Many people think
that they don't have a creative bone in their body but that just isn't true.
Remember when you were a kid and you could creatively make up games, build
secret forts and more? Or how about that imaginary friend you talked to? Those
things all prove that you once were creative and can be again. Learning to use
your imagination again is a great way to work on developing your creativity.
Like a muscle, your
imagination can become weak from disuse. By making time to exercise your
imagination with a few fun mind games, you’ll soon find it’s strong enough to
bring out your inner creative self. Here’s how.
Grab the nearest book or magazine you have
close by - open it up to a
random page and then choose one sentence. Now, let your imagination run wild
and create a story based around that sentence. This is not only a great way to
tap into your imagination, but it's also a quick way to get your creative
juices flowing. If you ever find you're hitting that dreaded writers block,
this is a quick trick to use to help get past it.
Pick a superpower - yes, you read that correctly. It may
sound a bit silly but don't skip over it. It's fun, lets you bring your inner
child out and it's a great way to practice your imagination skills and in turn,
bring the creativity out.
After you choose
your superpower, don't stop there. Now it's time to let the creativity show.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How would I use this power?
- When would I use this power?
- How would my life change with this
power?
- What trouble would I get in?
- What problems would be solved?
I bet you'll be
surprised at where your imagination takes you. Grab a pen and piece of paper
and write as you do this exercise. Who knows what it could turn into - a blog
post, an eBook, a YouTube video…the possibilities are endless.
Venture outside and take a walk - this one is simple and easy but incredibly
powerful. As you walk, not only are you getting some fresh air and exercise,
but you're also allowing your mind to run free. Use your senses to get your
imagination going. Example: smell - are you near pine trees? Breathe deep and
smell the pine then start imagining being in an enchanted forest or medieval
kingdom. The key here is to use as many of your five senses as you can and let
your imagination go from there.
This is just a small list of ways you can tap
into your imagination to help develop your creativity. By no means is this an
exhaustive list of ideas, it's just meant as a starting point for you. Once
you’ve practiced these ideas, you’ll find more will come to you. The key is to
not censor your thoughts, but to just allow your imagination to run wild, just
like when you were a kid.
