Photo: diluvi

Are you creative?

More creativity means more fun, more buzz, more laughter in life.

Scientists see creative innovation as the communication between regions of the brain that are not usually connected. A crucial ingredient of creativity is the ability to develop alternative solutions, known as ‘divergent thinking’. (From an interesting article on creativity by a neuropsychiatrist).

How does this work? Let’s look at how the idea of writing a post about creativity occurred to me: I was watching an elegant tango dancer glide across the floor. She is an artist and had just told me that she enjoys reading my blog. Suddenly the idea of writing a post on creativity flashed into my brain. You can see in this example how my brain connected three different dots: ‘artist’, ‘writing a post’, and ‘creativity’.

Creativity is a natural state of mind.

It is not something that some people have and others lack. Children call being creative ‘playing’. It’s hard to find a child that can’t do that! I hang out a lot with two great friends, Anna and Mary, who are 11 and 12 years old. Every walk we do together ends up as a new episode of our ongoing fantasy game in which we are undercover ninjas on a secret mission. (My code name is ‘Sparkle’!)

Creativity then is not something far away and difficult to achieve. It is something natural that we need to re-discover within.

To be creative, judgment needs to be suspended.

Most people stifle their creativity because they don’t know how to shut up their internal editor. You don’t know who that person is? Let me introduce you to him or her: Take a piece of paper and write the first paragraph of what might become a novel, or start sketching out a painting. Now listen to the voice in your head. You’ll hear something like this: “That’s stupid!” or “You really suck!” or “You’re wasting your time!”

That voice is familiar, right?

Creating and editing are processes that happen in different parts of the brain. Creativity springs forth from the right side of the brain, whereas editing or analysing happens in the left side.

Take a look at this list of right- versus left-side brain functions:

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic
detail oriented
facts rule
words and language
present and past
math and science
can comprehend
knowing
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name
reality based
forms strategies
practical
safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses feeling
“big picture” oriented
imagination rules
symbols and images
present and future
philosophy & religion
can “get it” (i.e. meaning)
believes
appreciates
spatial perception
knows object function
fantasy based
presents possibilities
impetuous
risk taking

This list is from an article in the Herald Sun. There is a fascinating test on the site where you can find out whether you are thinking with the left of right side of the brain. Check it out here. Try looking at the image with different kind of thoughts. Can you make it change direction?

Now take another look at the list of right-brain and left-brain functions. Do you spend more time in the left or the right part of your brain?

From all of this you can understand how creating and editing at the same time can’t work. Because the moment you move from the right to the left side of the brain your creativity dries up.

Here are some interesting tips on creativity by cartoonist gapingvoid:

• Ignore everybody. The more original your idea is, the less good advice people will be able to give you.
• Put the hours in. Doing anything worthwhile takes forever.
• You are responsible for your own experience. Nobody can tell if what you’re doing is good, meaningful or worthwhile.
• Everyone is born creative.
• Everyone has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.
• Never compare your inside with somebody else’s outside.
• Passion can’t be bought.
• Sing in your own voice.
• The best way to get approval is not to need it.

Relevant link:

‘How to Creativity through Meditation’

Left Brain or Right Brain - I’ll Take Both

The Medici Effect

Please share your experience of creativity.

PS: My son Sebastian gave me a birthday card which had the following quote by Danny Kay:

Life is a great canvas, you need to throw all the paint on it you can.

Photo by Nexus

Life is short. In fact, it seems to rush by faster and faster. Many people give up on developing new dreams. And yet life is full of possibilities at every moment. I think it’s important to pack life with living to make it really juicy! My goal is to be able to lie on that last hospital bed and think, ‘Yes! I REALLY lived this life!’

Here is the inspirational story of Janice who started a new life at 75. I visited her just after her husband had died.

“What do you want to do with your life now?” I asked.
“My son wants me to go into a resthome.”
“You haven’t answered my question.”
“I’m too old to start something new.”
“If you weren’t too old, what would you like to start?” I asked.
“I know it sounds silly, but I would like to design clothes that women my age would enjoy wearing.”
Then she clapped her hand to her mouth. “But my children would think I’m crazy if I started something like that at my age.”

Six months later, Janice started her new business. Now, some years later, her designs have taken off and she is enjoying a new lease of life. She wrote to me a while ago:

“Following my impossible dream has changed my life. I thought the death of my husband was the end of the road, but it was the beginning of a new path.”

What would you do with your life if you could do anything you liked?