Creativity is a trait that can be incredibly beneficial in various professions and aspects of your life. It’s not just artists that benefit from being creative. Thinking outside the box is valued in all sorts of professions and is a sought-after quality by many. You may think that you need to be born with creativity, but that’s not the absolute truth. You can learn to be more innovative. Check out these seven tips for becoming a more creative thinker.
1. Doodle
Do you ever just sit with your pencil or pen and draw random lines, swirls or figures? That’s doodling, and most of us do it at one time or another. When you’re doodling, your mind is often wandering. You’re probably not giving much thought to what you’re putting down on the paper at all. There’s no pressure associated with doodling, and this mindset can be particularly advantageous when it comes to creativity.
You don’t have to be artistically inclined to doodle. Just let your mind go. This allows your brain to subconsciously work in the background to generate new ideas or solve problems. If you doodle regularly, your neural pathways will get in the habit of working this way and can flow into other areas of your life. An added benefit to doodling is that it can be calming and relaxing, which can also allow your thoughts to flow more readily.
2. Study Language
You may be perfectly content speaking just one language, especially if that language is English. Chances are, it’s all you need to know, even if you’re an avid traveler. That’s because English is so widely spoken all around the world. However, learning a new language is a fun activity some people do simply because they enjoy the challenge or they wish to learn about another culture. Surprisingly, it can also expand your creativity and perspective.
When you study a foreign language, you’ll need to adjust your way of thinking to accommodate different pronunciation and sentence structure. You’ll likely also have the opportunity to discover new cultural ideas and practices. Opening your mind to a new language and culture changes the ways in which you think and makes you particularly susceptible to creativity.
3. Boost Your Brain
You can add fuel to your body in order to boost your brain. There are a number of ways to approach this. Healthy eating is a start. There are lots of foods and nutrients that are particularly good for brain health and even some foods that boost creativity. These are all-natural foods that are healthy for you like berries, eggs, seeds, and dark chocolate. Remember, high-sugar and processed stuff might give you a quick buzz, but it won’t last. You’ll soon feel your brain feeling foggy and your energy zapped.
Supplements known as nootropics are also all the rage lately because they help to enhance brain activity in the mitochondria to optimize function. A new and surprising contender when it comes to supplements that can enhance creativity and improve cognitive abilities is cornbread full spectrum cbd gummies. You’ve probably heard of this compound that comes from the cannabis plant. Unlike its cousin, THC, this compound isn’t psychoactive.
You won’t get high from using it. However, CBD can help to promote calmness, alleviate anxiety, reduce pain and promote sleep. All of these benefits have the potential to help your creativity skyrocket. CBD pills are a convenient way to try it out for yourself.
4. Create Art
If you do consider yourself to be artistic, or if you’d like to dabble a bit, creating nearly any type of art is a way to promote creativity. You could paint or draw with various mediums such as watercolors, charcoal or pencil. There’s sculpture of all kinds. But you don’t have to be extremely skilled in the fine arts to benefit from being artistic.
Simple forms of art like collaging and coloring can also get you in the creative mindset and help to stretch your ways of thinking. Even hobbies like gardening, photography, and knitting can help put you in the creative zone and spark momentum for broadening your ideas. Finding time in your schedule to create art is a worthwhile pursuit that can help you to relax, along with sharpening your mind.
5. Write
Writing is another artistic form of art that can spark creativity in its own way. Again, you don’t have to be an author. Your writing isn’t necessarily going to be a masterpiece, and it doesn’t matter. Simply jotting down your thoughts in a journal uses your brain in a new way and creates fresh neural pathways to broaden your way of thinking.
When you write, chances are good that you’re using analytical thought and engaging in problem-solving. This also flexes your brain and leads you to think more deeply than you might otherwise do while going about your day.
6. Clear the Clutter
Are you a neat freak or a slob? People often think of artists are free spirits who are messy and thrive in chaos. Sure, creative types may think broadly and don’t likely need everything in their lives to be in perfect order, but it’s important to understand that living in a chaotic or messy environment doesn’t enhance creativity.
In fact, it does just the opposite. Visual clutter can actually overload your senses, thus leading you to feel stressed. You can’t be your most creative self when you’re feeling overwhelmed by your surroundings.
You may not need everything in your workspace and home to be pristine, but do some experimenting to find your balance between cluttered and tidy. Discovering that sweet spot can give your creativity the kick it needs.
7. Daydream
Daydreaming is the perfect way to let your mind wander and to invite creative thoughts to come. There’s no right or wrong way to daydream. It simply involves allowing your thoughts to go freely where they choose.
You can gain a great deal of insight from your daydreams. Perhaps you’ll discover the answer to a problem you’ve been having that has been blocking progress on your latest project. Maybe you’ll simply find yourself in a relaxed headspace that frees your mind to new and exciting ideas.
Going for a walk in nature can amplify the effects of daydreaming because it gets your body moving and allows you to immerse yourself in calming surroundings. Taking time each day to let your mind wander is a creativity-promoting habit you should consider adding to your routine.
Hopefully, you now have some ideas of how you can boost your creative thinking. You don’t have to be limited just because you don’t think you were born with creativity. As you can see, there are lots of ways to get your creative juices flowing.