Creative research: be your own journalist

Joëlle Przytula-Bertherin
Nov 2, 2020
5 min read

Covid-19 hit us and all of a sudden it changed the game. Governments worldwide seem to have a pretty united point of view on the way they handle The Great Pandemic, as it is called. But what is happening under the surface? It seems like civilians are divided about the way this situation should be handled. On the one hand you have a group of people that follow the mainstream media, the experts and government policies. On the other hand you have a group that despises the media, finds their own experts and criticizes their own government. How do you navigate between these two groups? Who should you believe?

The answer is simple: believe no-one! Do your own research. There is nothing more silly than stating something and when someone asks you how you came to it, you don’t know how to answer. Unfortunately, this happens a lot. We just don’t realize how much of our perception on the world has been created instead of formed by ourselves. That’s why it’s important to stay critical, even towards our own thoughts. Assume nothing and question everything. This helps you stay alert when it comes to the information you are bombarded with.

Creativity

So how do you start? What comes next may surprise you. Use your creativity! Let’s explore this for a little bit.

First of all, being creative increases your happiness. This is confirmed by multiple studies. Actually, according to a study from New Zealand, creativity can create an upwards spiral of happiness. When you are doing something creative, it increases your happy feeling the next day, which then leads to a want for more creativity and so on. It's for a reason the great Albert Einstein talked about the importance of being creative. ''Creativity is seeing what others see, and thinking what no one else had ever thought''. Without his resourceful mind, he would have probably never found the solutions to important scientific questions. It is well known that he encouraged reading fairy-tales to children in order to expand their minds and for them to be more able to think out of the box later in life.

Because creativity is usually seen as something that only belongs to a special group of people, for example artists or children, adults sometimes forget to use this as part of their lives. They usually lose themselves in the slump of daily routines. This is a big loss. If people would actively use creativity to stimulate a different part of their brain, it can change the way they look at the world.

But how do you implement this in your daily life? You actually don't have to be a big genius or artist to be creative. I have listed a couple of tips:

1. Creativity requires practice.

A lot of people think that creativity is something 'fixed': you either have it or you don't. The opposite is true. You can exercise this part of your brain, just like any other muscle. The more you do it, the more it is stimulated, the more you improve. Find something that you enjoy doing, clear a small part of your day and just begin. The rest will follow!

2. Change small things in your surroundings regularly.

When your surroundings and daily activity are the same every day, this will not speak to your imagination. Try changing small things to your daily routine every day. This can be anything, from physically changing your surroundings (move a table or chair in your home), to exploring outside with a daily walk, or making a small doodle in your notebook. Research tells us that even the smallest changes can activate a 'boost' to your imagination. This can make you move you into the upwards spiral I wrote about earlier.

3. Try learning about a subject you know nothing about.

Studies have shown that learning something completely new can stimulate your resourcefulness when it comes to a subject you already know everything about. So for example: if you know everything about programming computers and start reading a book about a subject you know nothing about, let's say the history of Poland, this can 'renew' the way you look at computer programming. The gathering of new information can expand your view on knowledge that is old and dusty, and thus also on the way you research (political) information.

4. Log new ideas.

Creativity doesn't decrease when you get older, but the chance you might forget useful information could increase. If you log your new ideas so you can view them later, the chance it will manifest into something concrete will grow. Also, when you want to inform others of your opinions, it’s easier to debate them when you have sources to back them up.

So why is all of the above important? Did you know that there is a relation between creativity and intuition? It can help quiet the cognitive mind and thus help you listen more to your intuition. So that means these exercises can not only help you find creative ways of doing your own research, but it can also help you use your gut instinct. Furthermore, as implementing new things to your daily routine can help increase your happiness, it can help you stay positive whilst doing it. The information that you find on the internet can be difficult to read to say the least. Some of it might even be disturbing. Out of the box thinking is very important so you don’t drown in negativity or worse, get depressed.

Personally I think it’s important you find your own creative ways to do your research. Especially now during Covid-times, which can be scary, it's important to develop confidence. It will help you be more independent, so you become a digital soldier if you will. But, as a start, I will give you some insight in how I begin so you can take flight.

What I do when I see a headline, (either mainstream, or non-mainstream) is always look for additional information. Even when I read something that confirms my beliefs, I try to stay critical and see if I can find more about it. There are always two sides to every coin, so when you know about both, it’s easier to have a discussion with someone and give them valid arguments. It also gives people the feeling of being heard. Try going on platforms where people talk about politics and share information. Someone else may have already done some research you can use. Ask questions. Where did they get their sources from? This not only helps you find more information, but in addition helps other people be critical about what kind of information they share. Asking questions, without judgement, forces them to think for themselves.

And finally, try raising the bar for yourself. You will notice that new insights and new ideas will start flowing. This will help you to see things from a new perspective, which can lead to a decrease of stress, more confidence and a happier you. And remember: don't overthink it, just start somewhere. Have fun!