How to Spark Creativity in the Mundane Moments of Life
This is probably one of the most difficult things I’ve ever had to write as an empath. I want to address the everyday problems creative people face, be understanding of them, and let them know I’m on their side — but at the same time, I’m not letting anyone off the hook.
If you’ve been waiting for the “big bang” of creativity to hit you like lightning from the sky, let me stop you right there. I’m about to name and shame the culprit behind most creative burnout and dryness. And no, it’s not you.
“Creative” is often used as an adjective, but it’s more than that. It’s who you are at your core. People are many things at their core: thinkers, doers, solvers. But creatives? They live in the clouds. They see the world not as it is, but as it could be.
But here’s the problem: Most of us are waiting for inspiration to strike, and it’s never coming. The truth is, creativity isn’t something that happens to you. You have to make it happen.
The culprit is the myth that creativity is a eureka moment — something magical that takes over your body and mind in a sudden burst of inspiration. This idea has been sold to us for generations. We forget that before the apple hit Sir Isaac Newton on his head, he had tinkered with different variations of the theories he founded or that Thomas tried 10,000 times before the light bulb came on.
You’ve been conditioned to believe that creativity is an event — something extraordinary, rare, and magical. But real creativity? It’s in the ordinary. It’s in the daily grind, the fleeting moments, the quiet corners of your life. It’s in the mundane you’re overlooking. You don’t need the universe to deliver a masterpiece to your doorstep — you need to get up and create.
Yes, you can be creative in the middle of traffic. Yes, you can find beauty in the neighborhood pigeon. Yes, you can be writing poetry on your lunch break, not because you’re inspired, but because you’re actively seeking it.
Here’s where most creatives miss it: They’re waiting for that perfect moment, that dramatic rush of inspiration. They’re waiting for something external to spark them. And when it doesn’t come, they freeze.
I’m going to say this one more time: You have to create, even when it doesn’t feel like it.
Don’t get me wrong, inspiration is real — but it’s fickle. If you wait around for it, you’ll spend your life doing nothing. You’ll stare at blank pages and empty canvases, hoping for the universe to drop its magic into your lap. But if you don’t show up for the work, no magic will ever come.
This is why so many creatives aren’t creating: because they’ve been sold a dream that isn’t true. Creativity doesn’t just happen to you; it’s something you create in the space you make for it.
So how do you break free from this? How do you get your creativity back?
Let me share a few things that work for me:
1. Make Creativity Part of Your Routine
My most creative moments happen early in the morning — 5 AM, to be exact. When I wake up in the middle of the night to drink water, my brain is already firing. I sit up, grab a notepad, and start writing. I tinker with ideas, let my mind wander, and give myself permission to fail. No pressure, just creation. Sometimes, it’s a quiet morning with soft music playing. Other times, it’s the hum of my neighbor’s generator. It doesn’t matter. I’m creating.
2. Stop Waiting for the Big Idea
The Big Idea isn’t going to come. It never does. What comes is small moments that build over time. The magic is in the work you’re doing every single day. Stop waiting for the perfect time — the world isn’t waiting for you to get inspired. So, get up and write. Paint. Sing. Dance.
3. Consume to Create
If you want to create something great, you need to know what greatness looks like. Follow the people in your field who inspire you. Read, watch, and listen to things that fuel your creative fire. If you’re not looking at the world through a creative lens, you’ll never produce anything that feels inspired.
4. Pay Attention to the Everyday
I often hear creatives talk about how they need a special setting — a cabin in the woods, a quiet studio. But you’re waiting for an environment that doesn’t exist. Creativity lives where you are right now — in your bedroom, in your living room, in the middle of a crowded café. Don’t wait for the ideal space to start creating.
5. Live for the Build-Up
Creativity isn’t about the final product; it’s about the process. It’s about waking up and doing something every day, even when it’s small. When you focus on building, not just finishing, creativity becomes inevitable.
The myth that creativity is a magical, external force has held you back for too long. It’s time to let go of that lie and claim your power. Stop waiting for a sign. Stop waiting for inspiration to strike. Creativity is already in you, and it’s waiting for you to show up.
So, what are you going to create today?
