The Rainbow’s End: 3 Ideas to Help You Find Your Creativity

I’m excited to be kicking off a month-long series on creativity! Today, we’re searching for the rainbow’s end—finding that place where every creative journey begins. Curiosity.

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My birthday is in March, so I’ve always thought St. Patrick’s Day was secretly about me. This only got worse after my grandmother introduced me to the color, Kelly green. “They named a shade of green after you!” I thought that was marvelous even though it was obviously not true.

When the grocery stores starting putting away the red and pink hearts and bringing out the shamrocks, rainbows, and pots of gold, I knew things were looking up. For me, all those green and gold glittery decorations signified hope and possibility.

I never found a four-leaf clover or a leprechaun’s shoe, but believe me—I tried. I still remember spotting a rainbow while driving in the car. “Quick, Mom. Keep going! Let’s drive to the end so we can get the pot of gold,” I said.

“I’m sorry. It doesn’t work like that, dear.” It turns out that statement applies to a lot of life’s mysteries.

Still, I don’t regret any of the time I spent searching. Creativity starts with curiosity. It’s the sense of anticipation that gets me out of bed in the mornings. It’s the belief that God has hidden delights in the world for us to discover. For me, creativity is a path that draws me closer to God.

Some of my favorite people—the ones who are the most wise—are also the most childlike in their excitement and wonder. They receive every flower, every sunrise, every rainbow as a gift. Recently, I listened to a friend tell me about a doe in her yard. The way she marveled over the deer, she might as well have been describing a unicorn. Some things are better than a pot of gold.

Next week, I’m going to share one of my favorite tools for boosting your creativity. However, it may help to simply indulge your curiosity first. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

3 Ways to Develop Your Curiosity:

1. Try something new. Make a list of 5 things you’ve wanted to try. (It’s okay if your list doesn’t sound particularly “creative.” Taking action on something you’re curious about—even if it’s just rearranging your pillows—can put you on the path of new ideas.) Can you try one of the things on your list?

2. Spend time with joy-filled people. Do you have a friend like the one I described? Sometimes, it’s helpful to let someone else’s excitement wash over you. Can you text or phone that friend this week? Let them know how much you appreciate them.

3. Refresh your reading (and watching) list. I’ve heard a lot of friends talking about their reading habits over the past year and how it’s been difficult to concentrate. I can totally relate! One thing that’s helped has been setting aside time to find new books and be honest with myself about the kinds of things I want to read.

Do you have other ideas to add to this list? I’d love to hear them!