Have you ever considered if a creative person is just born that way or if it’s a quality that can be learned over time? Is creativity inherent or cultivated? You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that you can actually train yourself to be more creative by following a few simple steps that are rooted in neuroscience. 

According to research by the Harvard Business Review, here are four ways you can train your brain: 1) Go out into nature. When you’re outside, you can engage all five of your senses. Being around leaves, trees, water, flowers has proven to reduce anxiety and stress levels which helps your brain make connections. 2) Start a meditation practice. Even a five minute meditation can help you observe your thought patterns and improve concentration. Creativity relies on both your right and left brain, and meditation is a great way to access your entire brain. 3) Get moving. Exercise releases endorphins, chemicals that help lower stress and pain. Less stress gives you more space for creative thinking. 4) Surround yourself with different kinds of people. Being around others with different upbringings and perspectives can encourage you to see things from a different lens. 

The best part about utilizing these accessible tools is that you don’t have to be in a traditionally “creative” profession to reap the benefits because creativity comes in all forms. You can think of new ways to resolve problems or challenges, have fun with your personal style, explore and test new recipes at home, or create a beautiful morning ritual that you look forward to each day. We all have the ability to be more creative, it’s just a matter of making small tweaks to your day-to-day to unlock your creativity.