5 Ways To Improve Creativity, by Q. Reyes – Artistic Warfare #14

March 22, 2009 Q. Reyes 0 Comments

Creativity is the birthplace of thoughts, and we tap into this place constantly, even when we sleep. If you’re thinking, then you’re creating, and obviously some thoughts and ideas are better than others. Our level of access to our creativity will dictate the quality of our ideas

Experience life.
To experience is to be able to observe or live through something, good or bad. Experiences are bookmarks of wisdom in our lives that allow us to learn in an intimate way about an event or circumstance.

Creativity is influenced greatly by experiences, and vise versa. When you feel bummed out it’s a great time to be creative and express how you feel, whether on paper or a canvas, when you look back you’ll be glad you documented your feelings. When you feel great it’s also a good time to express your creativity, especially when we carefully catalogue how we feel.

The trickiest part is when we don’t feel one way or another, and we simply feel “blah”. That’s our potential to be most creative, since emotional circumstances don’t block our access to our thought processes. When I feel uninspired, I get excited, because that only means that I have to look for something to get inspired about. I browse through books, listen to music, or simply just look at people living their lives right outside my window. It never fails, there’s always something inspiring out there for all of us.

Interact with people.
Get out of your house and take the train or the bus and meet people, whether you like it or not. If you want to give your creativity a jump for the better make sure you talk to everyone that will talk back to you. Make this a habit in your daily routine, and talk to the dude taking your order at Starbucks, talk to the bill collector calling to harass you, talk to your neighbor, talk to your family, friends, relatives, homeless people asking for change… just converse with everyone in your path.

Talking to strangers is very difficult for a lot of people, and we usually don’t have the time to engage in random chitchat, but this is important fuel for your mind. We don’t have to talk to difficult people or strangers to enhance our creativity, sometimes a family member will do. Most people are willing to open up, if we are patient enough to listen.

Practice being creative.
Practicing being creative seems to be redundant, but in fact is one of the most necessary elements of the creation process. Thinking outside the box comes easier for some people than others, but we are all born with the ability to do it, and with practice we become better at it.

Some of the ways you can practice being creative is by thinking of something you never usually think about. Think of alternative endings to movies you like or dislike, think of how your life would be if you were super rich and famous, or if you’re rich and famous, then think about how your life would be if you were dirt poor. Just let your imagination run free for about ten minutes every morning, preferably when you wake up. That time between opening your eyes and being fully awake, or right before falling asleep works too. After a few days of doing this exercise, you will notice a more powerful connection to your imagination.

Get your body healthy.
Physical exercise is a must if you plan to utilize your full creative potential. You must take care of your body, because your body houses your mind, at least temporarily. You don’t have to go to the gym and become a body builder, you just need to get your ass up once in a while and do something with your body. Pick up a couple of gallons of milk over your head, or scrub the shower, or take a walk around your block.

Physical activity improves circulation to your brain, which I know from experience will bring clarity into your thoughts. Sometimes the best thoughts come from not thinking at all. Enjoy your physicality and live in the now. Understand that your heart beating is a process that never stops, and you must keep it going if you want to live long. Plus, besides the mental clarity that you will get from physical exercise, you will also hopefully prolong your life a few minutes.

Eat right.
This is one of the things we don’t think about much, unless we’re on a diet for some reason. Food is a drug, and if you use correctly, it could enhance your creativity. I like drinking a lot of ginseng and ginkgo bilova, especially when I’m experiencing writer’s block. I also know that some teas, such as Yerba Mate can give you a little edge to your creativity. Coffee is one of my favorites, but its benefits might be a mix bag, plus I hate the crash I get from drinking it too much.

Too many carbs will put you to sleep, not enough carbs will disturb your focus. It’s a tricky balance that must be kept with the right amount of sugars and salts. That is a balance we each must find for ourselves individually, and when we find it, it can enhance our creativity.
Some people use energy drinks to temporarily enhance their mood and creativity, but I personally find it very hard to focus when I drink an energy drink. I get jittery and can’t keep a thought for longer than a second. I prefer taking vitamin B tablets in smaller dosages than the caffeine you get in the energy drinks. It’s the same energetic feeling, without the crash.

Also, when it comes to nutrition, stay away from overeating, because it won’t help you be creative, in fact, it will just help you get tired and sleepy. Remember that creativity needs a balance in your body to be accessible at it’s full potential. You also need a lot of discipline and you need to be serious about your work. If you lack the motivation to get your body healthy and in shape, and you lack the discipline to not a cheeseburger and fries everyday, then you probably are doing your creativity a disservice and you have no one to blame for yourself.

These are five short steps to take to engage in a more powerful creative mode. As you get a stronger connection to your creativity, you will create new ways to engage great thoughts and ideas.

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Q. is a guy that grew up without the opportunity or the resources to make something out of his life so far. Q. enjoys long walks on the beach, horseback riding, and crying in the fetal position in the shower every morning. Q. is a creator of the Ceasar and Chuy show on LATV (ahora en Español!).