Most of the time we talk awaken the imagination, we think about children. There is no doubt that imagination in the infant stage is fundamental, but it is no less important in adulthood. As a key element of creativity, imagination becomes a fundamental capacity to have something that we all need at some point: ideas.
The ideas are behind all kinds of creations, projects, plans and solutions . It is good ideas that allow us to solve the problems that arise in these situations, which allow us to overcome the obstacles that arise along the way.
Learn to free your ideas
The good thing about ideas is that they are like plants: from a small seed can come a flower, a plant or a tree. But a seed by itself is nothing if not the plants. And if you want it to sprout you have to plant it in optimal conditions. These conditions depend on each seed. Some are more delicate and others are born even in extreme conditions. In any case, all plants have the same principle: the planting of a seed.
But not all seeds sprout. And those that sprout do not all develop with the same strength and vigor or give equally tasty fruits. Everything depends on the conditions to which they are subjected and the care they receive. Some will even give rise to new seeds, some of which may lead to new plants in the future.
Desk full of sheets with ideas
With ideas it happens the same. You have to plant many ideas for some to prosper , even for some to become a great idea. Those ideas that germinate and grow will have to be fed and cared for, even protected when the bad weather comes.
So, as to pick up you have to plant, the key is precisely to let ideas flow . But how? Surely you have experienced that the more you need an idea and the more you get to it, the more difficult it is for something interesting to emerge. This is not unusual, but it is normal. You have your brain so busy thinking about thinking you do not let it free for ideas to flow. Ideas need to have the free clue to get out.
Various investigations have shown that the best ideas arise when doing mechanical tasks, such as cooking or scrubbing, or when going for a walk. Even more recent research ensures that the best ideas are taken during the shower. John Kounios, co-author of The Eureka Factor , explains that “hot shower water dulls the external senses and directs attention to internal thoughts. And this state of consciousness promotes creative thinking. “
Strategies to awaken the imagination
Imagination is not just a children’s thing. However, they better than anyone else know how to take advantage of it. Why? Mainly because they do not put obstacles in his thoughts, because they get carried away by the ideas that arise and are inspired by simple things. A child is able to create an empire with two boxes and three sticks (even with less).
As adults we can recover the ability to imagine and generate and develop ideas . It does not matter that they do not all reach somewhere. The important thing is training, because that is what will allow you to turn a good idea into a great idea. The more ideas you have, the more possibilities there are to find one of these and the more prepared you will be to manage it. Let’s see some strategies to achieve it:
- Trust in your creative capacity: we all have the ability to generate ideas, that is, we are all creative and we have enormous potential to generate great ideas. Believing that you are creative is not going to make you a more creative person, it is simply going to give you the confidence you need to start thinking and letting your ideas flow.
- Practice meditation: leaving the mind free of thoughts is the best way to give ideas free rein to begin to flow. Clearing your mind of all thoughts will unleash your subconscious so that ideas can spring forth without pressure.
Woman in meditative position
- Stroll: the issue is not that the walk helps you think, but that, among other things, it allows you to free the mind, oxygenate your brain and activate your circulation. Walking can also unleash your subconscious mind and activate your creative side. In a moment of “mental blockage” there is no better way to release tension than to leave everything and go for a walk.
- Dance: dancing is a fantastic strategy to release creative energy. In addition to helping you oxygenate your brain thanks to movement, it also functions as a liberator through body expression. Music itself activates the creative part of the brain on its own.
- Write: a journal can help you to let your thoughts flow and to be more introspective, to release fears and express everything that is inside you. Another way of doing it is through creative writing, in the form of stories, poetry or more extensive creations. The truth is that it does not matter what you write. The real benefit is in the writing itself.
- Do nonsense and crazy things: the follies bring excitement to our hearts, release tensions, unleash laughter, relax the environment and trigger our awaken the imagination. But, above all, the crazy things make us feel free and help us laugh at ourselves . By freeing ourselves from stress and attachments we are also leaving ideas open to our brain.
- Look at the world through the eyes of a child: children have an amazing ability to be open to the possibilities of almost anything. To get to see things from your point of view spend time with children, play with them or, at least, play as if you were a child. Reading children’s books or watching programs for children will also help you to focus things in a simpler and more open way.
- Lee: reading is a great source of inspiration, especially fiction. Reading allows you to take your mind elsewhere, detach yourself from your bonds and dream about different things. The same can be achieved by watching a movie or following a television series, although reading involves a much more elaborate mental work.
