Last time we came up with a working definition of creativity as 1) connecting with the world and 2) affecting it in a meaningful way. We also looked at the various ways in which we engage the world through 1) our senses 2) our thoughts (including thoughts about how we perceive ourselves) and 3) our […]
Understanding Creativity Across Art, Science, and Religion Part I
It is common for people to pigeonhole creativity into a specific type of activity such as art, invention, or innovation. It is also common for people to say that there are creative “types” out there, those that seem to be inherently more creative than others. But from my own perspective, all of human activities share […]
Creativity and the Golden Rule
The Golden Rule, which states “do unto others as you would have others do unto you,” is a powerful statement and a good guideline for how to treat others in the world. But when it comes to creativity, its message is subtly limiting, for it asks us to focus on how we would like to […]
Do You Want To Be More Creative? Learn Another Language, Part III
Last time we explored the effects my time in Costa Rica and learning Spanish had on my ability to create. Now I’m going to tell you about a night that changed my life, a night that sent me in a whole new and enlivening direction of creativity and creative exploration. On the evening of the […]
What is the relationship between creativity, career, and vocation?
Here is a useful and interesting venn diagram via a dear friend of mine, Rosy Moon. Although creativity isn’t explicitly stated we can begin to get a sense of where it occurs in the various parts of the diagram. Wherever there is the combination of 1) connecting with the world and 2) affecting the world […]
Do You Want To Be More Creative? Learn Another Language, Part II
Last time we explored the relationship between learning another language and its effects on one’s health, especially in its ability to prevent dementia and Alzheimer’s. Today I am going to share my own personal experience with learning another language and its effects on my creativity. In 1999, halfway through my graduate school studies in architecture, […]
Are you Interested in Testing your Creativity?
For those of you who are interested in testing your creativity, there are several tests out there to measure your ability for 1) divergent thinking 2) convergent thinking 3) artistic assessments 4) creative self assessments. For an overview of the creativity tests available, you can click here to be directed to a website set up by […]
Do You Want To Be More Creative? Learn Another Language, Part I
Today I came across an article entitled, “Would you learn a new language if it helped your health?” In it the authors were referring specifically to the correlation between those who are bilingual and the lower/delayed rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease they seem to have. All of what they had to say intuitively made […]
Create Together! Creativity In Groups Increases Dramatically With The Right Leadership
ShayLynne Clark, one very motivated 22-year-old student from Weber State University, has spent her university time exploring the topic of creativity in group settings. Her valued conclusion: Creativity in groups suffers with overbearing central leadership, but flourishes with an empowering moderator, one who encourages creative input from all members of the group. OGDEN — ShayLynne […]
Take The Childish Approach: Too Much Of An Adult Mindset Stymies Creativity
According to this article by Sam McNerney our natural ability to daydream and wonder drops precipitously for most of us around the fourth grade. Those who maintain their creative capacities throughout their lifetime, however, are those who can suspend reason and tap into their childlike selves. What happens to our innate creativity when we age? […]