Right now what you think about isn't leading to creating new ideas because your associations (when I think of 'x', it often makes me think of 'y' next) mostly lead to familiar destinations: "Been there done that." And so nothing feels new.
By trying things in which you have little to no previous experiences, you put new puzzle pieces into your head so you can build visions and ideas you couldn't think of before - especially new reasons to do things which might be similar to what you already do. That's the key - new reasons mean different thinking, and different thinking will lead to new (creative) answers to the tasks before you: (I want to draw something, I want to move and dance, etc.)
So, pick one or a few hobbies or activities you have NEVER done before, and know little or nothing about.
Not that you're going to take these up seriously, but go to some sort of 'intro' session. This could be:
- Instruction in an instrument you've never played. (Can be free, if you've got a friend with the instrument and you ask to try it for a bit.)
- Intro session to a new martial art, a handgun class, marksmanship, archery. (You'll be learning to move your body in new ways and for NEW REASONS - opening your mind.)
- Go to a hobby store and find out when the next 'N-Scale Model Railroaders' club meets, and show up. (OK, could be R/C planes or boats or macrame beading or tole painting - as long as it's something you've NEVER done before.)
- Try a critter riding class (again, if you know someone with critters this can be cheap or even free.)
- Go to a church or temple of a religion you've never been to before, and just watch from the back. Some religions have secret rites, though, so ask what might be available just to observe. (Again, you're not 'taking up' the religion, you're being like an anthropologist - observing a foreign culture and ritual.)
- Hit the internet, find a cooking style you've never made before, and try a new recipe. Malaysian? Estonian? Icelandic?
- Choose a language outside of the families of any other languages you might already be familiar with. Vietnamese. Lithuanian. Farsi. Swahili. Urdu. Welsh, Then get one of those 'Learn [Language] Quick' tapes from a book store. and listen for a few nights.
What you'll end up doing is jogging your mind by putting new and UNEXPECTED ideas into it. You'll also likely to meet sets of people who will be completely new to you. The desired effect will be to break up your regular paths of thinking and association so as to add new paths. Now you can start from the same old inputs, but your mind has new paths to try, and so you'll get new (and creative) outcomes.
GO FOR IT!
