These days, when we pick up any new activity, we're often thinking of ways we can monetize it, or some other way it will benefit our lives. But the perfect creative outlet can serve an important purpose beyond making us more productive or making us money: A new creative outlet can get your creative juices flowing, improve mental health, open up new possibilities, and so much more.
If you need ideas, we've got you covered: Here are 70 ideas to help you ignite your creative spark.
70 Creative Outlet Ideas
1. Learn to play a musical instrument
2. Try a pottery class
3. Design a website
4. Make a vision board
5. Write your own music
6. Take up water coloring
7. Color in an adult coloring book
8. Learn to knit
9. Brew your own beer
10. Make your own candles
11. Try origami
12. Restyle a room in your home (this is different from decluttering!)
13. Learn to quilt
14. Start doing yoga
15. Read more book
16. Try creative writing
17. Learn to code
18. Start a podcast
19. Join a book club
20. Take up running
21. Start playing piano
22. Join a choir
23. Start scrapbooking
24. Learn to needlepoint
25. Learn to sew
26. Start baking
27. Take Pilates classes
28. Start cooking new dishes every week
29. Start a collecting something that means a lot to you
30. Learn a new language
31. Learn photography
32. Try flower arranging
33. Start gardening
34. Start working on a book
35. Start an indoor herb garden
36. Take dance classes
37. Meditate
38. Write in a journal
39. Become a coffee expert
40. Learn embroidery
41. Learn carpentry
42. Try DIY crafting
43. Learn to weave
44. Try your hand at jewelry-making
45. Learn to weave
46. Try collaging
47. Learn digital design
48. Try stained glass-making
49. Try oil painting
50. Start a blog
51. Learn photoshop
52. Try sculpting
53. Make cards
54. Learn to bake something really complicated (like macarons)
55. Learn beading
56. Learn lino printing
57. Try paper marbling
58. Learn to crochet
59. Try art journaling
60. Start collecting antiques
61. Start your own micro flower farm
62. Start a creative social media account
63. Learn to tie dye
64. Start doing puzzles
65. Learn calligraphy
66. Start a bullet journal
67. Learn videography
68. Start a nature journal
69. Start hiking
70. Travel (near or far!)
How to Choose a Creative Outlet
A list of ideas is great and all, but how do you actually choose a creative outlet that will serve the purpose you want it to? Start by thinking about what you loved to do when you were a kid. Those of us who are very lucky were able to turn that "thing" into a career, but for the rest of us, we can turn that thing into a creative outlet. For example, if you loved spending tine outside as a kid, hiking might be a great creative outlet for you as an adult. If you loved arts and crafts, you may want to try jewelry-making, DIY crafts, or even knitting
And remember, if you do try a creative outlet and it's just not working for you, you have plenty of other options, like the 70 listed above.
Want more inspiring blog posts? Give these a read: