Open for Creativity

 

Openness is one of the Create 8 skills essential for boosting creativity. Whether you’re trying to generate ideas, find a better solution, or deal with change, developing openness is a valuable skill.

 

Being open means coping with uncertainty and tolerating the unknown. It involves resisting premature decisions and continuing to listen even after you think you know what someone else might say. Keeping an open mind makes knowledge and information more accessible during creative thinking. Practicing openness will further support your creativity.

In our fast-paced society, remaining open to idea formation can seem like a waste of time. However, as statistics have long demonstrated, generating a greater number of ideas often leads to better solutions. Of course, remaining open indefinitely can result in inertia. Balance is key to mastering openness for creativity. Like all creative skills, staying open requires practice.

Practicing Openness: Listen, Wait, and Listen More

Most of us listen while simultaneously forming our next idea. For this reason, practicing wait time during open listening is helpful. Wait time can be awkward, but this uncomfortable silence is necessary for two reasons. First, it gives the speaker time to elaborate. Second, it creates a feeling that the speakers words are important.

Listening to others is an art that requires practice. To practice open listening, remain silent as a friend or family member is speaking. Continue to remain silent when they stop talking. Allow the silence to grow and wait for the person to speak again. Resist the urge to fill the silence with your own ideas.

This sounds easy, but it is much harder in the moment. Open listening requires stopping all thoughts, including those related to forming a response. Practicing wait time during open listening is helpful. Although wait time can be awkward, it supports the speaker with time to elaborate and provides the listener time to practice being open.

Meditation for Open

Sit up straight with your feet resting on the floor. Close your eyes or stare at the floor in front of your feet. Prepare to be open and notice.

Inhale a deep, slow breath through your nose, filling your lungs. Slowly exhale through your nose.

As you continue to breathe, focus your attention on your breath for the next few minutes.

As thoughts or sensations appear, do not judge them. Rather, remain open. Allow them to float away as easily as they appeared by gently directing attention back to your breath.

Set a timer for 5 minutes and continue this practice.

By embracing openness, you can enhance your creativity, improve your problem-solving skills, and better adapt to change. Practicing open listening and meditation can help cultivate this invaluable skill, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.

Living Creatively

Openness is a crucial skill for enhancing creativity, particularly when generating ideas, finding solutions, or adapting to change. It involves tolerating uncertainty, resisting premature decisions, and continuing to listen even when you think you know what others will say. This accessibility to knowledge and information fosters creative thinking.

In a fast-paced world, remaining open to new ideas may seem inefficient, but it often leads to better solutions. However, balance is essential to prevent inertia. Practicing openness requires active listening—remaining silent even after someone stops talking to allow them to elaborate further and to value their words. This practice can be challenging but is essential for openness.

Additionally, meditation can foster openness. By focusing on your breath and allowing thoughts to pass without judgment, you can cultivate a state of openness. Practicing these techniques can enhance creativity, problem-solving abilities, and adaptability, leading to more innovative and effective solutions.