People seem to have the mistaken belief that only a select few are able to let loose a continuous flow of creative brilliance. That is not true at all. The fact is, ingenuity is very much like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to time after time give out great results. If you don't practice utilizing your creative thinking, this skill will very much degenerate into inexistence. But keep functioning and this skill will soon come to you spontaneously.
So how do you set free your creative thinking? Well, the first thing is to become a human leech. No, we're not talking about just sucking the blood out of every living thing available, we're saying that you should take in as much knowledge and learning you can find. Read all that is available -- good and bad, and keep your mind open to the never-ending possibilities of the world. The more you know, the more you'll want to know, and the more your sense of wonder will be exercised. Prepare to be amazed at little facts that add a bit of colour into your life.
Focus on a creative activity everyday. Yes, it's an effort. Even doodling is a creative activity. Don't let anything hinder you. Mindlessness may be a creative activity, but for people who are just starting out to unleash a little bit of creative thinking in their lives, it is helpful and encouraging to have concrete evidence, that, "hey, what I'm doing is getting somewhere." So why don't you try it. Practice drawing for a couple of minutes each day. Bring out your old camera and start snapping photos like crazy. Keep a journal and make a point to write in it religiously. Another cool idea is to write by describing something with your five senses. Try to avoid vague adjectives like "marvellous," "amazing," and "delicious." Before you know it, you'll have built yourself a tiny portfolio, and you'll be astonished at the growth you've undertaken after building up all those works of art. Who knows, you might actually take to liking those things you do everyday. Pretty soon those things will become a part of you and you'll be addicted to these creative tasks.
Think outside the box -- or don't. Sometimes, restrictions are actually a good thing. Limitations regulates you to work within your means. It enables you to be more imaginative. Creative freedom is great, but limitations enforce discipline.
Try something new everyday and let your experiences expand your point of view. Discover a new district in your neighbourhood. Spend an afternoon in a museum to which you've never visited before. Chat up someone on the bus. Open up to the people around you. As you thrust yourself out of your comfort zone more and more each day, your sense of adventure grows and so does your enthusiasm for life. Think about it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? If it's been a while, I tell you, you've been missing out on a whole lot of experiences that could've added to your development, emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Why don't you try bungee jumping today? Not only will you learn, but you will also have plenty of stories to share, enabling you to practice your storytelling skills and making you the life of the party.
Embrace insanity. No, not to the point of practically admitting yourself into the mental ward. Every creative thought was once deemed madness by other "normal" people at one time or another. Luckily, that didn't stop the creative geniuses like Eistein from standing by them. The thing is, sanity or being normal confines people to think... well, normally. Within limits. Creativity is essentially breaking through barriers. Yes, this includes the uncanny and the downright outlandish. I'm not saying that you yourself should develop a creative personality. That might go haywire. It's important that your creativity doesn't get you detached from the real world completely.
I hope this article has motivated you to start thinking beyond your "limits." If you follow these steps pretty soon you'll be living a life full of interesting adventures. Setting free your creative thinking will bring about a new passion for living life.
