Posts Tagged ‘creativity’
Dancing On Your Brain: The Cha-Cha Effect
My grandmother used to say that the secret to living a good life is maintaining a flexible spine and a flexible mind. Whether we’re talking about joints or brains, there’s just no room for rigidity.
Mark Twain once made a comment that illustrates my grandmother’s idea perfectly. He said:
“It is discouraging to try to penetrate a mind like yours. You ought to get it out and dance on it. That would take some of the rigidity out of it.”
That’s exactly what we need to do in order to be open to new ideas. We’ve got to take our brains out and dance on them! Do the twist. Do a little clogging. Tap. Cha-Cha. Shake it like a Polaroid picture.
We all know people whose brains we’d like to flamenco. And if we’re honest, we’ll admit to needing to have our own brain danced upon from time to time.
It’s not that we set out to be rigid. We establish certain thinking patterns and we build whole belief systems that may or may not serve us well. At some point, we get complacent, lazy, or just plain clueless about the boxes we’ve built for ourselves.
We humans have an interesting way of hanging on to old thoughts and beliefs. We end up with a cupboard full of ideas past their shelf life-unexamined, unused, but still taking up space.
Our thoughts become incredibly repetitive as certain cues pop up in the course of the day.
Let’s say that every morning, you listen to the news, full of turmoil and despair, and it reminds you that you’re not sure if you want to have a child with so much uncertainty in the world. Then you get in the shower and get ready for work, and as you look in the mirror, you realize you aren’t getting any younger, and maybe you’d better make that decision to have kids now while you still can. And then, as you drive to work, you pass a school, and you calculate how old you’ll be when your child is the same age as the students you see. Then you get to the office and wonder how you’d be able to juggle work and a family at the same time.
Lather. Rinse. Repeat. Every single day.
That’s just one example. There are many. It could be about your job, your weight, your relationships-you know the top ten things on your own mental list. No matter what you’re facing in life, you have cues that bring it up for you again and again. You thought about it yesterday, you’re thinking about it today, and you’re going to think about it again tomorrow.
What if you did some applied thinking? Not just that casual sort of obsessing you do daily, but serious applied thought?
We need to learn how to think more efficiently and effectively. Dr. Edward de Bono is a former Rhodes scholar who was on the faculty at Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard universities. He is considered the world’s foremost authority on creative thinking.
Okay, the guy’s brilliant. But the cool thing about de Bono is that he wasn’t interested in revealing his method only to those who breathed the rarified air of the world’s finest universities. He was passionate about developing a way to teach creative thinking that was so simple even a five-year-old could benefit from it.
He coined the term “lateral thinking” and set about developing clear, visual ways to enhance the way we think. He uses the image of a car. Just because you’re in a good, quality car does not mean you are a good driver. You must learn how to drive. Some people are better than others, but everyone can acquire a reasonable amount of skill. You must have the desire to learn and spend time practicing. Once you become good at it, it’s easy and enjoyable.
De Bono believes that good thinkers aren’t born-they’re made. He says there are two dangerous fallacies: that if you’re intelligent, you don’t need to do anything about your thinking, and that if you have a more humble intelligence level, there’s nothing you can do about your thinking.
De Bono inspires us to develop a broad view. The broader your knowledge base, the better your thinking. De Bono actually came up with the phrase, “think outside the box”–but don’t hold that against him! It remains a clear image and a permanent part of our language because it immediately conveys the concept of stepping out of our regular patterns.
Do your own lateral thinking to see where it leads. When you find yourself stuck in your thoughts-of-the-day cycle, go wide. Jump the track. Consciously take your thoughts in a new direction.
Decide on a certain cue-say, whenever you look in the mirror and notice wrinkles or gray hair-and instead of your usual “I’m-getting-so-old” lament, picture yourself with white hair and crinkly eyes. Imagine the things you’ll be doing when you’re old. Escape into a reverie of the dreams you see coming true and the loving friends and family surrounding you. Stop dreading the process and focus on that brilliant 85-year-old who will be amazing and amusing everyone.
Your bones need lateral motion, and so does your brain. You can walk for miles and miles, but unless you add some sideways action, you’re grinding your hipbones in their sockets. Linear thought will get you where you think you want to go, but you will have missed out on tremendous opportunities for gaining perspective.
You’re going to keep on thinking until the day you die. Why not be a bit intentional about it? Pick your cue, and engage in a full-on effort to replace a repetitive thought cycle with an interesting new twist.
Take your brain out to dance in this daring new direction. Flex and stretch it at every opportunity. Feel it becoming more limber, supple, and–why not?–sexy.
Cha-cha-cha, Grandma!
Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse in Portland, Oregon. Through her company, Real-World Mindfulness Training, she teaches fun and effective eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.MassageYourMind.com
Top Ten Brainstorming Techniques for Business Success
We experience creativity every time a fresh idea pops into our minds. We recognize creative imagination in everything from a pastel painting to a business plan. By trying these ten tips, you will discover some amazing creative abilities that may surprise you.
1. Substitute someone else’s perspective for yours. How would a teacher, lawyer, actor, artist, explorer, journalist, psychologist, engineer, homemaker, child, or accountant approach your idea or subject? Don’t know? Ask them!
2. Look at your idea through the eyes of a critic. For each idea, make a list of all criticisms that may arise. Try to develop as many solutions as possible for overcoming obstacles or repairing weaknesses in your idea.
3. Connect your idea to other worlds or fields. Look at the worlds of Politics, Art, Science & Medicine, Hollywood, The Ice Age, Astronomy, Astrology, Ballet, Animation, The Army, Asia, Teaching, Music, Europe, and the like. Can you make an analogy, and what ideas can you draw upon from these fields and worlds?
4. Magnify your idea. What can you do to enlarge, expedite, extend, strengthen, exaggerate, dramatize, or improve your idea?
5. Simplify your idea. Can you condense, trim down, compact, minimize, or narrow your idea?
6. Change your idea. Modify the name, color, sound, shape, form, function, smell, taste, and properties of your idea.
7. Make your idea meet the needs and wants of the masses. Does your idea meet the basic needs and wants of more comfort, money, food, shelter, time, space, convenience, attractiveness, health, and beauty? If not, alter your idea to meet one if not all of these needs and wants.
8. Add more value. What will add more value? Add extra features, durability, safety, thickness, accuracy, guarantees, uses, and freebies.
9. Examine what others have done. Emulate professionals and experts who have had great success with a similar idea or product. Are you facing a problem that has already been solved? Use the past as a tool for experimentation and learning.
10. Flip a coin. When you cannot make a decision, flip a coin. Once the coin falls, use your intuition and gut to make a decision. If you feel comfortable with the result, go with it. If you feel uncomfortable with the coin toss, make the opposite decision.
About The Author
Bea Fields, Southern Pines, NC, USA; bea@fivestarleader.com
Bea Fields is an Executive Coach and a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach. She is also a Consultant, Trainer, Public Speaker and author of the Five Star Leader e-course. Her area of expertise is that of Leadership Development and Marketing for Executives, Managers, Small Business Owners, and Political Leaders.
Turning Obstacles Into Blessings
“Your capacity to be creatively alive in virtually all life circumstances will depend in large part upon the kind of attitude you choose for yourself.”
- Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, Author/Lecturer
In almost every part of daily living, there are obstacles that prevent you from accomplishing your goals. Whether the obstacles are in running a business or in handling a personal crisis, the objective is the same. You have to get above it, over it, under it, or around the obstacle.
Whenever you are faced with an obstacle, learn to see it for what it is. Think of how you can remove it, or make it harmless and not so important. By making the obstacle weaker and less important, you make yourself and your business more stronger.
FIVE WAYS YOU CAN FACE OBSTACLES AND TURN THEM INTO BLESSINGS
Never dwell on the cause of the obstacle. Rise above it and change the way you respond to it. It only has as much power as you’re willing to give it.
Check your attitude. Know that you have the ability to control the outcome, and/or to choose the answer that’s right for you.
Think of an alternative. If one answer doesn’t work, or if it doesn’t feel right, try another way to get to the best solution.
Realize that your view of the obstacle is what may determine how much impact it has on your life.
Think about what you were doing just before the obstacle happened. Don’t make excuses to yourself. Turn the obstacle into a positive motivator. Then find a way to move toward your goal.
FIVE OBSTACLES THAT CAN INFLUENCE YOUR LIFE AND BUSINESS
*** FEAR OF FAILURE. Do you think of all the reasons not to pursue your goals because you might fail? What if you make a wrong choice? What happens when something doesn’t work out? These can be mind numbing experiences. Ask yourself if your fear keeps you from doing your best, or if you might lose a client or friend because of it.
*** GUILT. No act, either big or small should make another person feel guilty. When you give your best, you have no reason to feel guilty. When you trust your feelings and are responsible for your actions, you’ll have no reason to feel guilty.
*** CRITICISM. The Golden Rule prevails here. When you do (criticize) unto others, it (criticism) will be done unto you. If you can’t take criticism, don’t criticize others. Set boundaries between you and your critics. Try not to return criticism with criticism. You will be the better person.
*** DEFEAT. This obstacle is all in your attitude. The more stressed or overwhelmed you are with handling challenges, the more defeated you may feel. Let your faith work for you and know that with your skills you’ll get it right. At times, you may need to connect with a higher source of power. If your spirituality or belief is strong you will overcome any challenge.
*** CONFLICT. Dealing with difficult situations, and difficult people can be quite intimidating. What do you do when you find yourself in a frustrating situation? Are you passive? Aggressive? Or, assertive? After you’ve identified the specific issue, take a deep breathe, then act or speak with your honest feelings and get closure on the situation. For example: if you need to confront someone, be specific about what happened and how it made you feel. Then get your point across without hanging on to your anger. Look for a positive outcome–one that will benefit everyone involved.
Obstacles are only temporary misfortunes. The next time you experience an obstacle, whether it’s fear, guilt, defeat, criticism, or a conflict in your life or business, remember that you have a choice to turn any obstacle into a blessing. Take a look at the people you interact with. Are they fair? Positive and upbeat? Respectful? Pleasant to be around? Are you the same? If so, then your obstacles will be at a minimum.
Think of other obstacles that may hold you back from succeeding. Recognize them. When you encounter an unmovable obstacle, confront it and learn from it so that the next time you’ll be stronger and quicker to get to a favorable result. Be positive. Be respectful. Be powerful. Be pleasant. You always have a choice!
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About The Author
Gerri D Smith is publisher and host of multiple Gateways to inspiration, motivation, and information for individuals, small business owners, and entrepreneurs. Gerri’s internet business resource offers ways for you to unlock the doors to personal success. To help you reach more of your successful and financial goals, become one of the exclusive subscribers to her Free Monthly Newsletter. For details, visit: http://www.distinctivebusinesswomen.com Or, send blank email with: “Subscribe to DBW’s Newsletter-11AC” in Subject Box and mailto: gerri@distinctivebusinesswomen.com
How to Effectively Balance Your Work and Family Life
What Is Your Definition of Success?
If you want to create balance in your life, it is important to know how you define success. The following list is a place to start. Cross off those that don’t seem important to you and add your own. Next, identify which of the items on your list are the most essential to your success definition and which items present the greatest challenge to you.
1. Being able to move on when a situation is no longer productive or positive
2. Being satisfied with your work situation
3. Enjoying the present, not putting off the good things until some time in the future
4. Expressing your creativity
5. Fulfilling your potential
6. Holding yourself with esteem separately from your work
7. Being authentic
8. Identifying your values and basing your choices on them
9. Managing your money well
10. Not feeling envious of others
11. Paying attention to your spiritual life
12. Spending time in fun ways away from your workplace
13. Spending time with people you cherish and enjoy
14. Taking good care of yourself
15. Understanding when to fight for something and when to give in
What would you add? Which items present the greatest challenge to you?
The 80/20 Rule
The 80/20 Rule, also known as the Pareto Principle, says that 20% of what we do produces 80% of the results. Some examples of this principle are:
? 20% of the people sell 80% of the widgets.
? 20% of the salespeople earn 80% of the commission.
? 20% of the parts in your car cause 80% of the breakdowns.
? 20% of the members of an organization do 80% of the work.
The 80/20 principle can help anyone create balance in their life. Here’s how:
1. Identify the times when you are most happy and productive (i.e., the 20% that produces the 80%) and increase them as much as possible.
2. Identify the times when you are least happy and productive (i.e., the 80% that produces the 20%), and reduce them as much as possible.
Your Seven Habits of Success
You have probably heard of Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. As you create balance in your life, think about your own list of success habits. What seven things would lead to more happiness in your life if you did them every day? Here are some ideas to get you started:
1. Do something you love doing for at least part of the day.
2. Get some physical exercise.
3. Get some mental exercise.
4. Stimulate yourself artistically.
5. Stimulate yourself spiritually.
6. Do something for someone else.
7. Do something just for fun.
8. Acknowledge yourself for something you said or did.
What ideas would you add?
Dealing with Workaholism
What if a person needs more than just self-help in dealing with a lack of balance in work and family life? An organization called Workaholics Anonymous can help.
Workaholics Anonymous is a 12-step recovery program similar to Alcoholics Anonymous. It is a “fellowship of individuals who share their experience, strength, and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others recover from workaholism. The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop working compulsively.”
How Do You Know if You Are a Workaholic?
Ask yourself these questions if you think you might be a workaholic:
1. Are you more comfortable talking about work than anything else?
2. Do you become impatient with people who do things besides work?
3. Do you believe that more money will solve the other problems in your life?
4. Do you get irritated when people ask you to stop working and do something else?
5. Do you get more energized about your work than about anything else, including your personal relationships?
6. Do you look for ways to turn your hobbies into money-making endeavors?
7. Do you often worry about the future, even when work is going well?
8. Do you take on extra work because you are concerned that it won’t otherwise get done?
9. Do you take work home with you? Do you work on days off? Do you work while you are on vacation?
10. Do you think about your work while driving, falling asleep, or when others are talking?
11. Do you think that if you don’t work hard you will lose your job or be considered a failure?
12. Do you work more than 40 hours in a typical week?
13. Do you work or read while you are eating?
14. Have your long hours hurt your family or other relationships?
Garrett Coan is a professional therapist,coach and psychotherapist. His two Northern New Jersey office locations are accessible to individuals who reside in Bergen County, Essex County, Passaic County, Rockland County, and Manhattan. He offers online and telephone counseling services for those who live at a distance. He can be accessed through http://www.creativecounselors.com or 201-303-4303.
Get Creativity?
Creativity is central to the management of our individual lives, but in modern times few people are able to access this as a resource. Alan Watts writes in The Wisdom of Insecurity:
“We have allowed brain thinking to develop and dominate our lives out of all proportion to ‘instinctual wisdom’; which we are allowing to slump into atrophy. As a consequence we are at war within ourselves – the brain desiring things which the body does not want, and the body desiring things that the brain will not allow; the brain giving directions which the body will nor follow, and the body giving impulses which the brain cannot understand…So long as the mind is split, life is perpetual conflict, tension, frustration and disillusion. Suffering is piled on suffering, fear on fear, and boredom on boredom. The more the fly struggles to get out of the honey, the faster he is stuck. Under the pressure of so much strain and futility, it is no wonder that men [sic] seek release in violence and sensationalism, and the reckless exploitation of their bodies, their appetites, the material world and their fellow men”.
Globally at the moment there are many problems facing mankind. Diminishing natural resources and increasing populations mean that we are in a spiral of entropy. Our investment systems have been using the capital assets of our planet as income since the beginning of the industrial revolution. We are putting little energy back into our planet.
Third world populations look enviously toward the apparent richness of first world countries, and wish to emulate the consumerism that appears to make its citizens so happy. Our media propagate the illusion that we can buy our way out of environmental destruction, and that retail therapy is the panacea to all dis-ease and unhappiness.
Although the nature of work is changing there is still more slavery in the world than there has ever been. Mass production is shifting generally to third world countries where cheap labour and the environment are more easily exploited. Tiny-wage slavery is still cheaper than investing in up to the minute technology for many third world industries. New technology steadily gobbles up jobs. Service, leisure and electronic industries have replaced much of our manufacturing losses to the third world but now even these (often part-time jobs) are being ‘outsourced’.
Certainly creativity is needed at individual and governmental levels to produce new opportunities in employment, information, education and leisure activities. Many of the manufacturing ‘jobs for life’ we have lost to cheaper workers have been replaced by part-time, poorly paid and insecure alternatives.
The development of new forms of employment and the ability to cope with accelerating change needs creativity at all levels. Pressures towards conformity stem from, “a demand that education should primarily the way to enhanced social status and a materially safe way of life” (T.P. Jones in Creative Learning in Perspective).
Aspects of specialisation (the mystification of knowledge into ‘closed shops’) and a centralised government system shift responsibility away from people. Many factors make it harder for an individual to act on their own behalf, on their own belief and to face uncertainty and possibly ridicule by doing something non-conformist. In education individual behaviour is still often construed as insulting and rebellious. Creativity, an Open University guide for teachers states:
“One of the problems with teaching for creativity in schools is that many of the personality characteristics and kind of behaviour associated with them are unpleasing to the teacher. Independent children who will not accept what the teacher says, simply because they say it, can be disliked by the teacher, particularly when such behaviour occurs on a heavy day or with a tired teacher”.
The potential for divergent, self assertive thought and action is diminished in many sectors of society. People who ‘rock the boat’ and question authority are too often seen as a threat to established patterns. This has led to a breakdown in sensitivity to needs, the generation of ideas and the production of creative solutions. Financial reward and security are conditioned to be the primary motivations for work and life.
With the coming of automation and factories seeking the cheapest labour in third world countries, the emphasis in a successful economy needs to be more biased towards the production of ideas that create meaningful and sustainable employment. The education organisations we have are slow to realise this and much of the training they provide is still geared towards values established during the Industrial Revolution.
The didactic education system we have is still partly based on training small boys for the priesthood, five-hundred years ago. The development of creative potential in individuals is an issue that the system simply does not know how to handle. Presently we are between two worlds, leaving generations high and dry concerning meaningful work and the generation of identity.
“Whilst assimilating that which he has inherited, and adapting himself to it, man [sic] must also preserve his essential individuality. Education must assist the society which nurtures it by inspiring each generation to add to the culture it has received by creating something new; there should be no passive acceptance of what has been handed down from the past. Serious consideration must therefore be given to the extent that non-conforming ideas can be considered as an asset for life in a conforming society”.
(T.Powell Jones. Creative Learning in Perspective)
About The Author
Simon Mitchell
Secrets of Creativity http://www.simonthescribe.co.uk/secrets.html
Creating Dynamic Window Coverings Without Breaking the Budget
When creating dynamic window coverings, it’s important to choose carefully, because your window coverings will become the focal points of a well-decorated room. But choosing the right window treatments, at the right price, takes some thought about not only the look you’re hoping to achieve, but also about the nature of the space itself.
The first consideration will be how much exposure the fabric is going to receive. All fabrics are susceptible to sunlight, but many homemakers invest in acrylic, modacrylic, polyester, or another glass-based fabric in order to get the longest life out of window treatments. Although it gives a room an elegant feel, silk is most vulnerable to sunlight.
I save money on window treatments by using some imagination and creativity. For example, I often create a custom look by covering a tension rod with a thicker piece of PVC pipe. To avoid having the PVC’s printing bleed into my fabric, I sand off the numbers, but the printing can also be neutralized by using PVC primer, acetone, or even fingernail polish.
I’ve found PVC pipe to be very versatile. I’ve spray painted it black to look like wrought iron or brown to look like wood, and I’ve sponge painted it with copper and dark green over a light green for a verdigris effect. I’ve also painted it to reinforce an accent color or to look like gold or silver. It’s not expensive, and PVC’s decorating uses seem to be endless.
When it comes to longer window spans, wooden closet dowels, stronger than PVC, cost considerably less than drapery rods. I’ve also used copper pipe, which works well for curtain rods and looks great for significantly less money. If the curtain fabric will be touching the copper, though, I spray the copper with a clear gloss. That way, my fabric doesn’t get stained if the copper should happen to oxidize.
To save even more money, I also get creative with the decorative hardware when creating window treatments. For instance, I’ve used the braid cords and tassels from Christmas tree decorations to add a touch of class to my window coverings, at a fraction of the cost of what similar drapery accessories would cost at a window fashion center.
I also love to create unique treatments by using unusual tieback holders. For one remodeling project, I found some old lamp finials and used them as tieback holders. I’ve also created a nice, airy atmosphere in a room by forming delicate swags of sheer lace curtains by securing them with clear fishing line.
Dynamic window treatments are a vital part of the overall look and feel of a room, but they don’t need to break the budget. If you’re creative and allow your imagination to run free, your decorating choices are truly endless.
Copyright (c) 2004 by Jeanette J. Fisher
Professor Jeanette Fisher, author of Doghouse to Dollhouse for Dollars, Joy to the Home, and other books teaches Real Estate Investing and Design Psychology. For more articles, tips, reports, newsletters, and sales flyer template, see http://www.newsletterjournal.com
Art, Artists, and the Web: Part 1–Why Every Artist Should Have Their Own Website
First rate art is in danger of being left behind in this new age of the global Internet highway. The World Wide Web is like Walmart or Home Depot coming to town. Art galleries as they now exist, are going to become the Mom and Pop version of selling art.
Chances are if you are an established artist, and look for your medium or subject matter on the Web, some very web-savvy artist will show up, sometimes repeatedly on the first two or three pages of a search engine and your name is no where to be found.
This can change, but established artists and the galleries that represent them need to start thinking differently about their approach to the Internet. And galleries need to help every artist they represent have their own website. This will make a revolutionary difference in how first rate art is represented, because right now really good contemporary art is hard to find on the Web, and because of this fact, really good contemporary art is in danger of becoming irrelevant or worse, obsolete.
Every artist needs his or her own website, and every artist needs to get his or her own website now.
There are several myths I would like to dispel.
1) Websites cost a fortune.
Websites do not have to cost a fortune. There are lots of good people involved with the Web who don’t have a huge overhead who are good at designing websites.
Good websites for artists can be designed for $500 or less. You can get a domain name for under $10 and have it hosted for under $100 a year. This is one of the best investments in your career you will ever make.
You also do not have to pay a fortune to get your website on search engines. For a presence on the Web, you need patience, information and knowledge (more on this on Art, Artists and the Web: Part 4).
2) My gallery is in charge of marketing and I don’t need a website in my own name.
Every artist needs a website with a domain name that includes his or her name–”www. yourname.com” or “www. yourname artist.com.” What artists do not need is a website that includes the gallery’s name–”www. gallery.com/yourname.”
Websites need to be easy to remember and Web visitors are going to pay a lot more attention to an artist that has their own domain name. Web visitors usually skip over websites that are hosted by galleries and pay almost no attention to artist’s pages on gallery sites.
3) If I have my own web page, then the gallery or galleries that represent me won’t be able to control the direction that the gallery would like to go in.
The artist and gallery can work together in creating the artist’s website. However, it can’t feel as if the gallery is holding the artist hostage. There is nothing worse than finding an artist you really like on the Web, seeing a couple of picture and a link to the gallery. Web visitors never go back.
The artist’s website can be an excellent promotional tool for the gallery. There is no reason why an artist’s website cannot promote both the gallery and the artist.
If the gallery is concerned about an artist having an email address of his or her own, there is an easy solution. The person who sends the email gets an automatic reply saying their message has been received. The same email message can be forwarded to both the artist and the gallery, and together they can decide how the email could be answered.
Established artists need to become conscious of the new way people are viewing and experiencing art. There are literally billions of people out there who don’t know that you or your art exists. They associate your subject or medium with artists who show up on search engines. They don’t care about what gallery you may be associated with, they care about who shows up on the Web. If you don’t start showing up on the Web very soon, not only will no one know who you are, they won’t even care.
But, great art doesn’t have to be left behind. Artists and the galleries that represent them can join the new global Internet highway, have fun enjoying the ride and be part of the new global art revolution. Start now and start right away.
© Mary Baker 2005
Mary Baker is a contemporary realist painter, whose studio is in Newburyport, Massachusetts. This New England city, north of Boston, has been the inspiration for the artist’s realistic oil paintings. Mary Baker is a professional artist and has shown in New York art galleries.
You can visit Mary at her website, Mary Baker Art, at http://www.newsletterjournal.com, see her beautiful paintings and read her articles on a variety of subjects including, Art, Artists and Money, Creativity, Tips on Breaking the Creative Block, Why Buy Original Art and the four part series on Art, Artists, and the Web.
A list of articles can be found on her Site Map and Mary’s paintings can be seen on every page of Mary Baker Art.
