How can I increase my imagination?

Question

I find myself incredibly boring. It seems like every morning I wake up with a completely blank mind, unable to learn from or remember the events of the day before. My mind feels completely empty, and I have trouble thinking things through or solving problems in a different way - I just revert to the same old way of thinking about things or doing them.

Does anyone understand and could offer advice? How can I expand my imagination?

Answer 1

Take a blank piece of paper, close your eyes and scribble on it. Open your eyes and try to make a story out of the lines. To make it easier match shapes with the lines.

Answer 2

find a friend and play the what if game

Answer 3

By imagining more and more.

But imagination is not always fruitful.

I think, you need awarefulness.

Answer 4

you can start by not asking other people things. start to rely on your self a bit more than you do now, and you may find things a bit more interesting. dive into new things, listen to new music, try to learn a new language. theres alot you can do.

Answer 5

Expand your imagination by watching cartoons, and PG Kid movies.

( it seems like you missed a important part of life, childhood programming is a reason that i'm always able to venture out in my own thoughts )

Here's some inspiration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xroDXQjZh...

Answer 6

thats a great question. and got me thinking...., explore the fields that need to be improve on. meaning a writer reads other people's work, chef trying different delicatseen, and etc.

in general, try watch an old movie you enjoy. or do just that; remember events of the day before and put some variations to it.  

Answer 7

Try daydreaming, or placing yourself in an alternate universe. Umm... if you can't even do that, try reading fantasy books (like dragons and stuff).

Answer 8

Very interesting question. You should find something that inspires you.

Drawing, Painting, Reading, Sports...

Anything that will get your mind working. Personally, reading, drawing, and running do it for me. Reading gives me ideas, i express them through drawing and think through things while running. Just do things you LOVE.

Answer 9

Let's break this into two problems: (1) boringness and (2) a limited ability to think creatively.

The best way to attack boringness is pretty straightforward: take up a new hobby, sport or other activity that's very removed from your daily life.  If you're an accountant, join a community theater.  If you're an actor, take a class in metalworking.  You get the idea...but try to find an activity that has you interacting with new people (as opposed to rebuilding a motorcycle all by yourself in your garage).  Not only will this make you more interesting, it'll provide you new models to apply when solving problems (see below).

Next is creativity.  When confronted with a challenge, e.g. how to redo your living room, how to make your next school fundraiser more fun and profitable, how to get your jerky neighbor to mow his lawn and keep his dog quiet, etc....I have two tricks that work for me.  

First, I ask the exact opposite question.  How can I make the next fundraiser even more of a drag and a money-loser?  Maybe I could make it a no-talking-aloud event at 3AM.  That will often produce creative ideas: Hey, maybe I could make it an all-night event with a silent auction!  You get the idea.

Next, I try applying completely unrelated models to my challenge.  From my football days, m coach would reward hard work with fewer laps at the end of practice.  Can I bribe my jerky neighbor by offering to edge his yard if he gets it mowed?  Or when I read "The Art of War", they talked about getting other countries to unite against your enemy.  Maybe I could get a petition from my other neighbors to get the jerk to be less jerky. You get the idea.

So: try new stuff with other people that are outside of your comfort zone, think of the exact opposite of your goal, and apply unrelated models

Good luck!

Answer 10

Take a calculus course.  Math will exercise your brain - it's become soft and flabby.