Paintings, poetry, novels, and music—it’s usually what comes to one’s mind when thinking about being creative. However, it doesn’t have to be so artsy.
Boosting your creativity impacts your work, business, relationships, and personal development. Why? Mainly because feeling creative means feeling alive and flowing with the energy of everything around you.
What is creativity?
Creativity is the ability to generate new ideas and bring innovation into the world through the power of inspiration. It’s about finding ways to use your skills and resources to elevate your life through your relationships, work, business, and personal growth.
As Fredrik Haren, global public speaker, highlights in an episode of the Mindvalley Podcast, “Creativity is the whole process to make innovation happen.” The origin of this word comes from “creator,” he explains, which means “God” in its essence — “For one split second when we have a great idea, we are God.”
You can use this unbelievable power that lies within you to skyrocket your ascension through life. And once you know how to nurture and access it, nothing will ever be the same.
Where does creativity come from?
Creativity comes from the human need to grow, expand, and elevate. It comes from the need of expressing our emotions, ideas, and imagination. And oftentimes it’s triggered by needing solutions that don’t yet exist to problems we don’t know how to manage.
You may ask yourself if creativity is born or learned. Fredrik points out that even if some people are born with an innate ability to be more creative, anyone can learn to increase their creativity and become better at it.
Furthermore, psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, researcher of the “optimal experience,” discovered that creativity is emphasized in a natural state of flow (a state of consciousness where people experience a deep involvement in life).
And beyond the psychological aspects of creativity, it’s said that it also comes through inspiration and connection to the divine (God, the Universe, or simply a higher force). As Elizabeth Gilbert writes in her best-seller, Big Magic, “Creativity is a crushing chore and a glorious mystery. The work wants to be made, and it wants to be made through you.”
What part of the brain controls creativity?
When it comes to the body’s neurological functions, creativity is part of the right brain characteristics, along with your emotional intelligence, visual skills, imagination, and intuition. Your creative intelligence is also linked to this side of the brain and it helps you easily give birth to new ideas, projects, and solutions.
According to Leonard Sommer, creator of the right-brained or left-brained test, results showed that 37% of Americans are left-brained, while 29% are right-brained. However, studies show there’s a common misbelief that some people are left-brained or right-brained, but the truth is that both hemispheres are active in all people, with a predominant side.
Why is creativity important?
Nurturing your creative process has numerous benefits, as it’s a challenging, transformative, and overall beautiful experience. Here go a few reasons why:
- Brings innovation. It’s a common misconception that creativity should mainly be included in artistic pursuits. Studies suggest that it “is key in research and innovation processes.” This skill aids in the most “disciplined” areas of activity.
- Improves your mood. Creative ventures help manage anxiety levels and difficult emotional states because they activate the part of the brain that processes emotions.
- Increases happiness and satisfaction in life. The aforementioned researcher of the flow state, Dr. Csikszentmihalyir, found out that creative processes make it easier to access altered states of consciousness where you feel deep acceptance and contentment.
- Levels up your productivity. “As strange as it sounds, creativity can become a habit. Making it one helps you become more productive,” says Jonathan Plucker, creativity researcher and psychology professor at Indiana University.
- Gives life a whole new meaning. It’s no surprise that creativity helps you see the bigger picture in life, as you go wondering about transformational perspectives. And although it’s not only about making art, you may have heard of many artists living for and through their creative interests.
Learn more: Why creative intelligence is meaningful, useful, and powerful
8 tips for boosting creativity
As mentioned before, all people are born with the innate ability to be creative, although it’s more accessible to some. But there are a variety of things you can do to aid in your creativity-boosting process. Here are a few tips packed full of wisdom from Mindvalley trainers and expert guests:
1. Make space for creativity to arise | Fredrik Haren
When asked about how to boost your creativity, Fredrik suggests taking time to disconnect from your day-to-day world and routine. In that space, he explains, your brain has time to process and make connections between the different experiences it has gone through.
That’s when your brilliant, most creative self that you hold within can come up with ideas and intuitive thoughts or feelings. Everyone’s creative process is different, and you can take time to fundamentally understand your own.
Fredrik’s tip: Disconnect from your daily routine and have some time to just be. If you have the opportunity to spend a few days or weeks somewhere close to nature, it’s even better. The purpose is to let go of your worries and invite creativity to come to you naturally.
2. Expect guidance from your intuition | Sonia Choquette
Sonia Choquette, trainer of Mindvalley’s Sixth Sense Superpower Quest, highlights that boosting creativity is deeply connected to your intuition, as creativity itself is oftentimes intuitive. And once you create the proper space for it to come, adopt the powerful belief that you will receive guidance from your intuition.
For example, maybe you want to start writing a book but have no idea where to start or what to write about. However, you have an unshakable belief that you will be guided to create your desired result. Who knows, one day you might wake up on a Sunday with an intuitive thought to start a new activity you’ve never tried before or to call a friend you haven’t talked to in a while.
And next thing you know, you’ve written a whole novel about the main character, who’s passionate about that Sunday morning activity. Or your friend has shared a story that makes you feel super inspired.
Sonia’s tip: You will never know how your intuition will show up for you, but that’s the fun part. The only thing you have to do is believe it will. And never spend a moment of your life fearing that you’re alone. “Intuition is there to guide you, it connects you to what makes sense in your life.”
3. Feel everything to feel creative | Bibi Brzozka
Your creative energy is connected to your feminine energy. And especially if you’re a woman and learn how to access it, the levels of your creativity coming from a place rooted in your femininity can take your existence to new heights.
Bibi Brzozka, trainer of Mindvalley’s Waves of Pleasure Quest, puts emphasis on how women who own their pleasure and embody their feminine energy will be successful, creative, and joyful beings. And in order to turn on the stream of creativity flowing through, you need to let yourself feel all the emotions that you might’ve been repressing before.
Bibi’s tip: “It’s not like you can pick and choose to feel ecstasy, creativity, and pleasure without sadness, anger, or any other uncomfortable emotion.” Instead, feel it all. And you’ll be surprised at how easy it will be to access transformative states of creativity and inspiration when you learn how to navigate all the emotions that come up within yourself.
4. Make a habit to get into the flow state | Steven Kotler
Steven Kotler, trainer of Mindvalley’s The Habit of Ferocity Quest, takes you step by step through how to make the state of flow a habit that will transform your life.
As mentioned before, when entering the flow state you instantly become creative, focused, and completely immersed in anything you’re doing. And the first step to take is learning how to repeatedly nurture this state and make your ideas become reality.
Steven’s tip: Find out what blockers you feel when wanting to go into a flow state. Write them all down and reflect on them. What could you consciously do to diminish the intensity of those blockers? Also, think about moments where you got into the flow. What were the common factors those situations had?
Once you learn the patterns that help you completely focus or that are decreasing your focus, you can create contexts to habitually trigger your flow state.
5. Practice meditation to clear out your mind | Vishen
Meditation can not only clear out your mind but also connect you deeper to your essence. And by practicing it consistently you will notice a tremendous change when boosting creativity becomes your focus.
Vishen, founder of Mindvalley, can guide you through The 6 Phase Meditation, a process that will help you let go of blockages and let inspiration come to you easily. This specific meditation takes you through a journey of connection, gratitude, visualization, forgiveness, intention, and blessing.
Vishen’s tip: Practice The 6 Phase Meditation daily in the morning for the best results. Remember that the more you meditate, the easier it becomes. And if you’re feeling distracted when undergoing this process, just readjust and keep up from where you left off.
6. Get clear on what you’re using your creativity for | Regan Hillyer
Your creative energy is a powerful force that needs to have a direction to be used properly. Therefore, knowing where you’re directing your creativity is often as important as learning how to boost it.
Regan Hillyer, trainer of Mindvalley’s The Art of Manifesting Quest, talks about how important it is to be as clear as you can on your intentions, even though you may not know how they will materialize. The creative part of the process will reveal itself once you are set on your destination.
Regan’s tip: Anchor in your vision and embody the emotions that your future life will bring you. Feel those emotions in the present moment while you associate them with the clarity of your vision. Your intuitive creative power will know how to guide you through challenges and obstacles once you tell it where you want to go.
7. Be one with the pulse of the Universe | Juan Pablo Barahona
Juan Pablo Barahona (better known as JuanPa), trainer of Mindvalley’s Ultra Presence Quest, explains that when you move your nervous system from a state of contraction to a state of expansion, you are opening up your higher self to flow with the Universe.
“Good luck” or “miracles” are nothing but the result of working inside out and syncing our body, mind, and energy with universal wisdom. The creative force that hides within is synced with life itself if you learn how to flow along.
JuanPa’s tip: Identify moments of your life where you felt a strong connection with the flow of the Universe. Think about the synchronicities and things you were doing behind reaching that flow and connection. Through the Quest, JuanPa teaches you how to access this state of connection through powerful practices that you can integrate into your routine.
8. Meet your dragons | Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani
Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani, co-founder of Mindvalley and trainer of 10 Questions for Self-Love Quest, encourages you to meet your dragons. When boosting creativity becomes your focus, you may soon notice that you feel some blockages within that stop you from feeling creative.
These blockages are only repressed parts of yourself that are hidden in your subconscious mind because of past negative experiences, repressed emotions, and traumas. The truth is that these “dragons” aren’t actually as terrifying as they may appear to be. They only represent some hurt parts of yourself that want your love and attention.
Kristina’s tip: Don’t be afraid to dive deep into your process of shadow work and get to know yourself fully with both light and darkness. You may be surprised to find out that once you release the burdens of your past, creativity comes naturally and intuitively.
Awaken your creative self
The journey to unleash the unlimited creative potential you hold within is a beautiful and fascinating one. And with some guidance along the way, you can have transformational results and significant shifts in your perspective.
Here is where Mindvalley can step in for you. You can find programs packed full of wisdom and profound insights, all guided by Mindvalley experts. This is the space to learn more about:
- How to connect to your intuition in the Sixth Sense Superpower Quest with Sonia Choquette
- Deeply connecting to your body through the Waves of Pleasure Quest, guided by Bibi Brzozcka
- Easily entering the flow state with Steven Kotler in The Habit of Ferocity Quest
- How to access altered states of consciousness in The Silva Ultramind System Quest with Vishen
- Manifesting your dream reality with ease through The Art of Manifesting Quest, guided by Regan Hillyer
- Connecting to the wisdom of the Universe in the Ultrapresence Quest, guided by Juan Pablo Barahona
- How to nurture an authentic love for yourself through the 10 Questions for Self-Love Quest with Kristina Mänd-Lakhiani
By unlocking your free access, you can sample out classes of these programs and many others. All of this while joining a like-minded community with whom you can develop your creative abilities and even discover new ones.
Don’t be afraid to take the first step. Your most creative self is waiting for you.
