How to cultivate creativity

Sep 26

Sep 26 How to cultivate creativity

This summer I set out on a mission to cultivate creativity. I put myself in new situations and practiced being aware. I attempted to communicate through flowers, not just arrange them.

Arranging flowers can be a very methodical process. There’s a wonderful rhythm to it. You can develop muscle memory and go extremely quickly with excellent results. As a wedding florist, it’s an important part of the proﬁt margin process.

But to cultivate creativity…I think that might be different…slower…Today I’m sharing three ways you can cultivate creativity in your life.

1. Slow down to cultivate creativity.

This is just going to take 15 minutes. You don’t have to do a lot of schedule re-arranging. A great time to do this is when you find yourself a little tired and scrolling through social media. Instead do this. It will clear your mind and allow room for you to see inspiring things! Lay ﬂat on the floor and listen to your breath. Notice how your chest rises and falls. Notice muscle tension and as you breathe out, let that tension go. Thoughts might pop in and out of your mind, that’s normal, just bring them back to your breathing. Slowly your muscles will unwind and you will rise up more aware and able to see subtle things.

2. Notice subtle things.

I love taking a walk to do this. I’m always fascinated about how the plants change from day to day. Each one coming and going at their appointed times, providing a beautiful display, even in winter. Its in these moments I notice things like the way they bend, the textures, the colors. Plants can inspire all types of creative work.

3. Put yourself in an unusual situation.

One day this summer it was raining; one of those gentle, cleansing rains. Something about it captured my attention and before I knew it I was outside in my bare feet arms stretched to the sky. I grabbed a pair of clippers and a vase and spent the next hour in the rain in the garden, noticing how the water affected their coloring and appearance. It was a beautiful experience and I felt alive. I know, a little odd, but how will we ever find the deeper things if we don’t look for them. What if instead of sitting at our computer to solve a problem we took a walk instead. What if we took our toolboxes to the roof and created from a different perspective. Where can you go to work from a different perspective?

I’m looking forward to hearing your stories and seeing what you create as a result of these simple exercises. Everything you need to create work with a unique voice is already in you and around you in your everyday life.

Kelly Perry

Kelly’s love for teaching and floral design shines through in developing the content, classes, and workshops for Team Flower, which she cofounded with husband Jesse Perry in 2014. Kelly has taught hundreds of people in her floral design workshops, her work has been featured in over 55 publications, and she’s held speaking engagements across the country. She serves her local community as a retail florist in Chambersburg, PA, through her flower shop, Cheerful Flowers & Gifts.