Listen to this articleWe all have opportunities to be creative in our lives, whether we work in a creative industry, have hobbies that we enjoy doing over the weekends, or simply enjoy redecorating our homes. But sometimes we just cannot seem to muster up the creative juices needed to really achieve something. Or, we’re looking for ideas in all the wrong places.
It is especially difficult nowadays as the creative efforts of people from all over the world are easily accessed online, making us feel inadequate and common. While the Internet is an endless source of ideas, it can stifle our own creativity and make us feel as though we simply don’t have what it takes. Of course, this is not true, as we all have an innate ability to come up with ideas and be artistic. But sometimes we just need to retrain our brains a little.
How can you reclaim your creativity? Here are five useful tips
1. Explain everything back to yourself
In our contemporary world, we have been forced to consume a lot more than we create. We watch films and read books without really thinking about them outside of academic contexts. That’s why we need to form a habit of explaining our basic understanding of the things we consume to ourselves. Understanding leads to knowledge which leads to a greater range of idea-making.
2. Become more open-minded
If you really want to be more creative, consider all possibilities without rejecting them simply because they are new. This may be a difficult habit to break because as humans we thrive in habitual situations and often find a simple change in routine disastrous. Overcome this by exposing yourself to new concepts and experiences, regardless of your original feeling toward them. Not only will you begin to appreciate everything based on its own merit, but you will also feel freer with your own ideas, growing your creativity from there.
3. Regain your access to your memory
In school, our ability to remember was practiced often. But, as we grow and settle down into routines and work, we begin to stop accessing and exercising our memories. This is a huge mistake as memory is where ideas come from. If you cannot access your memory, you cannot ask it questions, and you cannot explore every possibility. One way to exercise this is by solving a problem using the perspectives of people you know. This will help you remember new information and think creatively.
4. Synchronize your brain
Much of what we do in the Western world is left-brain-based — managing, organizing, and arguing. Even sitting in front of the TV is more of a left-brain activity because we are absorbing without truly being involved. For creative thinking, synchronized left and right-brain hemispheres are necessary in order to make new connections and come up with new ideas. Practice more activities that make use of both sides of the brain such as listening to or making music, meditating, or painting. Even socializing affects your brain in positive ways.
5. Be positive
A study undertaken at the University of Western Ontario found that a positive mood improved problem solving and aided creative flexible thinking. Of course, the trick maintaining an optimistic outlook. According to the Harvard Business Review, we should aim for a 3 to 1 “positivity ratio” to change our mindset by curbing negative thoughts. This is possible through relaxation techniques, high-quality sleep, exercising, and even laughing.
But there’s an easier way
Wouldn’t it be convenient if there was a solution that helped you solve these problems? You are in luck! Developed over 10 years by neuroscientists and a whole host of creative musicians, Synctuition is a groundbreaking meditation experience that makes use of binaural audio waves to synchronize your brain’s neural connections. This results in clarity of mind, complete relaxation, greater motivation, a positivity boost, and a stronger intuition.
