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Summary

The article provides strategies to enhance creativity, emphasizing that it is a skill that can be developed and improved through various practices and exercises.

Abstract

The web content titled "Feeling Stuck Creatively?" offers insights into the nature of creativity and debunks the myth that it is solely an innate talent. It suggests that creativity, much like other cognitive activities, can be enhanced with practice, challenging the notion that it is a fixed trait. The article cites Aristotle's ancient perspective on creativity and contrasts it with modern understanding, highlighting that creativity is not just for a select few but is accessible to everyone. It encourages readers to engage in activities that stimulate creative thinking, such as doing nothing, playing or listening to music, exercising, seeking new perspectives, and traveling. The article concludes by reassuring readers that creative blocks are temporary and can be overcome by actively employing these creativity-boosting techniques.

Opinions

  • Creativity is not a finite resource; using it can actually increase it.
  • Aristotle's view of creativity as a divine gift is contrasted with the idea that creativity can be influenced by environmental and societal factors.
  • The article refutes the belief that creativity is solely determined at birth, arguing instead that it is a skill that can be developed.
  • Creativity is likened to a muscle that requires regular exercise to remain strong and effective.
  • Engaging in playful activities and seeking recognition, as suggested by Einstein, can foster creativity.
  • Taking breaks and allowing for periods of inactivity can improve mental health and creativity.
  • Music and exercise are presented as effective tools for enhancing creative thinking.
  • Collaboration with others can provide fresh perspectives and reinvigorate one's creativity.
  • Changing environments, such as traveling, can stimulate the brain's

Feeling Stuck Creatively?

Here’s 5 tips to spark your passion and quench your thirst for creativity.

Photo Via istockphoto.com

You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, The more you have!

- Maya Angelou

Creativity is the use of imagination or original ideas in any production of work. Aristotle viewed creativity as a gift from the Gods, something that resulted not during rational thought. To Aristotle, creativity only took place when one was or is “beret of his senses”!

On, top of our senses?

Too bad Aristotle didn’t have the foresight to see the many societal and environmental factors that would later affect creativity and the senses of people on a daily basis.

Many people agree with Aristotle's theory and think the level of creativity they possess was given at birth. Yet, this is furthest from the truth! Like any other activity that requires the use of the brain, one can get better with practice. Or, it can plateau because of lack of practice.

Creativity is about discovering all 50 ways to skin a cat!

The trait is not limited to one group of people. There is no special vitamin or ingredient to activate creativity. Untended to creativity can be like a facet one day flowing like the rivers of Egypt, and the next day, dryer than the Sahara!

Don’t let this be you!

Creativity Can Be Controlled!

There are really people who believe creativity is unlearnable. Honestly, that is a crutch or excuse for not executing creatively. The skill of creativity actually can be learned. It must be honed in and focused on daily. The process of creativity simply allows humans to discover solutions to problems.

Photo via istockphoto.com

According to Yale SOM, lecturer of management Richard Foster:

“Creativity is about making something new, rather than merely applying or discovering something new…. Creative solutions are insightful, they’re novel, they’re simple, they’re elegant, and they’re generative,” he says. “When you find one creative idea, more often than not it triggers other ideas in the same fashion.”

As humans, creativity is one of the main fibers to make up our existence. Just look at the world around you, everything was created! Whether an idea is duplicated or not, the things we see and use daily were birthed from creative thought. The light bulb, peanut, cars, and the stoplight all are inventions of creativity. To control creativity, it must first be viewed as a tool and resource.

Everyone is creative.

The level of creativity each person can focus on varies. So, before looking at an entrepreneur, freelancer, or artist as if they’ve struck a creative genius. Researchers explain creativity as more of a discipline. Like a muscle, creativity must be exercised, stretched, and challenged frequently in order to thrive.

Okay, As you can see…

You’re Really Not Stuck, So Get out of That Creative Funk!

“To simulate Creativity, one must develop a childlike inclination for play and the childlike desire for recognition” — Albert Einstein

Does your creativity have you feeling all blue? Like you don’t know what to do? Are you stuck and just don’t know what your next creative move will be?

Let’s use Einstein’s theory to discover how one can practice improving the creative flow, and tap into a new world of imagination. Ignite your creativity and become un-stuck with the following tips, you may just find the spark you’ve been missing!

  • DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! A creative mind breaks often. In 2014, INSEAD, The Business School for the World conducted a study and found that “doing nothing” is not only excellent for maintaining good mental health. It also improves the imagination allowing humans to participate in unconscious thinking to create. So next time your creativity feels boggles up, toss your, pen, pad, or laptop, just relax and DO NOTHING.
  • Play an Instrument or Listen to Music, many studies show the benefits and impact music has on the human brain. Listening to Music or Playing an Instrument has been proven to make the brain feel good, live happier, healthier, and be more creative. So why not pick up a flute or turn up your favorite tune? It’s sure to get your creativity out of that rut!
  • Drop & Give It 50! Exercise does more than keep the abs tight, it keeps creativity right! The Journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience conducted a study finding that regular exercise helps boost creativity within the brain. The researchers of this study were able to make a direct correlation between exercise, improved divergent, and convergent thinking. The two components associated with the strength of creativity within the brain. Okay, it's a scientific fact, act like it! Get up and start moving about. Your Creativity Depends on IT!
  • Phone a Friend! Sometimes creativity just needs a new perspective to give it a boost. Call a mentor or a friend and ask for assistance. Don’t be afraid to seek the opinion of someone you trust. They just may have the words to turn that light bulb of creativity back on.
  • Hit the Road Jack! Take a Trip! The brain's neuropathways are sensitive to change and influenced by your environment. Researchers have found that the brain is revitalized after experiencing a change in settings and scenery. Looking for the next creative win? Go head, switch up the visuals, It doesn’t have to be extravagant, grab your weekender bag and set out to see a new place to create and manifest greatness.

Everyone gets stuck, that’s life! Just make sure you don’t stay there, commit yourself to your creativity! Use one of these tips the next time you find yourself in a creative traffic jam and watch yourself step into the overflow.

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Thank you for reading! May you find this article useful and have success when applying it to your daily life. If you enjoyed this read, please consider, clapping, commenting, highlighting & following me on Instagram @_bshantae!

Creative
Self Improvement
Mindfulness
Travel
Mental Health
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