This is something I wrote May 11, 2007, and I’ve “revived” it (hopefully my creative mind too!) 🙂
Part 1
You are looking at the computer monitor right now and reading this article. Now let’s go through a process of looking at things a little different. I will ask some questions. Any answer will do, but let’s see what we can discover some things you have never noticed before.
1. Close you eyes and carefully listen to the sounds around you. What do you hear?
2. Look at all the icons and menus at the top and bottom of the screen. Are there any icons or menu items that you don’t know exactly what they do?
3. Are there any items on your desk (or nearby) that you have not used or viewed in a long time? Are there some items that you had planned to view, but hadn’t done it yet?
4. How do the muscles in your body feel. Are they relaxed? Is there a way you could adjust your posture so that you could be more fully relaxed?
Part 2
Okay, I think we are in a better mood for observing and thinking in a different way.
1. Thinking about the day ahead of you, what are some ways you could make this day different, even if in small ways?
Here are some small things you might consider:
1. Say hello to a couple of strangers you pass
2. Take a different route to your next destination.
3. Go to a room a room or closet in your house that you rarely visit and see what’s there.
4. Think of some exercise or stretch that you haven’t done in a long time and try it right now.
5. Look in your closet and find an article of clothing you haven’t worn in a long time, and see if you can put it with an outfit in a way that you like, and wear it today.
6. Find a book on the bookshelf and read something randomly from it, and then look deeper on the internet about this topic
7. Go outside right now and take a walk, but take route you haven’t tried before.
8. Look in your phone list, and find someone you haven’t called in a long time, and call them now.
9. Look through your music collection, and play a song you haven’t heard in a long time. Go over to last.fm and see what else is related.
10. Get your camera, and take a few photographs of something around you
11. Sing a song right now.
12. Go into your kitchen pantry and look in the back. What is there? Could you make something with it?
13. Play a song and dance to it right now.
14. Is there somewhere you could go today that is different and cool? (Planetarium, Library, Park, Rock Climbing, Special Building)
15. Find the highest building in your area, and see if you can go up to the top and look out. Look all around.
16. Go to the supermarket and buy a fruit or vegetable you have never eaten before.
17. Nobody in the room? Make some funny or odd sounds.
18. Go to the bookstore and look in a section that you never visit and read something.
Is your creative mind starting to activate?