Creativity is our birthright. It is one of the most compelling aspects of human nature. Our imagination enlivens us and enhances our connection with everything around us. Creativity supports flexible thinking, adaptation to new information, and problem solving, especially when we are in a bind.
Just taking a new route home from work activates our creativity and breaks up automatic routines. As we flow into creativity, we make our mind and body happy; we get an influx of positive neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. When we are in flow, we experience joy. Our brain lights up as our creative spark is released. When we are in a creative flow the entire mind and body are engaged. Time escapes us, almost as though there is no time.
So, how can we activate creativity in our busy lives? Here are seven simple tips to get the creative juices flowing:
1. Work with your hands! Studies show that working with your hands activates creativity. It is an activity our ancestors did: They worked with their hands to survive and thrive. Working with your hands for just 20 minutes a day is enough to move your mind and body into the joy of imagination. It can be as simple as building with LEGO, modeling with clay, gardening, or even washing the dinner dishes. Busy, creative hands stimulate the imagination network in our brains.
2. Practice mindfulness! Centering your mind to present awareness allows for clearer and more creative thoughts to naturally flow. Mindfulness enhances focus, reduces stress, and creates calm. We know that there are numerous benefits of mindfulness, including activating the “default mode network,” allowing our mind to flow into a dreamlike state. Even a quick act of mindfulness matters: Three deep belly breaths can calm the nervous system and open the mind to being more spacious and present. Practice mindfully eating, listening to music, or walking in the neighborhood. The more present you are, the more you can flow into appreciation, awe, and gratitude for the moment. Suddenly, on your mindful walk, you flow into presence and unexpectedly discover an idea for your next art project!
3. Connect with nature! Take a walk in nature—known as awe walks or forest bathing, and focus on the details of nature, like the tree, the leaves, or butterflies. Just spending time in a green space, like a park, reduces stress and increases happiness. Connecting to nature enhances a sense of awe and wonder and sparks the brain’s imagination. Nature is also soothing and calms the nervous system and reduces stress hormones so you can naturally stream into creativity.
4. Exercise and get physical! Play sports, dance, take a walk, or play basketball outside. When you exercise, you generate natural endorphins, which reduce stress and enhance your positive mood. This allows creative thoughts to flow. Twenty minutes a day of exercise removes built-up stress from the body. When we exercise, we remove toxins from our body and we can release negativity. This increases our confidence to take on creative endeavors and builds our stamina.
5. Seek out new experiences! New experiences spark the imagination and open the mind to infinite possibilities. This can include visiting a botanical garden, a zoo, or even taking a hike on a new trail. Novelty stimulates creative thinking and sparks our wonder. We can get ourselves out of repeated patterns and move into new ways of thinking and exploring.
6. Play! Encourage play for the sake of play, when there is no end result. During play, the mind is free and more open to new ideas and thoughts that boost natural creativity. Kids can play in a group or individually with figurines, or play dress up. This all sparks the imagination. Adults can play, too.
7. Revel in an art day! Take a field trip to an art exhibit for inspiration. Notice all the details and record them in a journal or sketchbook, or take photographs. Practicing art trains the mind to build pathways that are specific for creativity, building your artistic mind muscle. When you take an art day, you begin to see how your creativity and imagination are connected with others. You get inspiration, and when we are inspired, we activate hope and future imagination.
Take time and ignite that creative spark. You deserve it and, most of all, you are one of a kind; no one has a mind like yours. You are here to share all the light inside you. Come on and play, be creative, and give yourself the time to be free. It’s good for your mind and body, so let us see all that’s inside.