curate an outfit based on a theme or mood, or turn a simple text into a clever emoji combo or silly poem. The more you lean into these small creative acts, the more easily your creativity will flow.
3. Try Something New
When you step outside of your comfort zone and explore new ways to express yourself, you can push your creativity to new levels. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try painting, take an improv workshop, or learn a new dance routine, but you never gave yourself permission. Now’s your chance! You don’t have to be good at something for it to be fun and fulfilling. Every creative experiment is a chance to learn, play, and grow.
Try this: Carve out time in your week to try something new. Even just 20 minutes of focused creative expression or experimentation can spark new ideas and boost your mood.
4. Find Inspiration IRL
When we spend too much time absorbing other people’s stories and ideas on social media, TV, or movies, we cloud our ability to tap into our own creativity and shape our own narratives. The more you engage with the world around you — by being present, staying curious, and noticing the details — the more space you create for inspiration to strike and ideas to flow.
Try this: Step away from your screen and into the world. Go for a walk and activate all your senses — notice the colors, sounds, and textures around you. Or sit in a cafe you don’t normally visit and make up backstories for the people passing by. Shift from passive consumption to active engagement, and see where your imagination takes you.
5. Lean on Your Community
Sparking creativity can be a solo venture, but it’s also a powerful way to connect with others. You can find inspiration in your community and work together with those in your circle to live more creative lifestyles.
Try this: Invite a friend to try something new together, swap ideas, or share projects you’ve worked on.
Creativity isn’t about perfection or impressing anyone — it’s about having fun, expressing yourself, and being curious enough to explore. The more intentional you are about making space for it, the more naturally it flows. Whether it’s a hobby, a habit, or just a small moment of self-expression, allow creativity to become a regular part of your life.
Find more ways to unlock your creativity, have fun, and take care of yourself with MTV’s Creativity Toolkit.
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