Written by: Misty Lucas, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever said or felt like I’m not creative? I know I have in fact, I lived most of my life believing I was not creative. It wasn’t until I was in my thirties did I realize how much I held myself back by believing the story.
The truth is creativity is a quality that we all have buried inside of us, one way or the other. It involves the invention of something new or the re-invention of something already existing to make it useful or interesting.
Some people’s creative abilities are closer to the surface and one can easily see their manifestations of them. People say that their creativity is “inborn”. For others, expressing creativity takes more time and cultivation. The important thing to note is that we can all be creative.
You just have to take steps to extract it from within you. Try the following:
1. Change your perspective
You might have heard the phrase ‘Think outside the box’. You should try looking at the situation from a different point of view. Change your perspective. Consider all factors that are affected by your problem or your concern. Try to break down the problem into several elements then shuffle them. Think of what would happen if an idea is replaced. This aspect is important in enhancing creativity because it helps you remove possible fixations that may hinder creativity. Sometimes changing your physical location can change your perspective. If you’re sitting at your desk trying to create a solution maybe move to the other side of the desk or to another room.
2. Mentally move away from your current location
Imagine how another person would react if subjected in the same situation. Picture how different situations would continue when dealing with the same problem. Application in different settings can also be done; and then from there, adapt a solution to the current setting. Allowing yourself to come into a state of relaxation will also help you come out of the mind and tap into the higher consciousness.
Restorative yoga is a beautiful way to slow everything down, tap into your parasympathetic nervous system and your creativity.
3. Let your imagination run wild
Exercise your imagination. Modification can trigger creativity because you see things in a different light. You can also try to exaggerate or think of the extremes, be it magnification or minimization of something. Thinking of the possible differences between these two situations could produce ideas. This is the ultimate brain exercise.
4. Your comfort spot
The environment has to be right. You should have somewhere you can focus without being unnecessarily disturbed so you can give a problem your full attention. This should extend to the people you are with. You tend to do better at something when you are with like-minded people. To put it simply, hang out with creative people to help enhance your creative abilities.
Most of the time, people tend to be more creative when they are with people who are doing the same thing. It was also found that if you wish to be more creative, you should try hanging out with creative people.
5. Time, time, time
You can’t rush creativity. Hurrying does not help in the outflow of ideas. Your mind tends to go into a state of slight disarray when you are trying to force things. Studies show that results produced in this state are generally lacking. If you are low on time, then keep a list of activities like this one close to you. Go over each of the activities and exercise each one. Give it time.
6. Get help…communicate your ideas to others
A different view of the problem could help. Better yet, many different views! Never be shy to ask. Diversity is very helpful in relation to creativity. Organize a brainstorming session. The spontaneous generation of new ideas helps in the formulation of more ideas. The products of brainstorming can be the raw material in the construction of the idea.
Remember that in brainstorming, 4 rules are followed for it to be successful:
There should be no criticisms. Criticismhinders the free flow of ideas. This can be postponed until the session has ended.
Combining and/or modifying ideas are encouraged.
Quantity is preferred over quality in brainstorming.
Weird or strange ideas are encouraged.
These are just some ideas to get your creative juices going. They can be adapted to suit each individual. A large amount of it is down to you. How inventive can you be? How open are you? Remove the boundaries from your mind and you will find your creativity will increase.
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Misty Lucas, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Misty Lucas is a Women's Life Coach and Restorative Yoga Educator. After a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis that left her depleted physically, emotionally, and spiritually she had to find a new path. She left her career in law and dedicated her life to supporting women navigating complicated health crises from chronic stress and autoimmune illnesses by blending her coaching skills and restorative yoga techniques. From this knowledge, she has created her signature coaching program to support her clients and work with them, releasing old patterns and holding them back from creating a life they want to live.
