Jazz, classical, blues, and electronic are mostly instrumental genres. Jazz and blues are also improvisational. There are many additional more obscure genres that you can explore that don’t have lyrics, like dub and garage.
If you had a normal day, think about a juncture at which it could have gone very differently. Write a story in which you are thrust into a different world, and see it play out on paper. Make the banal seem beautiful through poetry. Write a poem about something entirely ordinary. Write in whatever form you like – poetry doesn’t have to rhyme or have meters.
Try playing with a partner by handing them the items or “exchanging gifts” and reacting to what they say.
Don’t feel like everything has to be the typical definition of ‘tasteful. ’ You can substitute everyday objects for furniture if you please. For example, instead of putting your jewelry in a shoe box or jewelry case, buy a cigar box. Or, build an outdoor table out of pallets. Get your house messy and clean it up. The act of reorganizing is a great way to use your imagination and get chores done at the same time. Like redecorating, it requires you to reconsider the functionality and feng shui of your home.
For example, if you have a painting of a ship, try to imagine the crew of the ship. Where did they come from, who are they? Expand your imagination into the realm of the unreal to come up with a story for the objects in your home.
Write a story or do a drawing about the trip for an extra imaginative boost. Hang it somewhere you’ll see it daily.
If your friends are into discussing politics, ask how they think Americans would react to a declaration of war from Congress tomorrow. Or, for example, how far do you think elephants could carry a simple basket on their back before it fell off? It may sound silly, but walking yourself through these examples are a way to flex your imagination.
