Beauty and creativity often go hand in hand. If you’re like most people, you may think that creativity is limited to artists, but that’s not the case. All of us are creative in some way.

Even if you aren’t a painter or designer or dancer, you can still develop your creativity and bring creativity into your daily life. Here are a few ideas that have worked for me:

1. Use your senses. Look at and observe details in nature and design. Listen to music that inspires you and to new types of music. Add fragrance to your life, whether in food, candles, the outdoors. Savor the flavor of new foods and drinks. Try new things with your hands; notice the texture in your life, whether it’s in fabric, furniture, clothing, etc.

2. Seek out the beauty around you. You knew this would be on the list, didn’t you? Click here for some ideas.

3. Surround yourself with things that inspire you. For me, that includes art pieces like paintings, photography, and pottery; art journals and notecards; magazines with great photography and writing.

4. Add color. Our home bursts with color—on the walls and in the art. If you aren’t used to color, start small with one piece of artwork or even a pillow or two. Add color to your wardrobe, too, if you usually wear only neutrals. Years ago, my closet was filled with black and white. A friend helped me see which colors look good on me, so now I wear and enjoy many of those colors on a regular basis.

5. Mine your memories for things you loved to do as a child. Painting, dancing, writing, acting, drawing, building, playing in general. How can you add those things to your life again?

6. Start something new. Take a class in writing, learn a skill like photography, or use your hands in gardening or woodworking. Me? I started a blog about beauty.

What do you do to bring more creativity into your life? Let me know in the comments below.