We’re all born with an ability to be creative and to
improvise our way through life. Within our beings, we have a unique ability to
see the world in diverse ways that lead us to make different decisions and come
to varying conclusions based on our specific situation.
That ability is simply our creativity, and we all have it
too in one degree or another; however, many of us may feel that we aren’t as
creative as others or as creative as we should be.
It’s a scientific fact that creativity can be improved on
and “exercised” by how we engage our minds and how we spend our days. If you
want to improve upon the creativity of your mind, there are some simple and
effective ways that you can do so.
These are seven of the best everyday ways to exercise the
creative muscle of your brain:
1. Find an Artistic
Outlet. Whether it’s playing an instrument, drawing, painting or
some other kind of relaxing artistic activity, they all do wonders to work your
creative muscle, increase your ability to think outside of the box and assess
the creative worth that something might have.
You’ll also find yourself looking to pursue something that
is both unique and attractive, while not sacrificing too much of one for the
other.
3. Learn a New
Language. People who are bilingual have been scientifically proven to be
notably creative and have improved problem solving skills. If you have the time
and you want to increase your creativity, it’s definitely worth a try.
Even just working the muscle to learn the language will
help, regardless of whether or not you’re ever able to speak it or become
fluent.U It can ultimately help you improve your vocabulary in your native
language as well, leading to more creative thinking.
4. Listen to Music.
Music is one of the best and easiest ways to engage the creative side of your
brain. Listen to different instruments and analyze them in your own mind. Even
if you can’t play those instruments, you’d be surprised at how much more
familiar you’ll feel with them if you spend some time being intentional about
listening to them.
5. Do Some Math.
I know this might be a tough sell, but this does work the problem solving and
creativity muscle of your brain quite well. That’s not to say that you need to
become a math wizard, but just keep up with it. Spend 30 minutes a day going
over material that you haven’t seen in awhile. Khanacademy.org
is a great place to go for quick reviews and tutorials.
6. Read on a Daily
Basis. Reading might seem like a relaxing and “disengaged” kind of
activity, but it’s actually quite beneficial for you; it can greatly benefit
your ability to think and be creative.
Reading requires that you picture what you’re seeing in your
mind. So, not only do you need to read the words, your mind also virtually
takes you to the world that those words are describing, thereby engaging in a
creative activity.
If you don’t already make time for it, be intentional about
reading for 30 minutes to an hour per day.
7. Start Something
New. Even if it you start off not feeling inspired about a particular
project or craft, the most important thing to do to wake up your creativity is
to try, try, and try again. Picking
up a pen or paintbrush, or even trying something unique like flower arranging
or basket weaving can be a spark of creativity,
but persistent and trial-and-error is what really fan the flames.
Try not to get frustrated with it too soon; be patient,
don’t push yourself, and let your inspiration come naturally.
You may already enjoy many of these suggestions on a daily
basis. The next time you get writer’s block, or are having a difficult time
coming up with a new design, try doing something new and you may like where it
leads you.
Marcela De Vivo
is a freelance writer from Southern California whose writes on everything from marketing
and tech to travel, health, and law. Covering such a wide variety of topics,
she is always looking for new ideas and inspiration tricks for her writing
process.
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