Lazy Creativity: The Art of Owning Your Creativity

by Kyle Bernier

Lazy Creativity is the complete guide to owning your creativity in a way that works with you because it’s your creativity. Art Therapist, Author, Artist, and self-proclaimed lazy person Kyle Bernier provides a detailed handbook of the creative process, starting with building a creative mindset, to making the first (literal or figurative) mark, all the way to the creation of a finished project. In his work as an art therapist and researcher, Bernier noticed a strong desire in most people to become more creative, coupled with a strong fear of getting started. The learning curve appears too steep for many people. Bernier helps break things down so your creativity becomes more approachable. This book serves as a detailed roadmap for tackling our own creativity from the moment an idea pops into our heads – the proverbial lightbulb moment, to putting finishing touches on a project and transitioning to the next great idea. For established creatives, creative novices, or people looking to pivot to something new, this user-friendly manual addresses roadblocks everyone working to better their creative selves will inevitably encounter and provides empathy, instruction, and motivation for pushing through these obstacles to reach your creative potential. You don’t need to be an artist to gain this book’s value - this book is applicable to all forms of creativity.

With a limited amount of resources, time, and energy available, and an increase of stressors, creativity has never been more important to living a bold life, full of beauty. By combining practical optimism with self-aware humor, Bernier encourages us to find and unlock our own creative selves to build a creative life worth living. Recognizing and addressing real barriers to creativity, including anxiety, fear, limited resources, a lack of motivation, and doubt, Bernier outlines his struggles and triumphs with finding his own creativity. He then shows how we can overpower these barriers using what we all already have inside all of us – creativity.

Bernier’s creativity walkthrough starts with the beginning stages of creativity and addresses what to do with an initial idea in the Getting Started section, which goes over steps for creating a Creative Mindset, overcoming doubt and fear, and addressing the importance of creativity. This section is followed by ideas for Continuing creativity, which provides direction for creating a sustainable creative practice, doing more with less, and pushing through dips in motivation. The book concludes with detailed steps for Moving Forward – this section addresses taking creative ownership of your work, knowing when to call a project “done,” and guidance on how to move onto your next idea. Along the way there are interactive exercises to practice your own creativity and reflect on your own unique skill-set.

Lazy Creativity presents a multilayered and approachable invitation to creative self-awareness and exploration. This book is perfect for those who are looking to immediately use creativity to add beauty to your lives, to problem-solve more efficiently, and to interact with the world around you more fully by opening yourself up to creativity all around and within us. Once you’re able to see the creativity around you, you’re better able to see where your creativity fits in. Lazy Creativity elevate your awareness to the big and small creativity around you so you can live the most fulfilling life you can.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

205 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 11, 2021

About the author

Kyle Bernier is an art therapist, artist, researcher, and author who has spent years living and making creatively. Kyle holds a Master’s degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Kyle is currently based in Minneapolis, Minnesota where he works, creates, and writes, when he isn’t feeling lazy.

Reviews

[Lee Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

A detailed, modern and refreshing take on creativity that covers so many applications for success!

I had so much fun reading this detailed guide that not only lays out so many ways in which you can explore creativity, but it also normalises and embraces laziness to the point where it can even help with that creativity.

Kyle Bernier delivers his outlook through several easy to digest chapters that work together as an intricate guide whilst using an approachable style littered with light humour and a relatable tone. It is also written in a way that anyone can follow and for that makes it must read. There is plenty to digest and take in but it never feels overwhelming even if I did read it all in just a few sittings, now I am equipped to be the best lazy creative I can possibly be. Bernier identifies so many applications and types of creativity such as quiet, ugly, big, small - this guy really knows his stuff and as an artist and academic he has the knowledge to back it up.

"Everything we need to be successful creative people is inside us..."

Most of us have incredibly busy lives and so finding time to pursue creativity tends to fall further and further down the priority list but this guide opens your eyes in so many ways to find time, even if it is just a short amount to pursue that creativity which to many like me, cannot function without. There are heaps of positivity here not just for being creative, but for everything that surrounds it.

For anyone creative or those looking to be more creative in a plethora of different ways, you'll have a lot of fun reading this awesome guide which carries a great vibe throughout and will lay out everything you need to equip yourself to embrace laziness and become the best possible creative!

[Patrycja · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If you hear a voice within you say, ‘You cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” — Vincent Van Gogh.

I don’t know how, but the author wrote a book about me and for me. I can relate to so many things in it! This book is funny, inspiring, real and so well written. What is Lazy creativity?
“ Lazy Creativity is about incorporating creativity into your life wherever and whenever you can.”

I could write a review using just quotes from this book. (And just like that, I am doing it now):
“This book is a guide for how to start thinking about how you can be intentional about creativity and begin to invite it into your life.”(…)
“Creating a creative mindset is a lot like mindfulness. Mindfulness is the intentional process of creating awareness of our surroundings and ourselves.”(…)
“I view creativity and art-making as a form of therapy. It’s a meditative and healing process that gives so much. It’s also a way to express ourselves differently and more deeply.”
“Work for today to put less pressure on tomorrow.”(…)

The book includes exercises and great tips. I will be coming back to this book over and over again.

I have won this ebook in GoodReads giveaway.

[Pastel]

I won a copy in a Goodreads giveaway.

Art therapist Kyle Bernier offers bite sized insight and encouragement for your personal creative life.

Not exactly groundbreaking stuff, but very easy to digest. I'd recommend it for anyone feeling like they're in a rut and/or too overwhelmed to start any kind of project. It's laid out in a beginning, middle, and end so you can pinpoint where your sticking point is and you can jump to that advice.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book felt like an encouraging voice in my head, giving me permission to think about and explore my own thoughts and identity around creativity. It was easy to digest and the bite-size chapters were perfect for letting creative thoughts sink in. It's a great book to read slowly and with intention, and come back to over time.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read.

[Renae Laneer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a giveaway book. It comes at an appropriate time as I am trying to do more creative things. Has been helpful to this process.

[Patricia E · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun AND informative!

It includes many playful sides to really get some creative juices flowing and to keep it that way. Easy to apply methods and easy to understand.

[ZIGINSH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book is amazing!!! Recommend to read this to everybody who's in search for their own creativity or just want to make creativity very efficient. Liked exercises!! :)