Creativity is hard to come by and easy to lose. Creative people tend to have a rich network of connections in their brains, leading them to see the world differently than others. Creatives have larger volumes of the hippocampus and anterior temporal lobe, which leads them to think outside the box when solving problems, find hidden meanings in things, and remember names and faces with ease. However, creativity can be suppressed by stress, anxiety, or other outside factors that lead one to be less observant of their environment. Thankfully, neuroscience as a Path to Creativity is beginning to understand exactly how the brain makes someone creative again. Here are some ways you can coax your brain into unlocking your creative potential once more.

Go for a walk

For most people, creativity is sparked by a moment of insight when the right idea comes to mind. This often happens when a person is relaxed, so it may be helpful to encourage your brain to enter that relaxed state. Walking is a great way to do this; it’s low impact and gives your brain a chance to wander. While walking, encourage your mind to let go of the thoughts weighing it down; studies have shown that walking can help people let go of negative thoughts and emotions. Walking is also a great way to let your brain process information that you’ve been taking in recently. If you’re trying to come up with a new idea or product, try walking around the block a few times. Your brain won’t be as focused on the problem if it’s busy taking in new visual stimuli.

Meditate as a Path to Creativity

Meditation is often associated with a relaxed state of mind, which is great for unlocking creativity. Studies have shown that creative people tend to have a higher level of openness to experience, which is the personality trait that makes you more likely to be creative. As openness to experience increases, so does the likelihood of being creative. Meditation is one way to make your brain more open to new experiences. Meditating can help you shut out the stresses of the world and focus on your inner thoughts, feelings, and emotions. People who are more open to experience report having more thoughts outside the box than others. They’re also more likely to use metaphors and analogies, which are great tools for problem-solving. Meditation can help you be more receptive to new ideas, which can make it easier to be creative.

Listen to music

Music is an art form that’s almost as old as humanity itself. Early musicians used music to tell stories and convey emotions to their listeners. It’s no surprise that this practice translates into the modern day; people who listen to music regularly have better moods and are more likely to be optimistic. Music has also been shown to improve memory and creativity; a study found that people were able to solve puzzles more easily when they had music playing in the background. When it comes to improving creativity, lyrics are particularly helpful. Songs with lyrics that describe an event that happened in the past are shown to help people think outside the box and find new solutions to old problems. Music may be preferable to background noise since it doesn’t distract the listener as much. Choose a type of music that you find soothing, as this will help encourage your brain to relax.

Watch your language

Words are powerful, and how you use them can have a direct impact on creativity. Studies have shown that people tend to be more creative when they use metaphors or analogies in their speech. While this isn’t the best way to come up with completely new ideas, it can help the creative people in your life find alternate ways to solve problems. People who use metaphors in their speech tend to be more creative overall. Try writing down the various metaphors you hear in conversation, and see if you can apply them to your problems. You can even make an effort to use metaphors in your speech; studies have shown that people who use more metaphors in their speech tend to be more creative.

Read fiction

Fiction is an art that’s designed to create an illusion to transport the reader to another place and another time. Writers use metaphor and symbolism to transform the world around us into something new and exciting. Fiction is often found to boost creativity, though it remains unclear exactly why this is. One theory suggests that reading fiction makes people more likely to mentally simulate the events that they read about. This is the same mental process that’s used when imagining new ideas, which may make it easier to be creative. When choosing what to read, look for fiction that’s out of your comfort zone. This will help you read outside your normal patterns and mental associations, which can help you think about the world in new ways.

Write by hand

The digitization of our world has led to a decline in creativity, according to researchers. Writing by hand allows you to let your mind wander, which helps you to be more creative. This may be because writing by hand is slower than typing on a keyboard, meaning you’re able to focus more on your thoughts instead of how quickly you need to get them down. When you write by hand, you’re also more likely to engage in rich, imaginative visualization. This is a key part of the creative process, as it allows you to come up with new ideas. When you write by hand, you’ll have to use different parts of your brain than if you type a similar sentence. This means that you’re giving different regions of your brain a chance to engage, which may make you more creative overall.

Neuroscience : Take care of yourself physically and emotionally

Your creativity is tied to your mental health and well-being. Creative people are more likely to suffer from mood disorders like depression and anxiety, as well as certain mental health issues like schizophrenia. While creative people may be more likely to suffer from these conditions, they may also be more likely to experience creative breakthroughs as a result of them. When it comes to being creative, it’s important to take care of your mental health. Practice self-care, avoid emotional stress, and make sure you’re getting enough sleep. If you notice that your creative output is suffering, it may be a sign that you need to make some adjustments to your lifestyle.