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Losing Your Creative Inspiration?

Book Club: Motivational Must-Reads to Ignite the Creative Juices

Creativity is often a casualty when adulthood brings on the need for productivity. This is unfortunate, because to ignore the visionary half of your brain and dwell only in the practical, is to be half the being you were meant to be. In actuality, to live is to be a creative being, and it is a vital component that distinguishes each and every one of us. Relevant to this, the following few books just may help you rediscover your creative persona regardless of whether you are an aspiring artist, student, professional, stay-at-home mom, or anyone in between.

  • Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear – The rule of thumb is ‘don’t judge a book by its cover,’ but this vibrant cover will likely catch your eye. Vivid, explosive colors draw you in and a closer look will reveal bestselling author of ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ – Elizabeth Gilbert. Gilbert takes a unique perspective on creativity by personifying ideas. Her philosophy is that when inspiration comes to you, do not let it slip away, but rather you must act on it with immediacy and set fears aside. She emphasizes creativity is not limited to arts, and to exist is to be a creator. Creative living is not easy, and fear of rejection, ridicule, or failure can be intimidating.  Discover what you enjoy and allow it to inspire you. It is far worse to never try at all, than to fail.
  • Girl Boss – Girl Boss depicts the success story of female entrepreneur Sophia Amoruso, Founder and CEO of the popular clothing company Nasty Gal. Amoruso contemplates the good, the bad, and the ugly that it took her to succeed in life and business. You can gain valuable insight reading this book especially (but not exclusively) if you aspire to become a #GIRLBOSS. Her creativity, strong work ethic, tenacity, valuing others, and utilizing personal strengths to advance are inspirational. Her perspective on dealing with troubling people and situations and her ability to let go of the past truly make this an insightful read.
  • The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles – Amateurs ‘talk the talk’ of their dreams but may not ‘walk the walk.’ Author Steven Pressfield breaks down his book in three segments. Part one identifies the underlying problem: Resistance, described as the reluctance to take action and pursue your dream. The second part of the book goes beyond defining resistance as the enemy and discusses how to combat setbacks and become more productive and more prepared to succeed.  The third and final part is titled: “Beyond Resistance: The Higher Realm.” Psyche is explored choosing self over ego by learning to master discipline and commitment to take on personal challenges. The author offers the reader a compelling glimpse into how we as individuals can ultimately define and cultivate our own success.
  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F***: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living the Good Life – Popular blogger Mark Manson does not hold back his opinion as he tackles a number of delicate subjects in a blunt way, for the reader’s benefit. He argues that modern society over-sensitizes everything and almost everyone today is victimizing themselves, to their detriment. In this book the mindset to make everyone feel special and positive is considered a pitfall. His argument to humanity: We are only human and as such, we are flawed beings so not everyone is going to be extraordinary.  Even those who are winners at something usually are limited to being solely successful at that. Manson wants readers to accept that we have such flaws and fears, and therefore we must learn our limits and be accepting of ourselves. He encourages the reader to reflect on personal values, and frequently question motives for thoughts, words and actions. This somewhat slap-in-the-face book has stories, famous examples, personal reflections, and jokes that make it entertaining and personable. His “F*** positivity” statement is to stop avoiding, face our reality with a new sense of awareness, forgiveness, honesty, and bravery. He suggests that we redefine what we value, so we can progress from this new beginning.  Decide what really matters in your life and then focus on those things.

Nothing is quite as satisfying as being absorbed in a good read for many of us. Studies directly correlate reading with success and achievement in life. Find the time to tackle these books if you can and you could discover that which will have you questioning, reflecting, redefining and improving your approach to life. They will take you on a journey to help you expand the practical half of your brain by tapping into that missing, creative hemisphere that has perhaps been neglected. I hope these books inspire you to achieve your very best and boldest work. Literally!


 

About the Author – Madison DeCamillis


Madison DeCamillis is a 22 year old UF alumna with a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications: Media and Society, specializing in both English and Spanish. She is an advocate for creative living, which she expresses through her writing and art. Madison is inspired by her travels around the world, surfing and yoga, as well as leading a healthy and balanced lifestyle to inspire others.

 

 

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