Congratulations, you’ve made it to the final day of the Creativity Challenge!
One of the traits most closely associated with creativity is being open to new experiences. Some people don’t naturally lean that way, but as with all aspects of creativity, openness can be developed. In a sense, you’ve been practicing all week: Maybe you tried intentional daydreaming on your drive to work, or drew a hairy belly button on a blank circle. If those activities felt slightly out of your comfort zone, that’s the point. Experts say the easiest way to become more open is to try something new.
The “something new” can be tiny, a minor tweak to your routine. Even taking a different route on your daily walk or ordering red snapper for the first time at your regular restaurant counts.
“No one has to go bungee jumping,” said James C. Kaufman, a professor of educational psychology at the University of Connecticut and the author of the book “The Creativity Advantage.” “We’re talking a 10-degree shift, not a 180,” he said.
Trying something new can make you feel good and even be empowering, said Roger Beaty, an associate professor of psychology at Penn State, who studies creativity. Enjoying the activity tells your brain that it’s worth doing and makes you more likely to attempt another new pursuit down the road.
And don’t be deterred if the new thing isn’t entirely amazing. Jonathan Schooler, a psychological scientist at the University of California, Santa Barbara, said that most experiences have good and bad moments, and, fortunately, we often hold on to more of the good memories over time. Maybe the snapper wasn’t to your taste, but it came with the head still on, and your son made everyone laugh by talking to it like an old friend throughout dinner.
For this final challenge, we’re asking you to try something new — and we have some ideas to get you started. Pick a bigger new thing or a smaller one. Do it right this very second, or plan it for next week. Whatever you choose, we hope you feel a subtle, lasting shift toward more curiosity, openness and joy.
