Chapter 1: Embracing Creativity Daily

Creativity is a conscious choice, and you can tap into it each day by presenting your mind with stimulating challenges. Your brain thrives on solving problems and generating new concepts, so it’s essential to give it the chance to unleash a torrent of ideas. Think of yourself as a powerhouse of innovation.

To kickstart your creative journey, I introduce a “creative gym” where you’ll exercise your imaginative faculties for ten minutes. Your objective is to brainstorm 16 ideas for each challenge. Grab a pencil and notebook, and start jotting down your thoughts.

Today marks Day 12. If you missed any previous days, you can find them linked here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9, Day 10, and Day 11.

Day 12: Generate 16 Ways to Surprise and Challenge Yourself

Your task today is to come up with 16 strategies to astonish and challenge yourself. How can you introduce excitement, novelty, adventure, and spontaneity into your life?

Consider various adventures, projects, experiments, or methods to give yourself a thrill. These might include high-risk, high-reward activities, adrenaline-pumping experiences, or bucket list challenges. Think about fresh and exciting ideas, travel to exotic locations, or learning something entirely new, like bungee jumping or magic tricks.

Write down your ideas.

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Here’s how I approached this exercise—check out my ideas for surprising myself:

One of my favorite methods is doodling; it never ceases to astonish me as I never quite know what will emerge from a blank canvas. I aim to create live doodling sessions that capture spontaneous moments, embracing the unpredictability of creativity.

Traveling is another exhilarating way to surprise myself. I revel in discovering new destinations, cultures, and cuisines. I dream of visiting numerous countries in Asia, such as Vietnam, South Korea, Japan, China, Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as historical cities across Europe, including Girona, Assisi, and Dubrovnik.

I also enjoy engaging in improvisation, comedy, and performance arts, which can be thrilling. I plan to integrate these elements into my YouTube channel, experimenting with engaging content formats for TikTok and YouTube Shorts.

As a content creator, I thrive on challenges. I aspire to be an artist, innovator, entrepreneur, polymath, and writer every day.

One way I challenge myself is by regularly posting new articles on Medium. The uncertainty of how my ideas will be received keeps me on my toes. While some pieces may fade into obscurity, others might resonate and be appreciated. I aim to publish 2,000 articles, surprising myself with each one.

Additionally, I've written two books this year (99 Creative Adventures and The Squash) and am working on more. My goal is to write at least a dozen innovative books that ignite my passion.

I can surprise myself by designing dynamic teaching experiences. Each time I instruct, I strive to enhance my skills and create remarkable learning opportunities for those eager to unlock their creativity.

Learning new subjects is another great way to surprise myself. I want to explore diverse topics like blockchain, space exploration, climate change, and asteroid mining.

Creative writing also excites me, and I wish to delve into screenwriting and storytelling.

I could challenge myself with bold initiatives, such as hosting a 54-hour asset creation hackathon focused on developing personal creative assets.

Exploring new technologies, like AI, machine learning, and the Metaverse, is another avenue for surprise. These advancements shape our future, and I want to stay informed about the trends we might face.

Engaging in academic writing is another challenge; I plan to submit my manuscripts to esteemed international journals and build a portfolio of impactful articles.

New entrepreneurial endeavors also excite me. I could start ventures in content creation, coaching, or personal development.

I could venture into TikTok, creating educational videos that surprise and delight, transitioning from consumer to creator.

Artistic experimentation is another thrilling prospect, whether through painting, dancing, drawing, or storytelling.

I will also design new challenges for myself. Here are some that I've crafted for the upcoming year.

Now it's your turn! Generate your own 16 ideas to practice creative thinking and strengthen your imaginative skills.

Remember to steer clear of activities that drain you and instead pursue those that inspire and motivate you. Prioritize exciting and refreshing adventures that resonate with your passions.

Fahri Karakas is the author of Self-making Studio, If Life Gives You A Squash, Squash It!, and 99 Creative Journeys: Unleash Your Imagination. He is deeply passionate about doodling, creativity, and asset creation.

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Chapter 2: Engaging in Fun and Surprising Pranks

This video showcases entertaining scare pranks that you can try, providing a light-hearted approach to surprising yourself and others.

In this video, discover perfect prank ideas for your family and friends, filled with funny DIY tricks that promise a good laugh and a thrill!