F E AT U R E
Grow Your Creative Muscle
When we hear about creativity, it’s almost always related to the liberal arts. Artists, musicians, writers, and dancers are bestowed with a creative gift, while the rest of us watch from the bleachers. We often fail to consider how much true creativity is necessary for daily life, including the workplace. Innovation, imagination, inventiveness, and resourcefulness are all parts of a creative mind. No matter what your job, creativity can give you the spark you need to solve a tough problem, work with difficult people, and impress your boss. Creativity is like a muscle in your brain. The more you work on it, the stronger it gets. Even if you don’t consider yourself a creative person, don’t give up! Check out these 4 steps to help you become more creative. 1. Try something new. Whether it’s visiting new museums, trying out yoga, or just watching a genre on Netflix that you usually wouldn’t, expanding your horizons can help you break through your creativity barriers.
2. Play. Make time for your inner child. Children have incredible imaginations and reminding yourself of what that was like can be a good step toward opening up your creativity. Try putting together a challenging Lego set or hosting game night. 3. A sk questions. Even if you feel like you already know the answers, take the time to ask more questions. Curiosity can help us discover new things that allow our brains to make new creative connections. 4. B e wrong. Don’t let the fear of making a mistake hinder your creativity. The world needs new ideas to solve complex problems. Don’t hold back your creative instincts just because you aren’t sure what others will think. In fact, mistakes can serve as a launching point for the right solution. In the words of Maya Angelou, “You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.” Tap into yours and watch the growth that occurs.
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