| This article challenges the traditional | | | | |
| meaning of creativity and presents a 5 step | | | | Step 2: Expand your horizons. Creativity |
| process to unlock a person's creative side | | | | doesn't usually arise from the familiar. |
| As an avid crafter, I | | | | Imagination sometimes requires us to expand |
| often give handmade presents to those among | | | | our horizons to get kick started if we |
| my family and friends who appreciate this | | | | haven't ventured out for a while. Some things |
| type of gift. For her birthday last year, I | | | | that have worked for my clients include the |
| gave my best friend an amethyst necklace, | | | | following: Visit a different place. It could |
| bracelet and earring set. She loved it but | | | | be a new town, country or even a shop or |
| responded as so many people do with a | | | | restaurant you don't normally patronize. |
| self-deprecating compliment: "You're so | | | | |
| talented. I could never be that creative." | | | | Read magazines or books on topics that you |
| This statement just kills me. | | | | wouldn't normally pick up. If you usually |
| | | | read "People" or "Vogue", try reading a |
| This is the same woman who juggles a career | | | | fishing magazine or one about politics and |
| as a kindergarten teacher with her roles as a | | | | vice-versa. Keep in mind that it is not about |
| mother of three and supportive wife of an | | | | converting you to another point of view or |
| entrepreneur. Although she is far from | | | | hobby; it's about you trying to see the world |
| wealthy, just about anyone who visits her | | | | through different eyes. |
| home leaves it raving about how gorgeous it | | | | |
| is and how envious they are for her flair for | | | | Learn something new. Take a class or teach |
| interior design. And yet, she thinks that she | | | | yourself a new skill. Again, this is a way of |
| is not creative!I've come to think that many | | | | stimulating your imagination and has the side |
| of us grow up with a narrow view of the | | | | benefit of being a great confidence builder. |
| meaning of creativity. We are taught that you | | | | |
| are creative if you were good at writing | | | | Saturate your senses. Experimenting with |
| stories or if you excelled at drawing or | | | | different tastes and scents through new |
| painting in art class. | | | | foods, playing with fabric of different |
| | | | colors and textures or listening to music you |
| True creativity, to my mind, though is better | | | | wouldn't normally listen to are all ways of |
| defined as a way of thinking or perceiving | | | | exposing yourself to new sensations. |
| the world and its possibilities. Seen this | | | | |
| way, creativity can be seen not only in the | | | | Step 3: Be brave and take a leap. Part of |
| innovations made by enterprising inventors | | | | exploring creativity is to take a chance and |
| but also in the time management skills of a | | | | brave the unknown. On the plus side, there |
| parent who has to get three children to three | | | | are few rules here, so any effort is worthy. |
| different extracurricular activities, pick up | | | | |
| the dry cleaning, get an oil change, pick up | | | | Step 4: Expect some failures...and growth. |
| prescriptions at the pharmacy, shop for | | | | Another reason people shun creative effort is |
| groceries, and make dinner in the space of a | | | | the fear of failure. Failing once, even many |
| few hours. | | | | times, does not equate to complete failure. |
| | | | If this were true, none of us would have |
| So, how do you unlock your own creativity? | | | | learned to walk. Can you imagine if the first |
| I'm sure that there are many approaches to | | | | failed attempt of a baby to take a step was |
| this, but here is a 5-step approach that I | | | | met by a parent who scooped up the child, |
| have used successfully with my clients. | | | | deposited him or her in her playpen and said, |
| | | | "Too bad. Oh well. I guess you'll never |
| Step 1: Make the choice to be creative. | | | | walk"? Failure, while certainly not fun, can |
| First, you have to get past that mental block | | | | provide the opportunity to learn, grow and |
| about what you think is creative. If you have | | | | may even expose new opportunities or ideas. |
| it in your head that it is impossible for you | | | | Many of this world's "failures" led to |
| to be creative, it will be. Be intentional in | | | | incredible inventions, after all. It took |
| your choice and define what creativity will | | | | Thomas Edison more than 50,000 attempts to |
| be for you and by what criteria you will | | | | create the alkaline battery that we still use |
| determine your success. Expressing your | | | | today. So, cut yourself a little slack!Step |
| creativity may involve one of the traditional | | | | 5: Recognize your achievement. Too often, |
| channels (art, music, poetry, etc.) or it may | | | | when we do something creative or new, and |
| come out as new ways of coming up with | | | | someone acknowledges it, we brush it off with |
| solutions in the workplace. Maybe it means | | | | a "Oh, it's nothing. Not a big deal." Don't |
| expanding your culinary skills or | | | | minimize any attempt or progress you make |
| redecorating your home or maybe it means an | | | | towards unlocking your creativity. If you |
| innovative approach to a science or other | | | | took the leap, be sure to hold your head up, |
| type of research project. What it looks like | | | | throw your arms out and celebrate it! |
| is all up to you. | | | | |