Studies have shown that creative activities such as art and writing slow the aging process, resulting in better mental health and fewer doctor’s visits, but, if someone feels as though they are not creative, what’s a person to do? Fear not, if interested, there are ways to become more creative or exercise your creative mind.

There are many habits that can encourage creativity. To encourage creativity one could try play. Ben Franklin crafted one of the earliest sets of swim fins while engaging in play.

Another good way is to use your dreams as inspiration. Salvador Dali said, “All my best ideas come through dreams.”

Next, one could write down passing ideas, even if they seem unimportant at the time. One could also embrace constraints. Some people find it inspiring to try to do things like write poems that have a particular rhyme scheme or number of syllables in each line of a quatrain.

A sixth way, and one of my favorites, is to commune with nature. Beethoven used to hear symphonic melodies in the sounds of the countryside.

A seventh way that people seem to find creativity is to compete. Many artists, skaters, dancers, and singers are often inspired through competition.

Finally, one can use prayer and meditation to inspire creativity. Who would be a better person to talk to about and for inspiration than God?

I pray that God blesses us all with creativity.