Step Outside Your Rut: How to Walk Your Way
to a 60% More Creative Brain

Hey there! Beautiful day for a walk, isn't it? Thanks for coming along!

You know, as we are walking, I was just thinking about creativity. A lot of folks, especially as they get a little older, think creativity is some mystical, innate skill. Like you are either born with a paintbrush in your hand and a poem in your heart, or you are doomed to a life of beige spreadsheets. But you might be surprised to hear that you can actually train your brain to be more creative. Research shows there are practical strategies you can use to stimulate creativity in your everyday life.

Take our walk today, for example. We could have taken the exact same route we always take, past the same coffee shop and the same barking dog. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut of doing things the exact same way every single day. But shaking things up is actually a biological imperative if you want to stay sharp.

Have you ever heard of neuroplasticity? According to the Cleveland Clinic at health.clevelandclinic.org, neuroplasticity refers to your brain's ability to change and get stronger through new experiences. The more you stimulate your brain with change and novelty, the more flexible and creative it gets

You can keep your creative mind on its toes by reading new books, trying bizarre new foods, or just taking a different route through the neighborhood like we are right now. Even doing s your teeth with your non-dominant hand forces your brain to build fresh neural connections. Switching up your usual routinesomething as silly as brushing literally rewires your mind to see new possibilities.

And speaking of routines, think about how much of what we do is bound by unwritten rules, shoulds, and oughts. We are supposed to drink exactly eight glasses of water, eat kale even if it tastes like sad paper, and never, ever talk in an elevator. Seriously, is it really a crime to talk in the elevator?

Psychologists point out that elevator silence is all about personal space and a lack of a social script, according to Science Focus at sciencefocus.com. We all just stare at the floor numbers changing like it is the most fascinating movie ever made. Much of your life is probably restricted by how you think you should behave.

I say try breaking some of those minor rules today. Smile and say hi to the bus driver. Crack a joke in that dead-silent elevator. What is the worst that could happen? They look at you funny? Open up a bit and allow your creative, maybe even slightly anarchic brain to flourish.

Another fantastic way to relax your mind and let your creativity grow is to simply sit in the present and observe what is going on around you. Just look around us right now. Work your way through each of your senses and really notice your environment. What can you hear, see, smell, feel, or even taste? Notice everything and then write down what comes into your head.

When you walk down the street, look up and around. Chances are you will be the only person not looking down at a glowing rectangle or frowning into the idle distance. Do not miss out on noticing the signs of the changing seasons. Look up and see how many colors and textures are right there in front of you.

By the way, just the act of walking like we are doing right now is a massive creativity booster. A famous 2014 study from Stanford University, which you can read about at news.stanford.edu, found that a person's creative output increases by an average of 60 percent when they are walking compared to when they are sitting down. So, just by taking this stroll with me, you are already 60 percent more of a genius than you were on the couch.

Finally, let us talk about talking. Or rather, let us talk about listening. How much of your daily conversation is either you talking, or you just waiting for your turn to talk? It is pretty easy to only half-listen to the other person while you are mentally drafting your brilliant response.

Step back a little and really engage with other people. Practice active listening and give the other person space to speak. This is harder than it sounds. According to the Air Force's guide on active listening at acc.af.mil, the average person listens at only 25 percent efficiency. That means 75 percent of what people say to you is just going in one ear and right out the other!

Real conversation, where you are actually absorbing what the other person is saying, can open up all sorts of possibilities and creative solutions you might never have considered.

So, there you go. Switch up your routine, break a few silly rules, keep your head up while you walk, and actually listen when people speak. It is a simple recipe, but it works wonders for the brain.

Anyway, enough of my lecturing. How are you doing today? I am all ears, and I promise to retain way more than 25 percent of what you say!

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