Eight Tips to Boost Your Creativity

This is the first day of Chanukah. Which means last night was the first night, since the holiday began at sunset. And, if you think that's confusing, try to remember the right way to put the candles in the menorah, and the right way to light them. There are rules for everything.

Are there rules for creativity? Sure! In honor of the eight days of Chanukah, here are my top eight creativity rules:

1. Get moving. Creativity requires action. Having an imaginative idea is a step in the right direction -- and not necessarily the first step. Creativity, creating, requires implementation.
2. Breathe. This is your brain. This is your brain on oxygen. Are you rested? Are you exercising? Are you taking care of you? Breathe in, breathe out.
3. Believe in your own talents. Surround yourself with people who believe in you, too.
4. Practice every day. Creativity is craft. The more you write, love, paint, parent, bake, coach ... the better.
5. Experiment. There are approximately 80 gazillion ways to be creative. If writing doesn't bring you joy, try something else. If writing does bring you joy, try something else. You never know where you'll find talents and happiness.
6. Connect the dots. Let the skills you've learned shooting photos help you edit copy. Approach a medical appointment as though it were a meeting with your child's teacher. Ask yourself, "How would I do this if ... "
7. Step away from the computer. Give your brain a break. Step away from everything and everyone. Just be.
8. Go for the goal. We move toward what we see. See the happy ending.

By the by, these are my eight rules for today. Tomorrow they'll be different. Here's my suggestion: Make your own rules. Check out the Linden rules. And fry/try a latke!