Get the juices flowing: 5 tips to boost creativity

How many times have you ever said this? “I’m just not a creative kind of person.” If you’re like me, you probably can’t count the number – and I write for a living. Not only is this mindset unproductive, though, it’s just not true. There’s no such thing as being an uncreative person.

Yes, I said it. While there are different personality types and attitudes – everyone’s different – every person has the capacity to think of new ideas and solve problems in new ways. Creativity isn’t just being able to paint a picture or shoot a movie; it’s about looking at things in a different way and being able to examine multiple points of view. Whether your job requires creativity in an obvious way (like being a wedding photographer, for example) or in some that are more subtle (serving in a restaurant), the ideas and perspectives you bring each day make you unique and help you carve your own niche.

Now that you’re thinking about creativity differently, you’re already on your way! What are some other ways to shake up your mindset and start seeing the world in a new way? Check out my five tips below.

1. Read something. You probably read plenty of tweets, Facebook posts and blog headlines a day, but we’re talking about something a little more long-form. A novel, the newspaper, the latest National Geographic – it doesn’t matter. What matters is you’re experiencing and learning something new, which gives your brain fresh information to work over.
2. Go outside. Taking a walk and changing up your surroundings gives you a fresh perspective – one that’s a little more inspiring than the inside of your cubicle. You never know who you’ll meet or what you’ll see on your walk, and squeezing in a little exercise never hurt, either.
3. Pick up a hobby. Whether you’re into bass fishing, painting pottery or whipping up a batch of chocolate ice cream, doing something you enjoy (and that’s different from your everyday work) is a great way to improve your mood and boost your creativity.
4. Talk to someone. Do you go through your whole day barely speaking to coworkers? Time for a change! While having a genuine conversation is great for your mood and for forming relationships, obviously, you’ll also get the chance to bounce ideas off another person and hear their side of the story, too.
5. Journal or doodle. This one depends on the person – I’ve never been much of a doodler, but I’ve spent plenty of idle moments writing out my favorite song lyrics or a favorite movie quote. Let your brain wander, and you might be surprised with what you come up with.

Creativity isn’t something you either have or don’t; while coming up with new ideas might come more naturally to some people, it’s something you can practice and improve on. So don’t be shy if you aren’t ready to sit down and come up with the next big thing in modern art – creativity is about solving problems as much as it is actually making something.

What are some ways you like to be creative? How do you boost your brain’s ability to think of new ideas? Share with me below!