The human brain is inherently programmed to be creative. This has been the key reason for our species’ success on this planet. We are the only species that possess the power of imagination.
So, exactly how does your brain make you creative? And more importantly can you help make it more creative?
Our brain is “wired” by neurons “talking” to each other. There are about 86 Billion neurons in our brain and they talk to each other through chemicals called “neurotransmitters”. Dopamine is the most commonly known and widely studied neurotransmitter. Dopamine’s primary role is to make us want things. The release of Dopamine facilitates a tendency to explore and engage flexibly with new things, in both behavior and thinking.
So how can we ensure our brain has an adequate supply of Dopamine – our creative juice?
- The obvious one first – exercise and healthy diet, of course
- The not so obvious one – meditation. Interestingly, meditation helps to balance brain chemicals and some studies claim to prove increased Dopamine levels by up to 65%.
- And last but in my opinion the most important single change we can make – reduce information overload. Constant exposure to text, computers, emails, news and social media compromises our ability to focus on both the external present moment and the internal steams of thought, making it difficult to tap into the mind’s imagination.
Next time – Creativity is a numbers game!