Stress is a well-known creativity killer.
Time constraints are another.
The widely held belief is that some people just are not endowed with the creativity gene.
However, there is not much scientific evidence that one person is inherently more creative than another.
Actually, creativity is something that anyone can cultivate.
Creativity can become a habit.
Making it your habit can help you become more productive.
Some people are gifted with the knack for creativity.
If you feel like you aren’t one of those lucky few who draw from a seemingly endless creative wellspring, it doesn’t mean you are doomed to a boring life of the mundane and expected.
Much like a muscle, creativity is something you can cultivate and develop with a little practice and hard work.
If you just sit around and wait for inspiration to strike, you might feel discouraged when the inspiration does not happen quickly.
Creativity is not a passive process.
You need to seek out the things that inspire you and help you focus your attention and mental energy on the task at hand.
Being creative is about training your brain to do so, according to neuroscientists.
There is an entire generation of people who grew up believing they aren’t creative because someone in school told them they weren’t good at art.
Until recently, the standard definition of “creativity” was narrow. You were either creative or you weren’t.
The perception was that “creative people” were those who were artistic – or more precisely – good at drawing.
Unsurprisingly, like many others, then focused on the Math and Science subjects because we mistakenly thought that there were only two types of skills: logic and science, or creativity and the arts.
But this is not how creativity really is and should be, and might explain why some of us have difficulty in tapping into the creative parts of our brains.

YOUR THOUGHTS INFLUENCE YOUR ACTION
You might be wondering, what do your thoughts about creativity have to do with whether or not you’re creative?
The short answer, a lot.
Think about a comfortable home, a kind family, a successful business, or a welcoming atmosphere.
People create those things, often not by accident.
Somewhere along the line, they put their minds to it and decided to make it happen.
Even when faced with challenges, deep down inside, their minds knew that it’s something they can do, and had wanted to create.
Check out some of these unique psychological tricks that might help spark your creativity:

SOME EFFECTIVE METHODS INCLUDE:

1. CAPTURE YOUR NEW IDEAS. Keep an Idea Notebook, or a voice recorder with you, so that whenever you have any new thoughts, you can type or dictate your ideas before you forget them

2. START CHALLENGING TASKS. Take on projects that do not necessarily have an easy solution – such as trying to figure out how to make your goldfish fly, or how to build a five-wheeled bicycle. These projects cause old ideas to compete, which helps generate new ones

3. BROADEN YOUR KNOWLEDGE. Take a class in a subject that you have no prior knowledge nor interest in. You can also read websites on topics that you had never previously considered. When you have more access to more diverse information, your brain can better interconnect the information, which is the basis for all creative thought. Overall, life becomes more interesting if you broaden your knowledge

4. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH INTERESTING THINGS AND PEOPLE. Regular meals or coffee sessions with friends from a variety of career backgrounds can help you develop more original ideas. You can also help keep your thoughts more refreshed by taking a trip to an art museum, or attending an opera – anything that stimulated new thinking

5. HAPPY, RESTED, AND BRIGHT. When you imagine a problem you are trying to solve right before you fall asleep, you are likely to come up with novel solutions in your dreams. This study was done by researchers at Harvard Medical School, and show that half of the participants reported having dreams that addressed their chosen problems, while a quarter came up with solutions in their dreams. When we are dreaming, our brain is in a different biochemical state, and this helps dreams to often become helpful when we are stuck in our usual mode of thinking

6. LET THE SUNSHINE IN. Research indicates that spending time in natural settings – as well as happiness – may boost creativity. Sadness tends to inhibit new ideas. This is likely because when people are sad, they are more cautious about making mistakes – so they exercise more restraint than when they are generally comfortable and happy. People who are happy tend to be better at coming up with unusual word associations, and this helps them generate better compositions and essays, as well as writing numerous answers that require divergent thinking tasks. To avoid being overly cautious and stagnant in our work, we need to remember to have fun. Take a walk, watch a comedy on YouTube or TikTok, go out with a friend. These breaks may help us feel better, and to see our tasks from a new perspective

7. GO FOR A WALK. People tend to be more creative when they walk, compared to when they remain seated. Previous research studies have shown that regular physical activity can play an important role in boosting and protecting cognitive abilities. This study revealed that a simple, short walk could temporarily improve certain types of thinking, as well as memory capacity. Therefore, if you are stuck behind a desk and struggling to come up with a good idea, try going for a quick walk to see if inspiration strikes

8. REWARD YOURSELF. Researchers have found that when children were offered an explicit reward for producing creative drawings, the creativity of their work increased. So if you are trying to find inspiration, try promising yourself some type of desirable treat as a reward for coming up with a creative solution

9. CREATE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTANCE. One experiment found that placing some psychological distance between yourself and the problem might work quite well. Researchers found that when participants imagined that a problem originated from a far location instead of one that is located nearby, they solved more problems and came up with more creative solutions. Therefore, the next time you face a difficult problem, try imagining that the issue is distant, and disconnected from your current location

10. CREATE A STIMULATING ENVIRONMENT. Our surroundings play an important role in the creative process. Inspiring and motivating environments can help us feel mentally energized. By seeking out stimulating experiences and settings, we are able to more easily trigger inventiveness

11. CREATE RESTRICTIONS. When trying to solve a problem, people usually build on existing ideas and experiences to come up with the easiest solution. Sometimes, this leads to an acceptable solution, but not a fresh and desired outcome. One way to overcome this functional fixedness is to place some restrictions on your thinking – which can actually lead to more creative solutions. The next time you are trying to solve a complex problem, try limiting the things you usually use to come up with a solution. Through this, you might find yourself generating new and innovative ideas that you might not have otherwise considered

12. DAYDREAM. In today’s world where we are surrounded by all types of electronic devices, distraction is just a click away. Boredom is an important state for us to be in, when we want to be creative. In one study, bored participants performed better on creativity tests than those who were excited, relaxed, or distressed. In another study, researchers found that boredom gives people time and incentive to daydream, which then leads to greater creativity. Boredom encourages creative thinking because it sends a signal that the current situation or environment is lacking. Looking for new ideas and inspiration helps overcome that. Therefore, instead of filling every single idle moment with apps, games, emails, website visits, try letting yourself experience boredom

13. RE-CONCEPTUALIZE THE PROBLEM. Creative people tend to re-conceptualize problems more often than less creative people do. Instead of continuing to throw yourself against the same mental wall, try taking a step back. Revisit the problem from the very beginning, and at the core. Can you look at the issue – and the cause of the issue? Is there a different way to think about the problem? Does the problem look different when view from another angle? Giving yourself a chance to start over with a fresh point of view can foster creative thinking and lead to more novel solutions

14. GET EMOTIONAL. Both positive and negative emotional states are linked to creative thinking, according to a 2007 study. This does not mean that you should rush out and put yourself in a bad mood, just to gain some inspiration. But the next time you find yourself in a negative emotional state, try to apply some of that energy towards solving a problem or accomplishing a task rather than just sitting around feeling furious

15. SURROUND YOURSELF WITH BLUE. Color psychology has shown us that different colors can have varying effects on our moods, emotions, and behaviors. The color blue tends to make people think more creatively. According to researchers, the color blue encourages people to help people feel safe to explore and be creative because in its natural state, the color blue is heavily associated with nature, peace, and tranquility. The next time you are trying to find inspiration, try using the color blue to see if it might trigger some new ideas

16. MEDITATE. Meditation has long been used as a relaxation technique, and recent research demonstrates that the health benefits extend far beyond relaxation. One study found that a method called Open Monitoring Meditation help individuals be receptive to any and all thoughts without focusing on any particular object or idea. This can increase divergent thinking, and the generation of new ideas

THE CHANGING DEFINITION OF CREATIVITY
Since the early 1990s, we’ve come to develop a more thorough and accurate understanding of what a brain engaged in creative thought “looks like.”
Researchers in a 2014 study put people in a brain scanner and asked them to come up with new uses for everyday objects such as a sock, soap, or chewing gum wrapper.
Some people stuck to everyday, common uses, and found it hard to filter these out.
As a result, they were likely to answer with obvious examples, such as covering feet and blowing bubbles.
Highly original thinkers, in contrast, showed robust connectivity between three networks of the brain (mind wandering, focused thinking, and selective attention).
They came up with more varied and creative suggestions, such as a water filtration system, a seal for envelopes, and an antenna wire.

HOW WE CAN LEARN TO CULTIVATE CREATIVE THINKING

What this research shows is that it’s fully within our power to practice our creative thinking.
To turn creative thinking into a habit, try the following things:

1. LET YOUR MIND WANDER. Challenge yourself to think up lots of ideas around a topic or problem at the same time. It’s essential to try and stop yourself from self-policing, and don’t discount some of your more lateral ideas before you note them down for further development

2. REDUCE DISTRACTION. Free up your brain to focus on the things that matter by doing a mini digital detox or tidying your workspace. You don’t want to bombard your brain with distracting visual cues when you’re trying to focus

3. MINDFULNESS. Improve your capacity for selective attention by practicing mindfulness. A simple, daily breath meditation is a great way to draw yourself back to reality, and to re-train yourself to notice the present moment

4. DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT. Read a novel or see a show. Cultural activities such as going to the theater or even just reading a fiction book can strengthen the connections between the two halves of the brain, which helps with creative thought
These simple practices will free you up to think in more lateral, creative ways.
And when you learn to think creatively, you’ll be able to direct and design the life that you want for yourself.
You’ll be able to draw on all the different aspects of your thinking.
You’ll fuse ideas and ways of thinking together and generate original and innovative solutions in the process.
A creative person isn’t one who avoids logical thinking, but who can draw on logic along with their other “pathways” of thought without constraining themselves with self-limiting beliefs.
It doesn’t matter how well you paint or how beautiful your drawings are. Like everything else, being creative is a matter of practice and intention.

FACTORS THAT ENHANCE CREATIVITY

1. DOPAMINE AND THE BRAIN. The neurotransmitter dopamine, associated with pleasure, reward, and motivation, plays a role in creativity. High levels of dopamine in the striatum (a part of the brain) can enhance cognitive flexibility and divergent thinking

2. MINFULNESS AND MEDITATION. Mindfulness practices can positively impact the brain’s creativity centers

3. BRAIN PLASTICITY. Our brains are malleable, adapting in response to learning and experiences. Engaging in creative activities can further boost this neuroplasticity. For instance, musicians show enhanced connections in regions linked to auditory processing⁸.
Isn’t that fascinating?
Creativity is a vast and intricate tapestry of cognitive processes, interwoven with our story, our emotions, experiences, and the very structure of our brains.
As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the mind, one thing is clear: creativity is not the sole domain of a select few but a universal human ability, deeply rooted in our neural architecture.