3 Simple Tricks For Being More Creative!
Cookie Jar tips for making this year, your year of ideas.
“Creativity is just connecting things. When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something. It seemed obvious to them after a while” — Steve Jobs
What does the poet, the composer, and the photographer all have in common? They all have outlets for their creativity. New ideas are addictive, connecting domains is enchanting, and exploring different niches is instinctive. I’m not sure if there is anything more fun than being creative.
I hope you are here because your year has started off wonderfully (thanks to some great advice), and are only looking for more improvement! Following is three tips for increasing your creative mindset!
1. BE A ROCKSTAR! (aka turn off the radio and jam yourself)
“Creativity is more than just being different. Anybody can plan weird; that’s easy. What’s hard is to be as simple as Bach. Making the simple, awesomely simple, that’s creativity” — Charles Mingus
Luckily, I grew up in a household filled with music: from saxophone to drums, piano to ukulele… I tried many instruments before settling on an acoustic guitar. It may sound like I was destined for The Julliard School, but trust me… it wasn’t all smooth sailing. My parents threatened to kick me out after they realized how loud a drumset could be. My mom forbids anyone from playing ‘Ode to Joy’ even one time at the piano. I still need to convince friends that “ukuleles aren’t that lame.” I’m even sad to say that even after almost of decade of consistent playing, I’m a mediocre guitar player at best. Nonetheless, you’ll always find me humming a melody, tapping my feet to a new rhythm, and jamming on the air guitar during parties because music makes me happy, and stimulates new ideas.
I have found that even after only 10 minutes of playing an instrument, I am calm, happy, and brimming with new thoughts. It turns out 4 chords are just enough to distract from overdue emails, and endless Zoom calls.
Music is defined as “aural stimulation,” and as a result directly affects your attention span.
According to research, people who play instruments are found to be much more creative. This is because learning and then practicing instruments boosts ideation and working memory! Don’t want to learn an instrument, that’s OK too! You can sing in the shower, host a Karaoke night, or sing with the radio. The important point is to not simply listen to music, but contribute to it.
2. EMBRACE THE INNER CHEF (aka homemade is healthy)
“Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music”—Julia Child
Although I am no professional, I find cooking to be a creative release. It is an unassuming skill. Ask a novice baker to make chocolate chip cookies, and you may lose a tooth. Ask an expert chef how to make an omelet, and you’ll never look at eggs the same way again. Therefore, delicious cooking requires practice AND failure. Also stated, to be a good chef you’re gonna have to crack some eggs.
Having an open mindset, trying new recipes, (even if they require spices you can’t pronounce), and retrying even if the souffle falls flat is key for developing a creative mindset. I have found that cooking clears the mind, allowing new ideas to come brimming to the top. I glance over all the resources in my kitchen and start making connections.
Creativity may be a result of being more mindful in the present moment—as to not cut off a finger in the stew. A pinch of this, a touch of that, and Voila! Applied learning and a full stomach.
Playing into our final tip… Food plays a vital role in social interaction. Conversation fosters innovation, and many great ideas have been shared at the dinner table!
3. Speak Up! (aka learn a new language)
“Language is an anonymous, collective and unconscious art; the result of the creativity of thousands of generations”—Edward Sapir
Switching between languages is like switching between mindsets. I am comfortably bilingual (fluent in both English and Swedish), and my friends that know me best say I interact differently in each language. This shouldn’t come as too much a surprise, as there is an infinite number of ways to express yourself in one language—let alone multiple. Additonally, I’ve found that writing in a different language has helped me become a better writer.
By changing the language, you discover how to say things in more ways. In other words, you become more creative in describing current situations and past experiences.
Research has shown that speaking more than one language does not only improve verbal skills, but also general cognitive abilities. The scientists describe this as divergent thinking, which is your mind’s ability to generate many solutions to one problem.
You’re probably thinking: “where do I start?” Learning a language is a difficult task and takes a large level of commitment. Luckily, many apps (such as Duolingo and Babbel) offer bite-sized lessons for the busy professional. Even saying a few phrases can greatly enhance your vocabulary and creative thinking! If you are on the fence, I highly encourage you to take the leap and speak up in a new language.
In the end, creativity is ultimately what you make of it. So be your own test subject and play an instrument, experiment in the kitchen, and learn a new language!
If you haven’t noticed, there are no how-to guides for increasing your creativity. The only certainty is that perfection is the enemy, and variation is your friend. You are going to fail… many times… over and over again... while learning a new skill. However, if you keep trying and embrace the growth mindset, you’ll find connections across a variety of fields (aka increase your creativity!) Stay curious, play in a variety of areas, and embrace the variation… creativity will come.
