Many people have the misconception that only a select few
are able to unleash a steady stream of creative genius.
That's not true at all. Actually, creativity is very much
like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to
consistently give out great results. If you don't practice
harnessing creative thinking, this skill will likely
atrophy into inexistence. Keep working on it and creative
thinking will soon come to you in a snap.

So how do you unleash your creative thinking? Well, the
first thing is to become a human sponge. Soak up as much
knowledge and learning you can find. Read everything
available -- good and bad, and keep your mind open to the
infinite possibilities of the universe. The more you know,
the more you'll want to know, and the more your faculty of
wonder will be exercised. You'll be amazed at the little
facts that add color into your life.

Focus on a creative activity every day. Yes, it's an effort
at first. Even doodling is a creative activity. Don't let
anything get in your way. Mindlessness may be a creative
activity, but for those who are new at adding creative
thinking into their lives, it's helpful and encouraging to
have concrete evidence that what you're doing is getting
somewhere.

Just try it! Practice drawing for a couple of minutes each
day. Take out your dusty camera and start snapping photos
of everything. Begin a journal and make a point to write in
it religiously. Try writing by describing something with
each of your five senses. Be specific and stay away from
vague adjectives like 'wonderful', 'amazing' and
'delicious'. Keep everything - there is no good or bad
here. Before you know it, you'll have built yourself a tiny
portfolio, and you'll be amazed at the growth you've had
while amassing all those works of art. Who knows, you might
actually enjoy those things you do everyday! Pretty soon
these activities will become a part of you and you'll be
addicted to these creative exercises.

Think out of the box - or don't. Creative thought has no
boundaries, but sometimes constraints can be a good thing.
Limitations discipline you to work within a smaller window,
and teach you to be more resourceful. Creative freedom is
great, but limitations enforce discipline and focus.

Try something new every day and let your experiences
broaden your perspective. Explore a new district in your
neighborhood. Spend an afternoon in a museum you've never
been to. Chat with someone new, in the supermarket or at
the mall, maybe even on the internet. Open up to the people
around you.

As you push yourself out of your comfort zone more and more
each day, your sense of adventure grows and so does your
zest for life. And it's just plain exciting! Think about
it. When was the last time you did something for the first
time? If it's been a while, you've been missing out on
experiences that allow you to grow emotionally, mentally,
physically, or spiritually.

Why don't you try bungee jumping or tackle a rock climbing
wall today? Not only will you learn, but you'll also have
great stories to share, enabling you to practice your
storytelling skills and making you the life of the party.

Embrace a bit of insanity. A little touch of madness adds
so much excitement to your existence. Every new creative
thought was once deemed insane by other 'normal' people
alive at that time. Luckily, that didn't stop the creative
geniuses from standing by their ideas and thinking
creatively. New inventions, great artwork, and existential
philosophies come from such over the top creative minds.

The thing is, sanity or being normal confines people to
think... well, normally, within limits. Creativity is the
process of breaking through barriers. Yes, this includes
the bizarre and the downright strange sometimes. I'm not
saying that you should develop into a true creative
personality, just add a touch of it into the mix. It's
important that your creativity doesn't get you detached
from the real world completely.

So go out there and be inspired to start thinking beyond
your 'limits'. If you follow these suggestions you'll soon
be living a life full of interesting adventures. Unleashing
your creative thinking will bring about a new zest for
living life.

About the Author:

Karen Fusco is the co-author of "Busy Moms: The Heart and
Soul of a Home", http://www.BusyMomBook.com , an ebook
filled with time-saving and stress-reducing tips and ideas
to help build a stronger home, a stronger family and a
stronger you. Karen can be reached at karen@busymombook.com.