Lay Down: 5 Ideas For Creativity

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Do you remenber as a kid, laying in the grass and watching the clouds go by? Did you imagine you saw horses, whales, army tanks, and faces? (That's what I saw.)

As adults, those days don't seem to exist anymore, and although I sometimes long for the carefree experience of simply laying down and looking up at the sky, I would rather capture the imagination and creativity that those times produced.

What was it about laying in the grass and staring at the clouds that casued us to imagine and dream?

Actually, it's not laying down that makes us creative, but rather the changing of our perspective. Here are some ideas for changing our perspective to help stimulate creativity:

• When you need an idea or have to solve a problem, lie on the floor. Seeing things from ground-level causes us to think vertically.
• Trying to get a grasp of the big picture? Climb up on the roof, or go up a few floors and look out the windows.
• Need to see things from another's point of view, sit across from your desk and think in the guest chair. (Pastors, sit out where the congregation sits.)
• Write in longhand, instead of typing. It's a lost art, plus it allows you time to think through your words and language use. (Although my 82 year-old Mom likes to communicate by texting, I mail her a handwritten note every week. It allows me to capture and record my thoughts with more substance and heart.)
• Look backwards: Act like you are looking in your rear-view mirror. Start at the desired solution or outcome and think backwards to the beginning.

A different perspective is a great way to get creative and see your imagination come alive.

Question: What are some ways you have found to change your perspective and become creative? Share your thoughts below in comments.

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