5 Hacks to Creativity

Up until this point, I’ve been told that people are either born with creativity or they’re not, but that is WRONG. People are born with the natural inclination to be creative, and in some of us, that continues to thrive and grow just as we do. In others however, it’s squeezed out like a juicer into a different model of what already existed. No fun. Some of us are just more creative than others, but that doesn’t mean we can’t develop ourselves.

So, now that we’ve settled that a naturally non-creative person does not exist, let us proceed.

Here are just a couple of my thoughts on how to engage and strengthen your sense of creativity on a daily basis. Enjoy!

1.  Change your lense

Everyone has a viewpoint, yes? This is formed by experiences and interactions with those around you. Think of your viewpoint as a pair of colored lenses. If you put on someone else’s glasses, unlike real life when you’d stagger around the room screaming “Wow! You’re so blind, how do you see?”, you’d be privy to new perspectives.

How does one acquire said lenses, you ask? Socialize yourself to new perspectives, like reading a book about something you’ve never thought of, talking to people that are different than you, exploring the planet you live on, or actually hearing out a perspective you’re not exactly enthusiastic about.

2. Do random things

I loooove doing random things. Last month I almost signed up for helicopter lessons, just because I thought it’d be cool. I’ve travelled Europe, I got my bartending certification, took a job at a nonprofit, tried my hand at cooking (quite terribly), learned other languages, tried random sports, learned a few instruments, tried painting, writing and drawing, and took a dance class. You name it, there’s a chance I’ve done it or am planning on doing it. Try something new to get the creative juices flowing.

Museum of Sex bouncy castle in NYC

3. Fail

If you’re not failing, it’s because you’re not doing enough. The odds of you hitting bullseye while you’re playing darts is...uhhhh, slim and none. You usually have to throw 5, 10, 20 times before you get what you want. Same principle applies to other efforts. C’est la vie.

4. Clean

Cleaning your living space exponentially helps clear out what is blocking the space for freedom in your brain. Not only will your work/living space smell better (lol) but you’ll feel more open and relaxed. It’s science people.

5. Music

Sometimes I’ll just scroll through Spotify and pick music at random. Sometimes it’s a freaky, screamy song, and others make me feel like I’m tripping on acid. Love or hate, it’s eliciting an emotion out of you, so work with that. (Disclaimer: I am not currently on nor have I ever done acid).

Now you are armed with a few tools to break out of your mental schemas and privy yourself to a world of bountiful possibilities. May your days be blessed with fertility of thought and a few blunders to laugh about on your journey there.