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Did you know one of the biggest culprits to blocking your true potential is stifling your creativity?

You might not know this but there is a connection between the human habit, creativity and problem solving.  It’s important to know this because when we are not exploring our creativity, not using it, it fades away as does our potential for growth and change.

Why do we stop being creative?

It is because we fall into these predicable patterns of thinking, being and relating through following the same routines, and re-creating the same situations over and over again to make life easy.  As a result we stay in mental comfort zones and become less innovative.

Today, I want to help you tap into your creative spirit and inspire you to come alive, so you have a light bulb moment, and gain a fresh perspective on the challenges you face and see hidden opportunities in even the bleakest of circumstances.

Why harness this creative spirit?

Through harnessing your creative spirit you can overcome blocks to creative thinking, tapping into your creative side to come up with new solutions, and new strategies to implement and act upon. You can develop fresh ideas that will help you to move forward and effectively change your life.

Adobe Digital Marketing conduced a global study and found some 75% of people think they are not living up to their creative potential. These findings were published in the Advertising Age, 2012, to get a better understanding of how tapping into the unused creative potential of employees can have a big pay-off for everyone and enhance productivity and innovation in teams.

How do we get creative?

Think like a child. You don’t have to be a big kid, just be open, like a blank canvass to experiences. Children are so much more creative than adults and the reason is that they have not had the number of disappointments, rejections, failures and humiliations because of their life experiences.

Kids think that anything is a possibility. Today they grow up in a world of technology, which is like magic, and everything is feasible. Adults on the other hand are bogged down with rules, laws and conformity. Through play and being playful we can unlock our true potential.

So it makes sense that adult play is forgetting about your work worries and just enjoying yourself. And what play does is shape and structure the brain especially imaginative play which children are marvellous at.

When we are at play, it activates neural pathways and promotes memory skills. So if adults were to engage in more play, I believe they too can share ideas, experiences and feelings, and learn to explore, and experiment freely.

Play has great benefits it relieves stress because it can trigger the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel good chemicals. Play stimulates brain function so puzzles and games like chess are great stimulations for the brain.

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Can you imagine yourself being playful? 

Here’s three ideas to welcome play into your life and allow your creative spirit to flow.

  1. Declutter your calendar so you have time to daydream and just be. Can you find 15 minutes per day to just stop? Purchase a beautiful blank journal to make you want to put down all your creative ideas. If you have vivid dreams then start a dream journal.
  1. Another idea is to set a creative spirit goal. What can you let into your life that’s creative? Write, draw, paint, mould, or create. How can you stretch your self creatively? Is it to learn a new instrument, software program or start a blog?
  1. Lastly get inspired by other creatives. Check out what other people have done. What creative steps or course in life did they take? Sometimes reading life stories can help you to break free form negative patterns.

If you are not getting excited by the thought of play there is another way. Through meditation, and dreams you can reach the theta-level brain activity that kids achieve in play. Have you ever done something really easy and mundane like washing the dishes or taking a shower and a great idea pops in? Achieving very relaxed states can help you come up with the next big idea.

It’s time to play!

Play adds joy to your life; it will boost creative thinking and learning, it offers a big stress relief if you are feeling stuck and will unlock your true potential.

 

976531_131866627008533_2074159554_o 2 (2)Fiona Craig is a work-life balance coach, business mentor, writer, speaker and busy mum who loves helping women become better at juggling career and family.  Fiona’s new book, Stuck In A Rut: How to rescue yourself & live your truth is out October 2015.  Email Fiona at info@lifebalancecoach.com.au or visit her website https://www.lifebalancecoach.com.au