By Marc Majercak

Honestly, when was the last time you turned off the radio in your car and just soaked in your surroundings? I don't mean stopping to stare at the hottie walking down the street (even though you might enjoy this), I mean just listening to what is around you. The sound of the wind rolling across your car, the bugs hitting your windshield, that annoying clicking sound from your back seat, the sound of the thumping bass from the car next to you; all these sounds inspire me. First, tune-out the world, get relaxed, and then try something new. The world around us is waiting to be explored. Don't let your ideas be pre-chewed; create your own.

Tune-out
We live in a world where everything is done for us; we are an automated society. The supermarket will prepare your shish kabob and your robot vacuum will clean up after you. Your food has been precooked in those microwave dinners which is meant to save you time (this way you can watch more TV!). What reality show will it be tonight? I was going to attempt to list every single show, but I thought I might leave out your favorite. When you watch those reality shows, you are watching someone else's life go by; don't let yours. We get lost in the artificial, that's why our ideas are often stale and just uninspiring. If you take a moment to turn off the world and get off life support, you'll actually start thinking for yourself. I say try limiting your TV, movies, radio, etc. for a week, and you will see a difference in your creativity. It's like giving up drinking coffee for a week, either you'll start drinking it again one day or you'll find something else to stimulate your brain.

For example, yesterday I was driving with the radio off and my windows down, when I heard a Caucasian woman shout toward two African-American women, “You're not ghetto enough!” All of a sudden, I wrote a sarcastic song called, “Not Ghetto Enough;" it's about a white guy telling his white friends they don't understand what it's like to grow up on the suburban streets of Parma, Ohio. When you have the artificial turned off, you may discover inspiration.

Get Relaxed
Once I turn off the outside world as we know it, you may be wondering how do I jolt this creative energy into action? Think about how long National Geographic has been around. For as long as I can remember, what has always propelled this magazine is nature. There still are parts of the world around us that are undiscovered and this fascinates me. You would think in this day and age there is nothing left to discover. This is far from the truth; the world around us is a constant source of inspiration.

Find something natural that you can totally get lost in for 15 minutes. This could be taking photos, sky diving from your local bakery's rooftop, gardening, or driving backwards through Taco Bell's drive thru. It may seem crazy, a little off, but it's a spark that can turn your creative tide for the better. Explore and try things you've never done before.

When your mind is relaxed and you become more focused, the most incredible thoughts come to the surface; they may be scary or in your opinion just stupid, but that is where the magic has always been for me. For example, DNA was discovered by Friedrich Miescher while he sat and watched the embers fly up his chimney. The right side of your brain usually works when you least expect it; when you let your mind relax and focus on something else, something amazing could come out.

Learn Something New:
While turning off the outside world, try learning something new everyday, even if it's T.J. Hooker re-runs from 1982-1986. It only takes a second to find out your co-worker's favorite vacation spot or where they bought those golf clubs. You'll be amazed at how a simple question can lead to some little tidbit that may benefit you. For example, I recently was fed up with my cell phone company and looking for a prepaid plan. I searched the web and had no luck finding a service that impressed me. In passing, I asked a friend what mobile plan he used and the rest is history.

I also recently bought a digital camera - yes, I took a leap to the modern age, and I have been taking photos of anything that interests me. I get lost in the imagery: a cloud formation, or the overflowing cigarette trash can at Target. I then transform these photos into abstract portraits. All the cliches about pictures are true: "Take a picture; it lasts longer," and "A picture is worth a thousand words."

Not only did I start taking pictures of everything that interests me, I created "My Creative-Know-It-All." It started out as a big book of blank, 24”x12” computer paper that I constructed three years ago. At that time, I started ripping out ads, picking up flyers, bumper stickers and posters that interested me. I continually write, glue pictures, articles, ads and mailers to it; practically anything I can get my hands on (this might even be the special summer movie fry box from McDonald's). All these items in the book serve as a catalyst to jar my creativity which ultimately leads me to learning something new.

I took improvisational comedy lessons for just this reason because I wanted to push myself toward learning new things. During my three year ride, I had to learn about film genres I didn't even know existed, like Film Noire. I purposely watched films like Singing in the Rain and Clock Work Orange, so I was ready to dance like a drug-induced Fred Astaire. During each performance, I had to stay on top of the daily news. I pushed myself to sing, dance, write, and ultimately act unrehearsed in front of a live audience. There are many rules you must learn while you are on and off stage; this takes much preparation and practice. Consequently, this was one of the best experiences of my life and I would not trade it for anything in the world.

When I learn something new, it usually starts an avalanche of ideas and builds a different perspective. This is a daily challenge I find myself embracing, and it is not simple. You must retrain your brain to start thinking for itself. First, tune-out the world, get relaxed, and then try something new. The world around us is waiting to be explored. Don't let your ideas be pre-chewed, munch on your own. Remember, it's the everyday things that we take for granted that are sources of inspiration.
from Cool Cleveland contributor Marc Majercak marc@majercak.com

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