1

Keep a journal

Image: Thought Catalog

Writing down your thoughts is a great way to organize them into cohesive ideas . Doing so daily, ideally around the same time every day, generates a creative routine that will promote the appearance of new ideas to emerge consistently around that time.

2

Walking

Image: Chris Hardy

As German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, "All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking." And while this statement may carry a deeper meaning, it's undoubtedly true that taking a walk helps get the creative juices flowing .

3

Reading

Image: Matias North

Reading not only exercises your brain and improves your vocabulary , but it also boosts your empathy and imagination. People who read literary fiction, in particular, are more likely to understand the feelings and beliefs of others.

4

Unplug

Image: Tobias Tullius

Spend less time in front of screens. Whether it’s your cellphone, computer, or television, unplugging from electronics —even for just a couple of hours each day—can significantly improve your brain’s ability to generate original thoughts and draw inspiration from within.

5

Exercise

Image: Jonathan Borba

This one goes hand in hand with the tip about walking. Exercise is a powerful way to boost your creative energy —it increases your metabolism and provides a sense of accomplishment that can carry over into other areas of your work and personal life.

6

Try new things often

Image: Laura D Vargas

Do something different every day. It could be a small detour from your usual routine or an entirely new activity. Your brain thrives with new things and your creativity feeds on anything that breaks away from the norm.

7

Move around

Image: Christin Hume

Changing locations gives you a new perspective , which affects how your brain processes information. It can be as simple as moving to a different room, working outside for the day, or venturing a bit farther—but it always helps.

8

Identify your best moments

Image: Avi Richards

Some of us work best in the early morning, while some work better late at night. Find the moment of the day when your energy is peaking and take advantage of it. This is the time of day when your concentration is sharpest, and it’s the best time to tackle tasks you've been putting off.

9

Seek out different opinions

Image: Christina @ wocintechchat.com

Creative people tend to interact with people who inspire them and capture their imagination, both in and outside of their own fields. Hearing about different opinions gives you a perspective outside your own and fosters new, creative ideas that you might not have come up with otherwise.

10

Be more curious

Image: Joakim Honkasalo

Being curious is possibly one of the best ways to fuel your creativity . Make it a point to learn something new every day. Allow yourself to go down rabbit holes and chase ideas—no matter how strange or unproductive they might seem (even if only for a short period).

11

Do not fear failure

Image: Kind and Curious

Two advantages to be gained from a mistake are finding out empirically what doesn’t work, and learning how to avoid similar situations in the future . This new information increases your experience and allows your imagination to better anticipate scenarios related to those mistakes.

12

Sleep well

Image: Simon Infanger

Last but not least, sleep well. Lack of sleep can slow down cognitive functions, so prioritize getting a good night’s rest to ensure your brain is in top shape to come up with fresh ideas.

1

Dundas Castle, Roscoe, New York

Image: Annie Spratt

Also known as Craig-e-Clair, this castle was built by Ralph Dundas in the early 20th century. It is an architectural marvel of stone and copper.

Dundas died before the castle was completed, and his wife was reportedly committed to a sanitarium shortly after. Consequently, no member of the Dundas family ever actually lived in the mansion. This has led to the "Ghost of Dundas Castle" legends, with locals claiming to see a woman in white wandering the unfinished halls, waiting for a housewarming party that never happened.

2

Rockwell House, Milledgeville, Georgia

Image: Clem Geiss

Built in 1838, the Rockwell House is a stunning example of Federal-style architecture, but its beauty is shadowed by a dark past. It was originally built for Colonel Samuel Rockwell, a prominent lawyer.

Local lore whispers about the "Rockwell Ghost," believed to be a young girl who died during a yellow fever outbreak. However, the house’s most tangible secret lies in its survival; it has endured multiple fires and periods of extreme neglect. In recent years, it has become a focal point for preservationists who uncovered hidden structural reinforcements that suggest the house was built to be an impenetrable fortress of its era.

3

Elda Castle, Ossining, New York

Image: Nitrogel

If the name David Abercrombie sounds familiar, it’s because he co-founded the clothing company Abercrombie & Fitch . But in the 1920s, he also built this granite castle, named Elda (an acronym of his children’s names), as a secluded retreat.

The castle features a network of spiral staircases and open-air porches designed to blend the indoors with the rugged wild. Its abandonment, however, is a sheer tragedy. After the family moved out, the castle was used as a research facility and later fell victim to vandals. Legend has it that a fire in the 1940s was started by squatters, leaving behind a charred stone husk that resembles a medieval ruin more than a 20th-century home.

4

Mongo's Castle, Memphis, Tennessee

Image: Denny Müller

A stark contrast to the classical mansions of the South, Mongo’s Castle was the passion project of Mongo Bebe, a man who built his home out of scrap stone, Ashlar blocks, and found materials.

The house is a maze of folk-art eccentricity. The builder intended it to be a community center and a symbol of African-American heritage and self-reliance. It stands today as a decaying puzzle, with many neighbors still unsure of the structural logic behind its towering, uneven walls.

5

Bannerman's Castle, Pollepel Island, New York

Image: Leonard G., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Rising from the Hudson River, this castle was never intended to be a home; it was a giant advertisement and warehouse for Francis Bannerman VI’s military surplus empire.

In 1920, 200 tons of gunpowder and shells exploded in the castle’s powder house, blowing out a significant portion of the walls. The ground is still considered unstable due to the remnants of military munitions, and the inscriptions on the walls are actually warnings and advertisements for the Bannerman business. Do you dare visit this mansion?

6

Castle Mont Rouge, Rougemont, North Carolina

Image: Florian Delée

This whimsical, onion-domed castle looks like it belongs in the Russian countryside rather than the North Carolina woods. It was designed by sculptor Robert Mihaly, but he ended up abandoning the project in the early 2000s following a personal tragedy and financial hurdles.

The castle remains an "empty sculpture," filled with intricate marble work and unfinished turrets. The bizarre architectural fusion lacks a standard floor plan, making it nearly impossible to convert into a functional residence without destroying its artistic integrity.

7

Ha Ha Tonka Castle, Camdenton, Missouri

Image: Hannah McBride

Robert Snyder, a wealthy Kansas City businessman, began building this European-style castle in 1905. He wanted a retreat that overlooked the breathtaking Ha Ha Tonka Spring.

Yet, Snyder never got to see his dream finished; he was killed in one of Missouri’s first recorded automobile accidents just a year after construction began. His sons finished the castle, but it was gutted by a fire in 1942. There’s a hidden network of caves beneath the castle, which were rumored to be used by outlaws and later as a natural "refrigerator" for the estate’s kitchen.

8

Carleton Island Villa, Cape Vincent, New York

Image: Tama66

This once-magnificent villa was built for William Wyckoff, who made a fortune with the Remington Typewriter Company.

The Secret: Wyckoff’s dream turned into a nightmare on the very first night he stayed in the house. He suffered a massive heart attack and died in his sleep. His wife had passed away a month prior, leaving the villa to a son who had no interest in it. The house has stood empty for over 70 years, its secret being the tragic "cursed" timing that prevented it from ever functioning as a family home.

9

Dicksonia Plantation, Lowndesboro, Alabama

Image: Theo Bickel

Dicksonia was a quintessential antebellum mansion, featuring the massive columns and wrap-around porches synonymous with the Old South.

Unlike many plantations that were destroyed during the Civil War, Dicksonia survived the conflict only to be destroyed by a mysterious fire in 1939. Its "ghost pillars," however, remained standing long after the wooden house burned away. These towering brick columns became a haunting landmark , representing the structural skeletons of a forgotten social order.

10

Wyndcliffe, Rhinebeck, New York

Image: Peter Herrmann

This house is the literal origin of the phrase "Keeping up with the Joneses." Though often referred to as a "Mystery Mansion" by urban explorers, this is the ruin of Wyndcliffe, the estate of Elizabeth Schermerhorn Jones.

Elizabeth’s mansion was so grand and intimidating that it prompted her neighbors—including the Astors—to build even larger homes to compete. The secret of Wyndcliffe is the psychological impact of its architecture; it was built to inspire envy, and its current state of absolute decay is a poetic commentary on the fleeting nature of social status.

1

Frank Sinatra

Image: Dushawn Jovic

Frank Sinatra was one of America’s—and the world’s—most recognized artists, and even today, his name remains an unmistakable icon. We’ll never forget hits like "New York, New York," "My Way," "Fly Me to the Moon," and many others. And his last words were no less poetic than his life: "I'm losing," he allegedly said.

2

Groucho Marx

Image: Alan Hardman

They say humor follows comedians in all aspects of their lives—even to the very end. This was true for the great Groucho Marx, who passed away in 1977 at the age of 86 after bringing laughter to millions during his lifetime. As for his last words, there are two versions of the story, and both are funny! One version claims he said, " Die, my dear? That’s the last thing I’ll do! " while the other has him exclaiming, "This is no way to live!"

3

Buddy Rich

Image: Katherine Hanlon

Bernard "Buddy" Rich was a legendary American drummer renowned for his unique improvisational ability. He passed away at age 69 after brain surgery. Reportedly, his last words were a witty response to a nurse who asked if he was allergic to anything: "Yeah, country music," he said.

4

Donald O'Connor

Image: Nikko Balanial

Some artists never separate themselves from their work. Perhaps that’s what was going through the mind of dancer, singer, and actor Donald O’Connor—famous for his role in Singin’ in the Rain —when heart failure caused his death. His last words were, "I'd like to thank the Academy for my lifetime achievement award that I will eventually get." He still hasn’t received one.

5

George Washington

Image: Priscilla Gyamfi

George Washington will always be remembered as the Father of his Country, who led the Continental Army to victory in the Revolutionary War and served as the first president of the United States. In 1799, George Washington fell ill with respiratory infections that grew more severe over time. He passed away that year at the age of 67 at his Mount Vernon estate. According to historical accounts, his last words were an expression of acceptance: "Tis well."

6

T.S. Eliot

Image: anotherxlife

T.S. Eliot, the famous Missouri-born writer known for works such as The Waste Land and Four Quartets, passed away on January 4, 1965, at the age of 76. It's said that, in his last moments, the poet was reflective and serene, and his last word was the name of his love: "Valerie."

7

Joan Crawford

Image: Noom Peerapong

The great American actress Joan Crawford was much more than a pretty face. Her talent and complex personality were evident throughout her fruitful career, which was crowned with films such as Mildred Pierce . She died in 1977 of a heart attack. According to a biography, while a nurse was praying at her bedside, the actress exclaimed her last words: "Don't you dare ask God to help me!"

8

Humphrey Bogart

Image: JOSHUA COLEMAN

Say Casablanca, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, and The Maltese Falcon, and one face automatically comes to mind: the iconic Humphrey Bogart. He was 57 years old when he died of cancer in 1957. According to sources, his wife, Laura, was leaving the hospital to pick up their children from school when he uttered his last words: "Goodbye, kid. Hurry back."

9

Eugene O'Neill

Image: Gwen King

Eugene O'Neill, the celebrated American playwright, faced numerous health issues throughout his life, which worsened in his later years. He passed away in 1953 at the age of 65. As one might expect from a talented playwright, his dramatic last words were full of intensity: "I knew it, I knew it! Born in a goddamn hotel room and dying in a hotel room."

10

Emily Dickinson

Image: Gülfer ERGİN

The famous poet Emily Dickinson is one of our country’s literary prides, known for beautiful works such as "Because I could not stop for Death" and "Hope is the thing with feathers." She was born in 1830 and died in 1886 in Massachusetts. Her last words were as poetic as her life: "I must go in, the fog is rising."