Discover Your Creativity!
People
seem to have the misconception that only a select few are able to unleash a
steady flow of creative genius. That
is not true at all. Unless you we’re born with a size of a pea brain … then you’re
screwed. “Tigas ulo, li-it utak! We
are all born with a gift of creativity. It’s very much like a muscle that needs
to be exercised in order to consistently give out great results. If you don't
practice harnessing creative thinking, like a muscle, you will eventually lose
tone. But with constant exercise this skill will eventually come as a second
nature. So
how do you unleash your creative thinking? Well,
the first thing is to become like a sponge. Meaning you should take in as much
knowledge and learning you can find. Read and absorb as much information as you
possibly can and keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities of the
universe. The more you know, the more you'll want to know, and the more your
faculty of wonder will be exercised. Prepare to be amazed at little facts that
add a bit of color into your life. Focus
on a daily creative activity. Yes, it requires some effort. But even goofing
around is a creative activity as long as your open to possibility of finding
something useful and interesting. Don't
let anything hinder you. Mindlessness may be a creative activity, but for
people who are just starting out to unleash a little bit of creative thinking
in their lives, it is helpful and encouraging to have concrete evidence. So to
collect your random collections of creativity; “Your aha moments!” You
must be prepared to gather your data. Practice drawing for a couple of minutes
each day. Bring out your old camera and start snapping photos like crazy. Keep
a journal and make a point to write in it religiously. Another
cool idea is to write by describing something with your five senses. Try to
avoid vague adjectives like "marvelous," "amazing," and
"delicious." Before
you know it, you'll have built yourself a tiny portfolio, and you'll be amazed
at the growth you've undertaken after amassing all those works of art. Who
knows, you might actually take to liking those things you do everyday. Pretty
soon those things will become a part of you and you'll be addicted to these creative
exercises. Think
out of the box -- or don't. Sometimes, constraints are actually a good thing.
Limitations discipline you to work within your means. It enables you to be more
resourceful. Creative freedom is great, but limitations enforce discipline. Try
something new everyday and let your experiences broaden your perspective.
Explore a new district in your neighborhood. Spend an afternoon in a museum to
which you've never been before. Strike
up a conversation with strangers whenever safe and appropriate. As you thrust
yourself out of your comfort zone more and more each day, your sense of
adventure grows and so does your zest for life. Think
about it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? If it's
been a while, I tell you, you've been missing out on a whole lot of experiences
that could've added to your growth, emotionally, mentally, physically, or
spiritually. Try
something new. Challenge yourself to do something your scared of doing. Not
only will you learn, but you will also have plenty of stories to share,
enabling you to practice your storytelling skills and making you the life of
the party. Embrace
momentary craziness without losing your sanity. As John Russell once said,
"Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting." Exactly! Every
creative thought was once deemed insane by other "normal" people at
one time or another. Luckily, that didn't stop the creative geniuses from
standing by them. The
thing is, sanity or being normal confines people to think... well, normally. We
think limits. Creativity is essentially breaking through barriers. Yes, this
includes bizzarre and the downright strange. I'm not saying that you yourself
should develop a creative personality. That
might go haywire. An example of a creative personality would be George
Washington, who often rode into battle naked, or James Joyce, who wrote
"Dubliners" with beetle juice for an intense fear of ink, or Albert
Einstein, who thought his cat was a spy sent by his rival (or in thinking
creatively in this case, the term could probably be "archnemesis.")
It's important that your creativity doesn't get you detached from the real
world completely. I
hope this article has inspired you to start thinking beyond your
"limits." If you follow these steps pretty soon you'll be living a
life full of interesting adventures. Unleashing your creative thinking will bring about a new zest for living life.
In : Positively Pinoy
Tags: creative talent
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