So often, we prioritize the left-brain, logical part of ourselves. The part that thinks in straight lines and always wants to know what’s next, what the plan is and what’s for dinner.
We do ourselves a disservice, however, if we ignore our creative right-brain—the one that thinks in colors and pictures and spirals. It may require quiet time to think, reflect and process but there are many benefits to getting more in touch with our creative side. Indeed, it can help open up whole new areas of life.
Take time every day to connect with your creativity.
Using our logical minds are like taking a train ride. Many of us use them all day, especially in our professional lives. They take us from point A to point B in a steady, predictable, reliable fashion.
Using our creative minds is more like taking a drive in a Jeep on a back country road! Lots of twists and turns and getting lost—and we don’t know where we’ll end up. This can be unsettling for those of us used to living in logic, but it can be remarkably freeing as well. Creativity breaks through our old patterns and habits, injecting fresh energy into life.
How do we tap into that? It’s easy to start. Creativity can arise in so many forms—art, writing, poetry, dance, sports, music, math, to name a few. If any of those appeal to you, dive in! Write a poem over the weekend, or dust off the guitar you’ve got buried in the back of your closet.
If you’re not sure what appeals to you, think back to when you were a kid. Did you like painting? Playing with clay? Reading for pleasure? Shooting hoops? Sitting back, daydreaming and letting your imagination carry you away? Pay attention to what calls to you and go for it!
Of course, creativity doesn’t have to be confined strictly within any one group of activities. What’s so fascinating is that when we start to open up to our creative minds, that energy can flow into all areas of our lives. We can become more innovative at work, more capable problem solvers, and most important of all, more open to new experiences, which in turn further fuels our creativity.
There’s nothing wrong with riding the train, but by itself it can make for a boring, unfulfilling life. Take a drive on the back country roads, and open yourself up to new possibilities :)