Inspiration and creativity represent various concepts to us. Some think of inspiration and creativity through their art, words, actions, ethics. Others may think of inspiration and creativity from people, within, or a life-changing magic. Whatever your thoughts, these books on creativity and inspiration are sure to keep the hidden gems of creativity shining and keep the flashes of inspiration frequent.
Books on Creativity
We don’t call ourselves creativity connoisseurs or creative gazers, but we think these book recommendations will stimulate your mind and push you to create. We don’t want you waiting around on those creative juices to start flowing! Creativity is what drives integration. We want you to take creativity by storm using what you have! Go out there and make some lemonade out of these lemons, and by lemons we mean books.
Creative Confidence
Author: Tom Kelley and David Kelley
Tom Kelley and David Kelley, better known to the world as the Kelley brothers who started the Stanford D. School, are co-authors in this non-fiction book that encourages us to unleash our creative potential. Tom Kelley is the author of two books on innovation and a partner of IDEO, a leading innovation and design firm with David Kelley, the firm’s founder.
This book draws the connections between design, creativity, and innovation. The authors suggest an action plan to boost our innovative capacities and focusing on the audience of our creative problem-solving process. Readers learn a creative mindset can be a powerful force for looking beyond the status quo. There are several instances where professionals found success and their creative confidence after making a career change. Creative confidence is vital to real-world results.
If you are up for advice that inspires you to reclaim your inspiration and work those “creative muscles” to unleash your potential, then this book on creativity is the read for you.
Steal Like an Artist
Author: Austin Kleon
This New York Times bestseller caught our attention with the title. Author, Austin Kleon crafted this inspiring guide to help readers remix and re-imagine work to make it our own. He also reminds us that everything is not original. With some transformative principles, we can build a more creative life.
The author unapologetically tells readers it’s okay to take ideas from others. While we don’t advocate for doing so with malice, an idea is up for grabs until someone stakes their claim or patents it. This is where we remind you that your ideas or creativity are sacred. Treat it as such and keep it as a hidden gem until your ready to reveal it to the world from your mouth or fingertips.
The take-away from this read focuses on creative inspiration as not always being original, rather remixed. Pick up this read to get inspired to flip it, shake it up, reverse it, whatever you need to for your creativity to shine.
Books That Inspire
This list is not what you think it is. These books focus on the “shit happens” aspect of life that inspires us to press on. You know the books that uplift, relate, and entertain? The books that say its okay to be perfectly imperfect and that we should use other females going through the same day-to-day crap as our inspiration? Get ready to be inspired with realness.
The Gifts of Imperfection
Author: Brené Brown
For the recovering perfectionist Dr. Brené Brown, acclaimed self-help goddess, encourages us to stop pursuing perfection and own every aspect of ourselves in this book. Dr. Brown is a social scientist with an aim to make us all feel comfortable with our imperfections. She doesn’t stop her message with books though! She does TED talks, and had her own Netflix special, The Call to Courage.
This New York Times bestseller offers readers 10 guideposts that Brown categorizes as getting in the way of life. Some of them include letting go of what people think, perfections, numbing and powerlessness, scarcity and fear of the dark, the need for certainty, self-doubt and “supposed to,” being cool and always in control.
One of the patterns she mentions in these guideposts is chasing down a goal and holding it captive until it surrenders in exhaustion. While not all of us are so aggressive at tackling our goals, the hope is to open your eyes up to what is standing in your way. Shove it, destroy it, whatever you need to. Embrace the boss bitch that you are! We move what is in our head, to our heart, to our hands — a place you should put this book to get inspired!
Girl, Stop Apologizing
Author: Rachel Hollis
We couldn’t give you a list of books to inspire you without mentioning this author- Rachel Hollis. Her well known book, Girl, Wash Your Face kicks off the reads that offer a shame-free plan about embracing who we are and our goals. Hollis is a two-time #1 New York Times bestseller and founder of her own lifestyle brand and media company. She continues to inspire her readers with this read through tough love talk.
Hollis pours her mistakes in life onto these pages and shares how they have shaped her habits, motivation and passion. Different from her first book which focused on facing reality, dispelling the lies that come with it and realizing we are worth so much more, Girl, Stop Apologizing helps us actualize what we want with tangible goals.
This book will inspire readers to feel brave, capable, and worthy no matter what shit comes our way.
The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a Fuck
Author: Sarah Knight
Although we do care, we also like the bluntness of the title Sarah Knight gave this book. There is a magic behind doing what you like and stopping what you don’t like. Knight is the author of a 6 book No Fucks Given Guide. She is a national bestseller and praised for her care less and get more attitude.
The book focuses on how we should rid ourselves of unwanted obligations, shame, guilt. We need to use our time and minds in more powerful ways. Knight got her inspiration for the book from Japanese decluttering expert Marie Kondo who authored The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Knight links the book to her manifesto with a two-step method for a mental declutter that will get us a bit closer to living our best life. She also discusses the importance of setting boundaries, being okay with hurting others’ feelings and walking “the road” alone. This read inspires us to not work too hard and play too little. We should devote ourselves to people and things that truly make us happy. The prospect of living a happier life through clearing the crass of out of our life or decluttering sounds inspiring enough to us.
Kim is the owner and publisher of Sass Magazine, as well as the owner of Sass Studios, a boutique graphic design studio in Frederick, MD. When not in the office, Kim can be found doing some of her favorite hobbies—reading a book, dancing, traveling, or playing with her rescued pitbull.
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