Creativity only occurs when we are relaxed enough to allow it to occur.
Even in stressful moments, we need to be distanced enough from our stress reaction in order to engage the part of our brain where creativity lives.
Most important, creativity can be developed as a habit, in fact, it is vital that we treat creativity as a muscle that we can develop over time. When we do so we are actively engaged in developing our own resilience.
Unlocking Creativity
Unlocking your creativity is a means of reducing stress and enhancing your problem-solving ability.
Practicing creativity enhances our ability to bounce back from stress by enabling us to see to the root of any problem and form their looking at ways we can resolve the problem.
When we’re in the creative space, we beg to see connections where before there was no relationship. We draw on principles from other areas of life and can apply them to the problem.
In the creative space, our ability to play with abstractions and models allows us to get enough emotional distance from “the problem”. We can work with it more objectively, with less attachment.
Creativity is good for your brain.
It stimulates alpha waves, signals in the brain that only occur in states of relaxation. Studies show that when we generate alpha waves and are in a relaxed state, that this is when we have “aha!” moments when we get solutions to the seemingly impossible.
This is why when faced with a challenging problem, it is best to take a step away from the problem. Try playing a game, taking a walk, or a nap so that your unconscious mind can get to work on the problem as you relax.
Develop a Habit of Creativity
If you have a story about yourself that you are not a creative person, drop that immediately. You don’t have to be Michelangelo or Da Vinci to be creative.
We are all creative in different ways. Begin exercising your creativity by doing something creative that is fun for you.
Whether it be scrapbooking or painting, writing or creating Tik Toks, knitting or creating your own clothing, cooking, building, making, carpentry, acting, singing, any act where you are making something new is creative.
Find one or two things you love doing and make time to do them at least four times a week. Once you have that going on after about 30 days or so, you can look at bringing something new into your space.
Remember it 30 days to start a habit and 90 to really incorporate it into your life.
Developing Yourself
Don’t think of it as just fun. Think that you are actually developing your own capacity to solve problems in developing this creativity habit. You don’t have to “endure” to be resilient, you simply overcome.
Don’t compare yourself to other people, you are developing yourself so you need only compare your own progress.