5 Signs That You're Holding Back Your Creativity

“I’m not a creative type.”

We’ve all heard people say that. In fact we might have been the ones to say it ourselves. Admitting that creativity isn’t in your blood can feel like you’ve just resigned yourself to a mundane and boring life.

There are some truly creative people out there. They can see new ways of doing anything, or perhaps it’s that they can make their words, images, and/or ideas jump off the page.

You don’t have to be someone like that to be creative, and inject it into certain facets of your life.

Here are 5 signs that you might be suppressing your creativity, and you may not even realize it.

You say things like “I wish I could start this…” If you’re dreaming about starting a new business, launching a new project, or just trying your hand at creating something new, you are probably a closet creative. Just the idea of starting something new is a foreign concept to some people who are truly set in their ways. By letting your mind wander, and capturing what it comes up with, you can move from thinking about creating to making it happen.
You keep a list of ideas of improvements you want to make. If you’re looking at something and thinking “This would be better if…”, it’s because your mind is thinking of what doesn’t work and more importantly, why it doesn’t work. Where designers, inventors, and innovators find success is when they can attack a problem that people have in a new way. If that’s your natural state of being, even just some of the time, there’s a good chance you are holding back your creativity. Which leads me to the next one…
You only think you’re creative some of the time. We all have our moments when creativity seems to shine from our very eyes. Everything we touch seems to benefit from our creativity. But, if you are thinking that being creative only some of the time keeps you back, think again. Being creative doesn’t have to be something that goes on continuously for you to benefit from it. Like other skills, it can be harnessed and trained when given time and attention. So, actually acknowledging that you’re creative at least some of the time is a great start to get it going.
You spend time with other creatives. Jim Rohn has often been quoted as saying that we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with, and he’s definitely onto something. If you are spending time with people you would consider to be very creative, there’s a good chance some of their habits have rubbed off on you. If you take a few minutes to look at yourself and your activities, I am willing to bet it’s more than just a little.
Your friends tell you that you are creative. This may seem obvious, but in reality outside affirmation is a great indicator that many people overlook. We can be pretty hard on ourselves, and some people love to shut down any compliments our friends pay us. While it may keep us from becoming prideful, it can also keep us confined in our thinking. Not looking at yourself as a capable individual is doing yourself a disservice.

When you are doubting your creativity, it’s possible there are signs to show you otherwise. Paying attention to these signs will get you going to becoming a more creative person before you know it.