The Imagination Gap: Why Creative Thinking Is The Future
What if our problem isn't just information overload - but imagination deficit? The science of creative thinking, plus takeaways from The Aspen Ideas Festival.
Hey there,
Katina here. Question for you: When was the last time that you learned something new?
I don’t just mean skimming through a newsletter or half-listening to a podcast (I’m guilty of that, too 😅). I mean the kind that reshapes the way you see the world.
This past week, I was lucky enough to spend a few days around some of the most brilliant minds as a Fellow at The Aspen Ideas Festival, representing our work at Daydreamers building the field of Creative Health. It was surreal in the best way possible - and quite honestly, it left me with more inspiration than I can put into words.
In some ways, it felt like I was back in college - except instead of sitting in lecture halls, I was having breakfast with neuroscientists like Dr. Wendy Suzuki and casually chatting with Deepak Chopra. Wild.
So today, I want to share a bit more of a personal note - because I not only left with 200+ notes (and a buzzing brain), but a much deeper sense of urgency for all that we’re building here together.
If I had to distill the biggest takeaway from this past week for us, it would be this:
We all need creative thinking now - more than ever before.
In every room I entered - whether it was listening to panels on artificial intelligence or deep conversations about public health - the most powerful realizations weren’t about more optimization or productivity.
They were about curiosity. Adaptability. Wonder. Our capacity to imagine a future that doesn’t yet exist. Basically, they were all about Creative Health - even if people didn’t have a word for it yet.
And, one thing was extremely clear to me: The future will belong to those of us who can think expansively, adapt quickly, and most importantly - stay open to what we don’t yet understand.
That starts with exercising - not outsourcing - our creative brains more regularly.
First: What Is Creative Thinking, Really?
(And, Why Does It Feel So Hard?)
As I was walking around the Aspen campus, I was struck again and again by how essential creative thinking is in every sector - and how rarely we actually practice it as adults.
Most of us, after years of schooling and systems that reward rigid logic, have unknowingly “turned off” our creative brain. We default to the fastest route, the right answer, the pre-approved idea. Linear thinking becomes the norm, while divergence becomes a threat.
And now, we’re entering a moment where even our thinking is being outsourced (🤯).
We’ve already lived in an era where we can access infinite amounts of information in a split second. But, with AI at the helm, we’re being promised the ability to offload not just tasks, but thought itself - logic, reasoning, even decision-making.
Which is why I keep coming back to this:
We’re not suffering from a lack of information.
We’re suffering from a lack of imagination.
From my view, we’ve built a society with endless data - but very little insight.
At its core, creative thinking is the ability to make sense of a complex world in new ways.
You’ve heard me say this a million times, but it’s not about being “artistic.” It’s about how you connect unexpected dots, ask questions no one else is asking and stay mentally flexible in moments of uncertainty.
It’s one of the most essential skills of our time - and quite honestly, one of the most underdeveloped.
At Daydreamers, we define creative thinking as part of what we call The Creative Spectrum - a framework we developed for understanding how creativity lives in the brain and body.
These are the three components:
Think: Your ability to generate ideas, recognize patterns, and stay curious
Express: Your capacity to turn thoughts and emotions into something tangible
Notice: Your skill in attuning to beauty, detail, emotion, and surprise in the world around you
Most of us were taught that creativity equals expression. But in reality, creative health comes from strengthening all three. And, the best part?
All of these are trainable.
The science backs this up: the brain’s default mode network (DMN), often linked to imagination and daydreaming, is inherently flexible. With practice - whether it’s through creative warm-ups, exposure to new ideas, or simply slowing down to notice more - we can reawaken the parts of us that have been silent for too long.
Creative thinking isn’t just how we build a better future. It’s how we come back to ourselves - more alive, more adaptive, and more awake.
Why I’m Doubling Down on Creative Thinking
(And, why you should too)
Creative thinking really is: the ability to let in new ideas, stretch the way we see the world, and allow ourselves to change.
It’s not a sign of being a “genius.” It’s a health practice - that doesn’t end when we leave school.
I want to leave off expanding your mind a bit more with a few insights I scribbled into my notebook this week. They’re nuggets of ideas I can’t stop thinking about (and will be exploring more deeply with you in future newsletters!).
Here’s some learnings, straight from the best scientists, artists and thinkers of our time:
The hippocampus - best known for memory - is also where our imagination lives. Sounds simple but this was a huge finding; showing this area of our brain is responsible not just for remembering our past, but for dreaming up futures that don’t yet exist. Creativity is literally how our brain time-travels.
Pleasure and pain aren’t opposites - they exist on the same spectrum in the brain. When we experience joy, awe, or beauty, our perception of pain decreases even if the pain is still “there.” Wild! Being creative isn’t just soothing; it’s neurologically healing.
Psychological richness - a term I hadn’t heard before - may be the missing pillar of health. It’s what makes life feel layered, surprising, and interesting. And the fastest path to it? Curiosity. Novelty. Complexity. Creative experience.
In some medical schools and museums (like NYU + The Whitney), students are being taught empathy not through textbooks - but through art interpretation. Creative observation and thinking is an entry point to deeper human connection.
To me, these aren’t just cool facts - they’re powerful reminders of what happens when we actively choose to expose ourselves to new ways of thinking and seeing. When we make space for insight, not just information.
This is what we mean when we say Creative Health is the next frontier of well-being. It’s not just about managing stress - it’s about waking up to our humanity.
And the good news? This capacity lives in all of us.
It doesn’t require a fancy bio. It simply starts with giving yourself permission to follow your curiosity, ask questions you don’t have answers to, and rethink what you thought you knew.
So if you’ve ever been called “too sensitive,” “too curious,” or “not focused enough,” take this note as your permission slip:
The world needs nonlinear, imaginative thinkers now more than ever.
Because the future doesn’t only belong to “geniuses.” It belongs to those of us who are still willing to imagine.
I’m so excited to keep building it, together - one wild idea at a time 🫶🏽
- Katina
Daydreamers’ Co-Founder and Chief Science Officer
P.S. One more gem I can’t stop thinking about:
Music takes up 2x more real estate in the brain than language.
Your brain isn’t just wired for logic. It’s wired for rhythm, beauty, movement, and emotion. Let it play.
Ready To Think Creatively - For Your Health?
After years of research and working with thousands of people to strengthen their Creative Health, we’ve distilled the 3 most common creative blocks into interactive, science-backed journeys designed to reawaken your spark. All at your own pace.
Over the last few newsletters, we dove into deep dives around each of them: Perfectionism, Autopilot and Conformity. Read more about which one resonates the most, and come join the Daydreamers crew. It’s never been more important to strengthen your creative health - for good.
Your Creative Health Protocol 🧠
This newsletter gives you the why behind strengthening your Creative Health. Daydreamers gives you the tools to try it out in real life - here’s a taste.
Expand your Creative Brain
Takeaway: When we encounter new or challenging ideas, our brain releases dopamine - the neurochemical of motivation and learning. That burst of novelty helps us break old patterns and stay mentally flexible. That’s why continuous learning (especially in adulthood!) is essential for brain health, longevity, and neuroplasticity.
Action: Creative learning doesn’t have to be serious - but it does have to stretch your brain. At Daydreamers, we've designed entire scientific Deep Dives on a variety of topics to do just that. But, you can learn anywhere - so, this week, read or listen to something outside your “niche.” Try a science podcast if you usually read essays. Watch a museum lecture on YouTube. Go down a weird rabbit hole on purpose 🤓. See what dots you’re able to connect afterwards.
Expand Your Creative Brain 🪐
Exposure to new ideas is an essential part of Creative Health. So, here’s what we’ve been enjoying, digesting, exploring and expanding - instead of doomscrolling and going down the (wrong) kind of rabbit holes.
📖 Life in Three Dimensions: A beautiful exploration of that “psychological richness” concept we talked about by social scientist Shigehiro Oishi. I attended a lecture with Dr. Oishi and it was deeply fascinating. Want to fully nerd out? Read the original scientific paper he wrote - before the book was written!
🧠 Dr. Wendy Suzuki on Joy and Neuroplasticity: After a long conversation with Dr. Suzuki over breakfast, I was floored by her research on exercise and the brain - as a creative act! Highly recommend her TED Talk or her book, Good Anxiety.
🎥 Aspen Ideas Festival Video Library: Did this activate your curiosity about Aspen Ideas? One of my favorite aspects of their work is that you can now watch the full festival online for free! One of the most powerful moments for me was a conversation with Walter Isaacson and Deepak Chopra on spirituality, personal growth and AI - watch it here.
Let’s talk in the comments: When was the last time you learned something that completely changed your mind about something? Or what is this conversation inspiring you to learn about now? 🤓
As always, thank you for thinking with me - and our crew at DD HQ - this week. If this post sparked anything for you, please consider liking, commenting or sharing it with someone who needs it. It’s our mission to help as many people as we can - and every form of engagement helps. Your voice is an act of creativity - and we appreciate every single one 🤎🧠🪐