After Reading "Imagine: How Creativity Works" by Jonah Lehrer I was surprised at how much research has been done on what goes into being creative. One thing that really resonated with me was the likening of creativity to a muscle. Just like muscles weaken and shrink when we don't exercise, the same is true for creativity. The more you create, the easier it becomes. A recent Harvard study measured creativity as 85% a learned skill. We can all be inspired to tap into our creative sides, and here are a few tips on how you can do that right now.
1. The Color Blue. Specifically light blue, the color of the daytime sky, has been shown to double peoples creative output. From the study referenced at Science Daily "... blue environmental cues prompted participants to produce twice as many creative outputs as when under the red colour condition." Twice as much inspiration, and encouragement to think outside the box...just from being surround by the color blue. Whether that means going outside, or chilling in a blue room the next time you want to tap into your creativity...this is a really easy and shockingly effective thing to do.
2. Meditation. I cannot give enough reasons why meditation (purposeful mindfulness) is amazing and everyone should do it. This one practice alone has changed my life for the better in countless ways. Being able to be alone with your thoughts is such an awesome feeling. Clear your mind and let thoughts pass. Becoming aware of this is a huge part of understanding and being more comfortable with yourself. This also creates a fertile space for your mind to later be actively engaged in creating. It is giving yourself a fresh slate on which to paint new ideas.
3. Sleep. Sleep is a surprisingly essential part of the creative process. Studies show that our unconscious mind continues evaluating and problem solving while we sleep, without distractions from our conscious mind. From the wiki on creativity ... "Creativity involves the forming of associative elements into new combinations that are useful or meet some requirement. Sleep aids this process. REM rather than NREM sleep appears to be responsible" Getting enough (deep) sleep gives your brain the tools necessary to fuel creativity. Yet another reason not to deprive yourself of recharging your batteries.
4. Freewriting. Freewriting smooths the process of bringing your creative thoughts out and onto paper (or computer). It's simple; to freewrite is to write your stream-of-consciousness for a given amount of time. Even 5 minutes every day is effective. It gets you in the habit of translating your thoughts into literal ideas. Write everything that comes into your head, no matter what it is, just don't stop writing for the amount of time you specified. You will be surprised at what flows out.
5. Sensory Deprivation. Animals can teach us a lot. When I am out hiking I am aware sometimes of just how clumsy I (and other hikers) sound when I'm walking, compared to how quiet and sly many animals are. They cannot speak in the way that we do, and so their senses have to be sharp if they want to survive. They take each step quietly. They can smell the faintest scent of predators or food from far away. Same with people who lose one of their senses, like blind people with an amazing sense of hearing.
Try depriving yourself of one of your senses...wear a blindfold and pay attention to what you touch, hear, even taste. Wear earplugs outside and walk around. There will be nuances you notice that way that you never paid attention to before. Perk your other senses up and then use that as inspiration.
6. Go somewhere new. People learn things faster and easier when they are in a new place. I experienced this firsthand when I moved to Montreal and was speaking French conversationally within 2 months (admittedly nowhere near perfect, but my mind was still blown). I had been studying Spanish for 4 years in high school then college, and could just never quite get the hang of it. Yet the French came much easier, I was even dreaming and thinking in French while I was there. I did a bit of research on the subject and it turns out many people share a similar story to mine. Whether it be a language, or a new skill, or inspiration...studies have shown it is easier to flourish and learn new things when one is in a new environment.
One reason why is because when you are in a new place your brain has to be more vigilant. You are not able to be on "autopilot" like most of us tend to be for a lot of our daily activites. Our brains are essentially re-learning countless little things (how to navigate the new space, hearing different sounds, registering new faces). As a result when one attempts to learn or create something in a new space it comes easier because the brain is already in a state of absorbing and processing new information. You don't have to go as extreme as my example and move to another country, but even just a slight change of scenery...a park you have never been to, a new city, a different library or a botanical garden....can open your mind in amazing ways.
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