Creativity for All

Creativity is 10% natural talent and 90% dogged determination. It's a commitment to approach life with an openness that fosters imagination, which in turn promotes creativity, which in turn leads to a sense of accomplishment, success, and happiness.

Creativity is not the domain of just a few. It's not an elusive phenomenon experienced only by artists - painters, designers, actors, etc. Creative energy is readily available to all of us regardless of the work we do.

Creativity is a product of our unique perspective, vivid imagination, and sense of individuality.

Creativity, above all, is a choice. And with rapid changes in how and where we work, our creative instincts have become more critical to successfully navigating our personal and professional lives.

Here are just a few things that will help you encourage and embrace creativity.

• Break up patterns in your life. Take a new way to work. Take the steps instead of the elevator. Smile instead of frown. Say hello rather than look away.
• Look up unfamiliar words...immediately. Don't wait until later. You never know what insights looking up a new word will provide.
• Write down at least one new idea a day. Don't judge your ideas. Simply let them flow freely and capture them in writing. When you start doing this you are creating space for more and more creativity to flow into your life.
• Take a class in something that is thought of as more traditionally creative - acting, painting, graphic design - to name just a few. Most cities have community education classes that are reasonably priced. 
• Say yes more than no. When no is our go to, we in essence shut down creativity. As a test, say yes to requests at work and at home for an entire day. See what happens.

No matter who you are, where you are in life's journey, what you do, or how you live everything you need to express yourself creatively, to live creatively is yours right now. It's up to you to grab it and run with it.