5 Ways to Boost Your Creativity
Creativity and art are part of human nature. They are part of what separates us from animals. Without creativity, there would be no new inventions, there would be no electricity, no water, and no Internet. Everything surrounding us in our physical environment is the result of creative human thinking. Whatever you can think of, somebody first had to have the concept. In his famous 1964 book ‘The Act of Creation’, author and polymath Arthur Koestler compared many different examples of invention and discovery. Koestler concluded there is a common thread in human creativity, which he called “bisociation” – a blending of ideas from previously unrelated lines of thought, into a whole new surprising and unexpected idea. According to Koestler, creativity can be practiced and developed, and even people who think they are not innovative or creative, can become so.
How can we hone our creative thinking skills?
**1. Enjoy. **Once you know how to do it, you too can come up with a new idea. Have a “creativity space” in your office or home. Maybe with scattered papers, colourful objects, crayons, markers, pens, etc. Hang a corkboard on the wall, where you can pin up odd newspaper clippings, magazines, photos, kids’ drawings, flirty messages. Try to pin up all kinds of things. Then rearrange them. This is your creative environment. Be innovative. You can attach stuff to the curtains, to the refrigerator, on your desktop – interesting magnets, mirrors, memos, beautiful art images, jokes, wisdom. You want this environment to be fun, to uplift your mood. Interrupt your work to laugh about something with colleagues, to juggle balls, or throw darts at the wall.
**2. Set your mind to being creative. **Take time for creative thinking. In pure mathematics, a problem will have one right solution, and mathematicians will throw all their energy and time into finding that one answer. In the real world though, there is usually more than one way to solve a problem. The best way to approach any problem requires some creativity; of course, some people will pooh-pooh this approach, or come up with totally silly ideas. With a little practice, and experience you can get better at coming up with new ideas. The new ideas are all around you; knowing that will make it much easier for you to think of them than if you were not sure whether there really is an answer.
Imagine if everyone believed that everything had already been invented! Would we have so much variety if people really believed that? Think about how we need to store more and more information. Would we still be stuck with floppy discs? Anything can be improved upon. The best story is not yet been written, the fastest possible cars do not exist. Medicine continues to evolve. Scientists continue to seek for answers to the thousands of questions that are still unanswered. There are always hundreds of solutions to a problem, and there is no reason why you couldn’t think of some of them.
**3. Go back to the child in you. **Consider what things give you real pleasure. Look at them from a new angle, as if you’ve never done them. You can look similarly at everyday problems from a different perspective. Look at them with fresh eyes, the way children do. As we get older and older, all that experience and learning makes our thinking rigid. Children are unencumbered by the weight of accumulated information that constricts adult thinking. We take the same route to work, cook the same meals from the same proven recipes, and complain that things are not going right, not realizing that the problem might actually be in the way we do things. Children see things with fresh eyes. Have you ever been surprised by a child, asking a perceptive question about a problem when you couldn’t think of anything new about it.
Go outside. Change the route to work. Use a different recipe for a familiar dish. Consider the problem backwards. “Put on foreign shoes”. Colour grass orange, paint the sky green, and turn the sun blue. Turn your ideas about everything upside down. Ask yourself how you would have thought as a six, eight or 12 year old child – about some of the world’s “unsolvable” problems. They see the world through rose-colored glasses. Maybe we should too.
**4. Unleash your curiosity. **Every new idea is based on previous knowledge. Sir Isaac Newton, who discovered the laws of gravity and motion in 1687 said, “If I have seen a little further than others, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants, who came before me.” New ideas are not necessarily discoveries that nobody has thought of before. Usually they combine elements of already existing ideas. Curiosity is the collection of heterogeneous information – historical, geographical, philosophical, and scientific. It is curiosity that helps in the exploration of an object, a country, or even an idea. Albert Einstein said “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” Ideas occur to people who are interested in everything. Then, when they need it, creativity will combine with the knowledge in their minds, and grow into something original. Gathering more information always helps. Get a notebook that you can take everywhere with you. Record in it everything you find interesting and important. Learn to combine ideas. Read professional journals, documentaries, diverse literature. Watch interesting T.V. The internet is rich too; use it to visit forums and social networks.
5. Record everything. Don’t let it gather dust. Review it regularly. Summarise everything that might be useful. Do not be afraid to experiment. Even the crazy ideas might be useful to you later on. Just ask and be creative!
About the Author
Visualizing: How To Use Imagination To Manifest
Visualization is a wonderful tool for manifesting your desires and reaching your goals. Through vivid and detailed mental images, you can align your thoughts and emotions with what you want to attract. In this article, we explore how to effectively apply this technique to transform your life.
Table of Contents
- What Is Visualization And What Is It For?
- Difference Between Visualizing And Imagining
- How Visualization Works In The Law Of Attraction
- How To Do A Visualization To Manifest: Step By Step
- Practical Examples Of Creative Visualization
- Overcoming Obstacles In The Practice Of Visualization
- Combining Visualization With Other Manifestation Techniques
What Is Visualization And What Is It For?
Visualization is the process of creating vivid and detailed mental images of what you want to achieve in life. Unlike letting the mind wander, visualization involves an intentional and conscious focus on the specific goals you want to manifest. This practice is used in various disciplines, from sports to psychology, to improve performance and achieve goals.
Visualization serves to align your mind and emotions with your aspirations, helping you maintain a vibrational frequency that attracts your desires. When you visualize effectively, your brain doesn’t distinguish between what you imagine and reality, allowing you to experience positive and motivating emotions associated with achieving your goals. This process not only reinforces your determination but also prepares you to recognize and take advantage of opportunities that bring you closer to your goals.
Practicing visualization regularly fosters a positive mindset, helping you overcome obstacles and stay focused on your long-term goals. It’s a technique that, when integrated into your daily routine, has the potential to significantly transform the path of your life.
Difference Between Visualizing And Imagining
Visualizing and imagining may seem similar, but they have important differences. Imagining is a more casual process and often involves random thoughts or fantasies without a specific goal. Visualizing, on the other hand, is an intentional and focused act where you create detailed mental images with the purpose of manifesting a particular desire or goal. Visualization requires clarity, concentration, and a deep emotional connection to the desired outcome.
Although both imagination and visualization involve the use of mental images, their purpose and focus differ notably. Visualization is aimed at creating a desired reality through a structured and conscious process, while imagination arises spontaneously and without a clear objective. Visualizing requires a defined intention and a deep emotional connection to the result you want to manifest. This constant practice strengthens your determination and aligns your mind with your goals, increasing the likelihood of achieving them.
How Visualization Works In The Law Of Attraction
Visualization is a central tool in the Law of Attraction because it allows you to align your thoughts and emotions with your desires. When you visualize, you create detailed mental images of your goals, activating your mind and emotions in a way that these vibrations are projected into the universe. This practice reinforces your intentions and helps you maintain a clear and constant focus on what you want to attract.
When visualizing, it’s important to incorporate all your senses to make the experience as real as possible. Imagine not only how your goal looks, but also how it feels, smells, sounds, and tastes. This deep sensory immersion makes your mind accept the visualization as a possible reality, raising your vibration and facilitating the attraction of your desires.
How To Do A Visualization To Manifest: Step By Step
To perform an effective visualization, it’s important to follow a structured process that allows you to deeply connect with your desires and goals. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create powerful and detailed mental images, aligning your thoughts and emotions with what you want to manifest.
- Define a clear goal: The first step is to identify precisely what you want to manifest. The more specific and concrete your goal is, the easier it will be to visualize. Write your goal down on paper and make sure it is clear and detailed.
- Create images of the life you want to live: Once you have your goal clear, start creating mental images of what your life would look like once you’ve achieved that goal. Visualize everyday scenes that reflect your new reality. Imagine every aspect of your life with that goal accomplished.
- Refine and specify the images: Detail the images you have created, adding all possible elements. Include colors, shapes, places, and specific situations. The more detailed your visualizations are, the more real they will feel and the more effective your practice will be.
- Connect the images with the five senses: To make your visualization more vivid, incorporate all your senses. Imagine how it looks, smells, sounds, tastes, and feels to live your achieved goal. This level of detail helps your mind accept the visualization as a possible reality.
- Include secondary characters in your visualization: Imagine the people who will be with you in this new reality. Visualize how they interact with you and how they contribute to your experience. Including secondary characters adds realism and depth to your visualization, strengthening its impact.
Practical Examples Of Creative Visualization
To inspire you to create your own visualization, here are two examples: creating the movie of your life and designing an ideal day in your perfect life. These techniques will show you how you can customize visualization according to your own aspirations and goals.
-
Creating The Movie Of Your Life
Creating the movie of your life involves imagining a series of events in which you have achieved your most important goals. Visualize each scene as if you were watching a movie, with you as the main character. Imagine the details of each event, including who is with you, where you are, and what you are doing. This practice helps you establish a deep emotional connection with your goals, making them seem more achievable and real.
When practicing this technique, it’s crucial to include all the emotions and sensations you would experience while living those moments. Feel the joy, satisfaction, and pride of having achieved your dreams. The more realistic and detailed your mental movie is, the more effective it will be in aligning your vibration with the reality you want to manifest.
-
Designing An Ideal Day In Your Perfect Life
Another effective method of creative visualization is to design an ideal day in your perfect life. Imagine a typical day in which all your desires have come true. From the moment you wake up to the time you go to bed, visualize every detail of what this day would look like. Include activities, interactions, and specific accomplishments that reflect your desired life.
During this exercise, pay attention to how you feel throughout the day. Imagine the peace, joy, and satisfaction that accompany each moment. By repeating this exercise regularly, you train your mind to accept this ideal version of your life as a real possibility, strengthening your ability to attract these experiences into your daily reality.
Overcoming Obstacles In The Practice Of Visualization
Practicing visualization can present challenges, such as maintaining focus or dealing with negative thoughts. One of the most common obstacles is a lack of focus, which can be overcome by creating a quiet, distraction-free environment for your visualization sessions. Using deep breathing techniques before starting can help center your mind and set the stage for effective visualization.
Another challenge is facing doubts and limiting beliefs that may arise during visualization. To overcome this, it’s crucial to identify these negative thoughts and replace them with positive and empowering affirmations. Additionally, maintaining a regular practice and being patient with yourself makes it easier to strengthen your ability to visualize clearly and effectively. Over time, these obstacles will diminish, and your ability to manifest your desires will increase significantly.
Combining Visualization With Other Manifestation Techniques
To enhance the effects of visualization, it’s helpful to combine this practice with other manifestation techniques such as meditation, affirmations, and journaling. These complementary tools can help you deepen your visualization practice and strengthen your ability to manifest your desires more effectively.
- Meditation: Calming the mind through meditation makes it easier to focus on mental images during visualization. Meditation helps create a receptive and calm mental state, which is essential for effective visualization. Practicing meditation regularly also raises your vibrational frequency, better aligning you with your goals.
- Affirmations: Incorporating positive affirmations into your routine reinforces the beliefs and emotions that support your visualized goals. By repeating affirmations with conviction and emotion, you maintain a high, positive vibration that resonates with your desires. Affirmations act as constant reminders of your intentions, strengthening your focus and determination.
- Journaling: Keeping a journal allows you to solidify your intentions and clarify your vision by writing about your goals and visualized experiences. Journaling helps you reflect on your progress, identify any blocks, and adjust your practices as needed. This tool also provides a space to express gratitude and document the positive changes in your life.
