I haven’t used crayons in so long. Recently, my incredible fiancé, Ben, bought me a special surprise – a jumbo package of 64 Crayons. I found so much enjoyment through doodling on a blank coloring page. I could do no wrong. It is so liberating to find something with absolutely no expectations attached to it.

Now, take out a piece of paper and some crayons and just start doodling. Write and draw and scribble and then do it all over again. The goal is to have fun and not worry about the outcome.

Inspiring ideas can arrive anytime, anywhere, when we least expect it: in the shower, out on a morning walk, in the dreamy moments just before or after sleep. The hard part comes later, when it’s time to put those ideas into motion with a new creative project. That’s when your inner critic is most likely to rear its meddlesome head, filling your mind with all of your self-imposed limitations, potentially negative reactions from other people, and the myriad of other reasons why your project may fail to live up to your expectations.

Now, the next time you are given the gift of a creative idea, do your best to squash that inner critic. Pay no attention to any questions that seem to lead to a negative answer, such as “Is this really worth my time?” and “What will my friends (or family, or colleagues, or partner…) think?” Resist the urge to give in to self-sabotaging thoughts and doubts and focus on the inspiration you’ve been granted. To help simplify this process, you may want to utilize my secret technique, “The In2 Effect.”