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Part of being creative is knowing enough about the world to understand how things work. Also, the more you know, the more perspective you'll incorporate into your own, and you'll be able to connect ideas that you might not have been able to do before. Reading is one of the best ways to expand your knowledge base and to broaden your perspective. Enjoy variety. Read on a lot of different things. This way, when it comes time to put your knowledge and creativity to the test, you'll be able to apply your knowledge cross-field and cross-discipline. Read imaginatively. Don't just focus on scholarly monographs or instructional materials. Spend time reading fantasy, science fiction, or some sort of genre that will help expand your horizons about what is possible. Read about things you don't know anything about. Make reading a habit. Avoid falling into the trap of forcing yourself to read one book a week or one book a month. Instead, find books and other reading materials that you enjoy and put them everywhere. Use spare moments and downtime to explore these worlds of knowledge. Sometimes just talking through a problem or brainstorming with another person will help you move an idea along that has been stagnant in your brain for a little bit. In this event, find someone who understands the sort of problem or issue you're trying to work through, they might have a different perspective that will allow you to solve the problem in a creative way. Use any occasion to broaden your perspective by engaging new and different people. Interesting and different people are all around us. There is no telling how they will influence your creative instinct. Use opportunities like: Parties. Business meetings. Community events. A lot of people develop routines and commit large amounts of time to the same activities that they've always engaged in. These activities don't really challenge you to think creatively and oftentimes won't help you grow as a person. Think about minimizing the time you spend on the following: Watching television, specifically programs you watch all the time. Playing games or sports you've already mastered. If you're a master chess or checkers player, and beat the computer or your friends every time, chances are that those games aren't helping you grow. Consider different games or sports. Socializing with people who bore you or engaging in social activities that restrict your creative impulses. Sometimes we need stimuli that will feed our own creative impulses. There are a number of ways to get such stimuli, and they'll likely be fun, interesting, and engaging. Consider: Art galleries, art fairs, or festivals. You'll see many things you don't normally come into contact with, and that might get you thinking about something new. Attend concerts, symphonies, or music festivals. Watch a play, an opera, go visit a museum. Attend a public lecture, talk, or a presentation. Whether a walk on the beach or a ride down the nearest tree-lined boulevard, the power and beauty of nature can help anyone step back and look at the big picture. When in a positive state of mind, you might be able to see connections that you did not before.

summary: Read extensively. Collaborate with others, especially if you work well with someone. Talk to people. Avoid activities that don't challenge you or just reinforce what you already know or already think. Visit places that spur your own creativity. Spend some time in nature.

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If you're overloaded by your own or someone else's emotional experience, it's best to delay any decision- making. Take a moment to reorient yourself before acting. When you're caught up in an emotional reaction, it's easy to say things you later regret or act impulsively. Ask for a break. Go outside and get some fresh air. Get a drink of water. Return when you've gotten your emotions back in check. You may often find yourself annoyed because others don't seem to respect your feelings, but you may not have conveyed them clearly. When you learn to clearly say what you are thinking, feeling, or wanting in a certain situation, you can avoid misunderstandings. A great route to effectively stating your feelings is with "I" statements. This helps you convey your own experience without making the other person upset or defensive. You might say, "I feel ignored. I really need you to listen to me right now. I need your support." This is far better than, "You are a terrible listener." or "You are always ignoring me!" " It can be hard to balance your feelings with others' if you say "yes" to requests that don't benefit you. You need to know when to say "no" and have the courage and discipline to do it. This simple strategy is a hallmark in emotional self-regulation. For example, your mom suggests you drive down for the weekend to attend the family picnic. But, you have a major essay to finish for a college course. It's completely normal to feel guilt, but that guilt (or your mom's shaming you) shouldn't force you to give in. The smartest response would be to say, "I'm sorry, Mom. I'd like to come, but I haven't gotten started on my paper due on Tuesday. I can't." It's also ok to just say "No." You don't always have to offer an excuse or an explanation. In some cases, the other person will take an explanation as an invitation to try to talk you out of your decision. One of the most important ways you can meet your own needs and others' is through compromise. This allows your own thoughts and feelings to be considered while also honoring those of others'. Compromise involves weighing the importance of a situation and coming to a mutual agreement. You can weigh the importance of a situation by asking yourself how significant it is in the scheme of things. Will you care about this in a week, a month, or a year? If not, you might honor the other person's feelings or needs and set yours aside for the time being. If you both care equally about the issue at hand, you'll have to find common ground. For instance, you and your friend both want to see a movie, but can't agree on a choice. You might ask a third party to select one or you might decide to watch whichever one starts next when you arrive at the theater. If you consistently feel guilty, bullied, or manipulated when you interact with a person, consider whether they may be emotionally manipulating you. If so, you should try to limit your interactions with that person. A person may be manipulating you if they: Frequently lie or make excuses. Blame you for their own poor behavior or mistreatment of you. "Jokingly" insult or criticize you. Exploit your weaknesses to make you feel guilty, sad, or angry.
summary: Pause before making decisions. Express your feelings and needs clearly. Learn to say "no. Learn the art of compromise. Recognize the signs of emotional manipulation.