Day Thirty One- Creativity

“Solitude is creativity’s best friend, and solitude is refreshment for our souls.”

Naomi Judd

Today is the last of my thirty one day series. Thank you for following along. 

Whether you actually tried any of the creative activities I suggested, I hope this series got you to thinking about the importance of creativity in your life. 

For me today’s quote pretty much sums up how creativity works in my life. If I am constantly on the go, and have no time for solitude my creativity sufferers. In life we have seasons that are busier than others. For me the last year has not left much time for creativity. 

I have found that there is an element of self- discipline that is required for creativity to blossom. 

As things are slowly settling down I’m going to choose the more creative life. 

Creative Activity

Take a trip down memory lane. 

I did this a couple of years ago, and it was so much fun. I returned to the home of my late childhood and teenaged years. It was fun to reflect back on that time, (also a perfect time to set your car radio to that decade) and to consider what your dreams were then, and where your life is in the present. 

Driving by your old schools, your church, and even the places you shopped (for me that was my beloved Westcliff Mall) all will bring back memories of that time in your life. 

Of course, for me no trip would be complete without driving by the Hampton Illinois Library where I spent much of my youth. 

If you are unable to actually return in person look back through your old photos and even check out Google Earth. I was able to locate my old home from third grade when I lived on Long Island. 

I’m including the link for Google Earth below:

                                                     https://www.google.com/earth/versions/

Day Thirty-Creativity

“Boredom always precedes a period of great creativity.”

Robert M. Porsig

What I find interesting about this is that in today’s world parents work so hard to make sure their children are not bored. And yet, allowing them to become bored might end up being the better way. 

Creativity can arise out of boredom for both children and adults. Allow yourself to have time to be bored. 

Creative Activity

Write a knock knock joke. 

In other words do or try something silly. I’m not really a very silly person, but I do love cleverness. 

I’ve always enjoyed plays on words, creating silly stories, cartoons and now memes. 

I’m including a link about knock knock jokes:

https://www.juliewrightconsulting.com/blog/tag/knock+knock+jokes

Day Twenty Nine- Creativity

“Critical thinking and curiosity are the key to creativity.”

Amala Akkinen 

Critical thinking seems to be in short supply these days. We are quick to accept what we are told never bothering to question anything. 

Curiosity, which comes quite naturally to me, is not a given when it comes to some people. 

Creativity is something that flourishes with a curious mind, and critical thinking is often the key to problem solving. 

Make room for both in your life. 

Creative Activity

Go on a quest. 

This can tie into yesterday’s post about collections. Once my family went on a Pez quest, and in a matter of hours our collection had grown from none to way too many, and what were we thinking?

I have a dear friend who has made it a quest to visit each baseball stadium in the United States with her cousin. They always return with a ball representing the home team. 

Quests are just fun, and can require a little curiosity and critical thinking in figuring out the logistics needed to achieve your goal. 

My husband and I have made it a quest to visit as many of the Presidential Libraries as we can. We even have a Presidential passport that gets stamped 

after each visit. 

I’m including a link about a different kind of quest:

                                                         https://www.asacredjourney.net/quest/

Day Twenty Eight- Creativity

“Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is the result of good work habits.”

Twyla Tharp

Choreographer Twyla Tharp is an inspirational person. Recently she wrote a book about creativity and she wrote about how easy it is as we age for, not only our bodies, but our
to shrink. 

She encouraged her readers to not allow this to happen. Creative activities are all ways to challenge ourselves not to allow our world to become too small. 

Creative Activity

Start a new collection. 

This would be one of my favorite things to do. In fact I have to be careful not to let this get out of hand. What I think I like most about collections is the hunt. 

I find many of my treasures as resale stores where you never know what you are going to find. 

I’ve collected thimbles ever since Chuck and I got married. Each time that we travel somewhere new we look for thimbles to bring home. I have them proudly displayed in a printer’s tray. 

One of the most interesting collections I’ve ever seen was a former co-worker who had collected pens since high school. Donna Self has since passed away, but she had catalogued all of her pens, and had them organized neatly in a large box. 

I know it had brought her a lot of pleasure over the year as she searched for new and unique pens. 

A neighbor of mine collects heart shaped rocks which she finds while exploring her property. In fact she has named that property Heart Rock Ridge. 

Collections don’t have to be expensive, just something you are interested in, and find enjoyment from.

I’m including a link about collections:

https://resalvaged.com/collecting-as-a-hobby/

Day Twenty Seven- Creativity

“Creativity may be hard to nurture, but it’s easy to thwart.”

Adam Grant

It’s important to nurture creativity, and even more important not to thwart.

In both incidents it takes mindfulness to be aware of how we are contributing positively and negatively to our creativity. 

For some people actually scheduling a creative period into the day helps them to make sure they don’t thwart their creativity. 

Sometimes just taking it for granted can give it a less important role in your life.

Find ways to nurture your creativity. 

Creative Activity

Visit a candy store. 

This will bring back childhood memories for sure. 

Allow yourself to indulge if you usually refrain from sugar. Along with the memories the colorful atmosphere can certainly contribute to you thinking a little more creatively. 

I’m including a link to nurture your creativity:

https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/10-ways-nurture-your-creativity-and-boost-your-intuitive-awareness.html

Day Twenty Six- Creativity

“The comfort zone is the great enemy to creativity.”

Dan Stevens

Oh my best friend, the comfort zone. Why would I ever want to leave its protective arms?

This is probably my greatest impediment to creativity. I don’t like feeling uncomfortable. The other day I was getting my eyes checked, and was asked to read something that was totally blurry. 

Of course I could not do it, and it made me think about how our inclination would be to avoid such tasks. However, with the proper glasses the task became doable.

 

Maybe that’s the better way to look at things that are uncomfortable at first. Whether it be a proper tool, or maybe even giving ourselves more time we might have a better chance for enjoyment. 

Leaving our comfort zone may give us opportunities that we hadn’t considered before which just might result in a creative endeavor. 

Creative Activity

Visit the toy aisle, or even better go to a toy specialty store. 

Not only will this bring back memories of childhood it might inspire you to play. Sometimes just picking up a small toy might spur you to do something creative. 

Craft kits are often found in toy stores, and they might be a fun way to get introduced to something new. 

My habit is to check out a children’s version of something when I’m new to something. It’s usually less intimidating than the adult version.

 

I’m including a link for how to ease out of your comfort zone. 

                                          https://www.developgoodhabits.com/comfort-zone/

Day Twenty Five- Creativity

“Almost all creativity requires purposeful play.”

Abraham Maslow

It is for this reason that children are so creative. Play is the way they learn, and is as natural as breathing. 

Think about the things you loved as a child. How could you include some of this in your adult life. 

For me one of my favorite things to do as a child was coloring. Today I continue to color with a set of colored pencils, and inspirational  coloring books. 

I also enjoy coloring with my grandsons. 

Creative Activity

Substitute a different ingredient in a familiar meal or create a totally new meal with only the ingredients on hand. 

This type of creativity stretches that problem solving muscle, and who knows you might actually create a new family favorite.

I’m including a link about the importance of play:

                                                                                

                                                                      https://wanderlust.com/

Day Twenty Four- Creativity

“Making the simple complicated is commonplace. Making the complicated awesomely simple, that’s creativity.”

Charles Mingu

Sometimes we complicate things by overthinking them. Sometimes we fail to start because we fear we might fail. Other times because we don’t have the perfect tools or materials we use that as an excuse not to begin. 

Keeping things simple is a good rule of thumb when it comes to both life and creativity. 

Challenge yourself to take something complicated, and figure out a way to make it simple. Share your results with a friend. 

Creative Activity

Make something off of Pinterest. This is something my grandsons and I do regularly. Even the three year old finds inspiration on Pinterest when it comes to painting ( one of his favorite things to do).

The great artists of the Renaissance perfected their craft by copying the masters who came before them. Ideas on Pinterest can inspire you to get started. 

 

I’m including a link for some fun Thanksgiving crafts:

                                               

                                                 https://crazylittleprojects.com/thanksgiving-crafts/

Day Twenty Three- Creativity

“Creativity is a natural extension of our enthusiasm.”

Earl Nightingale 

I think it’s important to live our lives with enthusiasm.  Now this may not be an every second kind of thing, but getting excited about life adds a whole new layer.

Creativity shows up when we are living a life full of enthusiasm, even in the ordinary. 

Perhaps for me the best role model for this is my sweet three year old grandson, who lives life so enthusiastically that you can’t help but be inspired when you are around him. 

If I could bottle just a fraction of his enthusiasm, and see the world through his eyes life would definitely be sweeter. 

Creative Activity

Write a letter.

Letter writing seems to have become a lost art. However, that doesn’t mean that we should give up on the benefits of writing a handwritten letter to someone in our life. 

Use a pretty piece of stationery, and even a specialty stamp when you mail it. 

As a child pen pals were a really popular thing to do. Although, I’ve never had one I always thought it sounded pretty cool. 

When I graduated from high school I did stay in touch with some of my friends through letter writing. Long distance phone calls were expensive, so letter writing was the only way to keep in touch. 

I challenge you to write a letter to someone in your life today. 

Here’s a link if you want to become a pen pal with a senior citizen:

http://seniorpenpals.net/

Day Twenty Two- Creativity

“Do something creative everyday.”

Anonymous 

I truly believe this is the way to live a creative life. Each day find a way to be creative. 

As I’ve tried to express creativity is so much more than painting a masterpiece or writing the great American novel. 

Allowing creativity to become a habit can add value to your days, and as Annie Dillard reminds us, “How we spend our days is how we spend our lives.”

Creative Activity

Write a haiku. 

Haiku is Japanese poetry composed of three lines. Line one is composed of five syllables, line two seven syllables, and line three  five syllables. 

It’s fun to write haiku about nature. I keep a small journal to record my haiku poems. 

I’m including  a link with examples to help inspire your own haiku 

                                      

                                           https://www.classroompoems.com/haiku-examples.html

Day Twenty One- Creativity

                            

                                  “Creative  thinking inspires ideas. Ideas inspire change.”

Barbara Januszkiewicz

I’ve recently had a few changes to my normal routine. I’m not necessarily handling it well when it comes to my preferred healthy eating choices. 

Each week when I weigh in at WW my weight seems to fluctuate, and usually up. As I discussed my dilemma with my husband I realized I needed to make a change. Up until this point I had just tweaked what I’d always done, and I wasn’t having much success. 

What I was needing was new ideas that would inspire me to live the healthy life I really wanted. 

This is where creativity can come into play. Just making the list of 25 things I wrote about the other day might just be the way to kick start my healthy eating back into place, and provide the inspiration I need. 

Creativity is so much more than an art project, and can be used to solve everyday problems. 

Creative Activity

Choose a type of food you’ve never tried before. To me the produce aisle is the perfect place to start. I generally buy the same type of food each week, but by adding something new my creativity can be stretched. 

If you are not sure how to prepare the produce you choose head back to your friend Pinterest for some ideas.

 

I’m including a link today about the power of ideas:

                                      

                                          https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newCT_88.htm

Day Twenty- Creativity

                                      

                                   

                                        “Why fit in when you were born to stand out?”

Dr. Seuss

I really love this! 

Children seem to know this instinctively, however somewhere around middle school they start to lose sight of this. 

Trying to be just like everyone else seems to take priority. 

I used to worry about why I didn’t quite fit in, but somewhere along the way  (probably in my early fifties) I began to embrace my differences. 

Author of The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin inspired me to do so with these two ideas:

“Be Gretchen“( or in my case Shari)

“You can choose what you do, but not what you like to do.“

Each one of us is completely unique, and comes equipped to make our own mark on the world. Large or small our gifts are their to help others. Stand out!

Creative Activity

Add 5 new Pinterest boards to your account. Choose five new categories of interest, and pin away to your heart’s desire. 

Sometimes I think of Pinterest pinning as a hobby of mine. It’s a fun way to get inspiration, and to learn new things. 

If you need a few ideas to get you started I’ve included a link for that:

                                          https://www.plannthat.com/pinterestboardideas/

Day Nineteen- Creativity

“To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong.”

Anonymous 

I don’t like being wrong. I’ve died on that hill before when my pride wouldn’t let me quit my argument.

Creativity invites risk, and risk involves being wrong. For many of us the need to be right stems from some childhood conditioning. Our educational system rewards the correct answer. 

Being wrong may result in embarrassment or disappointment. 

When we realize we are wrong it’s probably best to admit it, ask forgiveness if need be, and try to make amends. Of course, learning from our mistakes is crucial as well. 

I aspire never to allow my need to be right to interfere with my creativity. 

Creative Activity 

Rearrange a room in your house. 

Now when it comes to this I must admit that I am not a room rearranger, but I have known people who are. 

I saw this with one of my teaching partners who rearranged her classroom weekly. I would usually decide on a set up in August and keep it in place until May. 

However, interior design is one way to express your creativity. For me changing out accessories is about as creative as I get. 

That being said if it sounds like fun to you give it a try!

I’m including a link to get you started:

                                              https://news.thelockup.com/rearrange-room-fresh-start/

Day Eighteen- Creativity

“Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous.”

Bill Moyers

Last evening I happened to glance out the front window, and saw the most amazing sky. It’s color was what I call sky blue pink. It’s a term I learned as a child. 

I encouraged my husband to join me outside to revel in its majesty. Something as ordinary as the sky was showing off it’s hidden beauty.

We moved to the side of the house to check out the backyard which faces the west. The sky was majestic with its amber hues. 

We then returned to the front and our sky blue pink sky was no more. In a matter of seconds it had faded away. 

Luckily I had snapped photos of both skies, although the beauty of the sky blue pink sky paled n comparison to the real deal. 

I posted the photos on Facebook and described them as dueling skies, with the reminder to live in the moment. 

Between my photos and my blog posting I would say creativity won. 

Creative Activity

Photograph the same thing at different times of the day. Photograph the same thing from three different angles. Move in closer to take the photo. Consider the background. Only photograph a portion of something. 

Today with everyone carrying around a high quality camera on their phone there is no reason not to play around with photography. Check out the edit features, and experiment with the different filters. 

I’ve set up an Instagram account for only my photos. I sure do enjoy looking back at my photo gallery. If you’d like to check it out, follow me at shari5802.

I’m including a link with tips for creating better photos with your i phone:

https://iphonephotographyschool.com/iphone-photography-tips/