By Anna Davies for YouBeauty[1]


Made lunch out of the leftovers found in the fridge. Talked your co-workers into agreeing on a solution to a client problem. Tweeted a wry observation about last night's episode of "Nashville." While it may sound like any other day, all of these instances are examples where you've flexed your creative muscle. And, like any other muscle, the more you use it, the stronger it gets, giving you an edge at home, at work and in social situations.


A lot of people have misconceptions about what "being creative" means, which makes it hard for them to tap into their full potential. Here are six major myths about what creativity is -- and how to bust them to let your imagination break free.


Myth #1: I'm not creative.

creativity

Hear the word "creativity" and feel a shiver of dread up your spine instead of a spark of inspiration deep in your belly? It doesn't mean you lack imagination, only that it's been hidden somewhere along the way. "Everyone has the capacity for creativity," explains David Goldstein, an artist, creativity consultant and co-author of Creative You[2] , a book that explores the connections between creativity and personality. "But what usually happens is that their imagination gets shut down in early childhood. For example, a five year old will paint the sky purple because she thinks it looks pretty, but if someone criticizes it or laughs at it, she'll quickly learn to stop following or trusting her creative impulses."


Luckily, for those of us still scarred by awful art class memories, creativity doesn't require a paintbrush -- or an A+ from an art teacher.


Myth #2: Creativity = Art

"Recognizing your natural creativity is the first step in enhancing it," says Goldstein. Just because you're not a poet or a painter doesn't mean you aren't creative. Are you a pro at putting good conversation partners together at dinner parties? Do you always seem to know the right thing to say at occasions where the people around you are tongue-tied? Then your creativity manifests itself in relationships. Maybe you're as good as any trainer at the gym at putting together a fun and rigorous workout routine. That's creativity, too. Swept up by 3-D films? Starting a blog about the subject can give your imagination a chance to soar.


Myth #3 Creativity is frivolous.

creativity

When you're swamped, you've got to keep your head in the game, not in the clouds, right? Not exactly. Taking a mental break from a particularly pressing problem by indulging in creative play can help you come up with more solutions when you finally do get back to work, says Goldstein. Not only that, but studies[3] have found creative expression is linked to stress relief, better physical and emotional health, higher self-esteem and even better sleep.


Myth #4: Some people are "the creative type" -- and some aren't.

It's like the old adage says: different strokes for different folks. Goldstein divides creativity into different types based on personality in his book. "One of the big factors affecting creativity is introversion versus extroversion," explains Goldstein. "Extroverts innovate best by interaction, where as introverts may innovate best by quiet reflection."


If you're highly extroverted, for example, you're likely to find your bursts of creativity while talking with friends, instead of reflecting solo in your car. Meanwhile, if you're more introverted, you may find yourself overwhelmed during an office brainstorming session, but then figure out an awesome solution in the shower the next morning. "Knowing when creativity is likely to strike for you wards off discouragement and keeps your mind open," says Goldstein.


Find out whether you're an introvert or an extrovert by taking our personality quiz[4] as a first step in sussing out where your spark is most likely to be set off.


Myth #5: I don't have time for creative stuff.

creativity

You may find yourself inspired by various artists, writers or directors, only to feel completely paralyzed to even attempt to do your own thing when you hear your creative idol writes five hours a day, or spent 10 years working on their directorial debut. The image of an artist devoting every waking hour to his craft makes "creating" seem overwhelming for ordinary people, warns Goldstein, but you can boost your creative side in just a few minutes. That, in turn, amplifies your capacity for self-expression and joy, says Lee Crutchley, illustrator, designer and author of The Art of Getting Started[5] , a workbook designed to jumpstart creativity. "Doodling while you're on the phone, taking one photo a day, or writing a page of a story every week all count. The trick is not to worry about whether or not it's good, but just enjoy the process."


If it works for you to sit and write five pages every morning, by all means, do it. But if you prefer to jot a few notes in your journal only when you feel inspired, it doesn't mean you're lacking in dedication.


Myth #6: Creativity means doing something.

Watching movies, reading books or finally watching "Breaking Bad" from the beginning may seem passive, but each can actually be incredibly creative -- if it's done with intention. Instead of just vegging out, think about the why behind whatever you're seeing, explains Crutchley. Why did the director use that shot, or what did the character mean when he quoted a line from Shakespeare? "The aim of any creative project is to say something," he continues, "so questioning what a creative project is trying to tell you helps you figure out what you have to say yourself."


More from YouBeauty:

5 Fun Apps to Make You Smarter

6 Things That Influence Your Dreams

How Alcohol Boosts Creativity[6] [7] [8]



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  • Be curious.


    Being curious is the best way to become more insightful, says Klein, and a lack of insight often comes from being in a passive and disinterested state of mind. "Curiosity is another engine of insight," says Klein. "People who get insights see something that's a little bit off, and instead of ignoring it, they're curious about it. Curiosity keeps our mind engaged to work out the implications."




  • Let your mind wander.


    A <a href="http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/science/2012/04/the-benefits-of-daydreaming/" target="_blank">2012 psychological study</a> found that daydreaming -- passive though it may seem -- actually involves a very active brain state, which is why the wandering mind can sometimes stumble upon brilliant insights and sudden connections. The researchers credit this phenomenon to the fact that daydreaming correlates with our ability to recall information in the face of distractions. Recent <a href="http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/beautiful-minds/201102/why-daydreamers-are-more-creative" target="_blank">neuroscience research</a> has also found that daydreaming involves the same brain processes involved in imagination and creativity. "I worry about people who spend all their empty time when they're not in conversations listening to music or podcasts or things like that, and not leaving any space to just daydream," says Klein.




  • Pay attention to coincidences.


    "Be more alert to anomalies," Klein says, "rather than quickly explaining them away and staying in your comfort zone." We tend to ignore coincidences or not think much of them, because they're often meaningless, says Klein. But looking for coincidences is a powerful way to make surprising connections. "There's a belief that correlation doesn't imply causality, which is true. People see all sorts of correlations in coincides that turn out to be spurious, so they get a bad reputation," Klein says. "But in my work I find that a lot of insights are fed by people spotting coincidences and making assumptions, and instead of just saying 'It must be true,' doing to follow-up work to find out if it's true."




  • Look closely at contradictions.


    Insights can occur when we encounter ideas that don't make sense to us. Questioning contradictions is another path to epiphanies. Whereas curiosity makes us wonder, contradiction causes us to doubt -- and it can be another powerful way to gain insights. "Our tendency when we hit a contradiction that involves things we believe we understand well is to say, 'Well, that must an anomaly.' We have a marvelous set of techniques for explaining away inconvenient facts," says Klein. "The contradiction only leads to an insight when people take it seriously enough to explore it a bit."




  • Act on your insights.


    Daydreaming isn’t the only state of mind that can lead to insights. "I've found a number of examples where people were under tremendous pressure and came up with marvelous insights," says Klein. "We should embrace urgency." This urgency forces people to look at things they'd otherwise ignore (what Klein refers to as "creative desperation"), and when they gain an insight, encourages them to act on it right away. This is frequently how chess grand masters try an unusual move that ends up being successful and winning the game for them. "The problem with too many organizations is that they don't feel any pressure to act on the insights they've had," says Klein. "They act like they have all the time in the world and then they end up going out of business."