Advice and creativity
7 Ways Creativity Happens Anywhere: From a Mental Clinic Perspective
#5 Seek out stories
I have been in a mental clinic for four weeks now. Although we have a schedule here to follow with therapy, I have still made writing my priority. I feel more inspired than I have in the last year suffering from schizophrenia and depression because I have learned the ways creativity can happen anywhere: even in a mental clinic.
So here they are because creativity is something that is curated within you — ready to be lit up at any point of the day; you have to give it space and freedom to live.
“We are all creative beings.” Maya Fiennes
Connecting things
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while.” — Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs is right. Creativity comes from connecting things, and these things happen — there is nothing pre-planned about it; they just occur so that a state of flow can unravel to be creative.
I connect things when being in the mental clinic by becoming aware of my surroundings, people's conversations or looks (especially here!), and stories I can hear. The mix of all these things then spurs on creativity for stories and articles like this one, for example. Ideas flow when I connect things around me.
According to Psychology Today, ideas flow when things are right. So for you, this could mean attuning to your environment, people around you, timing, and humor so that things feel right. Whatever it may be, allow yourself to connect on the outside to connect on the inside for the state of creativity to be curated.
Everything is energy
“Energy is the key to creativity. Energy is the key to life.” — William Shatner
Do you believe in energy? Well, it is all around you! Unfortunately, the energy here in the mental clinic isn't the most positive or highest, but I know that each person holds their own energy, and you attract what you are. So, fortunately, I have been able to attract a kind, loving guy while being here (find out more about our love story here:)…
But that's not all. I have also made some friends. It was funny this morning, as every day at 9 A.M., we have a morning round in the living room where the psychologist and doctor basically ask how you are doing and how you slept. So when I walked in the room this morning pretty late, about four people said good morning to me, and I was pleasantly surprised. You see, the happier you are here, the more people notice it too. First, I was far from happy, but through falling in love with myself and someone else, I am getting there.
Another example of energy was the other day after I had done some yoga and showered, then went outside for a cigarette. One of the women asked how I was doing while inspecting my unusually smiley face. I said I was well, and she said that I looked very well. See — these little things where I open up to good energy make a good story and allow me to be creative again!
Open your eyes
“Creativity is a wild mind and a disciplined eye.” Dorothy Parker
When opening your eyes to what is around you, so much creative energy can flow into your soul. I remember when I used to travel all around Berlin as a freelance English teacher. I would be on the train with my music or an ebook in, in my own world, looking out for stories.
I would make up a story about the person sitting opposite me and ponder about what kind of life they had compared to me. I also do this here in the mental clinic. There are so many people with different stories you can write a whole book about it…!
In fact, the other day, I was saying how this place could easily be turned into a highly rated Netflix series. The characters and stories people have in here are astounding,. The more I open my eyes to other people, the more I discover and find creativity can happen anywhere: ever in a mental clinic.
Open your ears
“Creativity is the power to act.” — Ai Weiwei
Don't only open your eyes but open up your ears — you might hear the whackiest of stories that will give you a rush of creativity. Those last words that you hear of somebody on a phone call may spark a story or a piece of art. It may be those words you hear, passing by someone in the street that spark up your fire to paint a picture or write a song.
I know that when my guy and I here speak, he sometimes says randomly, “oh, that would be a good verse for a song”, and in fact, that is how one of the songs we wrote together occurred. We had just kissed, and then I said, I wish this moment could last forever. He whacked out his phone and wrote it down to be the name of a lovely song we have now co-written together (coming soon on Spotify, haha!).
Seek out stories
“The desire to create is one of the deepest yearnings of the human soul.” — Dieter F. Uchtdorf
Just as you open your eyes and your ears, the more the stories will come to you. The more you seek, the more stories will come, in other words. I have always been a person who sees stories right in front of my eyes but never realized the power of it until I really started writing a few years back. The fact that my first self-help book comes from my own troubles shows how I can turn anything into a story for people to learn from and become a better version of themselves.
Currently, in a mental clinic, there are so many stories that happen daily, if I were a fiction writer, it would be perfect! I do hope someone writes about this clinic one day. For now, I will just carry on to write about inspiration here as well as my love story…
Be curious
“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” Albert Einstein
I have always been a curious soul and most likely, you have too as a writer and a reader on Medium. When a friend of mine, Vishnu*s Virtues, wanted to help me with writing some good headlines and articles when I was suffering from depression and felt quite lost being in the mental clinic, he saw that I had potential. His technique to write out ten headlines every day to choose from helped me a ton. (Check out his article on how to do this!)
When he had proposed this idea, I opened up to it immediately and noticed the curiosity inside of me fire up (not to mention the love hehe). I became much more aware of everything and when having conversations would think of a headline I would have to write down straight away.
Stay curious, stay aware — your creativity will then take care!
Open up to your soul.
“Creativity is the way I share my soul with the world.” Brene Brown
Last but not least, a way creativity can happen anywhere is through your soul speaking. As Brene Brown says it perfectly if you are a creator of any sort from artist to musician, this is your way of opening up your soul to the wider world.
For example, when you look at a piece of art how do you feel?
Taken aback, overwhelmed, in awe…
This is because the person behind the painting has put their soul and heart into it so that you may be able to feel the exact way they feel when they were producing it. Pretty insane, right?!
In conclusion
Seven ways creativity can happen anywhere- even in a mental clinic include:
- Opening up to your soul intention and sharing it with the world
- Staying curious in every moment
- Seeking out stories everywhere around you
- Opening up your ears to what people say
- Opening up your eyes to the wonders of life
- Noticing that everything is energy
- Connecting things here, there, everywhere
I hope you found this helpful and can now see that creativity lives within you and around you!
Before you go
Thanks for being here.
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