7 Things You Can Do to Reignite Your
Creative Spark
“Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable
spark in the hopeless swamps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all.
Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you
deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It
exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it’s yours.” — Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
In the
beginning, there is always a spark.
All
endeavors start off fresh, exciting, and full of possibilities. Unfortunately,
sparks vanish just as quickly as they are ignited.
Rejection
discourages attempts at anything new. Criticism keeps us from stepping out of
convention. Inner fears kill any creativity we might have had.
The
good news is that, with care and focus, we can learn to create again. By
practicing and developing our sense of spirit, we can step outside the bounds
set by both ourselves and others. By incorporating various practices, we can
rediscover concepts and ideas.
Here
are 7 ways to ignite that creative spark:
1. Make one change to your morning routine.
What
if you could improve your day by pouring milk into your bowl before the cereal?
A
research team, led by Simone Ritter at the Radboud University Nijmegen, found that
unusual events can break existing cognitive patterns, thus improving
flexibility and creativity. The events that sparked changes included
drastic situations, such as coping after a loved one has died or studying
abroad.
However,
her research found that the events don’t have to be drastic. Changing patterns
can simply mean making minor adjustments to your routine.
Besides
the milk and cereal example above, there are a few other things you can try. If
you normally change into your day clothing before breakfast, try changing after
breakfast. Or, if you make coffee, switch up the order you put in the
ingredients.
One
small change might be all you need to start the day off with an innovative
mindset.
2. Travel somewhere.
When
we picture travel, we tend to imagine faraway places with different cultures,
landscapes, and foods. Getting away is a chance to relax, to explore a new
environment, or even to reflect on where our work and life is headed.
When
you immerse yourself somewhere new, you feel different. Your sense of smell,
sight, and hearing are heightened. As a result, your brain synapses fire off, encouraging you to be more creative.
Traveling
doesn’t mean you have to fly across the world, though. If you only have a
weekend to spare, just going away for a couple days can be enough to give you
the opportunity to pause your routine.
Along
the way, you might chat with a stranger, try a new activity, or appreciate an
awe-inspiring landscape. When you take the initiative to immerse yourself with
new people, you view your life and the world around you with a fresh state of
mind.
3. Go tech-free.
While
computers, tablets, and phones are useful resources, they also have their
drawbacks. For instance, we fall into what I call “electronic habits”. When we
use a device, we tend to use the same programs, sites, and apps. These programs
reinforce the same ideas and concepts over and over.
From
time to time, it’s good to use old-fashioned tools for brainstorming. You
can draw pictures on a board, or use diagrams to understand concepts. In my
experience, pen and paper translate my thoughts into words more
easily than typing them out on a computer. Companies have found that going
tech-free helps employees find and share new ideas.
Setting
aside time outside your devices can help you connect with your surroundings.
This time can be spent catching up with people, going hiking outdoors, or fully
enjoying the taste and smell of a meal. Try dedicating a period of time away
from technology, such as once a week or a specific period every day.
4. Incorporate play into your day.
Play
isn’t just for kids anymore. Spending time on a fun activity relieves stress,
breaks the monotony of work, and can lead to your next breakthrough. It’s also
why many innovative companies incorporate playful architecture and designs into
their offices.
Whether
you enjoy building Lego structures or working through a Sudoku puzzle, having toys nearby can be a
therapeutic way to stretch your mental muscles and fine-motor skills.
Play
can extend beyond mentally-stimulating games, though. It can mean participating
in a sport or learning to paint, for example. I’ve found that doing creative
activities helps me to connect ideas and solve problems.
5. See the forest, but start with the trees.
Did
you ever work with someone who couldn’t “see the forest for the trees”? The
person became so worked up over a minor decision that they forgot to consider a
more critical element. Or, a colleague started working on a problem that
shouldn’t have been considered in the first place.
Other
times, we suffer from the reverse problem. We see the forest, but can’t work
our way around the trees. For instance, you want to work on a great idea, but
end up haphazardly pursuing all sorts of ideas instead. While you’re able to
envision the final result, you just can’t seem to make any progress towards where
you want to go.
Balance
is key. Know the direction you want to reach, but start with the first step.
The forest-tree approach applies to multiple aspects of life:
·
Writing: Become a writer
(the forest) by doing research for a single article (trees).
·
Exercise: Get into shape
(the forest) by putting more vegetables on your dinner plate today (trees).
·
Travel: Take time off work
to travel overseas (the forest) by asking someone who’s traveled somewhere for
advice (trees).
While
seeing the big picture is important for perspective, you have to start with the
details to take action. Alternate between the two while you work towards your
goal.
6. Reframe negative situations into positive ones.
Many
events in our lives are outside our control. You go out for a camping trip, but
then it rains. You make plans for an event, but your friend cancels out. You
apply to a competitive program, but receive a rejection letter. Often, our
aspirations don’t come to fruition.
Not
all is lost. An event that seems unfortunate at first can be turned into an
opportunity. A rainy day is a chance to do something indoors, like visiting a
museum or reading a book. Getting turned down from a job might lead you to
create something of your own.
When
you change a negative situation into a positive, you go from disappointment to
motivation.
7. Do one terrifying thing.
Comfort
leads to stagnation, which leads to boredom, and finally
to unhappiness. If you’ve been feeling comfortable for a while, it’s time
to go the opposite direction and do something terrifying.
Why?
Because terrifying things lead to growth. Ordering a meal in a foreign language
helped me practice my efforts in a real setting. Emailing someone to ask for a
meeting led to invaluable work experience.
But
there’s something far more valuable gained besides the tangible results:
self-realization. I learned that limitations are often created in our minds,
rather than what is real. What we imagine to be terrifying isn’t so terrifying
after all.
What’s
the one terrifying thing you’ll try?
Reignite the Possibilities
It’s
easy to fall into a routine. You become familiar with the mechanics of doing a
task, so you repeat the steps over and over. Even if you want change, it can be
surprisingly difficult to break out of the mold.
If
this is the case, work in increments. Make one simple change to an aspect of
your life that’s been static for a while. When you make small mental and
physical adjustments, the increments snowball into something much more profound
down the road.
https://medium.com/the-mission/7-things-you-can-do-to-reignite-your-creative-spark-70e3a0d4ba59
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