I have one of those brains that constantly churns out random thoughts no matter what time it is, what I'm doing, or where I am. They're not always productive things, nor are they always complete thoughts that make sense. Most of what my brain produces are little bits and pieces of ideas that could potentially be developed into something, like an idea for an Instagram post or lyrics to a song that I would write if I had any vocal talent. For anyone with a brain like mine, you know how restless you can get when you have all of these thoughts buzzing around in your head but don't know what to do with them.

1. Draw or paint

Let out your inner Picasso. There's inspiration everywhere.

2. Creative writing

Whether it be a short story, sketch, idea for a television show, fanfiction, or even a straight-up novel, just write it out. I used to write short stories all the time when I was younger. The ones I wrote as a kid had simple plots and usually only spanned a page or two. I was really into the Nancy Drew books back then, so I also wrote a bit of fanfiction featuring my favorite feminist hero. When I got into my teens, my writing got a lot better and it became an escape from reality and all my angst. Now, as a content creator for Odyssey, I get to continue developing as a writer.

3. Photography

You don't have to have a sophisticated camera or exceptional photo editing skills to dabble in photography. Just take your iPhone, find a scenic location, and start snapping pictures. If you're tired of Instagram's filters and want something more, VSCOcam is a really user-friendly (and free) app for photo editing and sharing. It also has its own community so you can browse other people's content for inspiration.

4. Graphic design

I've always wanted to write a novel and I had this image in my mind of what I wanted the cover to look like, so I started messing around with photo editing on a website called Pixlr Editor (https://pixlr.com/editor/). It took a while to learn how to make something that actually looked decent and it was a lot of learning by trial and error, but I started to enjoy it a lot. My work isn't professional-grade by any means, but it's decent and I have fun doing it.

5. Write/learn a song

For someone who has no vocal talent whatsoever, I think of a lot of ideas for songs that I wish I could write and produce. I also tend to lose my voice during long solo car rides because I love to sing. It doesn't sound good (hence why I specified solo car rides), but that doesn't stop me.

6. Choreograph a dance

My body looks like a flailing noodle when I dance but I know a lot of people who are really good at it, so I've seen how beautiful dance can be.

7. Film a YouTube video

Being in front of a camera isn't for everyone, but you'll never know whether it's your thing or not unless you try. If you're worried about being awkward, don't. Most popular YouTubers weren't as outgoing and confident as they are now when they first started. It takes time to get comfortable talking to a camera in a room by yourself.

8. Design jewelry

I had this huge jewelry-making kit when I was younger and that was honestly one of the best parts of my childhood. Even if you're not big on wearing jewelry, you can make money by selling your creations on websites like Etsy.

9. Design clothing

I was trying to think of what to get my family for Christmas last year, and I eventually settled on making matching tee shirts for all of us. I found a website called CustomizedGirl and was extremely satisfied with how user-friendly the site was and how many options they had as far as types of clothing, fonts, colors, and pre-made designs. With CustomizedGirl, you also have the option to set up an online storefront where you can create and sell your own designs. I've stayed up until the wee hours of the night designing things before because I'm so into it.

(I promise this isn't a sponsored ad or anything. I just genuinely like their site.)

Here's a link to my storefront so you can see what I'm talking about.

https://www.customizedgirl.com/s/RicochetApparel

10. Paint your nails

Pinterest is nail inspiration heaven so if you're ever bored and want to doll up your nails, they have a ton of really creative and beautiful ideas.

11. Try new makeup trends

Some people think of doing their makeup as a chore, whereas others enjoy getting to play with makeup. If you're in the latter category like me, YouTube has all the makeup tutorials you could ever need.

12. Cook or bake

Anyone else owned an Easy-Bake Oven when they were a kid? That was my first introduction to baking and it led me down a confectionery rabbit hole. The best part of cooking and baking is that you can let your imagination run wild and create something innovative and beautiful... and then you can eat it. What more could you ask for?