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What will definitely help you in the “creative gym”? Being active. Just waiting passively and hoping that your creative luck will find you on its own is unlikely to lead to success. So what tools and methods are recommended for people who want to encourage their creativity?
It sounds paradoxical to talk about activity and recommend meditation a line down. However, Mindfulness is a very effective training that teaches us to listen to our inner self and pay attention to what we might overlook in an ordinary situation. For instance, an original thought. Meditation in general is meant to quiet the chaotic mind, bring relaxation and stimulate our ability to perceive feelings and inner energy. Regular practice can then also remove our internal barriers that limit us from being innovative and creative.
But do it without any ambition to become a master. Take up painting, singing, or any other activity no matter how good you are at it. We often have it ingrained in us that if we don’t become famous and the best in the world at something, there’s no point in even trying. That’s a mistake! These artistic pursuits without any goals can push us to be more open-minded, curious, and creative in life. So open yourself up to art and soak up its creative stimulation to the fullest.
Experience it. Discover all its colours, shapes, forms, and spaces. Free your body, relax your mind, and awaken feelings of aliveness, freedom, and independence. These are other good aspects with the potential to develop creative thinking not only at work but in life in general.
Idea not coming? Get up and go for a walk. Seriously. That’s because studies show that regular movement improves certain types of thinking, can strengthen and protect cognitive abilities, and stimulate our creative tendencies. They also say that any physical activity that works with discipline and slowing down our thoughts builds new neural pathways in our brains that can become a direct route to innovation. So what do you get into? Will it be yoga, skiing, dancing, or perhaps martial arts? The choice is wide.
One click and it’s an hour of surfing the internet. And then another one spent playing games, social networking, or other apps. Distractions lurk at every turn in today’s world, and it can be really hard to focus on what’s important.
What to do differently? Allow yourself to be bored. One study showed that bored respondents performed better on creativity tests than individuals who were excited, relaxed, or distracted. Another study, in turn, points to daydreaming, which supposedly also boosts our creative potential. So boredom, daydreaming, and finding new ideas will be a piece of cake.
Don’t settle for an existing option that leads to a good result. Try to set up conditions that don’t offer a simple solution at first. This will increase your chances of coming up with something brilliant.
Try to set some limits to your ideas, resist them, take a step back, or, on the contrary, allow yourself to distance yourself from the problem. Try to imagine it from some distant place that has nothing to do with the one you are considering. You may see new and innovative ways that will jump-start your creative career.
If you’re looking for a place that combines nature, walks, dreams, meditation, and a different perspective, we have a cozy tip for you. 🙂
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OOTOOLNO sees glamping as a momentary bliss in the middle of nature. The mind slows down, the body relaxes, and life gets a new perspective for a moment. How about bringing a similar comfort into your daily routine? Take care of your sleep, cheerful mood, and physical and mental health, because we shouldn’t just feel good on holiday. That’s what our well-being blog is all about. Read on and get inspired.
