The Surprising Thing That Made Me More Creative

For most of my life, I have been a rule follower.

I like structure. I like plans. I like knowing the “right” way to do things. In many areas of life that’s served me well… but creativity doesn’t always live inside the rules.

One of the most unexpected ways I’ve learned to loosen up creatively has been through moving my body, especially in group fitness classes.

If you’ve ever been in a yoga, Pilates, or fitness class, you know what I mean. The teacher might miss a cue, lose their balance, or laugh at their own mistake. The music might be off by a beat. Someone in the class might be moving the wrong direction.

And no one panics. (Well, I did when I first started going.)

Everyone laughs.
We adjust.
We keep going.

There’s something incredibly freeing about being in a room where imperfection is normal.

Watching instructors laugh at themselves and seeing other students embrace the messy moments reminded me of something important… creativity doesn’t come from doing things perfectly. It comes from being willing to try, experiment, and sometimes look a little ridiculous along the way.

Movement helped me loosen my grip on the idea that everything has to be done “right.”

And that has opened the door to more creativity than I expected.

Another thing that has surprised me is how much creativity comes from simply getting outside.

We all know fresh air and sunlight help us sleep better. But I’m convinced they also help us think better.

Lily loves chasing the sunlight for her naps.

When we step away from our phones and computers… even just for a short walk.. our brains start noticing the world again.

The sound of birds.
The rustling of leaves.
Squirrels darting across the path with a mouth full of food.
The quiet rhythm of your own footsteps.

It’s hard not to feel inspired when you’re paying attention to those small moments.

Nature has a way of gently nudging us out of the mental fog we get from keeping our eyeballs staring at screens all day.

Something I’ve noticed on my own walks is that if I take the exact same path every day, my brain eventually stops noticing anything.

I’m moving, but I’m also on autopilot.

Creativity works the same way.

If we follow the same routines, consume the same content, and think the same thoughts every day, our brains stop seeing new possibilities.

That’s why sometimes the smallest change… taking a different walking route, trying a new class, sitting in a different coffee shop… can spark an entirely new idea.

A tiny shift wakes up the brain.

And suddenly inspiration comes back.

This month, we’re going to lean into that idea.

Inside the paid community, we’re taking one week dedicated to creativity… but in a very simple, low-pressure way.

Starting March 16th, each day you’ll receive a short prompt designed to gently shake up your routine and stretch your creativity in fun ways. Nothing overwhelming. Just small invitations to notice, explore, and experiment.

Because creativity doesn’t usually come from forcing it. Right, we’ve all been there and tried it.

It comes from changing the rhythm of how we move through the world.

If you’d like to join us and receive the daily prompts, you can upgrade your subscription for $7 a month.

I would absolutely love to have you join us for this little creative reset.

Sometimes the best ideas come when we simply step outside, take a breath, and let ourselves create for fun again.

Want to join me as we create a strategic plan for how you grow your community and convert more sales? Check out my upcoming workshop with History Through Fiction. (open to authors of all genres)

Learn how to put your author funnel into action with a simple, step-by-step plan.

This hands-on workshop covers how to create a lead magnet that attracts your ideal readers, build an engaging email welcome sequence, and connect essential tools like BookFunnel, ConvertKit, and Substack.

This session simplifies automation for authors and helps you develop an efficient system that works while you write. Whether you’re new to email marketing or ready to streamline your current process, you’ll leave with a 30-day implementation roadmap and measurable goals.

Register individually as a standalone event or gain access to the Zoom link with a paid subscription to Colin Mustful’s Substack.