A lot of people think that creativity is only exclusive in the field of arts. We need to break up with such a mentality. Why? Because creativity is more than just painting, writing, singing, dancing, and playing music. It is a critical life skill needed for success. The truth is that creative skills are responsible for all the things the human race have accomplished so far. We were able to solve some of the world’s greatest problems and we never stopped to imagine. One discovery and creation at a time, we try to bring our imaginations to real life. We went to the moon, flew to outer space, and discovered different galaxies. Through our imagination, we were able to change the fate of mankind. All these are brought by the impeccable skills of creativity in each of us. Many believe that creativity is something you’re born with but it is actually something that can be developed and nurtured through practice. So in this article, we will discuss why creativity is important, as well as the simple ways to develop this precious life skill.
Have you ever stared in awe at a museum’s painting? Or look at interesting historical artifacts that led to better inventions for the benefit mankind? Well, all these are the products of creative thinking. Creativity is not just exclusive to the field of art, it is thinking outside the box with the ability of seeing the bigger picture while keeping in mind the smallest details. Without creativity, human civilization wouldn’t be in this amazing marvel today and that is why creativity is important. 
Five Reasons Why Creativity is Important
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Creative thinking engages the mind:
Creativity is connected with the problem-solving network in our brain. Thus, it engages the right hemisphere of your brain. When you let your creative juices flow through your veins, it helps you absorb more knowledge efficiently. Moreover, allowing your mind to explore and wonder builds more connections in your neural networks which makes you better at problem solving, critical thinking, and even logical reasoning. Doing such helps you create different alternatives to a problem which breaks your old habits and patterns of thinking. It also enables your mind to think non-linearly: a type of thinking characterized by using your senses in multiple directions instead of one direction only.
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It gives you more confidence:
Allowing yourself to think outside the box whenever difficult situations arise gives you a sense of pride and accomplishment in the end, especially when it goes well. Thus, nurturing the habit of sharing your ideas and concepts to other people also aids in building self-esteem.
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Creativity allows teamwork in the workplace:
When we nurture creative thinking, we also allow ourselves to be open to new ideas and concepts. There’s an adage that says ‘two heads are better than one.’ This is mostly true, especially when you’re working in a team-based company. Working as a team requires creativity and receptiveness in order to formulate better plans to achieve the end goal. Furthermore, creativity in the workplace through brainstorming and other fun activities require less boring meetings and seminars while increasing the team’s productivity.
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It promotes open-mindedness:
Two of the major mental barriers we face as humans whenever we try to think of new concepts and ideas is having our biases and assumptions. We are used to limiting our mind with boundaries and have a mentality of “this is how it should be”. Thus, we assume a lot of things without thinking things thoroughly. By allowing your creative juices flow through your veins, you become more willing to accept new ways of thinking, try out new things, and create a new perspective that can help you achieve your end goal efficiently.
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Creativity eliminates negative thinking:
Since creativity is a skill related to problem solving, it promotes resilience and positivity, especially during tough days. There are challenges in life where we think that we can’t face it but through this life skill, you’ll have the confidence that you can rise to the occasion and go through it. Instead of giving up, you try to come up with creative solutions that can solve your problems. Moreover, by engaging yourself in creative activities, it also promotes stress relief to diminish stress and anxiety.
How to Keep the Creative Juices Flowing
We’ve seen why creativity is important, so the next step is to keep them flowing to avoid creative blocks. Here are some simple steps to nurture your creativity daily:
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Practice: You know what they say, practice makes perfect. To nurture your creativity, you need to engage yourself in creative activities like making art, singing, dancing, playing instruments, solving puzzles, and many more.
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Keep yourself inspired: Immerse yourself in nature, take photos, read books and magazines, and keep your mind wondering. The secret to staying creative isn’t rocket science, it’s very simple and it only requires consistency and staying true to yourself and being empathetic towards others.
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Always get a sufficient amount of sleep: You need to take a rest every now and then, especially at night. Do not sacrifice your sleep schedule because you think overworking can help you improve your creativity. Overworking wouldn’t help and it would most likely result in burnout and creative block, which is something you want to avoid. If you feel tired, take a rest and continue when you’re well-rested.
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Engage yourself with other creative people: Do not isolate yourself and always welcome ideas coming from other people. Learn how to listen and accept suggestions because not all things must come your way.
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Tap the inner child in you: Creativity is innate to children as they can see the world in a way we don’t see it and they’re minds are full of possibilities: they are able to create their own version of the world full of rainbow and sunshine. Hence, you need to sense that inner child in you: don’t be too serious in life and be playful because life is more fun that way.
The Takeaway
There are thousands, if not millions, of reasons why creativity is important. We need to make our life better every single day, we need new discoveries and innovation to improve our daily lives. All these would not be possible without the touch of creativity from us.
