Is Moving Overseas Good for My Creativity?

      

As a creative soul, you might always be in pursuit of new inspiration. There can be places that feel like they have a story to tell, and you want to use art to harness that energy and tell it to the world. For some people, this chase for artistic inspiration can only be finished by moving countries.

Yes, you read that right. Moving to a new country can be good for your creativity. But before you dismiss this entirely, look at the reasons and academic evidence below. It might convince you to take that leap you have been sitting out on.

Creative people in the past have done it before

People who have spent a few weeks to a few months in foreign countries have used it to make their ideas flow. For instance, Pablo Picasso did many of his masterpieces outside his foreign land. Taylor Swift wrote several of her famous hits in London, miles away from her American home. Kelly Clarkson even recorded her most successful album in Sweden.

So many creative minds channeled the energy of living abroad to their work. So if you think your home country contributes to your creative slump, then there is plenty of evidence to show you that a change of scenery will be good for the brain (and the heart).

Science supports the creative “immigration.”

It is not just people who can immigrate. Our minds and hearts also change their tuning when we move elsewhere. That is according to three studies made by different researchers. For example, in 2009, a group of researchers discovered that people who went abroad put out excellent performance in problem-solving. These are not just everyday problems, too! These were complex problems supervised by scientists and researchers.

But what does that mean for creative souls? After all, the time has proven that not all intellectuals produce quality art or work. In 2008, another study showed that people who pooled from various experiences could use their culture alongside others to create more thought-provoking output.

This was because the enculturation allows them to draw from more inspiration. But it does not end there. Over seven years later, another study was developed relating to these findings. This time, fashion houses were the focus! These houses were monitored over twenty-one seasons. The researchers found out that the most critically acclaimed collections were made by people who moved abroad!

Moving to a new country will force you to develop more life skills

Creativity comes in all shapes and sizes. Survival skills can be creative, especially if you are thrust into a completely new world. Countries outside your homeland will give you a new environment divorced from the things you were used to growing up.

That means that you will constantly be challenged. Your way of life will be forced to change with you, too, since the things you do to find work, build connections, and make new friends will push you out of your comfort zone.

Canada, for example, has a lot of openings for creative minds. Do not be afraid to reach out to people for assistance, such as Canadian immigration lawyers. The key is to find solace in people. Even though it is difficult, the rewards you reap after will be done through your efforts. After all, it takes a lot of courage to even think about moving countries and approaching new people.

The shock of a new culture will throw some people off balance. But when all is said and done, people that successfully beat the challenge and gain new experiences will emerge from the experience as more flexible individuals.

Employers will also find you more creative

Even though working abroad will not automatically mean that you are a creative person, your employer has reason to believe that you are a go-getter. And if you are working in a competitive industry, it takes creativity to stand out and achieve internationally!

So while this move to a new country can be difficult at first, you do not need to worry too much about it is not worth it. Employers find people who move abroad admirable because it demonstrates a yearning for more experiences outside your comfort zone.

They recognize that it is a bold move to go out of the conventional life you have cultivated. Starting over in a completely different region will give you an arsenal of professional and personal opportunities that will be useful as an employee (and a creative soul) in a company.

If you are apprehensive about moving overseas, take pride in knowing that your creativity will thrive.