Tag Archives: creativity

For creativity to flourish you need to allow yourself-to

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For creativity to flourish, you need to allow yourself to break rules, defy convention, and color outside the lines.

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Glenn Diaz

In the world of creativity, rules are meant to be broken — or at least bent into a pretzel!

Think of Picasso painting with his feet, or Einstein solving math problems in his pajamas.

To be truly innovate, you need to defy convention and color outside the lines. So, ditch the coloring book and grab some crayons!

Draw on the walls, write with your non-dominant hand, or compose music with kitchen utensils. Many of the most brilliant ideas often come from the most unlikely places — and a few scribbles outside the box.

EXERCISE:

Check out Josh Linkner’s book Big Little Breakthroughs: How Small Everyday Innovations Drive Oversize Results.

 

Optimism is a performance enhancing drug

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“Optimism is a performance enhancing drug that’s both legal and free.”

—Shane Parrish, author of the Farnum Street Blog

Image from Unsplash by Ahmed Dayan

Optimism isn’t just a mindset—it’s a catalyst for breakthroughs.

Like a well-timed spark, it ignites resilience, creativity, and collaboration.

When you choose to see challenges as opportunities, you unlock potential that doubt would bury.

This “drug” costs nothing, requires no prescription, and has no side effects — except results.

EXERCISE:

Start today by identifying one small win you desire.

Amplify it mentally with your powers of positive thinking, and consider partnering with a coach or mentor to tackle even bigger wins in the future.

Emotions are a form of creativity

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Emotions are a form of creativity. How can you apply the good ones even more successfully?

—Calm App Reflection

Image from Unsplash by Олег Мороз

What does your emotional landscape look like? Consider the list below to see how they create your reality as you journey through your days.

  • Happiness        Sadness          Fear          Disgust          Surprise
  • Anticipation       Loneliness      Trust         Jealousy         Shame
  • Grief                  Pride              Regret       Envy               Embarrassment
  • Guilt                  Gratitude        Worry        Joy                 Love
  • Hope                 Serenity          Awe          Inspiration      Curiosity
  • Excitement        Contentment  Affection    Enthusiasm    Relief

EXERCISE:
Separate the list into positives and negatives, and add some of your own. How can you maximize the positive and minimize the negative to lead a more fulfilling and creative life?

Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way

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“Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.”

—Edward deBono, 20th Century Maltese physician and commentator

Image from Unsplash by Vedrana Filipović

The other day, I was walking with a neighbor who also loves to cook.

In our discussion, I learned that his career is that of a food chemist, and that he often uses varied approaches to make his meals — especially his desserts.

Although there are many times it is appropriate to follow specific recipes to the letter, he was particularly animated when our conversation took a turn toward adjusting one’s approach — particularly when certain ingredients are not available.

EXERCISE:

Where and how can you think and operate outside your cookbook of success to whip up some new and creative recipes to spice up your life?

“Always create before you consume.”

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“Always create before you consume.”

—Rich Litvin, co-author of The Prosperous Coach

Image from Unsplash by Alyson McPhee

During our time in Florida as snowbirds, we eat out at least once — and sometimes multiple times — each day.

When we are not sharing meals with friends, we are usually tired and find ourselves eating leftovers from our excursions.

Although it’s easy and nice to have food prepared for us, I find even greater pleasure and satisfaction eating the foods we prepare at home with our own hands.

Somehow each dish just tastes better with the added love and attention that went into it.

EXERCISE:

Where in your life do you enjoy the creative process before you consume?

How does doing so add more sweetness and flavor to your world?

“If you want to avoid criticism, create less. If you want to avoid irrelevance, create more.”

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“If you want to avoid criticism, create less. If you want to avoid irrelevance, create more.”

—James Clear, American writer and speaker

Image from Unsplash by Jason Strull

To what degree are you a creator?

What do you and have you offered others over the years, and what feedback have you received?

Consider all the assignments you were given throughout your school years. In most cases you didn’t have the option of saying No without significant consequences.

How about your offerings on a vocational level in which some authority figure sets out the objective to be pursued?

What impact does your perspective of how others view your work have on your willingness to offer examples with your own initiative as the catalyst?

EXERCISE:

Where in your world do you withhold your creative efforts for fear of being criticized?

How would greater courage and a willingness to be vulnerable allow you to champion more of your ideas to make a bigger impact on the world?

Beauty is a free spirit and will not be trapped within the grid of intentionality.

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“Beauty is a free spirit and will not be trapped within the grid of intentionality.”

—John O’Donohue, late Irish poet, author, priest, and philosopher

Image from Unsplash by Kelly Sikkema

Have you ever tried to be intentionally creative?

Putting your head down and trying to focus on new possibilities is like trying to create breakthrough ideas in a group brainstorming session — it rarely works!

Alternatively, when we relax and have access to a lighter touch and a freer spirit, beautiful things often emerge.

EXERCISE:

Where has the power of intention held you back and limited your creative efforts?

Where might an unfocused or less rigorous approach act as a catalyst for new and wonderful things to occur?

 

“Halloween is an opportunity to be really creative.”

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“Halloween is an opportunity to be really creative.”

—Judy Gold, American stand-up comedian, actress, author, and producer

Image from Unsplash by Clint Patterson

Over the past few weeks, we watched several movies on the big screen at our local theater.

We usually enjoy the previews but in this case, the 20 — 30 minutes of previews included mostly scary, fear-inducing films, which are definitely not my cup of tea.

My upbringing and experiences with Halloween were very different. It was a time of self-expression in which we made instead of bought our costumes.

These creative efforts with our parents, siblings, and friends — along with all the candy — made this holiday extra sweet.

EXERCISE:

How can you enhance and expand your creativity on Halloween and through the coming holiday season?

How could more creating and less consuming contribute to an even more satisfying life?

Friday Review: Creativity

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Friday Review: Creativity

What place does creativity have in your life? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.

 

“Creativity doesn’t wait for the perfect moment. It fashions its own perfect moments out of ordinary ones.”

 

 

 

“Innovation is born from the interaction between constraint and vision.”

 

 

 

“Some people look for a beautiful place, while other people make a place beautiful.”

 

 

 

 

What passions are stirring in you? How can you

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What passions are stirring in you? How can you use these ingredients to create the perfect dish to serve the world?

Image from Unsplash by NisonCo PR and SEO

I love to cook.

It is one of the passions that help me express my creativity and serve it up to those I love. I consider recipes as mere guidelines for consideration.

We recently bought 75 pounds of peaches as part of my wife Wendy’s annual canning efforts. She, along with myself and our daughter Rachel as helpers, spent the better part of two days turning these orbs of juiciness into precious gifts for friends and family. This year Wendy chose peach salsa as a new culinary adventure which included all sorts of peppers and spices we rarely use. With my cooking experience, I tweaked the recipe to keep the heat tolerable and tasty.

Unfortunately, I also experienced what is called pepper hands, which had me holding an ice pack for most of that evening!

EXERCISE:

What are your passions?

How frequently do you engage in these activities?

What are some new and creative ways you can and will serve them up to others in your various communities?