People ask me all the time how to be more creative.
Raking leaves is one way.
So is taking a walk.
Movement of any kind helps.
Over the years I’ve discovered a distinct correlation between physical activity and creativity.
Specifically—the more active I am, the more creative I am.
Yesterday I spent an hour raking leaves.
My mind relaxed as I focused on the task.
I allowed myself to be fully present with what I was doing.
It was a sensory experience—the smell of dry leaves mixed with afternoon sunshine. The sound of the leaves rustling as I scooped them up with the rake.
At the same time, I also paid attention to the ways raking challenged muscles I don’t use that way every day. I felt my feet meet the ground as I walked up and down the driveway.
For centuries writers, artists, and creatives in general have espoused the benefits of physical activity to their work.
It’s no joke.
After I finished raking, I couldn’t get to my notebook fast enough to write. My mind was full of ideas I didn’t have an hour earlier. New writing flowed onto the page with so much ease, I laughed with wonder.
The correlation is real.
Because, you know.
Science 🧬
If raking leaves to boost your creativity isn’t your jam, that’s okay.
Take a walk instead.
J.K. Rowling is a fan. “Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas,” she says.
Look what she created.
If you consider yourself creative, in what ways do you incorporate movement into your practice?
Have you noticed this connection, too?
