Taking a shower is truly an underrated part of our day. It can wash away our worries and stress or refresh and energize us, preparing us for the long 12 hours ahead. It also provides great acoustics for our singing sessions and food for thought when we least expect it. Surely, you’ve been hit with a greatcomebackto an argument or mind-bending realization about the world mid-shower.Folks call these instancesshower thoughts, which thisXaccount is full of. Scroll down to find the best mini-epiphanies people had while bathing, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that messed with your brain the most.While you’re at it, make sure to check out a conversation withElana McKernan, master certified life and creativity coach for perfectionists, andCindy Cisneros, LCPC-S, certified creativity coach and creativity expert, who kindly agreed to tell us why we are so creative in the shower and how to achieve the same effect outside of it.This post may includeaffiliate links.
Taking a shower is truly an underrated part of our day. It can wash away our worries and stress or refresh and energize us, preparing us for the long 12 hours ahead. It also provides great acoustics for our singing sessions and food for thought when we least expect it. Surely, you’ve been hit with a greatcomebackto an argument or mind-bending realization about the world mid-shower.
Folks call these instancesshower thoughts, which thisXaccount is full of. Scroll down to find the best mini-epiphanies people had while bathing, and don’t forget to upvote the ones that messed with your brain the most.
While you’re at it, make sure to check out a conversation withElana McKernan, master certified life and creativity coach for perfectionists, andCindy Cisneros, LCPC-S, certified creativity coach and creativity expert, who kindly agreed to tell us why we are so creative in the shower and how to achieve the same effect outside of it.
This post may includeaffiliate links.
RELATED:
His research in 2022 led to another observation: “Mind wandering leads to more creative ideas, but only during moderately engaging activities.”
To learn more about whycreativityseems to flow best in the shower and how we can extend this effect outside of it,Bored Pandareached out toElana McKernan, master certified life and creativity coach for perfectionists, andCindy Cisneros, LCPC-S, certified creativity coach and creativity expert.
“A 2019 study published inScientific Reportsfound that people were more likely to experience spontaneous creative insights during mindless tasks than when focusing intensely on a problem (Baird et al., 2019),” she further says. “The shower, in particular, adds additional benefits, such as relaxation and increased dopamine levels, which can further enhance creativity (Dietrich, 2004).”
McKernan believes that the shower is such a great place for creative thinking because we feel safe and comfortable in it and there’s no pressure to be productive.
“This leaves our minds free to wander, to imagine, and to dream. And because we usually don’t climb into a shower with expectations that we create a masterpiece, it is a space that is usually comfortable and free of judgment.”
It would be highly inconvenient if we only came up with good ideas in the shower, so we asked the experts for some tips on how to keep the creativity flowing in our day-to-day.
“To harness this effect in other settings, engage in repetitive or low-stakes activities that allow your brain to shift into a relaxed, free-flowing state. One effective technique is “cross-modality” creativity, where individuals explore creative outlets outside their primary medium,” suggests Cisneros.
McKernan says that we can channel our creativity anywhere. All we have to do is surround ourselves with a self-supporting environment without judgment.“If you are someone who usually pressures yourself to create or has high expectations for yourself, try giving yourself explicit permission to only follow what you find interesting. When I sit down to write, I literally tell myself: all I have to do is follow my curiosity, nothing more. This helps me stay engaged with the work, and relieves the pressure to have a certain output.”
McKernan says that we can channel our creativity anywhere. All we have to do is surround ourselves with a self-supporting environment without judgment.
“If you are someone who usually pressures yourself to create or has high expectations for yourself, try giving yourself explicit permission to only follow what you find interesting. When I sit down to write, I literally tell myself: all I have to do is follow my curiosity, nothing more. This helps me stay engaged with the work, and relieves the pressure to have a certain output.”
“If you are someone who has a strong inner critic, try setting a timer for 5 minutes and, instead of trying to produce something “good” in that time, build the skill of being supportive of whatever comes up. If you’re a writer, this could look like resisting an urge to tear your words apart and instead finding an interesting phrase or idea in what you’re writing,” McKernan recommends.“If that feels too difficult, you can start with something that’s a little more neutral and build from there. For example, instead of telling yourself, ‘I have no idea where I’m going so I’m wasting my time,’ practice ‘I don’t yet know where this is going and that’s ok.’ Both of these activities will signal to your brain that you are building a safe space to create - which will, in turn, allow your imagination to flourish.”
“If you are someone who has a strong inner critic, try setting a timer for 5 minutes and, instead of trying to produce something “good” in that time, build the skill of being supportive of whatever comes up. If you’re a writer, this could look like resisting an urge to tear your words apart and instead finding an interesting phrase or idea in what you’re writing,” McKernan recommends.
“If that feels too difficult, you can start with something that’s a little more neutral and build from there. For example, instead of telling yourself, ‘I have no idea where I’m going so I’m wasting my time,’ practice ‘I don’t yet know where this is going and that’s ok.’ Both of these activities will signal to your brain that you are building a safe space to create - which will, in turn, allow your imagination to flourish.”
According to Cisneros, one thing to avoid if you want to maintain a creative state is to try not to get stuck on one aspect of the project you’re working on.
“Creativity often involves balancing opposing forces—such as idea generation versus technique, or process versus product. Many creative blocks arise when individuals fixate too much on one side, often due to self-criticism, perfectionism, or imposter syndrome,” she says.
On a similar note, McKernan advises people not to take themselves too seriously. “Don’t get me wrong, some of my clients are professional artists whose work is literally their livelihood. But nothing feels more paralyzing to creativity than pressure and high stakes. We are at our most creative when we have the freedom and safety to play, to make mistakes, to try one thing and change our mind and then go in a new direction,” she says.“It’s pretty simple—if you want to be more creative, you have to find ways to make it feel easier and more enjoyable to create. And this starts with how you treat yourself when you are creating.”
On a similar note, McKernan advises people not to take themselves too seriously. “Don’t get me wrong, some of my clients are professional artists whose work is literally their livelihood. But nothing feels more paralyzing to creativity than pressure and high stakes. We are at our most creative when we have the freedom and safety to play, to make mistakes, to try one thing and change our mind and then go in a new direction,” she says.
“It’s pretty simple—if you want to be more creative, you have to find ways to make it feel easier and more enjoyable to create. And this starts with how you treat yourself when you are creating.”
See Also on Bored Panda
Continue reading with Bored Panda PremiumUnlimited contentAd-free browsingDark modeSubscribe nowAlready a subscriber?Sign In
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited contentAd-free browsingDark mode
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber?Sign In
Modal closeAdd New ImageModal closeAdd Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Modal close
Add New ImageModal closeAdd Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Modal closeAdd Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.Not your original work?Add sourcePublish
Add Your Photo To This ListPlease use high-res photos without watermarksOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
Add Your Photo To This List
Please use high-res photos without watermarks
Ooops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.
Not your original work?Add source
Modal closeModal closeOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.UploadUploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermarkChangeSourceTitleUpdateAdd Image
Modal closeOoops! Your image is too large, maximum file size is 8 MB.UploadUploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermarkChangeSourceTitleUpdateAdd Image
Upload
UploadError occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermarkInstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermarkFacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermark
Error occurred when generating embed. Please check link and try again.
TwitterRender conversationUse html versionGenerate not embedded versionAdd watermark
InstagramShow Image OnlyHide CaptionCropAdd watermark
FacebookShow Image OnlyAdd watermark
ChangeSourceTitle
You May Like35 Funny And Wholesome Memes That Prove We’re All On The Same ‘Ship’ (New Pics)Greta Jaruševičiūtė120 Funny Tweets About Dieting To Burn Extra Calories LaughingAivaras Kaziukonis97 Funny Work Quotes To Share Around The Water CoolerEligijus Sinkunas
Greta Jaruševičiūtė
Aivaras Kaziukonis
Eligijus Sinkunas
Funny
