Karen Fusco asked:
Many people have the misconception that only a select few are able to unleash a steady stream of creative genius. That’s not true at all. Actually, creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to consistently give out great results. If you don’t practice harnessing creative thinking, this skill will likely atrophy into inexistence. Keep working on it and creative thinking will soon come to you in a snap.
So how do you unleash your creative thinking? Well, the first thing is to become a human sponge. Soak up as much knowledge and learning you can find. Read everything available — good and bad, and keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities of the universe. The more you know, the more you’ll want to know, and the more your faculty of wonder will be exercised. You’ll be amazed at the little facts that add color into your life.
Focus on a creative activity every day. Yes, it’s an effort at first. Even doodling is a creative activity. Don’t let anything get in your way. Mindlessness may be a creative activity, but for those who are new at adding creative thinking into their lives, it’s helpful and encouraging to have concrete evidence that what you’re doing is getting somewhere.
Just try it! Practice drawing for a couple of minutes each day. Take out your dusty camera and start snapping photos of everything. Begin a journal and make a point to write in it religiously. Try writing by describing something with each of your five senses. Be specific and stay away from vague adjectives like ‘wonderful’, ‘amazing’ and ‘delicious’. Keep everything – there is no good or bad here. Before you know it, you’ll have built yourself a tiny portfolio, and you’ll be amazed at the growth you’ve had while amassing all those works of art. Who knows, you might actually enjoy those things you do everyday! Pretty soon these activities will become a part of you and you’ll be addicted to these creative exercises.
Think out of the box – or don’t. Creative thought has no boundaries, but sometimes constraints can be a good thing. Limitations discipline you to work within a smaller window, and teach you to be more resourceful. Creative freedom is great, but limitations enforce discipline and focus.
Try something new every day and let your experiences broaden your perspective. Explore a new district in your neighborhood. Spend an afternoon in a museum you’ve never been to. Chat with someone new, in the supermarket or at the mall, maybe even on the internet. Open up to the people around you.
As you push yourself out of your comfort zone more and more each day, your sense of adventure grows and so does your zest for life. And it’s just plain exciting! Think about it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? If it’s been a while, you’ve been missing out on experiences that allow you to grow emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually.
Why don’t you try bungee jumping or tackle a rock climbing wall today? Not only will you learn, but you’ll also have great stories to share, enabling you to practice your storytelling skills and making you the life of the party.
Embrace a bit of insanity. A little touch of madness adds so much excitement to your existence. Every new creative thought was once deemed insane by other ‘normal’ people alive at that time. Luckily, that didn’t stop the creative geniuses from standing by their ideas and thinking creatively. New inventions, great artwork, and existential philosophies come from such over the top creative minds.
The thing is, sanity or being normal confines people to think… well, normally, within limits. Creativity is the process of breaking through barriers. Yes, this includes the bizarre and the downright strange sometimes. I’m not saying that you should develop into a true creative personality, just add a touch of it into the mix. It’s important that your creativity doesn’t get you detached from the real world completely.
So go out there and be inspired to start thinking beyond your ‘limits’. If you follow these suggestions you’ll soon be living a life full of interesting adventures. Unleashing your creative thinking will bring about a new zest for living life.