13 Best Ways To Stimulate CREATIVITY
February 1st, 2012 by Diane Conklin under Information Marketing, Marketing, Social Media. No Comments.
Last week I was speaking to an advisor of mine. We had talked about writing and creativity. She perceived that I was a creative person. I told her that I grew up avoiding reading and writing because I was criticized and punished frequently by parents and teachers. Of course, I avoided working on those skills because I was weak in them. I convinced myself that I didn’t like to read, because I read slowly and couldn’t write because I couldn’t spell. This issue really affected my self confidence all through formal schooling and as an adult. As an adult, I was diagnosed as dyslexic. There was a reason I had difficulties – not an excuse.
As our conversation advanced, she asked me the “bucket list” question. You know the one, “If you only had 1 week to live what would you do?” I responded by rattling off my initial reaction responses. In the middle of the list was the topic of writing. She asked, Why if you had so much trouble in most of my life? I commented that I was beginning to enjoy writing mainly because I was having fun and I was able to be creative while writing this Ezine.
In this article, we’ll explore 13 of the best ways to stimulate creativity. Whether it’s tackling the writer’s block, fear of the blank computer screen (and a deadline approaching), developing new products or programs in your business or jump starting your brain with new ideas; your creativity or lack thereof, may be the key ingredient to what is driving your level of success.
13 Best Ways to Stimulate CREATIVITY or Unlocking “Brain Freeze”
1. Associate With Many Diverse Individuals
Getting to know people of different races, religions, cultures, and countries is fun and educational. The more you learn from other people the more you will be open to new ideas and concepts. Don’t be judgmental – just be open to the difference and celebrate it. Having a diverse center of influence will surely enrich your life and broaden your perspectives.
2. Spend time with children
This is one of my favorite things to do. If you watch young children play and play with them, you’ll find that their innocence and lack of fear in life spurs creativity. Adults hold themselves back because of “rules” and fear. Shed rules and fear, play with children like a child. It’s fun.
3. Eat and drink different foods and beverages
Have you ever noticed that you can get bored real fast eating the same foods day after day? Try new foods, recipes, be creative if you cook, try foods from around the world. It’s all fun. Food, smells, tastes etc all stimulate the mind and can invite creativity to creep in.
4. Try a new hobby or start a project
Just what entrepreneurs need is a new project, right? Starting a project or researching a new hoppy is exciting. Researching and visualizing a new project can jump start your creative mental juices. Give your mind something different to work on consciously so the sub conscious can work on solving business issues. Take up photography, paint a picture, build a pirate ship in your front yard (like I did), whatever it is – do something different.
5. Fly a kite 
You will be amazed at how relaxing and calming flying a kite can be. If you haven’t flown a kite since you were a kid, try it again.Focus on the wind and the sky and the beauty of nature. This is sure to be a fun activity.
Yep, exercise – you knew it was coming. This is my worst disciple right now. When you exercise you stimulate endorphins which give you a sense of happiness and well being. When you take care of your body by exercising you will have more energy all day. While exercising, your mind will work on solving problems with less effort and stress.
7. Relax and review mementoes that Make You Smile Inside Everyone keeps memories in the form of pictures, videos, scrapbooks etc. When your energy level is low and you feel stuck, maybe even a little down, it always helps pop you out of the mood by surrounding yourself with mementos of those times and things that made you happy and smile inside. You know the feeling. Wasn’t that a good time? Feeling happy and relaxing can regenerate the creativity you have inside. 8. Meditate Many people meditate daily. Meditation is relaxing and refreshing. Creativity is best raised to the surface through simple methods of meditation.
9. Go to a cultural celebration Attending an occasional arts festival, cultural celebration, a chili cook off, whatever it is. The change in sight and textures out of the normal keeps the mind active and stimulates creativity.
10. Visit a museum Think of all of the sights, textures, sound and history available to your senses at a museum. Appreciating where the human race came from, the strides of invention and culture will help break staleness in your thoughts and take creativity up a notch.
11. Walk in the woods, go to the beach, go to the mountains Another one of my favorites creativity boosts. For me nothing is more spiritually moving and inspiringthan walking in nature, going to the beach and listening to the sound of the waves, or as I did as a child, walking in the mountains. I’d find a special rock by a creek I called my escape rock and listen to the sound of deer in the woods and my dog, Blue, as she looked for small creeping critters. Sometimes I’d even take a notebook and begin to write down what I was thinking. I always returned home refreshed and relaxed.
12. Listen to music 
Music is a wonderful creative spur. It doesn’t matter if it’s Classical, Jazz, Blue grass, pop or country, rap or hip hop. Music will set a mood that you and your body relate to. As a result your mind changes focus and creativity can flow.
13. Encourage creativity in others When you help someone else, doesn’t it seem like it’s easier to be creative just because it’s someone else? The “someone” else can be you … but because it’s not “personal” it seems easier to be creative with someone else or their business. Relate it to a master mind concept. A group of likeminded folks all focused on helping you. Ideas flow with creativity that blows your mind. Creativity breeds creativity.
As you may have noticed, the 13 ways to stimulate creativity could also be the 13 ways to relax and have fun. As an entrepreneur, you tend to be focused but continually moving from project to project, finishing some, ignoring many. You get so overwhelmed by opportunity and the “shiny object syndrome” that you exhaust your energy. If your mind and body are depleted of energy, so is your creativity depleted and staggered.
Creativity is essential to the nature of an entrepreneur’s success. It needs to be nurtured. The 13 Best Ways To Stimulate Creativity are suggestions you can use or add your own.
