5 ways to kickstart your creativity this year

With a brand new year, one of the things I want to commit more time to doing in 2016 is exploring my creativity in many different ways.If you're like me, you might hoard creative ideas on your Pinterest board, but not actually get around to making anything or expressing your creativity on a regular basis.If so, here are some intentional ways to be more creative this year:1. Take an online course through CreativeBug or SkillShareThere are so many great online resources for learning something new. These are just two examples, but great ones for any type of skills from crafting (knitting, sewing, etc.), to business insights, photoshop tutorials, and more. By taking a course online, you can work at it at your own speed and whenever you have time, the trick is just making time for it!2. Go for a family walk and be inspired by natureThere's never a shortage of food over Christmas time, so getting out and going for a walk is a good idea on so many levels. It's a chance to move around, take some photos and see things in nature that will inspire some creativity when you get home.We recently took a great walk outside and had a family photo challenge of the trails in Uxbridge.3. Use something you might not normally create withIf you're a painter, pick up a pencil; if you have an adult colouring book, pick up a calligraphy pen. Try creating with something you don't normally use and see how that changes your creative mindset.When we were renovating our kitchen, we tried a ton of new things, such as tiling the backsplash, sewing our own curtains and building the cupboards. We used a ton of new tools, in more of a literal sense and we learned some new skills while we were at it.4. Get offlineCreate more than you consume. Get off the computer and start making stuff! Grab a book from the library and sketch a scene from the story, step outside and paint the scene from your front porch. You'd be surprised how much more you get done when you jump offline and away from Netflix.5. Lose the perfectionist attitudeWhen you're learning something new, it can be super discouraging to not have everything perfect the first time. Let go of your desires to have everything perfect and just learn from trial and error.This was something I had to get over when I first started colouring in my adult colouring book. It took me a while to realize that I didn't need to spend tons of time choosing the right colour or trying to make it look the best. It was meant to be relaxing, and it was turning out to be anything but. Just embrace your creative spirit and let it all pour out!P.S. Even though Christmas is over, why not try one of these DIY gifts for yourself or a friend to kick start your 2016 creative journey!