Ways to flex the imagination muscle
We all remember a time when we jumped from one table to another, wearing capes and imagining that the floor was filled with dangerous sharks. Or the times when we were invited to our kids’ lavish tea parties where we got to meet top brass people like Mr Teddy bear and Ms Barbie doll. When we were kids we built castles on the clouds but now it feels like childish imaginations that are embarrassing to think about as an adult. When we grow up we outstrip our imagination as we enter crushing reality that forces our thinking into a four-walled casket in our brains. We become afraid to think outside of that box because we are so often instructed not to.
Imagination — the ability to form new ideas, images, or concepts that are not yet present in real — is what sets humans apart from all other species on this planet. It is a superpower that all humans have. Albert Einstein once said “Imagination is more important than knowledge” because imagination is the first step towards seeking that knowledge — the knowledge to make your imagination come true. Now that we have established how important imagination is, the question that looms large — “How do we become more imaginative?” Here are 10 ways to flex your “imagination muscle”
- Reading: It is always exciting to pick up a new book, flip through the crisp white pages, and live the story of the characters in it. Neuroscientists at Emory University have found that reading fiction was found to improve the reader’s imagination in a way that is similar to muscle memory in sports.
- Be curious: Children tend to be more creative because they are curious. Learning new things sparks creativity and increases imagination. Nurture your curiosity and let it grow.
- Storytelling: Who doesn’t love a good story right? Storytelling does not only improve the imagination of the storyteller but also of the listener. Add in intricate details and elaborate descriptions of characters and themes. It will help boost creativity and open the gates of imagination land.
- Writing or doodling: Pen down your thoughts and dreams as they happen. Documenting your thought process is a great way to get your imagination train running. Also, research says doodling can reduce stress, jack up creativity, and revitalize the problem-solving part of the brain.
- Using commuting to your advantage: Did you know the mystic Hogwarts castle and all its magnificent wizards and witches were born when the author J.K.Rowling was stuck for four hours on a delayed train? Always carry a sketch pad and a pen with you because a change of scenery always helps and you never know when creativity might strike you.
6. Meditating: Sara Lazar and her team at Harvard found that meditation can increase cortical thickness in the hippocampus, which governs learning and memory, and in certain areas of the brain that play roles in emotion regulation. Meditation 20 minutes every day can reduce overthinking — the killer of imagination.
7. Spending time with creative people: We humans tend to mimic the behaviours of people we find impressive. The same can happen when we spend time with creative people. Brainstorming and bouncing ideas off each other can help your imaginative muscle respond.
8. Trying something new: When we snuggle up in our comfort zone, it silently gnaws away at our imagination. Always keep yourself on your toes. Try something new, find a new hobby, learn a new language, etc. Challenge yourself to do new things.
9. Daydreaming: Daydreaming is not necessarily a bad thing. It is a fact that daydreaming makes a person more creative. Daydreaming turns off other parts of the brain and in a way stimulates the imaginative parts of the brain. Sometimes all you have to do is sit down, relax, and let your mind wander off to beautiful things.
10. Listening to music: Music is the ultimate pacifier. Studies have shown that listening to music releases dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone. Listening to music can induce creative thoughts and help your imagination flow.
Our brain is a complex but beautiful myriad of mysteries. There is nothing that the 86 billion neurons in our brain cannot do. Imagination is a very important 21st-century skill and it is vital that we re-learn what we lost
as we grew up!
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