I’m guilty of having stopped a creative project half way because creativity had stopped knocking on my door. I’m sure I’m not the only creative that has experienced this painful phenomenon.
If this resonates with you at all, no need to knock your head against the wall any longer.
If you are willing to look a little bit silly for the sake of your art then you’ve come to the right place. The idea behind these tips are all based on the discovery of the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections in response to new situations or to changes in the environment. This is great news for us creatives who sometimes struggle with our creative dead-ends, but no more!
I’m no scientist but a little digging and talking with other creatives landed me on these outlandish and quirky tips. I’ve numbered them from the least weird to the most so that I turn on the weirdness gradually. So without any further ado, here are the 5 wackiest tips to get your creative juices flowing. I can’t wait for you to try them!
1.Take a different way home tonight
No, I’m not talking about stopping over and seeing bae (unless that’s what you want to do of course). I’m being very literal here: if you always go down the same roads on your way home then give your old brain a curve ball and take the backstreets tonight! Or zigzag your way around town until you get to your destination. I know you’re probably tired and just want to get home but this one is a winner and your creativity (and brain) will definitely thank you for it! After all, you wouldn’t want to eat the same foods everyday so give your grey matter some different food to feast on!
2. Keep your eyes shut
This is true for a lot of activities that we do. We sleep with our eyes closed (at least I hope so). We do it whilst we lock lips with that special someone (I really do hope so for your boo’s sake). But there are also many things we keep our eyes open for: showering, making our beds, brushing our teeth…So I encourage you to keep them shut whilst you attempt some of these. Not only will this give you a new found appreciation for your eyesight but it will also encourage your brain to create some brand new neural pathways. I’m getting pretty good at making my bed with my eyes closed myself! Maybe just wait until washing the dishes with your eyes shut until you’re a bit more of a pro though!
3. Do the exact opposite of what you’re used to
No, I don’t mean trying polyamory if you’re all about monogamy (unless, again, that’s what you really want). But if you like staying and snuggling up to some Netflix (everyone loves a good binge), why not try doing something in the fresh air? Likewise, if you usually go skiing on your holiday, why not give the beach a try? Here’s a fun one: if you’re used to dressing up casually when you go to the shops, channel your inner diva and glam-up. Or if you’re usually dressed in black from head to toe (black clothing is oh-so-flattering, I know), wear some funky colours! By giving your brain some unusual experiences, you will definitely be creating some creativity juice up in there.
4. Spice up your life!
Some say variety is the spice of life and I agree! Again, I’m being very literal here. Bring out all the different spices and all the tastes you haven’t yet tried! You know that Vietnamese restaurant that you are dying to try out but always manage to not go in? It is waiting for you! The idea is to try new flavours, the more different, the better! If you normally don’t eat spice, eat something spicy (start small of course). Or if you’ve never tried capers because you’ve never really gotten over how weird they look, give them a try! Make sure to do it all with an open mind and remember: you are doing this in the name of your creativity and that’s good enough to be a little less picky (you know who you are).
5. Channel your inner emo
Hands up who loved listening to depressing music in the car during a long roatrip growing up and pretending they were in a sad music video? Just me? Moving on, then! This one might be the most random tip on this list but it has been handed to me by my incredibly talented friend who actually won a very prestigious creative competition. The way you apply this tip is to trace the water droplets with your eyes and/ or fingertips as they go down the shower wall during a shower. And if you want to play Sinead O’Connor’s ‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ and look sad and gloomy whilst you’re at it, no one will blame you!
So here you are, the 5 wackiest tips to help get your creative juices flowing.. You’ll never have to stop a creative project halfway because you’ve hit a creative dead-end ever again!
Now over to you, what weird and wacky ways you have to unlock your creativity? Leave a comment and inspire us all with your weirdness!