The Fountain of Youth
for Your Brain

You might be surprised to hear that you can actually train your brain to be more creative, regardless of your age. Oftentimes, people think that creativity is some mystical, innate skill—you either have it, or you don’t.

However, recent research has debunked this myth. Studies show that creativity is a powerful determinant of brain health, comparable to the benefits of exercise or diet. Engaging in creative activities like music, dance, and visual arts can help keep your brain biologically young and slow down cognitive aging.

Here are four practical strategies you can use today to stimulate creativity and build a more flexible, resilient brain.

1. Switch Up Your Regular Routine

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of doing things the same way every day. To keep your mind sharp, you need to shake things up. The more you stimulate your brain with novelty, the more flexible and creative it becomes.

Practical Tip: Keep your mind on its toes by reading a book in a genre you usually avoid, trying a cuisine you've never tasted, or taking a completely different route to the grocery store. These small shifts force your brain to navigate new patterns, sparking new neural connections.

2. Relax the "Rules."

Much of adult life is bound by "shoulds" and "oughts"—from dietary restrictions to social etiquette (like staying silent in an elevator). While some rules are necessary, living entirely within them can stifle your creative spark.

Practical Tip: Try breaking a harmless social rule today. Smile and greet a stranger, crack a joke in a quiet elevator, or have dessert before dinner. allowing your brain to step outside the box of "expected behavior" encourages a more anarchic, creative flow.

3. Practice Sensory Mindfulness

A powerful way to relax your mind and invite creativity is to ground yourself in the present moment. By actively observing your environment, you train your brain to notice details others miss.

Practical Tip: When you walk down the street, look up from the pavement (and your phone). Work through your senses: What do you hear, smell, and feel? Notice the texture of a brick wall or the specific shade of leaves in the fall. Write down these observations. This practice of "noticing" feeds your brain the raw material it needs for creative thought.

4. Engage in "Real" Conversation

Social interaction is a key component of cognitive health. However, many of us fall into the trap of "waiting to speak" rather than truly listening.

Practical Tip: Challenge yourself to have a conversation where you focus entirely on the other person. Don't plan your response while they are talking. Ask follow-up questions that dig deeper. Real, active conversation opens up new perspectives and creative solutions you might never have considered on your own.

Bonus: Learn Something New

Research suggests that learning new skills—specifically those that are mentally challenging, like learning a new language, an instrument, or a complex game—leverages neuroplasticity to maintain cognitive fitness.

Practical Tip: You don't have to become a master. Just the act of being a beginner at something (like painting, pottery, or a digital skill) fires up your brain's creative engines.

There you have it.  Go ahead and keep increasing your brain power!

Sources:

Fox News. (2025). Creative hobbies keep the brain young, study finds.https://www.foxnews.com/health/creative-hobbies-keep-brain-young-study-finds-here-best-ones-pursue

National Institute ni Aging. (2024). Cognitive Health and Older Adults. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/brain-health/cognitive-health-and-older-adults

Harvard Health Publishing. (2025). Tips to leverage neuroplasticity to maintain cognitive fitness as you age. https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/tips-to-leverage-neuroplasticity-to-maintain-cognitive-fitness-as-you-age

The Washington Post. (2025). These creative activities may help slow down brain aging. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/11/27/brain-aging-creative-activities/

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